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Ranking the 10 Best Nonconference College Football Games in 2026
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- Ranking the 10 Best Nonconference College Football Games in 2026
Saturdays can feel empty in the college football offseason. And while the sport continues to keep us on our toes with rulings on eligibility , realignment news and still more coaching changes , the late winter, spring and summer months can drag in the build up to fall.
More than a month has passed since Indiana completed its storybook season in winning its first national championship . And Week Zero, which promises games in Ireland and Brazil, is still more than six months away. Discouraging as that may be, allow us to look on the bright side: There are a ton of high-profile games on the calendar in 2026.
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Some of these are return trips from 2025. Others are the first legs of new series. And they're all reasons to get excited about the season ahead. Without further ado, here are the 10 best nonconference games scheduled in 2026. August will be here before you know it.
( Traditional rivalry games played annually were not considered for this list. Kickoff times are still TBD. Unless otherwise noted, rankings for 2026 are from Athlon's way-too-early top 25 .)
Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key leads his team on the field before its game against Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Nov. 28, 2025.© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
10. Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech
Week 2 — Sept. 12 (Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta)
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The Volunteers have made it a point to test themselves early in the year against ACC competition. That's gone rather well for coach Josh Heupel, who's 5-0 against the ACC, including a win over Syracuse last season. However, coach Brent Key's Yellow Jackets figure to put up more resistance than Tennessee has seen from the conference in a game that was originally scheduled to be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and will instead be held on campus.
Georgia Tech is used to the best the SEC has to offer, given its annual rivalry game against Georgia. The Yellow Jackets are turning over the offense to transfer quarterback Alberto Mendoza (Indiana), the brother of the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner . The No. 19 Vols' quarterback situation is also interesting as Joey Aguilar's petition for additional eligibility was recently denied. Up are two blue-chip recruits fighting for the starting job in George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon. After the opener against Furman, how will either — or both — of them fare against a P4 opponent?
9.Arizona State vs. Texas A&M
Week 2 — Sept. 12 (College Station, Texas)
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The Sun Devils are making an SEC road trip for the second consecutive September. And this time around, they won't have quarterback Sam Leavitt, who left in the transfer portal. ASU coach Kenny Dillingham has raised the bar in Tempe enough to inspire confidence in his ability to ready one of two transfer quarterbacks — Cutter Boley (Kentucky) or Mikey Keene (Fresno State) — for a visit to Kyle Field.
Coach Mike Elko has similarly set a high standard for the Aggies, who finally broke through to the CFP last season. Quarterback Marcel Reed is back for another season, which should help No. 7 Texas A&M overcome significant roster turnover in the trenches. The Aggies are 12-2 at home under Elko, but Dillingham's teams haven't had trouble winning away from home. In a stacked Week 2 schedule, this is a game to keep an eye on.
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell looks on during his team's game against Alabama at Doak S. Campbell Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.© Melina Myers-Imagn Images
8. Florida State vs. Alabama
Week 3 — Sept. 19 (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
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Who can forget how this game turned out last season? The Seminoles were all the way back after a 31-17 upset at Doak Campbell Stadium, and the Crimson Tide were toast. Oh, how wrong that turned out to be. It wasn't the best Alabama team ever, but coach Kalen DeBoer still brought his team to the playoff. FSU, however, never returned to Week 1 form.
Coach Mike Norvell heads into 2026 on one of the hottest seats in the country with an early trip to Bryant-Denny Stadium looming. The 'Noles haven't won a road game since 2023, while 'Bama is 13-1 at home under DeBoer. With Ty Simpson off to the NFL , the No. 15 Tide are ready to see what they have between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack . Florida State 's shot at a turnaround is tied to transfer Ashton Daniels ( Auburn ), who almost upset Alabama in his last game for the Tigers.
7. SMU vs. Notre Dame
Week 12 — Nov. 21 (South Bend, Ind.)
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The Mustangs just missed out on a return trip to the ACC Championship Game in their second season in the league. Coach Rhett Lashlee has accomplished a lot in a short time in Dallas. And with quarterback Kevin Jennings back for one final year, No. 24 SMU could wind up back in the playoff if all goes according to plan.
What's particularly intriguing about this matchup between two teams that haven't played this century is the timing. In the second-to-last week of the regular season, the No. 6 Fighting Irish project to be jockeying for playoff positioning and the same could go for SMU, especially given the ease of its ACC schedule. A win over the Fighting Irish would do wonders for the Mustangs' résumé. Conversely, Notre Dame can punctuate its case to the committee with one more quality win.
6. Notre Dame vs. BYU
Week 7 — Oct. 17 (Provo, Utah)
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This clash carries a lot of weight for both teams' playoff aspirations. The Fighting Irish and Cougars both took flak last season for weak schedules — and for falling short against the toughest teams they played. This visit from Notre Dame is likely the toughest game on No. 14 BYU's schedule. Conversely, the trip to LaVell Edwards Stadium might be the second-hardest task for the Irish after the Miami rematch.
The two young quarterbacks are the main event in this matchup. CJ Carr burst onto the scene for the Fighting Irish as a redshirt freshman and led his team to 10 straight wins. Bear Bachmeier was thrust into the starting job as a true freshman and emerged as a reliable dual threat under center. Given the makeup of its Big 12 schedule, a BYU win could propel a fringe CFP team to its first playoff appearance. And Notre Dame now knows all too well it has a slim margin for error.
