College football 2025: 25 non-conference games you'll want to watch

At this point, an Auburn-Baylor matchup would actually be more intriguing on the basketball court. However, both the Tigers and Bears received votes in The Associated Press Top 25 for the preseason, and starting strong is imperative. Auburn has endured two straight losing seasons under coach Hugh Freeze, who is firmly on the hot seat, and is relying on transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold and receiver Eric Singleton Jr. to bring the program back to its winning ways. Meanwhile, the Bears also sport some serious offensive talent in quarterback Sawyer Robertson (3,071 yards, 28 touchdowns, eight interceptions) and 1,000-yard running back Bryson Washington. These teams last met in 1976.

Colorado moves on without Travis Hunter  and Shedeur Sanders, but it did land a solid recruiting class. However, the hype surrounding Crime Prime and Co. is lukewarm, at best. However, a home victory against a quality opponent to kick off the season could attract attention. The challenge won't be easy against potent quarterback Haynes King (2,114 passing yards, 587 rushing yards, 25 combined touchdowns in 2024) and the Yellow Jackets, who received votes in the AP's preseason Top 25.

College football fans won't have to wait long for a marquee matchup. It's a rematch of the College Football Playoff semifinals, where the Buckeyes won 28-14. However, this time around, each team will have a new quarterback, notably Arch Manning, finally taking over the reins of the Longhorns offense. And, doing so with No. 1-ranked Texas in the hostile environment of the Horseshoe and against one of the nation's top defenses from third-ranked Ohio State, led by defensive back Caleb Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles. 

A couple of traditional college football powers with something to prove in 2025 meet for the first time since 2017. For coaches Kalen DeBoer and Mike Norvell, there is not much room for error on either side. Alabama is primed to get back to the CFP after missing out last season, while Florida State is simply trying to rebound from that 2-10 debacle of 2024. On paper, this is a game the Crimson Tide should win. But they're on the road, where the place will be packed and strange things tend to happen on opening weekend.

Another tasty top 10 matchup on the first full Saturday of the college football season. LSU, which went hog wild in the transfer portal, is 3-1 all-time versus Clemson, but each one of those contests came in bowl games or the national championship game on Jan. 13, 2020. This time, it's Clemson's Death Valley playing host, and it will feature a pair of Heisman Trophy-contending quarterbacks in LSU's Garrett Nussmeier (4,052 passing yards in 2024) and Clemson's Cade Klubnik (7,180 career passing yards). LSU will try to snap a five-game skid in season openers.

For years, this was a somewhat competitive Pac-12 matchup. But now, the Utes are in the Big 12, and UCLA resides in the Big Ten. Utah has won six of the last seven meetings between the schools, but there's a buzz in Westwood with former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava in town. The versatile Iamaleava threw for more than 2,600 yards and 19 touchdowns while helping the Vols reach the College Football Playoff last season. UCLA doesn't have the overall talent to compete on that level, but a victory of this magnitude to open the Iamaleava Era would be huge.

The days of "Catholics vs. Convicts" are well in the past, and the rivalry has lost some luster since the late 1980s. Now, these storied programs have met just four times since their regular series ended in 1990, and most recently in 2017. However, this has the potential for a stellar season opener. The Irish played for a national championship last year and could be headed for a similar run in 2025. Notre Dame beat Georgia without injured starting quarterback Carson Beck in the College Football Playoff last season. Healthy, Beck will be slinging it for the No. 10 Hurricanes this season and won't need to wait long for his shot at the Irish.

This normally wouldn't be a noteworthy matchup, but it's Bill Belichick's debut as coach of the Tar Heels. The NFL coaching legend is bringing the "Patriot Way" to Chapel Hill, but whether that leads to unexpected greatness remains to be seen. Meanwhile, TCU is coming off a solid nine-win season -- one year after winning just five games and two seasons removed from reaching the national championship game. Should Carolina win this game, let the love for Belichick shift into overdrive. 

Since vaulting to the FBS ranks in 2022, James Madison is 28-9 and has made two bowl games. That includes wins of Virginia and North Carolina. The Dukes are favored to win the Sun Belt in 2025, so expectations are high again. JMU lost 34-10 at Louisville in 2022, but this has the vibe of an early-season upset. Even if the Cardinals are feeling good about things, with former USC quarterback Miller Moss and stud running back Isaac Brown (1,173 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns in 2024) leading the way. 

There has not been this much hype surrounding the Illini since the early 1990s. Coming off its first 10-win season since 2001, Illinois returns a bulk of that 2024 cast, led by quarterback Luke Altmyer (2,717 passing yards, 22 touchdowns) and star pass rusher Gabe Jacas (eight sacks in 2024), and is ranked 12th to open the season. Duke, which has won 26 games the past three seasons, figures to be the Illini's toughest non-conference game. Especially with ex-Tulane quarterback and NIL legend Darian Mensah (2,723 passing yards, 22 touchdowns in 2024) in tow.

