ESPN names 12 top non-conference games of 2025 college football season

The 2025 college football season is officially less than a month away from kicking off and fans everywhere are already foaming at the mouth in anticipation. In fact, Week 0 action actually begins three weeks from Saturday, beginning Aug. 23 with the Big 12’s Iowa State vs. Kansas State from Dublin, Ireland.

Of course, 2025’s first full slate of games doesn’t begin until the following weekend with five straight days of college football action taking place between Aug. 28 and Sept. 1, a majority of the non-conference variety. As college football fans await the start of the upcoming season, ESPN’s Chris Low provided a look at the 2025 season’s 12 most “must-see” non-conference games — discounting neutral-site games — while handing out superlatives for the upcoming season.

Given their position as an Independent, it’s no surprise to see Notre Dame well represented with three of Low’s most highly-anticipated non-conference games this season, including a rematch of the infamous “Catholics and Convicts” game in 1988 between the Fighting Irish and Miami on Sunday, Aug. 31. In fact, half of Low’s 12 best non-conference games are from the first full weekend of the 2025 season, beginning with a Friday Night Lights showdown between Auburn and Baylor on Friday, Aug. 29.

Check out ESPN’s full list of the 12 “must-see” non-conference games of the 2025 season below:

Auburn at Baylor — Aug. 29, 8 p.m. ET (FOX)

There might not be a pair of coaches more ready for games to start than Auburn’s Hugh Freeze and Baylor’s Dave Aranda following an offseason full of unnecessary distractions, including an intense focus on Freeze’s affinity for golf.

But the first Friday night of the 2025 college football season is highlighted by a game that could set the stage for a pair of coaches with bubbling hot seat consideration. Can Aranda quiet his critics with a big win over an SEC opponent? Or is it Freeze that shuts down his doubters with a season-opening victory against a potential Big 12 contender?

Texas at Ohio State — Aug. 30, 12 pm ET (FOX)

Columbus will certainly be popping with excitement Saturday, Aug. 30, with both ESPN’s College GameDay and FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff airing live from the home of the defending national champion Buckeyes.

This is a rare rematch from last season’s College Football Playoff national semifinal, in which Ohio State doubled up Texas, 28-14, to punch its ticket to the championship game. Only this time, the Longhorns will unleash prized QB Arch Manning from the start, potentially setting the stage for a Heisman Trophy run in his first season as Texas’ starter.

Alabama at Florida State — Aug. 30, 3:30 pm ET (ABC)

Although it won’t be hosting College GameDay, the second year of the Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa begins on the road at Florida State, which is looking to prove last year’s two-win campaign was an aberration under Mike Norvell.

New FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos made waves earlier this offseason by providing Alabama with bulletin board material when he declared the Crimson Tide “don’t have Nick Saban to save them” anymore. Castellanos’ brazen comments didn’t sit well with those in Tuscaloosa, adding fuel to a highly anticipated battle of college football bluebloods.

LSU at Clemson — Aug. 30, 7:30 pm ET (ABC)

Billed as the “Battle of the Death Valleys,” the first game of a home-and-home series between two of college football’s most successful Tigers — both of whom have colloquially referred to their respective home stadiums as Death Valley since the 1940s and ’50s.

This game will also feature two of the top three preseason frontrunners for the 2025 Heisman Trophy in Clemson QB Cade Klubnik and LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier. The host Tigers of Clemson are looking to ride the wave it created by winning the ACC last season and making its first CFP appearance since 2020, while LSU’s Brian Kelly is seeking his first Playoff bid in Year 4 as head coach.

Utah at UCLA — Aug. 30, 11 pm ET (FOX)

The first full Saturday of the 2025 season ends with some #Pac12AfterDark action between two former Pac-12 programs now in different leagues. The Utes enter with Big 12 title hopes after overhauling its offense while the ACC’s Bruins have renewed hope in Year 2 under DeShaun Foster.

This will also be the debut of new UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava, who left Tennessee and jumped in the NCAA Transfer Portal after Spring practice following a failed NIL renegotiation attempt. Utah will debut its own transfer QB in dual-threat Devon Dampier, who combined for 3,934 total yards and 31 total touchdowns last season at New Mexico.

