Top 25 OOC games of 2025

ericd7633 · Wednesday at 11:57 AM

#1. Texas @ Ohio State
#2. Notre Dame @ Miami
#3. LSU @ Clemson
#4. Michigan @ Oklahoma
#5. Boise State @ Notre Dame
#6 Clemson @ South Carolina
#7. Alabama @ FSU
#8. Texas A&M @ Notre Dame
#9. Florida @ Miami
#10. Syracuse vs. Tennessee
#11. Illinois @ Duke
#12. TCU @ UNC
#13. Wisconsin @ Alabama
#14. Georgia Tech @ Georgia
#15. USC @ Notre Dame
#16. Iowa @ ISU
#17. Pitt @ WVU
#18. Auburn @ Baylor
#19. Kansas @ Missouri
#20. Syracuse @ Notre Dame
#21. Oklahoma State @ Oregon
#22. Georgia Tech @ Colorado
#23. South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech
#24. SMU @ TCU
#25. Notre Dame @ Arkansas

Just missed the list: Nebraska vs. Cincinnati, Army @ Kansas State, FSU @ Florida, Arizona State @ Mississippi State, Washington @ Washington State.

After the top 4, there is a drop off, but 5 though about 16 are all really good. Really deep slate of OOC games this year.

NinerSpartan · Wednesday at 11:59 AM

Georgia Tech/retard school in Athens are playing at a neutral site.

fishinabarrel · Wednesday at 12:18 PM

Looking at this list, Notre Dame has a really really hard OOC schedule

Across The Field · Wednesday at 12:21 PM

Bama @ FSU is far too high unless it's a top 25 games involving teams that used to be good but are now complete dogshit with no end in sight (talking FSU here, before the Bammers lose it on me)

ericd7633 · Wednesday at 12:29 PM

fishinabarrel said:
Looking at this list, Notre Dame has a really really hard OOC schedule

Some of that is a by product of the 5 ACC games this year. Fortunately, Miami appears to be good again, so that helps (Cuse is probably a maybe). But the non-ACC portion is really fun/intriguing. Games against Arkansas, Texas A&M, Boise State and then the rivalry games of USC, Navy, Purdue and Stanford. Overall, it's a pretty different and difficult schedule.

ericd7633 · Wednesday at 12:38 PM

Across The Field said:
Bama @ FSU is far too high unless it's a top 25 games involving teams that used to be good but are now complete dogshit with no end in sight (talking FSU here, before the Bammers lose it on me)

It is two big brands. And not to much different than the OU/Michigan IMO, albeit slightly worse which is why I have it behind that game. Bama was a shitty road team last year, and has a worse QB. If this ends up at the end being a 9-3/10-2 Bama team versus a 6-6/7-5 FSU team it won't be that dissimilar from OU/Michigan in that regard IMO. But like I said, 5-16 were pretty interchangeable.

Across The Field · Wednesday at 1:15 PM

ericd7633 said:
It is two big brands. And not to much different than the OU/Michigan IMO, albeit slightly worse which is why I have it behind that game. Bama was a shitty road team last year, and has a worse QB. If this ends up at the end being a 9-3/10-2 Bama team versus a 6-6/7-5 FSU team it won't be that dissimilar from OU/Michigan in that regard IMO. But like I said, 5-16 were pretty interchangeable.

If this FSU team goes 6-6/7-5, the ACC should lose it's autobid to the CFP. It's not like FSU just suddenly fell on hard times last year. 2022 and 2023 are looking more and more like aberrations when you look at what FSU was for five years before that, and then again at what they were in 2024. Honestly this game should be behind Bama/Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is not good, but FSU is a miserable shell of what used to be an elite program.

MAIZEandBLUE09 · Wednesday at 1:17 PM

ericd7633 said:
It is two big brands. And not to much different than the OU/Michigan IMO, albeit slightly worse which is why I have it behind that game. Bama was a shitty road team last year, and has a worse QB. If this ends up at the end being a 9-3/10-2 Bama team versus a 6-6/7-5 FSU team it won't be that dissimilar from OU/Michigan in that regard IMO. But like I said, 5-16 were pretty interchangeable.

Michigan vs OU is compelling to me because we’ve only played OU once; in the Orange Bowl in 1976. Neither team has ever played at each others stadium. I think it would be cool if we started targeting some of the teams we never play: like LSU and Michigan never facing off somehow.

huskers1217 · Wednesday at 1:44 PM

Across The Field said:
If this FSU team goes 6-6/7-5, the ACC should lose it's autobid to the CFP. It's not like FSU just suddenly fell on hard times last year. 2022 and 2023 are looking more and more like aberrations when you look at what FSU was for five years before that, and then again at what they were in 2024. Honestly this game should be behind Bama/Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is not good, but FSU is a miserable shell of what used to be an elite program.

