2024 College Football Realignment Matchups We Are Most Looking Forward to
As realignment alters the college football landscape in 2024, the new-look conferences will bring some new, exciting matchups.
Yes, these showdowns will be measured against what the sport is losing within the Big 12 and Pac-12. Fair enough. Rather than look backward, however, we're focused on the intriguing games in the future.
The list is subjective but largely based on early expectations for the 2024 season. Most of the games featured include the newcomers opposite the best (anticipated) teams from their new conference.
Previous league clashes, such as Oklahoma vs. Texas or UCLA vs. USC, are not considered.
ACC Games
1 of 5
Sep. 28: Florida State at SMU
Given that SMU hosts BYU and TCU prior to this matchup, we may already have a decent idea of its upside in 2024. The program's ACC debut, however, is a showdown with reigning conference champion Florida State. Since the 'Noles open the season with Georgia Tech in Ireland, this will also be FSU's first true road contest of the campaign.
Oct. 5: SMU at Louisville
The next weekend, SMU heads to Louisville—which lost to FSU in the 2023 ACC title game. While the stakes of this clash cannot be known right now, it's a fascinating tilt between an SMU program moving up a level and what will again be a transfer-heavy Louisville squad.
Oct. 5: Miami at Cal
Why this choice for Cal? Context. Miami begins the season with a game in six straight weeks, and a cross-country trek to Berkeley closes that stretch. Cal, meanwhile, will be coming off an idle weekend when the 'Canes are in town. Rest assured you'll be hearing plenty about "jet lag" throughout the ACC slate in 2024 and beyond.
Nov. 2: Stanford at North Carolina State
Repeat the above narrative, although it doesn't favor the West Coast program here. Stanford has a stretch of seven consecutive games that ends at NC State, which doesn't play on the final weekend of October. Looks like a tough situation for the Cardinal on paper, right?
Big Ten Games, Part I
2 of 5
Sep. 21: USC at Michigan
Among the 10 all-time meetings between the blue-blood programs, eight have happened in the Rose Bowl. Not since 1958 have USC and Michigan squared off in a regular-season tilt. That streak ends in 2024 when the Trojans open their Big Ten slate with a trip to Ann Arbor. Michigan will be under the guidance of new coach Sherrone Moore, who was promoted from offensive coordinator to replace Jim Harbaugh.
Oct. 5: Michigan at Washington; UCLA at Penn State
The storyline for the first matchup is obvious, given that it's a rematch of the national title game. Michigan will have a retooled roster, and Washington's group will be overhauled. UCLA coach Chip Kelly will enter the 2024 campaign on a warm-ish hot seat, and a journey to Penn State caps a stretch that includes a game at LSU and home against Oregon.
Oct. 12: Ohio State at Oregon; Penn State at USC; Washington at Iowa
Huge weekend in the Big Ten. The featured game, in all likelihood, will be Ohio State playing at Oregon in a battle of top championship contenders. Penn State travels out to USC and Iowa hosts Washington for a pair of contests that should begin to really shape the conference standings.
Big Ten Games, Part II
3 of 5
Nov. 2: Oregon at Michigan
Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but Oregon and Michigan will open the season as highly respected teams. This result in Ann Arbor could be pivotal for year-end tiebreakers to determine which program plays in the Big Ten Championship Game—even if both ultimately end up making the expanded College Football Playoff.
Nov. 9: Washington at Penn State
Heading into the campaign, Washington and Penn State presumably will be viewed as CFP contenders. Perhaps neither one truly contends for a Big Ten crown, but it's reasonable to expect them to hover around the coveted Top 11 range. Staying there may involve a win here, though.
Nov. 16: Oregon at Wisconsin
Oregon has championship dreams, and ending an eight-week stretch of games with a trip to Madison should not be easy. Throw in that Wisconsin is idle on the previous Saturday, and the Badgers will be well-rested with home-field advantage against an Oregon squad trying to close out a travel-filled grind. Intriguing, at the very least.
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Big 12 Games
4 of 5
BYU at Utah
The resumption of a traditional rivalry. It's that's simple, really. Save for a three-year gap during World War II, the programs met annually from 1922-2013. The series has continued with a handful of regular-season tilts since then, but the Holy War will now be a conference game again.
Utah at Oklahoma State
Thanks to the return of quarterback Cam Rising, newcomer Utah will probably be the preseason Big 12 favorite. Oklahoma State, meanwhile, reached the conference championship game in 2023. This contest should be massive no matter where it lands on the calendar, but there's a chance it's a high-stakes affair late in the regular season.
Kansas State at Colorado
Colorado's return to the Big 12 includes a showdown with Kansas State, one of the league's more reliable teams. Deion Sanders' much-hyped debut at CU started loudly and fizzled late, so the Buffs will be looking for a signature win in 2024. K-State, most likely, would fit the billing—but certainly wouldn't mind spoiling the day in Boulder.
West Virginia at Arizona
Kansas State also travels to Arizona, but that previously scheduled game will not count in conference play. As a result, the Wildcats' most interesting clash is opposite West Virginia in the Rich Rod Bowl. It'll be the first-ever meeting between the programs, too.
Note: All dates of Big 12 games are TBD.
SEC Games
5 of 5
Sep. 21: Tennessee at Oklahoma
Oklahoma's first outing as a member of the SEC will be opposite Tennessee in a battle of former top recruits. Tennessee is turning to quarterback Nico Iamaleava, and OU is handing the reins to Jackson Arnold. Both players were top-10 overall prospects in the 2023 class.
Oct. 19: Georgia at Texas
I'm not saying this showdown will be No. 1 vs. No. 2, but that's a real possibility when Carson Beck-led Georgia faces Quinn Ewers and Texas. Short of some nightmarish collapse from Texas, it's safe to say the Forty Acres will be rocking for UGA's first journey to Austin since 1958.
Oklahoma's Closing Stretch
Texas seems to have a manageable SEC slate in 2024. Oklahoma, on the other hand, could be heading toward an absolute gauntlet to close the season. Ole Miss (Oct. 26; away), Missouri (Nov. 9; away), Alabama (Nov. 23; home) and LSU (Nov. 30; away) will likely be preseason top-15 teams and are the Sooners' last four games against FBS opponents. If they reach the CFP, it'll be a hard-earned bid.
Nov. 30: Texas at Texas A&M
Welcome back, you lovely rivalry. Texas and Texas A&M first played in 1894, and they met annually—even through both World Wars—from 1915 to 2011 when A&M bolted the Big 12 for the SEC. Since then, this matchup has not happened. There will be angst, bitterness, elation, nerves and a whole lot of awesome adjectives for this day in College Station.
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