Best Non-Conference Games

1. LSU vs. Oregon (Cowboys Stadium) - Week 1, Top 5 matchup...doesn't get much better than that.

2. Arkansas vs. Texas A&M (Cowboys Stadium) - Week 5, another possible Top 10 matchup. Both of these teams play HUGE conference games the week before, Arkansas at Bama and A&M vs. Oklahoma State. They both also have pretty big games the week after as well...we'll see how that factors in.

3. Georgia vs. Boise State (Georgia Dome) - This may not be the third best matchup but it's one of the most intriguing so I'm putting it here. Boise St. is going to have another solid team and Mark Richt is feeling the heat. So let's get it started off with a bang in Week 1.

4. Florida vs. Florida State - Maybe the sizzle is back in this rivalry? Florida went on a dominating streak, winning 6 in a row while FSU was down, then the tables turned dramatically last year. I think Florida will rebound a little this year and the Noles will be even better.

5. Alabama at Penn State - With all the hoop-la last year around this game because Joe-Pa was finally returning to Tuscaloosa, this wasn't a close game. But Penn State should be better this year with 14 returning starters and the game is in Happy Valley.

6. LSU at West Virginia - LSU plays another tough opponent, and this one is in their backyard. WVU has had some coaching turmoil but they are always near the top in the Big East, and they play SEC teams well. The Tigers only won by 6 points last year in Baton Rouge, and the Mountaineers have 8 returning starters back on offense for their new offensive guru coach, Dana Holgorsen.

7. Auburn at Clemson - Clemson was the only team to take Auburn to OT last year and the game was at Jordan-Hare. The purple Tigers have 14 returning starters back including 9 on offense, although they lose QB Kyle Parker. Clemson plays FSU the week after, Auburn plays Mississippi State the week before.

8. Ole Miss vs. BYU - This game might fly under the radar in Week 1, but it will be an important game for both teams. BYU has 15 returning starters including 10 on offense. Ole Miss NEEDS this game to get the season started off right and possibly go to a bowl game.

9. South Carolina vs. Clemson - This should be a good game between two good teams. They both hope to be playing in their conference championship games the next week. South Carolina has won the last two in this series, but these teams have split the last four.

10. Tennessee vs. Cincinnati - Cincy really took a dive last year losing Brian Kelly and they fell to 4-8 after having an undefeated regular season in 2009. They've got 10 returning starters on defense, and this should be a good game between two less than middle of the road teams from BCS conferences.

11. South Carolina vs. Navy - Navy has been very consistent over the past few years winning 7,8,9 games. There is no question they have the capacity to beat the Gamecocks if they let their guard down. South Carolina has a tendency to do stupid things and coming off a game at Georgia that if they win could have them sitting pretty in the top 10 or top 5, who knows what could happen.

12. Georgia at Georgia Tech - By the time this game occurs we'll know how these team's season has gone, but they are both coming off disappointing 6-7 years. Both teams have high hopes for this year but who knows what this season will bring.

13. Kentucky vs. Louisville - Louisville beat Kentucky and went 12-1 in 2006, then Bobby Petrino left and UK has won the last four games. Charlie Strong is in his second year, and coming off a bowl win (first bowl game since '06). This game will be called the Bakery Bowl because both teams will play cupcakes in the two weeks leading up to the game.

14. Vanderbilt vs. Connecticut - UConn won the Big East and went to the Fiesta Bowl as one of the worst ever participants in the BCS. They have 16 returning starters from that team, however, they lose 71% of their offense. Vanderbilt may be the bottom feeder of the SEC, but with 19 starters and the game in Nashville, this could be an interesting Week 2 game.

15. Ole Miss at Fresno State - Pat Hill has had a good run at Fresno State, producing a winning team almost every year. Ole Miss hung 55 points on Fresno last year in Oxford even after they had lost to Jacksonville State and Vandy. This game is Week 5, in California...and it will be big for Fresno St. to get an SEC to play in their home stadium.


JB