The 10 best SEC non-conference games in 2022

A few weeks ago, I answered a question in the #MeansMoreMailbag asking what was the SEC’s best non-conference game in 2022?

There’s plenty of juicy matchups — from Alabama at Texas to Arkansas traveling to BYU in the middle of its SEC slate (You’re welcome, Sam Pittman!) — but I landed on Florida’s home opener against the reigning Pac-12 champion Utah Utes as No. 1 on my list. 

But with so many good offerings, why discuss just a single game? So here’s a rundown on the 10 most intriguing (in order of how they appear on the schedule this fall) SEC non-conference games in 2022. 

1. Utah at Florida (Sept. 3)

The last time the Gators hosted a Pac-12 team, a guy named Emmitt Smith was still carrying the football for UF. It’s been 33 years. First-year head coach Billy Napier has a chance to make a huge statement in his debut with the Gators. UF enters the fall with some legitimate defensive concerns, so facing perhaps the best QB-RB duo (Cameron Rising and Tavion Thomas) it will see all season in Week 1 is hardly ideal.  

2. Oregon vs. Georgia (Sept. 3, Atlanta)

Kirby Smart and the reigning national champion Bulldogs will (essentially host) a neutral site game in Mercedes Benz Stadium featuring a pair of familiar faces to SEC brethren: Former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, now the Ducks’ head coach, and Auburn quarterback Bo Nix. Lanning inherited a solid squad and he’s only added to the roster by bringing recruits and transfers like Nix to Eugene this offseason. Still, it’s a tough test facing a loaded Georgia team in his head coaching debut. 

3. Cincinnati at Arkansas (Sept. 3)

The Hogs host a 2021 College Football Playoff representative in Week 1, but fortunately for Sam Pittman, Luke Fickell lost a lot of talent off last year’s Bearcats’ team. Still, it’s a nice early litmus test for a Razorbacks team that has embraced added expectations entering 2022. Quarterback KJ Jefferson is looking to make a leap in his second season as a starter, while the Hogs also return plenty of other experience and both their coordinators.

4. Florida State vs. LSU (Sept. 4, New Orleans)

This game would’ve been much sexier a decade ago, but it still warrants a mention since it features two historic CFB programs. The Tigers lost at UCLA to open 2021, and hope to avoid a similar slow start this fall in Brian Kelly’s debut. Meanwhile Mike Norvell could really use a signature win after a tough first two seasons (particularly in Septembers) in Tallahassee.

5. Alabama at Texas (Sept. 10)

Former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns will look to pull-off a shocking upset in Week 2 this fall, as two of college football’s blue-bloods will square off in the regular season for the first time in a century. Texas is coming off a 5-7 season, but did load up on transfers (including several former Alabama players), with 5-star quarterback Quinn Ewers projected to become UT’s new trigger-man. Alabama is an early two-touchdown favorite, but there’s still intrigue here watching a potentially elite Tide defense matchup against Sark’s all-gas, no-breaks offense. 

6. Tennessee at Pittsburgh (Sept. 10)

Dubbed the Johnny Majors Classic, honoring the legendary head coach at both programs, the Week 2 showdown is a major opportunity for Josh Heupel and the Vols to build on a surprising 2021 season. They lost a shootout with the Panthers in Knoxville last season, but Hendon Hooker didn’t become UT’s full-time starter until after that game. A win at Pitt could be the launching point for a special season at Tennessee. 

7. Miami at Texas A&M (Sept. 17)

This is a tasty Week 3 matchup that features two programs with swelling momentum and head coaches (Jimbo Fisher and Mario Cristobal) who have dominated offseason headlines. Miami has its quarterback in Tyler Van Dyke, but who wins the battle to become the Aggies’ full-time 2022 starter may not be decided until this game.  

8. Penn State at Auburn (Sept. 17)

The Tigers narrowly lost in Happy Valley in 2021, but a win over James Franklin and the Nittany Lions would really, really help cool the coals emanating from Bryan Harsin’s hot seat. Auburn has never hosted a Big Ten team at Jordan-Hare, either. Similarly to Texas A&M’s QB situation, Auburn may not settle on a starter until this game. 

9. Arkansas at BYU (Oct. 15)

It’s here where we note that Arkansas is the only school on this list twice. I have no idea what administrator in Fayetteville thought it was a good idea for the Razorbacks to travel to Provo in the middle of their conference schedule. This game is fascinating because of so many variables and unknowns. Both teams are projected preseason Top 25 teams, but will they still be ranked there in mid-October? The Cougars play Notre Dame the week before hosting Arkansas, while the Hogs must figure out how to navigate Texas A&M (in Dallas), Alabama and at Mississippi State the prior three weeks. Mercy. 

10. Louisville at Kentucky (Nov. 26)

Depending on how the season plays out, this is a game that could feature two of the more prominent quarterbacks — Malik Cunningham vs. Will Levis — in college football this fall. The Cards should field a fun, competitive offense, while Kentucky believes it has a team talented enough to get to Atlanta this year. The Cats have won three straight in the series.