College Football: Best nonconference games of 2023

The 2023 nonconference slate is loaded with exciting matchups.

Anticipation is already building for the 2023 college football season. Fans are being treated to one of the best nonconference slates in recent memory.

We are set to see plenty of unique matchups in the early weeks of the season.

Florida State and LSU kick off the year in Orlando with loads of preseason hype. Jayden Daniels and Jordan Travis provide an exciting quarterback battle for the two college football playoff hopefuls.

Texas travels to Alabama for a potential top-10 matchup between the two bluebloods. The Tide defeated the Longhorns in an instant classic in Austin a season ago, Quinn Ewers and Texas are looking for a statement victory.

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Notre Dame hosts Ohio State in the premiere Week 3 contest. It is always special when these two brands get together, Marcus Freeman is looking for his signature win as the head coach of the Irish.

Here is a look at some of the best nonconference games of the 2023 college football season.

Notre Dame vs. Ohio State, live stream, preview, TV channel, time, how to watch college football

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will meet the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 1 of the college football season on Saturday from Ohio Stadium. 

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will meet the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 1 of the college football season on Saturday from Ohio Stadium.

Notre Dame is coming off an 11-2 season but they did lose their head coach Brian Kelly to LSU, there will be some changes and we’ll see how the team will respond. Meanwhile, Ohio State also finished with an 11-2 record and was able to hold off Utah for a Rose Bowl victory.

This will be a great opening week of college football, here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the action on Saturday.

#5 Notre Dame at #2 Ohio State

  • When: Saturday, September 3
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: ABC
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

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NCAA Football Odds and Betting Lines

NCAA odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds were updated at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Notre Dame vs. Ohio State (-16.5)

O/U: 59.5

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Ohio State vs Notre Dame Prediction, Game Preview

Ohio State vs Notre Dame game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 1 game on Thursday, September 1

Ohio State vs Notre Dame prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 1, Saturday, September 3


Ohio State vs Notre Dame How To Watch

Date: Saturday, September 3
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
How To Watch: ABC
Record: Ohio State (0-0), Notre Dame (0-0)
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Ohio State vs Notre Dame Game Preview

Why Notre Dame Will Win

If it’s possible to go into a College Football Playoff type of showdown like this with little to no pressure, that’s what Notre Dame is dealing with.

Of course there’s pressure considering the way the team couldn’t close against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl – the debut of new head coach Marcus Freeman. Of course the program is supposed to be good enough to win games like this and not merely give it the old college try. However, it’s Ohio State that’s expected to get off the bus and roll with ease.

Even more than that, the weight of the world is on the shoulders of a Buckeye defense coming off a wildly disappointing 2021 – relatively speaking.

The D was fine by any normal standards, but rational and reason need not apply here.

Ohio State is supposed to play for the national title. It’s supposed to win the Big Ten Championship. It’s supposed to beat Michigan. None of those three things happened last season, and the defense caught a bulk of the blame.

Enter the Notre Dame offense. It’s great at receiver, has a whale of a tight end in Michael Mayer, and after a year of rebuilding and rebooting the line, the payoff is about to come.

On the other side, Freeman is a defensive coach, his coordinator Al Golden knows what he’s doing, and between the great minds in the coaching room, a strong secondary loaded with NFL talent, and a sensational linebacking corps, the defense that might be the storyline coming out of this might be wearing the road uniforms.

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Why Ohio State Will Win

Again, the defense just wasn’t all that bad.

It struggled at the beginning and the end, but it was a few stops against Oregon away from probably getting into the College Football Playoff. It changed things up, the talent is there at linebacker, and the secondary should make a lot more big plays.

Yeah, yeah, yeah – the defense. It’s the Buckeye offense that’s going to be the problem for the Irish.

No one has Ohio State’s skill position talent, the offensive line is going to be a positive again. If CJ Stroud gets time and the attack is balanced, Notre Dame might not have the ability to keep up the production. Starting quarterback Tyler Buchner needs to have the game of his life, and …

Week 1 Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews, Saturday

What’s Going To Happen

The Irish defense should be able to hold on better than many might think.

Ohio State will win – the D really will be better – but it’ll take a little while before the dam breaks. Notre Dame will keep on bending without breaking for most of the game, but Stroud will find a groove on two good scoring drives to finally let everyone in the stadium breathe easier.

All of the CFN Predictions

Ohio State vs Notre Dame Prediction, Line

Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 26
Line: Ohio State -16.5, o/u: 58.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3

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Ohio State vs Notre Dame Must See Rating: 5

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A look at the best college football games of Week 1

A deeper dive into the best games of the week.

College football is back! Week 0 gave fans a taste of the new season but the majority of the country kick off their 2022 campaigns this week.

The party gets started on Thursday night as No. 17 Pitt and West Virginia square off for the first time since 2011. The former Big East rivals both have high hopes for transfer starting quarterbacks.

Saturday’s slate is full of exciting nonconference matchups, highlighted by No. 5 Notre Dame taking on No. 2 Ohio State. Both teams have their sights set on the College Football Playoff and are ready to battle it out on a national stage.

Defending national champion No. 3 Georgia starts their season against No. 11 Oregon in Atlanta. The Duck’s first-year coach Dan Lanning is facing his former team in the opener.

No. 7 Utah travels to SEC territory for a rare game against Florida. The Utes are a popular pick to win the Pac-12 and potentially crash the college football playoff this season. Florida for a top-10 win in Billy Napier’s first game as head coach.

Here is a look into the best college football games of Week 1.