Here Are The 11 Teams That Will Play 2 Non-Con 'Power 5' Teams In 2018
COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 06: The Ohio State Buckeyes marching band perform before the game against the Ohio Bobcats at Ohio Stadium on September 6, 2008 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
College football scheduling is a hot topic these days.
College football isn't a professional sport, and as such, there is no governing body that has the ability to tell programs who they will and won't play in any given year. Sure, the conferences individually have rules, and member institutions must adhere to them. But the conferences don't even have the same set of rules.
For example, these days, the Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big 12 all must play nine league games in football. The ACC and SEC, on the other hand, play eight.
Many think that that fact, by itself, makes college football unbalanced. SEC fans obviously disagree - suggesting that playing eight games in their league is harder than playing nine games in any other league.
This week, Pick Six Previews dropped an interesting statistic. There are 11 programs next season that will play two non-conference games against 'Power 5' opponents.
None reside in the SEC. The 11 schools are Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Texas, West Virginia and USC.
- Clemson will play Texas A&M and South Carolina
- Duke will play Northwestern and Baylor
- Florida State will play Notre Dame and Florida
- Louisville will play Alabama and Kentucky
- Pittsburgh will play Penn State and Notre Dame
- Northwestern will play Duke and Notre Dame
- Ohio State will play TCU and Oregon State
- Purdue will play Missouri and Boston College
- Texas will play Maryland and USC
- West Virginia will play Tennessee and NC State
- USC will play Texas and Notre Dame
Some, like Clemson, FSU, Ohio State and USC, are national title contenders looking to bolster their resumes. Others are either ACC schools in the Notre Dame rotation or rivals of the Fighting Irish.
We should note that there aren't always zero SEC schools on this list. For example, last year, Georgia played both Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. The win over the Fighting Irish was huge for the team's resume.
Next year's action can't get here soon enough.
