Ranking the best non-conference games on the 2022 college football schedule

These are the best games to watch as the college football season kicks off.

It's not often the college football schedule gives you a ton of great non-conference games, but the 2022 season could be an outlier.

The first month of the season brings us several very interesting matchups between elite teams — and teams trying to become elite — that will have a direct effect on how the College Football Playoff ultimately looks.

This fall brings us a rematch of the old rivalry between Oklahoma and Nebraska, we'll get a second edition of the Penn State-Auburn matchup, this time down on the Plains, and Pitt and West Virginia meet up in a renewal of the Backyard Brawl.

But what about the best of the best? Scroll through to see the 10 top non-conference matchups to watch this year.

Best non-conference games on 2022 college football schedule

10. Arkansas at BYU

When the game kicks off: Oct. 15

What to expect: You have to hand it to BYU, which continues to play tough schedules every year against national opponents. That's the case this season, too, including what should be a must-watch date with SEC West upstart Arkansas. Both teams in this game will be coming off tough matchups — the Razorbacks against Texas A&M, Alabama, and then Mississippi State, and the Cougars against Notre Dame in Las Vegas.

9. Notre Dame at USC

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When the game kicks off: Nov. 26

What to expect: Always one of the more special dates on the college football schedule, this rivalry now adds the anticipation of playing with two high-profile head coaches both in their first year on the sidelines.

Lincoln Riley moving to USC from Oklahoma was the hire of the offseason, while the Irish took a flier on Marcus Freeman after Brian Kelly bolted for LSU. If all goes according to plan, these should be top 15 teams by November. But let's stop short on calling them playoff contenders — both have tough games before this matchup.

USC has to deal with Fresno State and Utah on the road early in the season, while the Irish slug through the likes of Ohio State, BYU, and Clemson.

8. Cincinnati at Arkansas

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When the game kicks off: Sept. 3

What to expect: With the slate Arkansas plays, it should be happy it's getting Cincinnati this season instead of last. Cincy went to the College Football Playoff a year ago, but loses most of the talent that got it there.

Even accounting for that step back, this should still be an agile, confident team in 2022, with enough speed and depth to make a statement. How UC plays this one could go a long way in determining the trajectory of the program, so it needs a solid showing here.

Arkansas, meanwhile, is trying to keep some momentum of its own after surprising the nation and winning nine games in 2021, a year after going 2-10. KJ Jefferson returns at quarterback, but he won't have star wideout Treylon Burks out there.

7. Clemson at Notre Dame

When the game kicks off: Nov. 5

What to expect: Two years ago with Trevor Lawrence sidelined with Covid-19, the Irish upset No. 1 Clemson under the eyes of Touchdown Jesus. Clemson won the rematch in the ACC title game (ND played in the conference for one season over the virus) and both teams went to the College Football Playoff.

Whether these teams are playoff material is a very open question in 2022, but of the two, Clemson would appear to be the more likely. It returns a stellar defensive group, should get better quarterback play from 5-star D.J. Uiagalelei, and brings back Will Shipley to spearhead the Tigers' ground attack.

Most analysts expect Notre Dame will come in with at least one loss thanks to the Week 1 trip to Ohio State, and a second loss here would in all likelihood shelve the Irish chances at a playoff bid.

6. Oklahoma at Nebraska

When the game kicks off: Sept. 17

What to expect: Two major college football powers renewing an old rivalry, with one starting anew and another looking to get back to prominence.

Oklahoma will look a lot different after Brent Venables swooped in to replace Lincoln Riley, and with 8,000-yard career passer Dillon Gabriel behind the wheel of an offense that brings on Jeff Lebby as play-caller. The two worked together in a top 10 attack at UCF a few years ago, and OU has plenty of speed to throw out on the perimeter.

Scott Frost is getting what could be one last chance to right the Cornhuskers' ship, and he's made some drastic changes, especially on offense. New coordinator Mark Whipple should get some tempo out of this group, and he'll have Texas transfer Casey Thompson, the TD leader in the Big 12 a year ago, in at quarterback.

OU and Nebraska played a tight seven-point game in Norman last fall, and you could almost see this one going either way in Lincoln.

