Kyle Robertson - Imagn Images
By Chris Marler
The nine game conference schedule in the SEC this year has created some loaded weekends. Still, there are some massive non-conference matchups even with one less non-con game on the schedule for every SEC team. Here are the top five for the 2026 season.
Honorable Mention
Ole Miss at Louisville
South Carolina at Clemson
Auburn vs. Baylor
Arkansas at Utah
Missouri at Kansas
5. Tennessee at Georgia Tech
The best part of this game is that it will actually be played on campus at Bobby Dodd Stadium. It’s a true home game for the Yellow Jackets in an iconic venue that dates back to 1913 in downtown Atlanta. It will feature two teams replacing journeymen quarterbacks hoping to get off to a fast start in a year where everyone is overlooking them. It should be a fantastic atmosphere on a Saturday full of huge non-conference games around the league.
4. Clemson at LSU
This game could be higher up on the list considering the history of the two programs and how polarizing each coach is on a national level. There are some great storylines surrounding this matchup even if it won’t be a top ten matchup like it was a season ago. College Gameday will be there and it’s the primetime game on ABC. As far as the game goes, it’s not further up the list because I don’t think it will be much of an actual game. LSU is going to be really good this year. Clemson is not. Still it’s a great helmet and logo game in the real Death Valley.
Can’t wait to see you in Baton Rouge and Austin 🤩 pic.twitter.com/kEARdzEmZ9
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) May 13, 2026
3. Arizona State at Texas A&M ‘
This is a sneaky good game that not enough people are talking about. It feels like Arizona State will have this one circled on the calendar this offseason way more than Texas A&M will. Arizona State has a new Power Four quarterback from the portal and a ton of new faces on a team that needs to make a statement. This game shouldn’t turn out like Florida State and Alabama did a year ago, but it definitely has some similar vibes.
2. Oklahoma at Michigan
This was one of the premier matchups in September a season ago. A lot of people thought it could be the Bryce Underwood coming out party, but it was John Mateer’s instead. The Sooners quarterback put up 344 yards and vaulted him to the front of the Heisman Trophy race. This year Oklahoma is heading up to Ann Arbor. It’s year two of the Bryce Underwood era at Michigan, and Oklahoma is trying to return to the CFP. That road will go through the Big House if they want to get back there. They travel to Athens two weeks after this game. That’s a brutal September slate, but going into October at 3-1 is much different than 2-2.
JOHN MATEER DOES IT HIMSELF 😤
Oklahoma storms to a 14-0 lead over No. 15 Michigan!#CollegeFootball #OKvsMICH #GoSooners
— João Neves (@jon_snow_pt) September 7, 2025
1. Ohio State at Texas
It’s not really close. This was billed up to be the game of the year a season ago. It will be billed very similarly this season as well. The biggest difference is that each team will get a week one warmup before they meet in week two this season. Last year was a dud of a game as neither offense could get going at any point. This year’s version should be closer to the hype of last season’s game.
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