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

Sep 6, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn speaks with his staff and players during a timeout during the first quarter against the San Jose State Spartans at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

9. Auburn Tigers vs. Louisville Cardinals (Atlanta); Saturday, Sept. 5

Here is another game between two teams sure to be at the pinnacle of the college football universe in two years but not this year. The Louisville Cardinals and the Auburn Tigers both are going to have to rebuild this year after losing so much talent.

Louisville lost pretty much everybody who mattered from an elite defense that carried the program last year. Auburn loses talent everywhere but most notably Nick Marshall at quarterback.

Recruiting will help, particularly in Auburn’s case, but this is just a season to develop for both teams. And doing it against each other for the season-opener is huge.

We know both programs will be great, but this game will do a great job of letting us know which team will have more growing pains going into this year. Fans would like to know how patient they have to be. It is also exciting as a relatively even ACC-SEC match-up, although recruiting shows Auburn has significantly more talent.

Louisville gets on the level though because they are developing the perfect personnel for Bobby Petrino’s system, which is what happens everywhere he goes.

So this is another season-opener that could go either way.

Next: #8: Oklahoma at Tennessee