The top 25 non-conference games I'm excited for in 2026

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Even in an era where teams are rapidly cancelling pre-scheduled matchups because they want to protect their (potential) playoff prospects, great non-conference games are still abundant around college football this year. Since we're about four months away from the start of the 2026 season, I thought now would be the perfect time to drop my annual top-25 rankings of non-conference matchups I'm most excited for. Here some that just missed the cut:

TCU-North Carolina - August 29 (Dublin, Ireland)

BYU at Colorado State - September 19

Mississippi State at Minnesota - September 12

Arkansas at Utah - September 12

Duke at Illinois - September 12

Colorado at Northwestern - September 19

Virginia at West Virginia - September 19

Georgia Tech at Georgia - November 28

Notre Dame-Wisconsin - Sunday, September 6 (Lambeau Field, Green Bay)

Michigan State at Notre Dame - September 19 (first game since 2017)

Tulane at Duke - September 5

San Diego State at UCLA - September 12

25. Delaware at Vanderbilt - September 12

Delaware was one of my favorite stories of 2025. The Blue Hens finished 7-6 in their FBS debut, producing some memorable moments along the way:

The main reason I loved watching them was the play of quarterback Nick Minicucci. He had a fantastic season (3,683 passing yards, 33 total touchdowns) and his return gives Delaware a shot at making even more noise in a wide open Conference USA. Knocking off Vandy is probably a long shot, but I won't be surprised if the Blue Hens give them a fight.

24. Boston College at Cincinnati - September 5

POV: Me watching Bill O'Brien and Scott Satterfield fight for their jobs:

23. Miami (Ohio) at Cincinnati - September 19

Beating Boston College won't matter for Satterfield if he loses to Miami (OH) for the second time in three years. The Redhawks stunned Cincinnati in 2023, snapping a 16-game losing streak in the series dating back to 2005. It's not one that'll draw a ton of national attention, but this is among the first real hot seat games of 2026.

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22. Boise State at Western Michigan - September 26

Speaking of under-the-radar matchups: How about the reigning champions of the Mountain West and MAC squaring up? Boise State's 2026 schedule stays true to their reputation of never shying away from a non-conference fight, as you'll see momentarily.

21. UCLA at Cal - September 5

Makes me sick to my stomach that I'm talking about this as a non-conference game. The least these schools can do is play each other semi-often, though, so I'll take an old-school Pac-10 matchup where I can get it.

20. Penn State at Temple - September 12

It's easy to forget what a mess Penn State's coaching search was before it ended with them stumbling into Matt Campbell at the end. Campbell brought some guys with him from Iowa State –including QB Rocco Becht– but it might take some time for the roster to come together. Meanwhile, Temple played their first competent season of football since 2019, finishing a surprising 5-7 in K.C. Keeler's first year. His track record is long enough that I'm banking on even more improvement in 2026. Can the Owls recreate the magic of the last time Penn State visited Philly in 2015?

19. Memphis at UNLV - August 29

These are two G6 programs I could easily see being right in the thick of the playoff race if their portal additions hit. Charles Huff did an incredible job in his only season at Southern Miss, and I think he's an upgrade over Ryan Silverfield for the Tigers. I was one of many who clowned Dan Mullen's portal strategy before 2025, and "all" it resulted in for UNLV was ten wins. This is an eclectic roster that can have similar success if the QB play is solid.

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18. Memphis at Boise State - September 12

Same as above. The result of this game could end up as the main talking point regarding G6 teams when we get to the final playoff rankings.

17. Boise State at Oregon - September 5

Are you sensing a theme with Boise's non-con scheduling? This is far from the same roster that pushed Oregon to the brink two years ago, but it's still one strong enough to give the Ducks a contest.

16. Jacksonville State at Ohio - September 12

Another great G6 matchup that has the possibility of being playoff bullet point. More than that, this is just a fun matchup between two physical teams who love to run the rock.

15. Tennessee at Georgia Tech - September 12

I'm not sure what to think about either of these teams heading in to the season, which is why I like this game so much. This isn't a heavyweight matchup in terms of rankings or playoff hopes –Tech has far more realistic dreams of the two– but it feels like a game that could help propel the winner to a great year, while plummeting the loser.

14. Baylor-Auburn - September 5 (Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta)