7 Stranger Than Fiction College Football Matchups in 2024
From conference realignment to odd scheduling, things will get weird this fall.
College football’s oceanic crust has always been shifting–toward bigger, bolder, more. And in the last few years, in particular, that progression has been fast-tracked. Which means things are…getting weird.
I’ve been pretty hard and fast on my realignment stance. I was/still am bummed about the Pac-12’s demise. Texas and OU joining the SEC makes sense, but it also means life just got harder for two very prominent programs. And the new ACC and Big 12, well, that group sure is something.
An increased number of helmet games is one of the more prominently acknowledged conference realignment features. You know, big boy versus big boy. Brand on brand. Think Ohio State vs Oregon or Texas vs Georgia.
These new massive helmet game matchups are destined to be awesome. Almost everyone can agree on that. But because of how scheduling works, conference realignment also gives us new and frankly odd matchups to entertain. And I don’t think this is being talked about enough.
Here’s a list of funny, bizarre and down-right strange matchups to look forward to in 2024.
Week 1
Saturday, August 31 - Boise State vs. Georgia Southern
Few aspects of Southern lore eclipse the heat index and humidity levels south of the Mason-Dixon in the summertime.
In case you needed reminding: If you aren’t located south of the Mason-Dixon, it’s not hot where you live, no matter what your local weatherman says. And it damn sure ain’t humid. You can forget that.
As is the inverse of the “Make Alabama play in the snow” arguments, one of my favorite early college football season things to watch is when teams not from the South have to play a 3.5-hour football game in unbearable heat. It’s bad for everybody, but especially for them.
Well, Boise State, get ready to learn Statesboro, buddy.
Boise State travels to Georgia Southern for a 4 PM kickoff in late August, and yeah, that field is gonna be hotter than a two-dollar pistol. I don’t have a ton of commentary to add outside a) this is a very weird matchup for very obvious reasons and b) it’s gonna be hot as hell, man. Good luck, Broncos!
Week 4
Friday, September 20 - Stanford vs. Syracuse
This ACC scheduling is some diabolically nasty work and I love it.
At first glance, a Stanford-Syracuse is strange enough. Google Maps tells me it takes roughly 41 hours and a little over 2,800 miles to get from Palo Alto to Syracuse by vehicle. That is just objectively absurd.
Secondly, putting this on Friday night, and making it so weird that people (like me) will absolutely tune in is truly the stuff of genius. You bet your ass I’m not missing Stanford in the Carrier Dome.
This game kicks off at 7:30 ET/4:30 Pacific, making it the perfect pregame party entertainment (do they pregame out there?) for Stanford students. Do with that information what you will.
Saturday, September 21 - Northern Iowa vs. Hawaii
Most Iowans save their tropical vacations for winter, but I respect the hustle here Northern Iowa.
I’m not going to pretend to understand why or how this matchup game to be, but hey, it’s happening!
Side note: How sick is this situation for UNI?
You get a free trip to Hawaii, will play a football game that only real sickos will watch, no one will care whether you win or lose and everyone will forget it even happened as soon as the Bears and Packers kick off the next day.
A win-win scenario for the boys from Cedar Rapids.
Week 7
Saturday, October 12 - No. 7 Missouri vs. UMass
Week 8
Saturday, October 19 - No. 18 NC State vs. Cal
The powers at be killed the man (Pac-12 After Dark) but cannot kill the idea (a team preposterously losing a late-night game in the Pacific time zone).
Some poor, unfortunate soul is going to sleepwalk into a late-night, ACC game in Berkeley or Palo Alto and be forced to take a long, cross-country flight home with a massive L next to their name. I desperately hope it’s not Dave Doeren and NC State.
I think NC State will be quite good this year, but this is the trappiest of trap games. If the Cal Libs want to get real grimy, they should fight and claw for this game to kick off as late as possible.
Week 9
Saturday, October 26 - Wake Forest vs. Stanford
My only hope for this game is that we get some sort of mid-game student body protest about the November election.
Week 12
Saturday, November 16 - No. 2 Ohio State vs. Northwestern
For the uninitiated, Northwestern is playing its 2024 home games in a makeshift, 15,000-capacity stadium alongside Lake Michigan. This temporary stadium will feel very small and has no buildings around it to block the wind, so I can only imagine how bitterly cold and windy this mid-November game against Ohio State will be.
Imagine: A juiced-up Ohio State team with all eyes set on beating Michigan, winning the B10 and winning a national title, waltzes into this blustery, high school ass stadium and loses 13-9 to a below .500 Northwestern team.
This is the stuff of dreams. My dreams, specifically.