Alabama by 50

Across The Field · Wednesday at 1:51 PM

huskers1217 said:
Alabama by 50

At halftime

Across The Field · Wednesday at 1:52 PM

MAIZEandBLUE09 said:
Michigan vs OU is compelling to me because we’ve only played OU once; in the Orange Bowl in 1976. Neither team has ever played at each others stadium. I think it would be cool if we started targeting some of the teams we never play: like LSU and Michigan never facing off somehow.

I'm looking forward to this game also. Both teams should have solid defenses and better offenses than 2024. The winner could be in good shape to make the CFP if a few things go their way during the season.

ericd7633 · Wednesday at 2:07 PM

Across The Field said:
If this FSU team goes 6-6/7-5, the ACC should lose it's autobid to the CFP. It's not like FSU just suddenly fell on hard times last year. 2022 and 2023 are looking more and more like aberrations when you look at what FSU was for five years before that, and then again at what they were in 2024. Honestly this game should be behind Bama/Wisconsin, and Wisconsin is not good, but FSU is a miserable shell of what used to be an elite program.

Yeah, you could absolutely be correct, but I think FSU upgraded big time at QB getting rid of DJU. I think the new QB is a much better fit in that offense. Especially with Malzahn coming in. They have a pretty difficult schedule so I'd say if they got to 6/7 wins that'd be pretty good and not some referendum on the ACC.

ericd7633 · Wednesday at 2:09 PM

MAIZEandBLUE09 said:
Michigan vs OU is compelling to me because we’ve only played OU once; in the Orange Bowl in 1976. Neither team has ever played at each others stadium. I think it would be cool if we started targeting some of the teams we never play: like LSU and Michigan never facing off somehow.

I agree. That adds to the intrigue since this game has only happened one time. That's why I have a game like Boise State vs. ND that high up. The novelty factor and both teams should be top 25 again.

Across The Field · Wednesday at 2:19 PM

ericd7633 said:
Yeah, you could absolutely be correct, but I think FSU upgraded big time at QB getting rid of DJU. I think the new QB is a much better fit in that offense. Especially with Malzahn coming in. They have a pretty difficult schedule so I'd say if they got to 6/7 wins that'd be pretty good and not some referendum on the ACC.

You're much higher on Castellanos than I am. Not only is he very small, but his running game also took a huge step back last year before he was benched. I wouldn't be shocked if he was benched at FSU again at some point. Just looking at their offense, Malzahn or not, I just can't find anyone to be excited about.

ericd7633 · Wednesday at 2:46 PM

Across The Field said:
You're much higher on Castellanos than I am. Not only is he very small, but his running game also took a huge step back last year before he was benched. I wouldn't be shocked if he was benched at FSU again at some point. Just looking at their offense, Malzahn or not, I just can't find anyone to be excited about.

I think he's still a dual threat guy. I'd probably place more blame on the Oline issues and system then anything else. I think he'll be fine.

Across The Field · Wednesday at 3:10 PM

ericd7633 said:
I think he's still a dual threat guy. I'd probably place more blame on the Oline issues and system then anything else. I think he'll be fine.

You probably know better than me, did he have any injury issues? With his dual threat nature and tiny size, I'd have to guess that could be a problem. Not that the level of competition is going up or anything, but I wasn't sure if that was it. It could also have been BoB's system, but it's not like Watson wasn't an effective dual threat in the NFL when he played for him.

ericd7633 · Wednesday at 3:44 PM

Across The Field said:
You probably know better than me, did he have any injury issues? With his dual threat nature and tiny size, I'd have to guess that could be a problem. Not that the level of competition is going up or anything, but I wasn't sure if that was it. It could also have been BoB's system, but it's not like Watson wasn't an effective dual threat in the NFL when he played for him.

I don't recall him having any injury issues. My take on why he was benched is that he started to look around at other destinations during the tail end of the season. Nothing confirmed just speculation. He's been pretty durable thus far, but he is tiny so there's always that risk.

I do think this offense will have more designed QB runs than BoB's did , which I think will help out immensely for him. Unless he's lost some athleticism, he should still be a threat in the QB run game. On offense for them, I think he'll be the one main constant.

Across The Field · Wednesday at 3:57 PM

ericd7633 said:
I don't recall him having any injury issues. My take on why he was benched is that he started to look around at other destinations during the tail end of the season. Nothing confirmed just speculation. He's been pretty durable thus far, but he is tiny so there's always that risk.

I do think this offense will have more designed QB runs than BoB's did , which I think will help out immensely for him. Unless he's lost some athleticism, he should still be a threat in the QB run game. On offense for them, I think he'll be the one main constant.

That's my biggest issue. Their transfer class doesn't have any surefire studs, though Squirrel White and Duce Robinson to have a little upside. Their RB room is just decimated though.

At any rate, with it being the first game of the year, I think Bama is going to have their way with them, and it's gonna get boring long before halftime.