Top 15 Non-Conference College Football Games to Watch This Year

Nov 30, 2013; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach David Shaw and Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly shake hands after Stanford defeated Notre Dame 27-20 at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Stanford Cardinal; Saturday, Nov. 18

Here is another non-conference game that has interesting implications, but these could be bigger. In fact, to a degree, this game has everything you want in a non-conference match-up.

Rivalry game?

Check.

Revenge game?

Certainly for Stanford after the way they gave up a late score to the Fighting Irish last year to lose 17-14.

National title implications?

Maybe not, but both teams are certainly good enough to put themselves into the conversation if a few things break their way. So it is not a stretch to believe that will happen in this game.

Notre Dame-Stanford in general is a college football game you want to see, but this year it takes an interesting twist. The Fighting Irish are so close to finally being fully back under Kelly’s leadership. The Cardinal fell a bit last year but still had a strong finish.

And David Shaw has proven he can coach, so they are looking for this to be a bounce-back year.

This game will help decide the season for both teams, and the loser will likely look back on this as an under-achieving season. So keep an eye out for this one.

Next: #11: Washington at Boise State