MARLER: Top Five SEC Non-Conference Matchups of 2024

By Chris Marler

Texas A&M vs Notre Dame 

Let’s start the season off with the “I told you they were overrated” Super Bowl, y’all. All jokes aside, I am very excited for this game because it’s a win-win for viewers. You get two good CFB brands on display in Week 1. It’s a Top 20 matchup. Not to mention you get one team fighting for a return to glory, and the other fighting for financial freedom after paying the largest buyout in college football history. The storylines are everywhere.

The Mike Elko era could get started off on a HUGE note if the Aggies can upset a Top 10 team in Kyle Field in his first game. 

LSU vs Southern Cal 

Few people have had a bigger fall from grace after posting a meat pic on social media than Lincoln Riley. And his was just a brisket which should tell you just how bad that brisket was. Riley has become one of the more disliked figures in college football ever since he turned his back on Oklahoma and headed to the West Coast for USC. All he’s done since is stuck his foot in his mouth every chance he’s had and finish 7-5 with a Heisman Trophy and #1 Overall NFL Draft Pick at QB. Yikes. 

LSU and the Trojans will meet in Vegas for a Sunday night game that will be on a national stage. Both teams are replacing Heisman QBs and looking to establish themselves in year 3 of their respective coaches. LSU will have the entire SEC pulling for them as well as reminding Trojan fans everywhere what happened last time they opened a season vs the SEC in 2016 vs Alabama.

Texas @ Michigan 

This feels so weird to call an SEC non-conference game, but I’m sure we’ll get used to it at some point. Texas heads to the Big House where dreams, 3:30 PM kickoffs, and ethics go to die. As they say. These two blue bloods face off in what many thought would be the national title game a year ago to get an early resumé boost for the 2024 CFB Playoff. 

Both these teams lost a TON of talent to the NFL Draft losing a combined 24 players, and Michigan is breaking in a new head coach, QB, and multiple assistant coaches. SEC fans will be hoping the eyes of Texas will be upon Michigan, and college football fans everywhere will be hoping the eyes of Connor Stalions will be upon a TV at home and not the sideline. 

Alabama @ Wisconsin 

Alabama heads to Camp Randall for a Week 3 matchup against the Badgers. The Tide opened as a 9-point favorite but will absolutely have their hands full with Luke Fickell and company. The Tide hasn’t traveled this far for a non-con game since the 2000 opener in the Rose Bowl vs UCLA (which they lost 35-24). Wisconsin underachieved last season, but transfer QB Tyler Van Dyke takes over at QB and the Badgers hope they can get the 2022 version TVD that finished the season with 6 straight 300 yard passing games. 

This will be Kalen Deboer’s first real road test as the new coach at Alabama, and he’ll need a win to keep that fanbase calm since UGA travels to T-Town 2 weeks after. 

Florida vs Miami 

Florida starts off an absolute gauntlet of a 2024 schedule with a home game against their in-state rival/angry cousin from reform school, Miami. Florida plays 8 total opponents who are ranked in the preseason Top 25 which is the most in the country. Billy Napier and company have done a good job of shutting out the outside noise heading into the season. A win vs the Canes would be HUGE for Napier’s confidence as well as the fanbase’s.

Miami comes into this season resembling an MLB team who made a bunch of moves before the trade deadline to make a run at the World Series. The Canes have one of their best rosters in years and welcome in a Top 10 transfer portal class and Top 5 recruiting class in the 2024 cycle. Both those classes are headlined by QB Cam Ward who will have his handsful in the Swamp with a good secondary and defensive unit.