Did you know that it’s only 225 days until the start of the 2015 college football season?
And what better way to celebrate than by taking a look at the biggest non-conference game for each of the top contenders going into the second year of the Playoff era?
These are the games that will likely decide who’s in and who’s out of the bracket before the pot of controversy even begins to simmer.
We’ll use ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 by Mark Schlabach to establish the ten teams in the running and if nothing else, the exercise will confirm, once again, that all schedules aren’t created equally.
10. Alabama
Who: Wisconsin
When/Where: Saturday, Sept. 5, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Alabama has a history of scheduling non-conference games vs. big-time teams, especially from the Big Ten where three of their last five early-season opponents came from.
The Crimson Tide and Badgers have squared off only once in history, a 1928 regular-season game that Wisconsin won 15-0 in Madison.
The balance of Alabama’s non-conference schedule is Middle Tennessee (Sept. 12), Louisiana-Monroe (Sept. 26) and FCS Charleston Southern (Nov. 21).
9. Clemson
Who: Notre Dame
When/Where: Saturday, Oct. 3, Memorial Stadium, Clemson, S.C.
Though Notre Dame is technically an ACC team, this game counts as one of Clemson’s four non-conference games. It also marks the first time since 2009 that the Tigers haven’t faced two SEC opponents in the regular season.
The last and only time these two squared off was in a home-and-home series in 1977 and 1979. The Tigers and Irish split the two games, with the visitor winning on each occasion.
Clemson’s other non-ACC opponents are FCS Wofford (Sept. 5), Appalachian State (Sept. 12) and South Carolina (Nov. 28).
8. Georgia
Who: Georgia Tech
When/Where: Saturday, Nov. 28, Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
In what could be a difference maker in the second-ever Playoff race, Georgia won’t play a power-five team out of SEC action until Nov. 28, when it travels to Atlanta for its annual grudge match with Georgia Tech.
The Bulldogs faced Clemson in their 2013 and 2014 openers, but as recently as 2012 played Buffalo, Florida Atlantic and Georgia Southern out of conference for a 12-2 finish.
The balance of Georgia’s non-conference schedule is Louisiana-Monroe (Sept. 5), FCS Southern (Sept. 26) and Georgia Southern (Nov. 21).
7. UCLA
Who: Virginia
When/Where: Saturday, Sept. 5, Rose Bowl, Los Angeles, Calif.
After scheduling non-league games with Texas, Nebraska and Kansas State over the last six years, 2015 is arguably UCLA’s easiest non-conference slate since 1992 when it drew Cal State-Fullerton, BYU and San Diego State.
The Bruins have only squared off with Virginia once previously, last season in Charlottesville, a game they won 28-20 despite only scoring seven offensive points.
UCLA’s other non-conference games are against UNLV (Sept. 12) and BYU (Sept. 19).
Who: Oregon
When/Where: Saturday, Sept. 12, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.
In what’s likely to be the first top-ten clash of 2015, the Spartans and Ducks will wrap up the back end of their home-and-home series with a Week 2 meeting in East Lansing.
The two have met five times previously, including home-and-home series in 1979-80 and 1998-99. The home team has never lost.
The balance of the Spartan’s non-league slate is at Western Michigan (Sept. 4), Air Force (Sept. 19), and Central Michigan (Sept. 26).
5. Oregon
Who: Michigan State
When/Where: Saturday, Sept. 12, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.
Oregon’s quest to return to the College Football Playoff will hinge early vs. Michigan State in East Lansing, where the Ducks have never won a game.
Oregon’s other non-conference games in 2015 are FCS Eastern Washington (Sept. 5) and Georgia State (Sept. 19).
4. USC
Who: Notre Dame
When/Where: Saturday, Oct. 17, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Ind.
USC and Notre Dame have played consecutively since 1946 and the series has swapped between a mid-October date in South Bend and a late-November date in Los Angeles since 1960. The Trojans’ last road win vs. the Irish came in 2011.
The balance of USC’s non-league schedule is Arkansas State (Sept. 5) and Idaho (Sept. 12).
3. Baylor
Who: Rice
When/Where: Saturday, Sept. 26, McLane Stadium, Waco, Texas
Though Rice hardly sounds like a giant killer, its recent success makes it Baylor’s stiffest non-Big 12 opponent vs. the alternatives: SMU and FCS Lamar.
The Owls are 25-15 since 2012, including going 2-1 in bowl play and capturing the 2013 C-USA title. That’s all-world compared to the Mustangs’ 13-24 since mark over the same time frame and their 6-18 record since 2013.
The Bears haven’t played a power-five opponent out of conference in the regular season since 2009 when they beat Wake Forest 24-21 in the opener.
Baylor and Rice last met in 2011 and have played three times since the old Southwest Conference broke ranks in 1996. The Owls haven’t beaten the Bears since 1992, dropping six straight since then.
2. Ohio State
Who: Virginia Tech
When/Where: Monday, Sept. 7, Lane Stadium, Blacksburg, Va.
Though a second-consecutive loss to Virginia Tech seems completely unlikely after the Buckeyes’ national championship run, the Hokies remain OSU’s toughest non-league hurdle in 2015.
Last season’s upset loss in Columbus was also the only time in history the Buckeyes and Hokies have met on the gridiron.
The balance of Ohio State’s non-Big Ten slate consists of Hawaii (Sept. 12), Northern Illinois (Sept. 19) and Western Michigan (Sept. 26).
1. TCU
Who: Minnesota
When/Where: Thursday, Sept. 3, TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.
Though Minnesota might not look as scary as Notre Dame, don’t forget that the Golden Gophers finished last season at 8-5, exactly the same record the Irish posted.
TCU and Minnesota hooked up at the front end of a home-and-home series last season in Fort Worth, a game the Horned Frogs took 30-7. The only other previous meeting came back in 1974 when TCU traveled to Minneapolis and lost 9-7.
The Frogs’ other non-conference opponents in 2015 are FCS Stephen F. Austin and SMU.