The top 15 OOC games for 2019

[Across The Field]

You don't think UGA or ND will be in playoff contention? Both teams are preseason top 10 teams. ND/UGA is such a big game CBS decided to pick that game as it's primetime game for the season bumping LSU/Bama from that slot later in the year.

As for UVA/ND I saw UVA in some preseason top 25 polls. It's certainly not a great game, but nobody outside Ohio cares about OSU/Cincy and nobody outside South Carolina will care about Clemson/South Carolina, unless South Carolina puts together a nice season.

I think UGA is unquestionably a CFP contender. ND, I'm not sold at all. For the 3rd time since 2012, ND went to a bowl game against a top 10 team and got destroyed. I don't think it's a guarantee they're top 10, as there's no consensus from the polls I've seen.

I think I've seen one poll with UVA at 25th and that's it. Cincinnati is a team on the rise coming off an 11-win season, including a bowl win over the same VT that beat UVA. They have a young, promising HC who was passed over for the HC job at his alma mater twice this decade and for the first time will be coaching against them, so there's at least some intrigue and a storyline. What is there between UVA and ND? What appeal is there for that game? I live way closer to South Bend than South Carolina, but give me Clemson/SC any day over UVA/ND.

 

[Olyduck]

why is Utah State vs LSU on this list.
Utah State will not be good. Gary Andersen is not a good coach.

 

[Olyduck]

Houston at Oklahoma should slide in that 14 spot and bump Minn fresno out and Utah state lsu up
Maryland at Temple
Wisconsin at south florida
Arizona State at Michigan State
Nebraska at Colorado
Northwestern at Stanford

 

[Boise4Life]

why is Utah State vs LSU on this list.
Utah State will not be good. Gary Andersen is not a good coach.

They had a nice season. Gave Boise a run for the division. Finished #22 in the rankings, but I agree. They lost their coach Matt Wells to Texas Tech and nearly all their players outside of their stud quarterback. His entire line is gone, his receivers are gone, and I believe the tailback is too. They have some restocking to do and a new system to learn that’s not nearly as fast paced and wide open. They will almost certainly get waxed by LSU.

 

[ericd7633]

I think UGA is unquestionably a CFP contender. ND, I'm not sold at all. For the 3rd time since 2012, ND went to a bowl game against a top 10 team and got destroyed. I don't think it's a guarantee they're top 10, as there's no consensus from the polls I've seen.

I think I've seen one poll with UVA at 25th and that's it. Cincinnati is a team on the rise coming off an 11-win season, including a bowl win over the same VT that beat UVA. They have a young, promising HC who was passed over for the HC job at his alma mater twice this decade and for the first time will be coaching against them, so there's at least some intrigue and a storyline. What is there between UVA and ND? What appeal is there for that game? I live way closer to South Bend than South Carolina, but give me Clemson/SC any day over UVA/ND.

ND is a consensus top 10 preseason team though, at least according to the polls I've seen. If you took the polls and did it the same way the AP does the scoring their top 10.

And it comes down to me not being as high on Cincy I guess. I mean they won 11 games last year and didn't beat a single good team either. Neither 3 games are that great.

 

[ericd7633]

why is Utah State vs LSU on this list.
Utah State will not be good. Gary Andersen is not a good coach.

Return their QB and a ton on defense. They were a top 25 team last year.

 

[Across The Field]

ND is a consensus top 10 preseason team though, at least according to the polls I've seen. If you took the polls and did it the same way the AP does the scoring their top 10.

And it comes down to me not being as high on Cincy I guess. I mean they won 11 games last year and didn't beat a single good team either. Neither 3 games are that great.

I've not looked at all the early top 25s out there, but I've seen them in the top 10 and not in the top 10. I guess my point is they're not on that level of teams that are unquestionably top 10, so I can't really say they're a definite CFP contender. Not to mention they lost a shitload on defense.

I get that you're not high on Cincy, but they are clearly an improving team, and the storyline with them vs. OSU is just a lot more interesting than UVA/ND. I can't think of anything that makes that game exciting. You say Cincy won 11 games last year and didn't beat a single good team, but who did UVA beat?

 

[Olyduck]

Return their QB and a ton on defense. They were a top 25 team last year.

QB and 1 starting lineman. no starting WR RB and the rest of the line. new coaches new system.
return a lot up front on D but secondary which was their weak spot anyway is basically gonna be new.
also like i said gary andersen isnt a good coach.

 

[ericd7633]

I've not looked at all the early top 25s out there, but I've seen them in the top 10 and not in the top 10. I guess my point is they're not on that level of teams that are unquestionably top 10, so I can't really say they're a definite CFP contender. Not to mention they lost a shitload on defense.

I get that you're not high on Cincy, but they are clearly an improving team, and the storyline with them vs. OSU is just a lot more interesting than UVA/ND. I can't think of anything that makes that game exciting. You say Cincy won 11 games last year and didn't beat a single good team, but who did UVA beat?

I think from a standpoint of who's rated higher between them and Texas and A&M, ND is rated higher from a consensus standpoint. Maybe even LSU as well. I've seen ND as high as 5 in some.

Yeah they are improving, and so is UVA. UVA didn't beat anyone good either, but they had a much tougher schedule than Cincy did. Even playing in their crap division. After like 8 or 9 there really isn't a great storyline about any games IMO. I went with UVA/ND where I did because I think UVA has the best chance of being ranked out of the other games behind it.

 

[Rolltide94]

ESPN has three of the four toughest OOC schedules involving PAC 12 teams with Duke the only outsider coming in at #2 after they get to get their balls kicked in by Bama and ND. Stanford comes in at #1 on the list with their three games versus Northwestern, UCF, and ND.

Yeah, but this list is good games...those are shit games.

