Are you ready for some football? Well, you’ll have to wait a little while longer for the college football variety. That doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead to the 2020 national schedule and some of the top non-league games lurking in the distance.
Full disclosure, there might be a couple games listed that are reaches but for the sake of off-season arguing why not include them, right?
August 29th
Navy vs. Notre Dame [Dublin, Ireland]
A rivalry game from the Emerald Isle featuring teams who combined for 22 wins last year.
September 3rd
North Carolina at UCF
This Thursday night game will have the country’s most hyped 7-win team and a quarterback battle that will surely be just as hyped as freshman Sam Howell is coming off a 38-touchdown debut and UCF has their own rising sophomore Dillon Gabriel with the return of McKenzie Milton a possible story line.
September 5th
Temple at Miami
This is a stretch for a big game, although who knows maybe Miami actually lives up to their potential finally? Or maybe we’re laughing at them for losing right out of the gate? Or maybe Miami crushes Temple and it only delays the inevitable collapse later in the season for which we will eventually laugh? Also, there’s that whole Manny Diaz ditched Temple to run back to Coral Gables thing hanging over this matchup.
Baylor vs. Ole Miss [Houston, TX]
Dave Aranda and his enormous forehead/furrowed brow combo take on Lane Kiffin and the new-look Rebels. The pieces left behind by Matt Rhule should make the Bears a sizable favorite but some Joey Freshwater craziness and/or Baylor falling back to earth from an excellent 2019 could make this highly entertaining.
Michigan at Washington
For many of us this is a traditional Rose Bowl matchup (the schools met in the Grand Daddy of Them All for 1977, ’80, ’91, and ’92) and this will be the third meeting since a home-and-home was played back in 2001-02. It’s a nice challenge for new head coach Jimmy Lake and potentially an even bigger game for Jim Harbaugh who has a penchant for losing these big games, except, well, never mind.
USC vs. Alabama [Arlington, TX]
Forecast: Pain. Although, there’s a possibility that USC’s passing attack really gives Alabama fits, last year really was the beginning of the end of the Tide Empire, and this is another crack in their armor. Or more realistically, Alabama covers a decently sized spread and gets ready for SEC play.
September 7th
Virginia vs. Georgia [Atlanta, GA]
Just a pair of teams who participated in their respective league title games last year. My first thought is this could get ugly with the loss of Bryce Perkins at quarterback for Virginia. Then, I remembered Georgia will be breaking in a new quarterback with a new offensive coordinator. We might have a really competitive Labor Day game.
September 12th
North Carolina vs. Auburn [Atlanta, GA]
If the Tar Heels are going to be the hot new team for 2020 we should know pretty quickly where they stand. In addition to the road opener at UCF above they come right back for this neutral site game against Auburn, then host FCS powerhouse James Madison in week 3. They get a brief reprieve as UConn comes to town before 3 straight road games to open ACC play.
Penn State at Virginia Tech
I assumed this was a common matchup back when both teams were independent but that is not so, this will be the first meeting between the schools. The Hokies briefly looked like they were going to lose head coach Justin Fuente to Baylor although he’s back after a so-so 2019 season. Penn State should be a sizable favorite here but if it’s a night game the entertainment value increases tremendously.
Memphis at Purdue
This could be a fun game if Memphis continues to be an AAC powerhouse as they transition to yet another new coaching staff. We’re also expecting a bounce back year for a healthier Purdue team that is approaching put-up-or-shut-up time in Jeff Brohm’s 4th season carrying a 17-21 record.
Iowa State at Iowa
Can Matt Campbell finally beat Iowa?
Texas at LSU
The game in which we discover Ed Orgeron is actually a rich man’s Gene Chizik. Too harsh? I can’t be the only one thinking it as LSU is poised to go through some rough roster turnover with this big game coming in addition to visits to Florida, Auburn, Texas A&M, and the home date with Alabama. On the flip side, it’s really difficult to see Texas going into Death Valley and pulling this one out because until further notice Texas is Not Back.
Ohio State at Oregon
Can you make the case this should be the ESPN GameDay location for the weekend over LSU? This is only the third meeting between the schools since 1987 and the first regular season meeting since Earl Bruce roamed the sidelines in Columbus. There’s potential that Ohio State is far too dominant, Oregon takes a step back next year, and this is a boring game although I’d still favor it as the ‘best’ game of the weekend.
