Fansided

College football’s 15 most compelling non-conference games to watch in 2018

By Connor Muldowney

SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 21: The USC Trojans face off at the line of scrimmage against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during a game at Notre Dame Stadium on October 21, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame won 49-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 21: The USC Trojans face off at the line of scrimmage against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during a game at Notre Dame Stadium on October 21, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame won 49-14. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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TALLAHASSEE, FL – NOVEMBER 18: Florida State Seminoles running back Cam Akers (3) and Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Nyqwan Murray (8) celebrate after scoring during the game between the Delaware State Hornets and the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, FL on November 18th, 2017. (Photo by Logan Stanford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL – NOVEMBER 18: Florida State Seminoles running back Cam Akers (3) and Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Nyqwan Murray (8) celebrate after scoring during the game between the Delaware State Hornets and the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, FL on November 18th, 2017. (Photo by Logan Stanford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

7. Florida State vs. Notre Dame (Nov. 10)

Florida State has a different look heading into the 2017 season, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While Jimbo Fisher, a national title-winning head coach, is gone, Willie Taggart is in town to breathe fresh air into the program. He’s a player’s coach who has all the energy needed to lead the Seminoles.

Taggart will need to have his guys motivated for this late-season non-conference game which takes place two weeks before its rivalry game with Miami. That’s as tough a two-week non-conference span as any team in college football has.

Notre Dame’s whole schedule is non-conference play as an Independent, but there’s a good chance this could be the toughest contest on the docket.

A quarterback battle between Deondre Francois or James Blackman and Brandon Wimbush is extremely underrated.

Florida State’s road game in South Bend could have playoff implications, so this one may slide up the list of must-watch non-conference games depending on how successful each team is heading into this one.