In the College Football Playoff era, it’s not just about winning every game these days; it’s about who you beat along the way. NonConference might be more important today than ever before in College football.
A look at the top 10 non-con games involving SEC teams:
Texas at Alabama
Last year the Longhorns fell to the Crimson Tide, 20-19, in front of a record-breaking crowd of 105,213 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. Nearly 10.6 million viewers tuned in for the instant classic non-conference contest. This will be the last year that this is an out-of-conference game as Texas along with Oklahoma join the SEC in 2024. Texas is 7-2-1 all-time against Bama.
LSU vs. Florida State (in Orlando, FL)
LSU and Florida State return their starting quarterbacks and have College Football Playoff aspirations. A Week 1 loss could end or severely hamper those dreams for either team. This is the final contest of the two-game neutral-site series. Florida State is 8-2 all-time against LSU. The Tigers’ last victory was in 1982.
Texas A&M at Miami
Last year Texas A&M upset Miami, 17-9, in front of 107,245 fans, the third-largest crowd in Kyle Field history. This year the teams play in Miami and finish up the home-and-home series. This game could set the tone for the remainder of the season for both programs. Especially as both teams look to resurrect their football programs.
Florida at Utah
The game last year came down to a game-winning interception to secure the 29-26 victory for the Gators in a game that Coach Napier and Gator fans will remember for a long time to come! This year Florida travels to Rice–Eccles Stadium to finish the home-and-home series. A rebuilt Gators roster will play on a Thursday night, in a loud environment against a highly-experienced team looking for payback from last year’s loss in the swamp.
Kansas St at Missouri
The rivalry is between two schools that are less than 250 miles apart and dates back to 1909 with almost a century of conference affiliation. The rivalry between Kansas State and Missouri still means something in regionally even after a decade of SEC play for Mizzou. The question this year will be: Can Missouri finish September unbeaten? If Mizzou can get payback from last year’s humiliating loss! Missouri leads the all-time series 60-33-5. However, the Tigers lost their last meeting with the Wildcats by a score of 40-12 in Manhattan.
North Carolina vs. South Carolina (in Charlotte, NC)
Battle of the Carolinas: The two flagship universities of the Carolinas, South Carolina, and North Carolina, will renew their rivalry on the gridiron at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to open the 2023 season. This has the potential of being a tremendous game featuring a marquee non-conference matchup. This will be the 60th meeting in the series that dates back to 1903. North Carolina leads the all-time series, 35-20-4.
Clemson at. South Carolina
The Palmetto Bowl was the longest continuous non-conference rivalry in the nation, the second longest continuous rivalry in Division I college football, and the longest uninterrupted rivalry series in the South.
The Palmetto Bowl had gone uninterrupted since 1908 before the SEC opted for a conference-only schedule in 2020 for safety precautions. This game could have enormous implications or it could just be two teams who hate each other playing for bragging rights. The 120th meeting will be played Saturday, November 25th at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
Kentucky at Louisville
Though the teams first played in 1912, they only played six times. The rivalry resumed in 1994 with a new Governor’s Cup trophy after 70 years. Last year, the Wildcats ended their regular season with a big win over No. 25 Louisville. Kentucky leads the all-time series 19–15!
Florida State at Florida
The annual Sunshine Showdown, a bitter rivalry with two coaches in” must-win” seasons. If 2023 plays out like many think it will at FSU, the Noles could be playing the regular-season finale for a chance to reach the Playoffs. Second-year Florida coach Billy Napier is 0-3 in rivalry games last season, with losses to FSU, Tennessee, and Georgia. He looks to change that in 2023. Florida leads the all-time series 37–27–2.
BYU at Arkansas
In 2018 BYU and Arkansas announced a two-game series between the two schools. The Cougars and Razorbacks had never played before in football. Last year Arkansas defeated BYU 52-35 in Provo. This year BYU looks to travel to Little Rock with the focus on a road victory to tie the series.