Auburn Football: Five Potential Non-Conference Rivals
Dec 1, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Robert Godhigh (25) with the ball as Florida State Seminoles defensive back Karlos Williams (9) defends. The Florida State Seminoles defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 21-15 to win the ACC Championship at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Last week, the Southeastern Conference announced the 2015 schedules for each of its member schools and we got our first complete look at next season’s Auburn football schedule. The Tigers will begin the season in Atlanta against Louisville, and will host non-conference opponents Jacksonville State, San Jose State and Idaho in September, October and November, respectively.
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While the game against the Cardinals carries the intrigue and prestige of the Chick-fil-A kickoff series with it, the rest of the slate is less than thrilling to say the least. With only a home-and-home series scheduled with Clemson in 2016 and 2017, plus a home game with Arkansas State scheduled for ’16, it’s time to consider which schools the Tigers should play in the decade to come.
One-and-done games like next year’s season opener are nice and all, but my personal opinion is that games on campus are much better for the fans. Also, when there is some sort of rivalry component tied to a non-conference matchup, it adds an extra element that is lacking when Auburn hosts San Jose State, Idaho or even Kansas State.
Down the line, we’ll discuss some of the dream non-conference matchups for Auburn football fans, but here are five potential opponents that could become at least semi-regular rivals for the Tigers.