 

[theboardref]

I looked through all the OOC schedules for this upcoming season, and wanted to put together a list of the top 15 OOC games. The list wasn't easy, not because of the amount of good games, but because there's a lack of good OOC games this season.

Some games that just missed my list: Boise State vs. Florida State, Oklahoma at UCLA, Arizona State at Michigan State, TCU at Purdue, Northwestern at Stanford.

My top 15:

15. Minnesota at Fresno State
14. Utah State at LSU
13. Clemson at South Carolina
12. Cincinnati at Ohio State
11. Notre Dame at Stanford
10. Virginia at Notre Dame
9. Stanford at UCF
8. Iowa at Iowa State
7. Army at Michigan
6. Miami vs. Florida
5. Oregon vs. Auburn
4. Texas A&M at Clemson
3. LSU at Texas
2. Notre Dame at Michigan
1. Notre Dame at Georgia

LSU vs Utah State? Is it really that bad of a year for non-conference games? Probably some week 0 FCS games that are a lot more intriguing. Dead serious by the way, if you aren’t watching week 0 FCS matchups you are missing out.

 

[cmc_rebar]

You heard it here


ND will lose 2 of the 4

 

[Across The Field]

I think from a standpoint of who's rated higher between them and Texas and A&M, ND is rated higher from a consensus standpoint. Maybe even LSU as well. I've seen ND as high as 5 in some.

Yeah they are improving, and so is UVA. UVA didn't beat anyone good either, but they had a much tougher schedule than Cincy did. Even playing in their crap division. After like 8 or 9 there really isn't a great storyline about any games IMO. I went with UVA/ND where I did because I think UVA has the best chance of being ranked out of the other games behind it.

Wow, can't believe they would be as high as 5th. I would put money they won't be that high when the actual rankings come out.

I wouldn't say UVA had a "much tougher schedule". They didn't face a single ranked team. From a storyline standpoint, though, I actually don't know many games that are better than UC/OSU just for the Luke Fickell aspect. It's compelling, seeing a guy face his alma mater when they wouldn't give him the HC gig coming off an 11-win season, regardless who you are a fan of.

 

[ericd7633]

QB and 1 starting lineman. no starting WR RB and the rest of the line. new coaches new system.
return a lot up front on D but secondary which was their weak spot anyway is basically gonna be new.
also like i said gary andersen isnt a good coach.

True. But it's at 14. Plus their QB is really good. He was impressive last season. I don't think Anderson is awful, he was awful at Oregon State, but he was productive before that.

 

[ericd7633]

LSU vs Utah State? Is it really that bad of a year for non-conference games? Probably some week 0 FCS games that are a lot more intriguing. Dead serious by the way, if you aren’t watching week 0 FCS matchups you are missing out.

Yeah it is pretty bad. I looked at all of them. Games like Boise/FSU looked good on paper until FSU won 5 games last year. There's a bunch of those games. OU/UCLA looks good on paper, but UCLA won like 4 games last year. It's a really weak year.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

A&M loses by 20+ to Clemson. Far from the best game on the list.

 

[ericd7633]

Wow, can't believe they would be as high as 5th. I would put money they won't be that high when the actual rankings come out.

I wouldn't say UVA had a "much tougher schedule". They didn't face a single ranked team. From a storyline standpoint, though, I actually don't know many games that are better than UC/OSU just for the Luke Fickell aspect. It's compelling, seeing a guy face his alma mater when they wouldn't give him the HC gig coming off an 11-win season, regardless who you are a fan of.

SI has them at #5 right now. ND should be a top 10/15 defense again this season, and the majority of not all of the O-line that played at the end is coming back. I think 10-2 is probably about right. Which would probably put them in the top 8 or so, depending on other teams.

Neither team played a good schedule, but UVA still played alot better schedule. I think the difference in SOS would be around 20-25 in terms of rating. And like I said not many people care about the Fickell/OSU aspect, outside Ohio. If Cincy is a top 25 team, that will make more people care than that. Which was my reasoning for having UVA vs. ND higher.

 

[Across The Field]

SI has them at #5 right now. ND should be a top 10/15 defense again this season, and the majority of not all of the O-line that played at the end is coming back. I think 10-2 is probably about right. Which would probably put them in the top 8 or so, depending on other teams.

Neither team played a good schedule, but UVA still played alot better schedule. I think the difference in SOS would be around 20-25 in terms of rating. And like I said not many people care about the Fickell/OSU aspect, outside Ohio. If Cincy is a top 25 team, that will make more people care than that. Which was my reasoning for having UVA vs. ND higher.

That's a bold statement with everything they lost. You're right, if they go 10-2, it'll likely be top 10. I'm just not sure I see them only losing 2.

You might be right about the Fickell aspect, but it's helped a lot by the fact that Cincinnati was also 11-2 last year with a P5 win in their bowl game.

 

[ericd7633]

That's a bold statement with everything they lost. You're right, if they go 10-2, it'll likely be top 10. I'm just not sure I see them only losing 2.

You might be right about the Fickell aspect, but it's helped a lot by the fact that Cincinnati was also 11-2 last year with a P5 win in their bowl game.

We did lose some guys but we still return 2 potential 1st rounders on the D-line. And the secondary will be fine. Admittedly, we need some LB'ers to step up. We still return 6/7 starters on defense.

And yeah I don't think there will be all that much difference between UVA and Cincy this year. But I do think UVA will be slightly better.

 

[Boise4Life]

True. But it's at 14. Plus their QB is really good. He was impressive last season. I don't think Anderson is awful, he was awful at Oregon State, but he was productive before that.

Somehow he finished ranked #16 in his final season at Utah State before he left for Wisconsin. Seems like a bit of an aberration though.