This is one of the best rivalries in all of sports. While Iowa State has won two of the last three in the series, it has remarkably lost six in a row at home against the Hawkeyes. The Cyclones look to end that skid and enter the season ranked 22nd in the country. However, Iowa might finally have a star quarterback in transfer Mark Gronowski, who has thrown for 10,309 yards with 93 touchdowns and rushed for another 37 scores during four seasons at South Dakota State, which he led to two FCS national titles.

Army went 12-2 last season, but it might still be reeling from losing to Navy, while also trying to move without star quarterback Bryson Daily. This will be a nice early test for the Cadets, who still have some talent in the ranks but are 1-7 against Big 12 teams since 2005. Kansas State opens the season ranked 17th in the country, and has a popular under-the-radar favorite in versatile quarterback Avery Johnson (2,712 passing yards, 25 touchdowns; 605 rushing yards, seven TDs in 2024). 

A prime-time Week 2 matchup features two perennial powers who will open the season ranked inside the top 20, but also saddled with question marks. Notably at the quarterback position. Is John Mateer the answer at that spot for the Sooners? Does Michigan have a consistent enough offense to challenge for a CFP berth? Interestingly enough, Michigan and Oklahoma have only met once before -- in 1976, which the Wolverines won 14-6. 

Coming off its first winning season in six years, Vandy is now on the radar with versatile star quarterback Diego Pavia (2,293 passing yards, 20 touchdowns; 801 rushing yards, eight TDs) and tight end Eli Stowers among the nation's top players. The Commodores turned heads out of the gate in 2024 by winning 34-27 in overtime against Virginia Tech to open the season. The Hokies will host the return contest, looking for revenge. Since the 2022 season, Virginia Tech is 1-12 in games decided by seven or fewer points. 

Hopefully by Sept. 6, the Rebels will have determined the winner of the quarterback battle between transfers Anthony Colandrea (Virginia) and Alex Orji (Michigan). Regardless of who is under center, UNLV, a favorite to challenge Boise State for the Mountain West crown after falling short to the Broncos in the '24 league title game and led by new coach Dan Mullen, might be good enough to beat UCLA. Especially at home, where the Allegiant Stadium crowd should be buzzing for this type of matchup.

"The Backyard Brawl" has been revived for three seasons after being discontinued for more than a decade. As the 2025 season dawns, neither squad is expected to contend for its respective conference title. That doesn't matter, however, when it comes to the rivalry of this magnitude. Especially for the Mountaineers, who have lost two of the last three meetings. 

Notre Dame made an early 2024 statement by winning 23-13 at Texas A&M to open the campaign. Of course, the Irish were stunned by Northern Illinois at home the next week, but didn't lose again until the national championship contest. This time around, the Irish will host the Aggies in their latter's first road game of 2025. Texas A&M, which opens the season ranked 19th, lost its only previous trip to South Bend, 24-10 in 2000.

Both Darian Mensah and the Tulane Green Wave have likely had this date circled since it was announced he would leave the New Orleans school to become a Dukie. There's even a prime-time audience, to boot. The Blue Devils have won the last three meetings between the schools by a combined 79 points, but the most recent meeting came in 2015.

This could be in the running for Group of Five game of the year. We touched on how successful JMU has been since joining the FBS. Liberty, meanwhile, has won at least eight games for six consecutive seasons. These schools have not met on the football field since 2014, when both were playing on the FCS level. Stud quarterback Kaidon Salter is gone for the Flames, but they'll be at home for what should be a raucous environment.

Florida hasn't won at Miami since 1985. That said, the teams have played just three games there since then, and none since 2013. Last season, the Hurricanes throttled Florida 41-17. So, obviously, expect the Gators to be amped for this contest. Now, if it can slow down a presumed Carson Beck-led offense and the talented passing of the Hurricanes, it remains to be seen. 

This has the potential to be a fun one, and perhaps even a 2025 CFP matchup. Boise is a perennial Group of Five power that has CFP experience and opens the season ranked 25th. However, this will be the Broncos' first time playing Notre Dame, and they'll do so at South Bend, where the atmosphere can be quite daunting. 

This once must-see rivalry has been anything but in recent years. Notre Dame is 10-4 in the series since the Trojans won eight in a row from 2002-'09. Perhaps more telling is that the Irish won the last two meetings by a combined 42 points. All that said, USC coach Lincoln Riley must be feeling a sense of desperation to truly turn this program around. It's also possible the Trojans are 5-1 entering this matchup. 

Georgia has won seven in a row against rival Georgia Tech. However, the Bulldogs needed eight overtimes to keep that streak alive in 2024. In fact, the last two matchups between these two have been decided by a combined 10 points. We don't know what will be at stake come late November, especially for Georgia, but fans can hope this is another entertaining affair.

Expectations are high for each of these Palmetto State rivals, and the stakes could be even higher come the final game of 2024. South Carolina has won two of the last three meetings after losing seven straight during the series. Tigers star quarterback Cade Klubnik has been intercepted twice without throwing a touchdown in two games against the Gamecocks. 

The Gators have won four of the last six meetings with their top in-state rival. However, we don't know what things will look like for both of these teams come late November. Florida opens the season ranked No. 15, while Florida State has to prove 2024 was a disaster of the flukiest proportion. We're not getting ahead of ourselves, but CFP implications might also be on the line -- both squads.