5. Ole Miss vs. Louisville
Week 1 — Sept. 5 (Nashville, Tenn.)
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The Rebels finally got clarity on quarterback Trinidad Chambliss' status when he won an injunction for an additional year of eligibility. It was an injury to starter Austin Simmons that afforded Chambliss the chance to break out. Now, one of the breakout stars of the 2025 season is back as a Heisman frontrunner to lead No. 13 Ole Miss in the opener of the Pete Golding era . Rebels fans are used to making the drive up to Music City, and this neutral-site clash with the Cardinals should be a shootout.
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Louisville coach Jeff Brohm has built one of the most consistent winners in the ACC. And once again, he's turning to a transfer quarterback in Lincoln Kienholz ( Ohio State ). The Cardinals have a host of weapons in place around him, namely running back Isaac Brown. No. 23 Louisville could also open the season in the top 25 for the first time since Bobby Petrino's tenure.
Clemson running back Adam Randall rushes for a touchdown against LSU at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.© Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
4. Clemson vs. LSU
Week 1 — Saturday, Sept. 5 (Baton Rouge, La.)
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Coach Dabo Swinney's Tigers are not what they once were. Clemson scratched and clawed its way to bowl eligibility in 2025 and is in danger of opening the 2026 season unranked for the first time since 2011. That won't dampen the buzz around Kiffin's LSU debut , though. The No. 11 Bayou Bengals ended a five-year losing streak in season openers last fall when they took down Clemson on the road, 17-10. Coincidentally, that also marked Swinney's third straight Week 1 loss.
A win for Kiffin could build some early momentum before his highly anticipated return to Ole Miss . As for Swinney, an upset against one of the toughest teams on Clemson's schedule would help assure the fan base that last season was a one-off. Both rosters have plenty of new players to break in. Clemson was one of the most experienced teams in the country last fall and is undergoing its first change under center since 2023. LSU got busy in the transfer portal, and this game offers a first look at Leavitt (Arizona State) in purple and gold.
3. Oklahoma vs. Michigan
Week 2 — Saturday, Sept. 12 (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
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The Sooners' first trip to the Big House will likely be against a better Wolverines team than the one they hosted last September. Oklahoma's defense shut down Michigan's true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood in a 24-13 statement win that saw quarterback John Mateer do it all for the Sooners. Underwood now has a full season as the starter under his belt and a new head coach in Kyle Whittingham, who brought reinforcements with him from Utah.
Beyond the opportunity to score a marquee win early in the year, this game carries some weight in the fight for supremacy between the Big Ten and SEC . The Wolverines accounted for two of the SEC's three wins last season against the Big Ten as Texas also toppled Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. Whittingham's group looks primed for a playoff run, and a home win here for the No. 12 Wolverines would certainly help their case. However, No. 10 OU is still a formidable foe on the heels of coach Brent Venables' most successful season in Norman. Can Underwood make any inroads in his second shot against the Sooners?
2. Miami vs. Notre Dame
Week 10 — Saturday, Nov. 7 (South Bend, Ind.)
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The latest iteration of a longstanding rivalry had unexpected and far-reaching ramifications. The Hurricanes' 27-24 season-opening win over the Fighting Irish was the source of much controversy as Notre Dame debuted ahead of Miami in the College Football Playoff rankings in spite of that result. The Fighting Irish advantage held until the final rankings release saw the 'Canes jump them to claim the final at-large spot in the 12-team field. The outrage in South Bend was so severe that Notre Dame opted out of a bowl game entirely over its perceived snub . Meanwhile, Miami made it all the way to the national championship game.
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The last two runners-up will meet again at Notre Dame Stadium. And once again, the Hurricanes and Fighting Irish appear to be the toughest team on each other's schedule. With Carr back under center, Notre Dame has its sights set on revenge and a return trip to the playoff after coach Marcus Freeman watched Miami play for the national title in the same stadium where his team lost months prior. The No. 8 Hurricanes went back to the transfer portal to answer their quarterback problems by plucking Darian Mensah ( Duke ) away from an ACC foe. And with all of their returning talent, coach Mario Cristobal's team might be even better in 2026.
The Ohio State Buckeyes line up on offense against the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.© Kyle Robertson/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
1. Ohio State vs. Texas
Week 2 — Saturday, Sept. 12 (Austin, Texas)
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The Week 1 clash between the top-ranked Longhorns and No. 3 Buckeyes was one of the most anticipated games of 2025 . And despite Ohio State's 14-7 triumph in a game dominated by defense, expectations are high for the rematch on Texas' home turf. The Buckeyes slot in as Athlon's No. 1 team this time around with Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin and star receiver Jeremiah Smith back in the fold. Arch Manning and the Longhorns aren't far behind at No. 3, thanks to a star-studded transfer portal haul headlined by receiver Cam Coleman (Auburn).
Texas and Ohio State both have a tuneup game on the schedule before they face off after they opened against each other last season. The 2026 meeting marks the third season in a row these blue bloods will play. Coach Ryan Day's Buckeyes are 2-0 so far against coach Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns, though Texas is 19-1 at Darrell K. Royal — Texas Memorial Stadium since 2023.
Related: College Football Top 25 for 2026: Athlon's Way-Too-Early Picks
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