5. Utah at Florida

When the game kicks off: Sept. 3

What to expect: An exciting matchup between the defending Pac-12 champions who beat Oregon twice in 2021 and a traditional SEC power looking to get back on the right track under first-year head coach Billy Napier.

Utah brings back a lot of experience and physicality, including quarterback Cameron Rising and running back Tavion Thomas — the engine of the Utes' offense last fall — while the Gators have major questions to answer at quarterback and on the defensive side of the ball. It's obviously just one game in for Napier, but that won't stop the speculation machine from overreacting to what happens, positively or negatively.

This would be a good chance for Florida to get aggressive moving the ball against a Utes defense that just lost a ton of skill. In turn, the Rising/Thomas duo could give the Gators' front seven as tough a test as it will face this season.

4. Miami at Texas A&M

When the game kicks off: Sept. 17

What to expect: Another year, another ton of hype for the Aggies, fresh off signing a legendary recruiting class and apparently on the verge of finally throwing some elbows in the SEC and making a run for the College Football Playoff.

To get there, A&M will have to get through a noteworthy non-conference schedule, including an early home tilt with what should be an improved Miami team. First-year coach Mario Cristobal is a proven recruiter and winner and has put together a legitimately great support staff.

And while the Hurricanes have Tyler Van Dyke at quarterback, the question remains of whether this team can protect him. A&M has a decision to make at QB, too, between LSU transfer Max Johnson, Haynes King, and 5-star prospect Conner Weigman. 

Either way, this game should give us some good quarterback play with a lot on the line for both teams as they try to move up their respective conference standings.

3. Oregon vs. Georgia

When the game kicks off: Sept. 3

What to expect: On paper, this is a neutral site game in Atlanta, but when Georgia is one of the teams, it's anything but. UGA comes in as national champion for the first time in 41 years and faces off against the man who engineered its historically great defense en route to that title.

Dan Lanning steps in as Oregon head coach and into a debut game that's just about as hard as they come. He has some speed coming back on the Ducks' defense, including star linebacker Noah Sewell, and Auburn transfer quarterback Bo Nix under center dealing to some athletic receivers.

But you can't deny the pressure he and Oregon are under: a cross-country date against an SEC power is a major litmus test for the Pac-12, whose reputation as a College Football Playoff contender is virtually nonexistent right now.

2. Notre Dame at Ohio State

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When the game kicks off: Sept. 3

What to expect: These powerhouses don't meet often on the gridiron, but two of the six meetings so far have been dubbed a "Game of the Century." That may not be the case for the 2022 opener, but there's a lot on the line for both teams right at the start.

Notre Dame is looking to get a jump start on the Marcus Freeman era. Freeman, an Ohio State alum, has one game under his belt — what turned into a come-from-behind win for Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl — who was ND's defensive coordinator prior to his promotion. His unit faces a stiff test against a Buckeyes attack that ranked No. 1 in college football a year ago.

Ohio State loses two NFL-bound wide receivers, but retains the core of that top-ranked offense, led by Heisman finalist CJ Stroud at quarterback.

The question for this team remains on defense, a unit that cost Ohio State dearly in statement losses against Oregon and Michigan last fall. 

Jim Knowles comes in from the other OSU (that beat Notre Dame in January) with a mandate to make the Bucks' defense in the image of the Cowboys unit that ranked No. 3 overall in 2021.

1. Alabama at Texas

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When the game kicks off: Sept. 10

What to expect: Two college football powerhouses, Alabama playing like one, and Texas looking to return to that status. It's been 100 years since these two met in the regular season, but a little over a decade since their last matchup: in the Rose Bowl when Nick Saban won his first national championship with the Crimson Tide.

This Texas team isn't anything close to that one, especially on defense, which will have a tough ask trying to ground Bama's air assault, which returns Heisman-winner Bryce Young at quarterback and scored Jermaine Burton — Georgia's leading receiver last fall — and speedster Tyler Harrell in the transfer portal, in addition to running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a vital transfer pickup from Georgia Tech.

But the Longhorns have some pieces on offense for Steve Sarkisian — the former Tide OC on an undefeated national title team in 2020 — to work with, including generational 5-star quarterback prospect Quinn Ewers, blue-chip receiver Xavier Worthy, and stud running back Bijan Robinson, to give the Horns a decent 1-2-3 punch moving the ball.

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