Tennessee at Oklahoma
Did you know Tennessee finished 2019 with 6 straight wins? If not, expect to be hammered over the head with that stat this entire off-season. I’m not sure it’s enough to propel them to a massive road win in 2020 against the always-reloading Sooners, though.
September 19th
Florida State at Boise State
The Seminoles blew a lead in this game last year on their way to firing their coach. This actually isn’t the first bigger game for FSU as they open in Atalanta against West Virginia. I didn’t include that game but if they win at the Mercedes Benz Stadium this visit to the blue turf gets a lot more intriguing.
September 26th
Cincinnati at Nebraska
It’s not going to get easier for Scott Frost in year three. The Huskers open with Purdue and then host MAC runner-up Central Michigan. Two weeks later the AAC runner-up comes to Lincoln and they’d hope for a clean sweep of all these teams. They might need it because Nebraska closes the season with Ohio State, Penn State, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
October 3rd
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin [Green Bay, WI]
The first meeting in this series since 1964 coming live from inside Lambeau Field.
November 7th
Clemson at Notre Dame
We just learned in the released ACC schedule that yup, Clemson has a bye before coming to Notre Dame. No one said it would be easy.
November 21st
Louisville at Notre Dame
This is based on the projection that Louisville is able to take another jump in year two under Scott Satterfield. The reigning ACC Coach of the Year faces a couple of stiff out of conference tests here against the Irish and a week later versus rival Kentucky.
November 28th
Florida at Florida State
The Gators have out-scored Florida State 81-31 over the last two meetings and it feels like the Seminoles haven’t been competitive in this series for several years–although they won 5 straight from 2013-17. A lot of this matchup is riding on Mike Norvell really improving things quickly in Tallahassee which doesn’t seem crazy with how late this game takes place.
Lots of good stuff here. For the early 2020 season, I’ll be watching UNC. After this 2019 “bounceback” season, I think there’s a legitimate chance they start 0-3 with an FCS loss included. That would be thoroughly entertaining.
Yup, that and a 2-5 start wouldn’t be shocking. Every year there seems to be one absolutely adored “they’re taking the next step!” team who then goes on to fall on their face.
Another wildly overrated team going into this season: LSU. They’re currently the 4th betting favorite at +700 odds, despite losing their DC, Joe Brady, and – most importantly – nearly all of their star players (other than Chase and Stingley, who, admittedly, are really really good). I think the odds LSU goes 8-4 next year >>>> the odds they win the national title.
Yeah they’re loaded with talent, but it’s unproven talent. I would guess their BEST case scenario is looking something like 2019 Georgia. Joe Burrow covered up for a defense that was very good but not amazing this year.
I suppose it also depends on how their 2020 schedule comes together. I see 6 no doubt wins, 3 likely wins (Texas, South Carolina, Texas A&M), and then 3 very tough games (UF at UF, Bama at home, Auburn at Auburn).
If any of Texas, South Carolina, or A&M end up being better than I’m expecting, your 8-4 number looks more and more likely.
Clubber, what’s your prediction for the fight?
My prediction?………
(Eric please tell me that was a Rocky III reference)
It’s the only reference!
you’re the bomb.com
Jarren Williams has entered the transfer portal now that D’Eriq King has transferred to Miami. We didn’t recruit him out of high school, but man would I love to for Kelly to go after him. His receivers and O Line were absolutely atrocious this year, and he still played well. He could give Rees an experienced QB to step in after Book if Buchner isn’t ready to play from Day 1 as a true freshman, and his legs provide a skillset that none of the QBs on the roster would offer.
His biggest weakness this year was throwing the ball downfield, which just so happened to be Book’s biggest weakness in 2018, and he improved massively on those throws in 2019. If Williams could make the same leap that Book did, he could be an elite college QB.
That would be an interesting strategy. I think the ND media is way underplaying the possibility that our 2021 QB will be a transfer – in my view, unless Brendan Clark looks very very good as a backup this year, the staff should probably be *planning* on/laying the groundwork for a grad transfer QB in 2021 – but Williams might be a good alternative. He was pretty inconsistent when I watched him play, but you’re right about their line being atrocious, so it’s hard to say how much was his fault.
“We just learned in the released ACC schedule that yup, Clemson has a bye before coming to Notre Dame.”
Well, we kinda have a bye too. Duke the week before. So at least there’s that. Although looks like Duke has a bye before us, WEIRD.