The 2019 college football season is getting underway today. We all already know the biggest non-conference games to be excited about like Florida-Miami, Oregon-Auburn or Florida-Miami. But here’s five non-conference games that are still flying under the radar for most fans.
Iowa @ Iowa State
Two of the best quarterbacks in the Midwest are going toe-to-toe in El Assico. Nate Stanley is one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten. With the departure of Kyler Murray, Brock Purdy might be the best signal caller in the Big XII. The winner of this game should gain a ton of momentum heading into their conference schedule.
Matchup to Watch: Brock Purdy vs Iowa Defense
Iowa has one of, if not the best pass rusher in the Big Ten with AJ Epenesa. The defensive backfield is stingy as well. David Montgomery and Hakeem Butler will be sorely missed by the Cyclones. To say that this is a big test for Purdy is an understatement.
NC State @ West Virginia
Much to my dismay, this game was cancelled last year. Both Ryan Finley and Will Grier are in NFL training camps right now. However, this game still has a ton of potential. Austin Kendall is taking the reigns in Morgantown and NC State has quite a few questions on offense.
Matchup to Watch: The Offenses
Although plenty of NFL talent is gone from both rosters, this still figures to be a shootout. Both teams still bring back talented rosters. It’ll be a fun early test for two new quarterbacks that can distribute the ball to plenty of weapons.
Hawaii @ Washington
Cole MacDonald is leading Hawaii’s Run ‘N’ Shoot renaissance. Jacob Eason has waited a long time for his turn. This is going to be one of the better QB matchups we get all season. Washington will be breaking in a brand-new secondary. Hawaii will be a decisive underdog, but that doesn’t mean they can’t win this game.
Matchup to Watch: Cole MacDonald vs everybody
If the Run ‘N’ Shoot is gonna work MacDonald has to be great for the Rainbow Warriors. Washington replaces a ton of production on both sides of the ball, but they’ve consistently played good and sometimes great defense. If Hawaii is going to win this, MacDonald will have to have the game of his life.
Marshall @ Boise State
Boise State is a powerhouse in the Mountain West. Marshall’s Doc Holliday is one of the most underrated coaches in college football. Both teams have pretty lofty expectations heading into this season. The winner will have a good shot at the coveted NY6 slot for the group of five teams. The loser will have to reassess their season goals.
Matchup to Watch: Special Teams
The Blue Turf has some kind of voodoo magic. Games get weird, especially for a non-conference opponent. These seem like two pretty evenly matched teams. Whoever controls this aspect to the game will have the upper hand. Conversely, I get the feeling that someone is going to make a colossal error on special teams. That’ll be the difference.
Nebraska @ Colorado
The Scott Frost hype has reached a fever pitch. The Cornhuskers finished strong down the stretch and the expectations are elevated. Adrian Martinez is a superstar in the making. Whether or not the Nebraska defense is up to the task is another question.
Matchup to Watch: The Heisman Dark Horses
Laviska Shenault of Colorado and Nebraska’s Adrian Martinez are two of the most electrifying players in college football. I don’t think that Colorado or Nebraska are anything special defensively. These two studs are going to have plenty of room to do some fun things with the football. Nebraska has a chance to make a big statement before Big Ten play rolls around.
