South Bound & Down
Fansided

SEC Football: Top 5 non-conference matchups of the 2022 season

By Matt Melton

STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 18: Tank Bigsby #4 of the Auburn Tigers carries the ball as Joey Porter Jr. #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions defends during the second half at Beaver Stadium on September 18, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 18: Tank Bigsby #4 of the Auburn Tigers carries the ball as Joey Porter Jr. #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions defends during the second half at Beaver Stadium on September 18, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Looking ahead to the 2022 SEC Football schedule, the conference will see multiple intriguing non-conference matchups, a majority of which will be played in the month of September. Not counting annual rivalry games such as South Carolina/Clemson, Florida/Florida State, and more, which five matchups should SEC Football fans be looking forward to most?

Before we look at those five however, there are a few honorable mentions that should be mentioned as well:

  • LSU vs Florida State – September 4 (New Orleans, LA)
  • Tennessee at Pittsburgh – September 10
  • Arkansas at BYU – September 15
  • Auburn vs Penn State – September 17
  • Missouri at Kansas State – September 10

Top 5 SEC Football non-conference matchups of the 2022 season

Georgia vs Oregon – September 3 (Atlanta, GA)

Defending national champion Georgia will open the season in Atlanta against an Oregon team entering year one under new head coach Dan Lanning, the Bulldogs former defensive coordinator. Storylines will be a plenty in this Week 1 matchup, headlined by the quarterback dual of Stetson Bennett and Auburn transfer Bo Nix.

Texas A&M vs Miami – September 17

A likely preseason Top 10 team in Texas A&M who just brought in one of the best recruiting classes of all-time, facing off against a Miami team entering year one under new head coach Mario Cristobal. Both the Aggies and Hurricanes’ programs have a lot of momentum at the moment, and we should be set for a massive Week 3 showdown in College Station.

Arkansas vs Cincinnati – September 3

The Razorbacks impressed during the 2021 season, and will be faced with a tough test right away to begin 2022. The Bearcats do lose a few key names from last seasons team that reached the CFP Semifinal, but it will still be a talented Cincinnati team coming to Fayetteville in Week 1.

Florida vs Utah – September 3

Speaking of Week 1, the Billy Napier era in Gainesville gets underway when Florida hosts Utah in an intriguing season opener. Fresh off a Rose Bowl appearance in 2021, the Utes will likely come to Gainesville as a Top 10 team in the country.

Next. When are the 2022 SEC Football Media Days?. dark

Alabama at Texas – September 10

One of, if not the, top Week 2 matchups across the country features Alabama traveling to Austin to face former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns. Storylines will be a plenty for this mid-September contest, headlined by an exciting quarterback matchup of 2021 Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and Ohio State transfer Quinn Ewers.

Home/SEC Football