5 Nonconference Home-and-Home Series College Football Fans Want to See
Yes, it's a couple of months late, but you have another Christmas gift. Surprise, it's a handful of exciting nonconference college football games!
OK, not really. I don't have that kind of scheduling power.
But it is the offseason, which means we're counting down the days to actual football and wondering what life would be like if we could craft the perfect games. That got us thinking about the nonconference games we'd love to see.
Which five nonconference home-and-home games would pique the most interest from fans everywhere? The answers are in the following slides.
Note: These selections are matchups that cannot already be scheduled as home-and-homes, as recorded by FBSchedules.com.
Alabama-USC
1 of 5
It's the Lane Kiffin Bowl 2.0. And, if we're being honest, there aren't enough games between Kiffin and former programs from which he's drawn great ire.
Sure, last fall there was Alabama's trip to Tennessee, where Kiffin coached for one eventful season in 2009—but that's it.
I know what you're thinking: Don't Alabama and USC play in Arlington in 2016? Yes, they do, but that's not a home-and-home series. Go ahead and say with a straight face that you wouldn't want to see Kiffin back in the Coliseum.
On that note, how awesome would it be to see the Trojans in Tuscaloosa?
Kiffin did an outstanding job in his first season as the Crimson Tide offensive coordinator in 2014, as Alabama averaged nearly 37 points per game and 484.5 yards per game. If he puts up more numbers like that next season, you can bet Kiffin will land a head coaching job again sooner rather than later.
So if Kiffin were to leave Alabama, wouldn't that take away from the Alabama-USC home-and-home? Hardly, as these two blue-bloods have only met seven times in their history.
Boise State-Ohio State
2 of 5
Give Boise State and Ohio State a ton of credit. Both have been scheduling maniacs lately.
Go ahead and peruse the Broncos' and Buckeyes' nonconference schedules. They're impressive. Florida State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame—there are a lot of great games coming for both programs.
So here's what would be interesting in a hypothetical world: Have the defending national champs play college football's most famous Cinderella. Since championships/dynasties can become a thing of the past quickly, let's go ahead and schedule the first of two games in 2015.
While we're at it, let's make it the season opener. In Columbus.
The Buckeyes should enter the '15 season as the favorite to get back to the playoff and national championship regardless of which quarterback—Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones—is starting. Since the playoff doesn't appear to be kind to programs outside the Power Five conferences, this would be the Broncos' shot to make a statement.
Texas Tech-Washington State
3 of 5
Normally, this would be a niche game. "Do you want to see 1,200 passing yards and 11 passing touchdowns? Well, we have a game you might be interested in watching."
To be sure, there's entertainment value in that. It might not be a home-and-home of traditional powerhouses, but watching two Air Raid offenses battle against a pair of below-average to awful defenses occupies a corner of our collective college football hearts.
What adds to the intrigue is Washington State head coach Mike Leach, who coached Texas Tech from 2000-09.
Leach, of course, was fired in December 2009 because of how he allegedly treated concussed player Adam James, the son of former ESPN broadcaster Craig James. Leach later sued ESPN and Texas Tech.
So, who wants to see Leach back in Lubbock? That'd make for a fascinating game.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Florida State-Michigan
4 of 5
It'd be great to see most of these hypothetical series starting next season simply because of pre-existing circumstances.
With a Florida State-Michigan nonconference game, it would be best to wait a few years.
The Seminoles are coming off of a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance and had previously won 29 straight games, including a national championship. Because head coach Jimbo Fisher recruits so well, the 'Noles should be at or near the top of college football for years to come.
Michigan...well, Michigan is in the rebuilding process—to put it one way.
There's little doubt that new Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh can get the program turned around. As Ace Anbender of MGoBlog.com told Sports Illustrated's Martin Rickman, "Harbaugh is very much set up for success. After four years under [Brady] Hoke, anything that resembles watchable football has to be considered progress."
Assuming Harbaugh does get Michigan back to winning at a national level, the next step would be playing (and winning) some big nonconference games with playoff implications.
The Wolverines have scheduled a few of those (Texas, Oklahoma and UCLA), but it would be interesting to see Harbaugh's team go up against a program as polarizing as Florida State.
Texas-Texas A&M
5 of 5
Like you really thought you were going to get through this whole post without the best "don't call it a rivalry" rivalry being mentioned. (For the record, I will continue to stump for this game regardless of how annoying it is. To my grave, I will take it.)
The playoff didn't ruin college football. Eventually, if/when it happens after surviving appeals, paying the players won't ruin it either.
Nothing has made the sport less fun than conference realignment; it's taken away some of the best traditional games. Egos and decades of ill-will got in the way, and just like that, Texas and Texas A&M aren't playing anymore.
Frankly, Twitter spats between Longhorns and Aggies recruiting guys aren't enough to satisfy.
Will they ever play again? No one seems to be budging. Texas athletic director Steve Patterson told ESPN's Paul Finebaum last year that the series was done "unless there is a compelling reason."
That sounds like a no. Just a hunch.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
