Texas at Alabama and the other biggest non-conference games of the 2023 college football season
Texas and Alabama will meet as non-conference opponents for the final time in 2023.
The Sept. 9 game between the marquee programs is the second in a home-and-home series that was scheduled long before Texas and Oklahoma made their move to the SEC. A season ago, Alabama and Heisman-winner Bryce Young squeaked out a one-point victory at Texas in a game Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers left with a shoulder injury.
Alabama hasn’t settled on its replacement for Young and could still be trying to figure out who its best QB is when Texas visits Tuscaloosa. The Texas QB situation, on the other hand, is pretty clear. Ewers is entrenched as the starter and is a preseason Heisman favorite. It’s extremely unlikely that Arch Manning will take the field in this game or in any other game against a strong opponent in 2023.
The Longhorns are also officially the preseason Big 12 favorites after they were voted first in the Big 12 media poll earlier this month. Texas has the most talented roster in the conference and it will be considered a disappointment if the Longhorns don’t make the Big 12 title game.
While Texas and Alabama will regularly play each other after the Longhorns and Sooners join the SEC in 12 months, their first game as conference foes will not be in 2024. Each current SEC team plays one of either Texas or Oklahoma next season and Alabama drew a visit to the Sooners. After this year’s matchup, we’ll have to wait at least a season before these two teams meet again.
Here are the other biggest non-conference games of the 2023 season. We didn’t include annual or regularly occurring rivalry games on this list.
LSU vs. Florida State in Orlando (Sept. 3)
No one knew how good either team was going to be ahead of the 2022 season and they produced a thriller to kick off the season. If we have a game just as good in 2023 given the preseason expectations attached to each team then we’ll be extremely spoiled. LSU returns QB Jayden Daniels and edge rusher Harold Perkins in Brian Kelly’s second season, and Florida State could be the best team in the ACC. Yes, even better than Clemson. Don’t sleep on FSU QB Jordan Travis as a Heisman dark horse if the Seminoles have a special season.
Ohio State at Notre Dame (Sept. 23)
The Buckeyes visit Notre Dame after easily beating the Irish to start the 2022 season. Both teams will have different QBs in this matchup; former Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman transferred to Notre Dame, while Kyle McCord is the favorite to replace C.J. Stroud for the Buckeyes. The Ohio State offense should be explosive no matter who starts at QB with Marvin Harrison Jr. and TreVeyon Henderson still on the roster. This is the first of three massive games for Notre Dame this season with USC and Clemson also on the schedule.
Texas A&M at Miami (Sept. 9)
The loser of this game is going to have an extremely antsy fan base. Neither team lived up to expectations a season ago under coaches who were specifically brought in to restore the programs to their former success. Texas A&M hopes QB Connor Weigman takes a leap with a bunch of returning talent at receiver, while Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke is healthy and hoping for a bounce back season after a sophomore slump in 2022.
Florida at Utah (Aug. 31)
Is this already a make-or-break season for Billy Napier at Florida? Asking the question feels preposterous as Napier enters his second season with the Gators. But there are questions at quarterback and a tough schedule looming over the next two seasons. Former Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz transferred to Florida to replace Anthony Richardson, while Cameron Rising is back for Utah after he was sidelined during the Rose Bowl with a torn ACL.
Ole Miss at Tulane (Sept. 9)
Don’t be surprised if Tulane is favored in this game. The Green Wave are the frontrunners in the AAC and return QB Michael Pratt and nearly the entire starting offensive line from the team that took down USC in the Cotton Bowl. Ole Miss brings back QB Jaxson Dart but also added former Oklahoma State QB Spencer Sanders through the transfer portal. We’d bet on Sanders starting this game.
Oregon at Texas Tech (Sept. 9)
Losses to Washington and Oregon State late in the season cost Oregon a shot at the College Football Playoff in 2022, while Texas Tech was a feisty and strategically aggressive team in Joey McGuire’s first season in Lubbock. Bo Nix is back at QB for the Ducks but only four other starters return on offense. Former Oregon QB Tyler Shough is back in Lubbock for another season and hopes to stay healthy. Tech is a preseason sleeper in the Big 12 and it wouldn’t be a stunner if the Red Raiders won this one.
Washington at Michigan State (Sept. 16)
Was 2022 or 2021 the aberration for Michigan State under Mel Tucker? The Spartans finished 5-7 a season ago after a fantastic 2021 and one of those seven losses came at Washington. The Huskies travel to East Lansing this season and will have star QB Michael Penix Jr. back for another season. MSU doesn’t have that certainty at QB. Noah Kim and Katin Houser are competing for the starting job after Payton Thorne’s transfer.
Wisconsin at Washington State (Sept. 9)
If you skip Wisconsin’s season-opener against Buffalo you’ll be in for a philosophical shock when you see the Badgers in Pullman against the Cougars. New Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell is switching to an Air Raid-based offense with coordinator Phil Longo and brought in SMU QB Tanner Mordecai. Given Wisconsin’s run-based offense for decades, it’s reasonable to expect a bit of an adjustment period. Washington State QB Cam Ward is fun to watch and he also has a new offensive coordinator. At just 27, Ben Arbuckle is the youngest coordinator at the top level of college football after moving over from Western Kentucky.
UCF at Boise State (Sept. 9)
Two of college football’s longtime mid-major powers meet in UCF’s second game as a Power Five conference member. Former Ole Miss and current UCF QB John Rhys Plumlee is a fantastic runner and could be extremely fun to watch in Gus Malzahn’s offense. Boise State went 2-2 to start the 2022 season but then finished the season with eight wins in its final 10 games as Taylen Green established himself as the team’s starting QB. All but two starters return on offense for the Broncos as they could be the best Group of Five team in the country.
Illinois at Kansas (Sept. 9)
It wasn’t that long ago that a game between the Illini and Jayhawks wouldn’t be considered for this list. But 2022 changed that as Illinois went 8-5 and Kansas went 6-7 and made it to a bowl game for the first time since 2008. Kansas QB Jaylon Daniels is the preseason offensive player of the year in the Big 12, while Ole Miss transfer Luke Altmyer is the favorite to start at QB for the Illini.
Colorado at TCU (Sept. 1)
Deion. Deion. Deion. Deion. Sanders’ first game at Colorado comes on the road against one of the two teams that played for the national title in January. No pressure, Coach Prime. Colorado has an overhauled roster that will take some time to gel. A bowl berth is probably asking too much in 2023. TCU is faced with the task of reloading after making it to the CFP and must replace QB Max Duggan, RB Kendre Miller and WR Quentin Johnston among other key contributors.
Honorable mention: Utah at Baylor, Oklahoma State at Arizona State, Nebraska at Colorado, Auburn at Cal, Kansas State at Missouri, San Diego State at Oregon State, Minnesota at North Carolina, Arizona at Mississippi State, UTSA at Houston, Pitt vs. Cincinnati, UCLA at San Diego State, Boise State at Washington
