With all of the conference realignment, the 2024 college football season will provide plenty of new, exciting matchups in the Big Ten, SEC and Big 12. Yet the non-conference slate also includes some games that could either be College Football Playoff previews or early indications as to which teams look like playoff and national title contenders.
Here are 10 of the top non-conference clashes on the schedule before grueling conference schedules begin.
A matchup between the 4–8 Buffaloes and 5–7 Cornhuskers might not appear to be the most scintillating non-conference clash. However, Colorado-Nebraska was once one of the Big 12’s biggest rivalries and could potentially become a fierce conflict once again.
Coaches Deion Sanders and Matt Rhule both face pressure to improve in their second seasons. Nebraska surely wants to avenge last year’s loss at Boulder and has a national platform to do so in primetime on NBC.
The spotlight will shine brightly on Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, a leading Heisman Trophy contender who threw for 393 yards against the Huskers defense last year. And there will be major curiosity about Nebraska freshman Dylan Raiola, who is expected to be the starter for the Huskers. Yet running back Gabe Ervin Jr., who rushed for 71 yards in last season’s matchup, could end up being the difference.
LSU vs. USC, Aug. 31
Week 1 of the 2024 season ends with two of last season’s worst defenses facing each other in the Vegas Kickoff Classic. (Although very few were worse than the Trojans’ unit, which ranked No. 121 in the nation.) That could make this matchup a shootout, the most entertaining game of the non-conference season.
Both schools have new defensive coordinators and have to scheme against new quarterbacks who are replacing the past two Heisman Trophy winners (Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels)….
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/10-top-non-conference-games-of-the-2024-college-football-season-152721117.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-08-09 15:27:21
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