Playing a good schedule has always been important since we’ve been in college football’s playoff era. Teams have tried to follow suit by trying to put on more competitive games against some of the best teams not in their respective conference. Looking at this year’s upcoming schedule, there will be no difference.
Since we’re now in the era of the expanded College Football Playoff, there’s more competition than ever before across the college football landscape. These non-conference games are now more important than ever before in the power rankings. These are the top five must-see out-of-conference games of the 2025 college football season.
The Biggest Out-of-Conference Matchups That Will Define the 2025 College Football Season
These five out-of-conference games are packed with high stakes, star power, and must-watch drama in 2025.
5) Florida Gators at Miami Hurricanes (September 20)
After only meeting twice in the 2010s, the Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes are playing back-to-back contests. This comes after the Hurricanes tore the Gators to shreds in Gainesville in 2024, 41-17. A lot has changed since then for both teams. The matchup this year looks far more evenly matched.
Florida finished the 2024-25 season much stronger and gets their quarterback, DJ Lagway, to lead what should be a very talented offense in the upcoming season. However, the Hurricanes also landed Carson Beck who went 2-0 against the Gators back when he played in Georgia, so something will have to give here.
4) Clemson Tigers at South Carolina Gamecocks (November 29)
Clemson is expected to be one of the most exciting and top teams this upcoming season. However, the Gamecocks will put up a strong fight in their interstate rivalry game. This matchup will see LaNorris Sellers go up against Cade Klubnik, which should attract a lot of attention from the NFL scouts.
Late last year, South Carolina pulled off a major upset against its rival that many analysts thought more credibly warranted them getting into the College Football Playoffs consideration. The Gamecocks have won two of the last three games against Clemson. If all goes according to plan, this could be one of the season’s biggest matchups.
3) LSU Tigers at Clemson Tigers (August 30)
August 30 is shaping up to be one of the wildest opening weekends of college football in recent memory. This game marks the first meeting between LSU and Clemson since Joe Burrow and the SEC’s Tigers knocked off Trevor Lawrence and the ACC’s Tigers in the national championship game.
Clemson has won 70 of its last 75 home games this decade, and is a very early favorite against LSU in Death Valley on opening weekend. Clemson is the favorite to win the ACC title this year, and LSU really needs to take a step forward. So, something is going to have to give here.
2) Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Miami Hurricanes (August 31)
Another high-profile Week 1 matchup sees Notre Dame squaring off with Miami in a matchup which could eventually play a role in what the 2026 College Football Playoff field looks like. After a strong 2024, both teams are ranked inside the top 12 of CSN’s college football power rankings, but head into 2025 with much higher aspirations.
Carson Beck starts his first game for the Hurricanes as he lines up against a Notre Dame defense in transition. The Fighting Irish will look to get lead tailback, Jeremiyah Love going against a Miami run-stop that was among college football’s best. Truly a can’t-miss test for the Fighting Irish.
KEEP READING: Top 5 Must-See SEC Games in the 2025 College Football Season
1) Texas Longhorns at Ohio State Buckeyes (August 30)
On August 30, kicking off the college football season, we will see two of the sports biggest programs go at it. This will be a rematch from last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal matchup, which saw the Buckeyes get passed Texas on a dramatic defensive play.
Both of these rosters will look very different as Will Howard’s successor at Ohio State, Julian Sayin, will be facing a tough test when Texas’ Arch Manning finally takes the field and takes over the reins at QB1 from the Longhorns following Quinn Ewers’ draft pick. Both are eager to make a very strong debut. This is arguably the most can’t-miss game of the season.
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