Notre Dame at Miami — Aug. 31, 7:30 pm ET (ABC)

While it’s not the first time these teams have faced off since their infamous 1988 “Catholics vs. Convicts” game, the Irish and Hurricanes face off for the first time since 2016-17, when each host won its respective home game in their last home-and-home series.

New Miami QB1 Carson Beck will make his highly-anticipated debut in Coral Gables following an offseason transfer from Georgia in his first game since suffering a torn UCL in last year’s SEC Championship game. Notre Dame will also debut a new QB1 with redshirt freshman CJ Carr and sophomore Kenny Minchey currently battling it out this preseason.

Kansas at Missouri — Sept. 6, 3:30 pm ET (ESPN2)

The renewed Border War rivalry between the Jayhawks and Tigers takes center stage in Week 2 as Kansas looks to snap a three-game losing streak to Mizzou in the first game between the neighboring rivals since 2011, when the SEC-bound Tigers won 24-10 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Like others on this list, Missouri will be in the process of breaking in a new QB1 in former Penn State transfer Beau Prisbula, while the Jayhawks are just hoping for some consistency from senior QB1 Jalon Daniels, who combined for nearly 2,900 total yards and 20 touchdowns while throwing 12 interceptions last season.

Michigan at Oklahoma — Sept. 6, 7:30 pm ET (ABC)

Another Big Ten vs. SEC non-conference matchup that will undoubtedly provide the winner early-season bragging rights in the ongoing feud for conference supremacy between college football’s most dominant leagues, with the Big Ten having won the last two CFP national titles.

It’s the second season under Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, who could potentially unleash Five Star Plus+ rookie QB Bryce Underwood vs. the Sooners, while Oklahoma’s Brent Venables enters Year 4 looking to dispel hot seat talk by hitching his wagon to Washington State transfer QB John Mateer and new OC Ben Arbuckle after winning just two SEC games in OU’s first year in the league.

Texas A&M at Notre Dame — Sept. 13, 7:30 pm ET (NBC)

Week 3 of the season is the return game of a home-and-home series that saw the visiting Fighting Irish spoil Mike Elko‘s debut as Texas A&M’s head coach with a 23-13 win in College Station last season.

Depending on how Week 1 goes, Notre Dame could still be riding high off the momentum built by last season’s 13-game win streak to the CFP national championship game. And while the Irish will likely have settled on a new QB1 by now, the Aggies are hoping last year’s trial-by-fire will pay dividends for sophomore Marcel Reed in his second year as QB1.

Florida at Miami — Sept. 20, TBD (TBD)

Week 4 of the season features another highly-anticipated intra-state rivalry that was renewed last year in Gainesville, where the visiting Hurricanes dominated the host Gators 41-17.

This year’s SEC vs. ACC matchup between Florida and Miami will feature two of college football’s most talented QBs in Beck for Miami and UF sophomore DJ Lagway, who saved the job of embattled Gators coach Billy Napier by going 6-1 as a starter last season. Given Florida’s difficult SEC schedule ahead, this could be a must-win game for Napier’s future in Gainesville.

USC at Notre Dame — Oct. 18, 7:30 pm ET (NBC)

With the exception of two years during World War II, this rivalry between bitter foes Notre Dame and USC is nearing its 100-year anniversary in 2026, with the Irish currently holding bragging rights, having won the past two seasons and six of the last seven in the series.

By this point in the season (Week 8), this is a rivalry game that will undoubtedly have serious Playoff implications, potentially for both programs. Notre Dame is expected to be vying for a second-straight CFP appearance, while USC will either be vying for Big Ten contention or fending off hot seat talk around Lincoln Riley after back-to-back disappointing seasons in Hollywood.

Clemson at South Carolina — Nov. 29, 12 pm ET (TBD)

Week 12 is known as Rivalry Weekend as many of college football’s best rivalry games highlight the final weekend of the regular season, and last year’s intra-state matchup between Clemson and South Carolina is quickly making its case to be included among the best.

The Tigers, who enter 2025 with serious national championship hype, came up short at home last season (17-14) but rebounded to win the ACC the next weekend. This could also serve as a late-season battle of Heisman Trophy contenders between Clemson’s Klubnik and South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers, both of whom are preseason favorites among Vegas oddsmakers.