The 2024 college football season will captivate fans from August through January, starting with some must-watch nonconference matchups. These matchups could make or break your favorite team’s season, with berths to the new, expanded College Football Playoff or local rivalry bragging rights.
Here are the top nonconference games for the 2024 season.
Week 1
- Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: Clemson vs. Georgia (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia) | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 12 p.m. ET | ABC
- Penn State at West Virginia | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 12 p.m. | FOX
- Miami (Fla.) at Florida | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC
- Notre Dame at Texas A&M | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
- Georgia State at Georgia Tech | Saturday, Aug. 31 | 8 p.m. ET | ACC Network
- Vegas Kickoff Classic: LSU vs. Southern California (Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada) | Sunday, Sept. 1 | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
Suppose we would’ve got Clemson vs. Georgia in the College Football Playoff five years ago, it would’ve been an electrifying game. Instead, we’ll get the matchup in 2024 to open the season, and while the Tigers aren’t at their late-2010s peak, the Bulldogs are after winning two national titles in the last three years.
Notre Dame at Texas A&M clashes two fan bases with high expectations every year, while LSU vs. Southern California will see the schools of the last two Heisman trophy winners meet.
Expect intense crowds at Penn State-West Virginia, Miami (Fla.)-Florida and Georgia State-Georgia Tech, because all three games feature schools in extremely close proximity.
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Week 2
- Texas at Michigan | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 12 p.m. ET | FOX
- Arkansas at Oklahoma State | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 12 p.m. ET | ABC
- Kansas State at Tulane | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN or ESPN2
- Pittsburgh at Cincinnati | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN or ESPN2
- Colorado at Nebraska | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC
- Duke’s Mayo Classic: NC State vs Tennessee (Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina) | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
- Boise State at Oregon | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 10 p.m. | Peacock
Texas at Michigan. Big Noon Kickoff. In the Big House. Two 2023 College Football Playoff teams. There’s not a bigger nonconference game on the calendar this year.
Now that that’s out of the way, the rest of the Week 2 slate is filled with storylines likely to rock college football. Will Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon have a Heisman campaign in 2024? How he plays against SEC foe Arkansas will go a long way. Will Tulane challenge for an automatic bid to the expanded College Football Playoff out of the AAC? A nonconference win over a Big 12 squad adds to the resume.
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You then have throwback rivalry games when Pitt visits Cincinnati (RIP to Big East football) and when Colorado visits Nebraska (at least this year one of the schools is in the Big 12). All eyes will be on Coach Prime and his Buffaloes, who’ll be undefeated or coming off an FCS-over-FBS upset that’ll drive headlines all week.
The night closes with NC State and Tennessee playing in Charlotte and Boise State visiting Oregon. The former sounds like an intense bowl game matchup you’d watch between Christmas and New Year’s while the latter figures to bring back memories of Pac-12 After Dark.
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Week 3
- Alabama at Wisconsin | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 12 p.m. ET | FOX
- West Virginia at Pitt | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 3:30 p.m. ET | ESPN or ESPN2
- Washington vs. Washington State (Seattle’s Lumen Field) | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 3:30 p.m. ET | Peacock
- Oregon at Oregon State | Saturday, Sept. 14 | 3:30 p.m. ET | FOX
New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first major test comes in Week 3 against Wisconsin (however, last year told us not to sleep on USF either when it comes to the Tide). DeBoer and crew will head to Camp Randall Stadium and hope to pick up a statement win. A win for Alabama shows that the program is still up to par after the departure of all-time great coach Nick Saban. A loss for the Tide will bring questions about how far this team can go entering a bye week before playing the Georgia Bulldogs.
Elsewhere, there are rivalries renewed on the nonconference slate. Keep an eye out for the Backyard Brawl, Apple Cup and the Civil War.
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Week 4
- UCLA at LSU | Saturday, Sept. 21 | Time TBD
LSU plays its second school from Los Angeles in the 2024 season when UCLA comes to town in Week 4. It’ll be the final nonconference game for the Tigers against a Big 12, Big Ten or ACC opponent, meaning this game could have an impact if LSU is in the playoff hunt in December. For UCLA, the Week 4 contest will be the biggest test (so far) for new head coach DeShaun Foster.
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Week 6
- UCF at Florida | Saturday, Oct. 5 | TBD
Florida’s Sunshine State gauntlet continues with a visit from UCF. Many say the Gators have one of the hardest schedules in college football, so there’s a world where Florida enters this game 1-3 after a bye. UCF can pick up a big-time SEC win over an in-state rival (of sorts) that could change the power dynamic of Florida college football.
Week 11
- Florida State at Notre Dame |Saturday, Nov. 9 | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock
Florida State at Notre Dame closes out the list because this could be a top-25 matchup when they meet on the gridiron. Both teams will open the season ranked and likely play a ranked opponent or two before Week 11. Could this game be a late-season look at two CFP teams going head-to-head?