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15 non-conference games that will shape the 2019 College Football Playoff

By Nate Williamson

SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 09: Georgia Bulldogs nose tackle John Atkins (97) waits for the snap during the college football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Georgia Bulldogs on September 9, 2017, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 09: Georgia Bulldogs nose tackle John Atkins (97) waits for the snap during the college football game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Georgia Bulldogs on September 9, 2017, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 09: Georgia Bulldogs face off at the line of scrimmage during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 9, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Georgia won 20-19. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 09: Georgia Bulldogs face off at the line of scrimmage during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 9, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Georgia won 20-19. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

Ranking the best non-conference games of the 2019 college football season that will have College Football Playoff implications.

With the Clemson Tigers winning the College Football National Championship in a dominant form over the Alabama Crimson Tide, it’s time for most teams in college football to start looking for a way to work themselves into a similar position by the end of the 2019 season. There’s no better way to cement a solid College Football Playoff resume than taking on some unfamiliar opponents in non-conference play.

The beginning of the year in 2019 will see some titanic clashes come together in non-conference play. Some games will be heated rivalries between in-state foes with no love lost for one another, others programs dominant on a national scale looking to prove why they deserve a chance to be crowned champions at the end of the season. Some games seem small on the outside but are layered with intricate story-lines and dramatic twists on the inside. Coaching changes, rivalry match-ups, and chances for programs to make a big jump in rebuilding processes are just some of the things to look forward to in these match-ups.

From teams that don’t see each other often, to even in-conference, in-state foes, this year’s college football schedule is juiced up with games to watch, even in the first few weeks. Inside are some of the biggest games you should keep your eye on as the season approaches. Though college football is a long season, leaders and challengers tend to emerge in the first few weeks. Surprising losses are no doubt a trend in the first few weeks of a season, and this year’s slate of contests presents many interesting match-ups for even the most casual viewer.

Some of the programs with the country’s biggest fan bases will go head to head as early as Week 1 in this year’s college football season, and the season will get underway with a titanic clash of entertaining match-ups from the jump.

Check inside to see the fifteen non-conference match-ups you should be looking forward to heading into the 2019 college football season.

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