With a keen eye toward an expanded college football playoff format, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide continues its effort to bulk up its non-conference schedule in future years.
The Tide announced Thursday that it has reached an agreement with the Ohio State Buckeyes to play a home-and-home series in 2027 and 2028.
There is now an impressive list of opponents packed into Alabama’s future schedules.
Some of these appointments have the potential to be quality wins for a playoff resume. Others could even end up being historic encounters about which college football fans talk for decades.
Overall, all of these games will add value to college football’s most enduring brand.
In this feature we set out to rank these games from worst to best taking into account tradition, location and the anticipated trajectory of the respective programs. Although the coaching profession is increasingly fluid, we even take a shot at projecting who will be facing off against Alabama head coach Nick Saban in some of these matchups.
12. Virginia Tech
Years: 2034 and 2035
This game is the farthest out on the calendar, and it is also the least appetizing of the Tide’s future matchups. The program has some residual name identification from the height of the Frank Beamer era, even though it has resided in lower-tier bowls the past several seasons. A trip to Blacksburg is not high on anyone’s travel itinerary, and the area’s recruiting value is low.
11. Georgia Tech
Years: 2030 and 2031
The historic Yellow Jacket program has seen its peaks and valleys over the years. While the Atlanta area is essential recruiting territory in the SEC, exposure has never been a problem for the program, and Georgia Tech is not the Tide’s competition in the region. One bonus here is that Saban will not have to prepare for Paul Johnson’s wonky triple-option when this game gets played, as Johnson exited the program at the conclusion of the 2018 season. On his way out, Johnson bemoaned the school’s lack of commitment to football. There is no reason to believe that will change in the next decade.
10. Miami
Year: 2021
It has been nearly 20 years since the Hurricanes have breathed air thinned by altitude in the college football world. Head coach Manny Diaz is a popular figure in Miami, so he may enjoy some extended job security. This is a single-game being played in Atlanta and should serve as a little additional motivation during fall camp. Yet, this game should more closely resemble last season’s opening game against Duke than it will the iconic national championship game in New Orleans.
9. West Virginia
Years: 2026 and 2027
This could end up being a sneaky good series if Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown sticks around. The former Troy head coach is one of the game’s up-and-coming coaching talents. Expect success for Brown at West Virginia. This game is lower on the list because there is minimal recruiting value in West Virginia and getting to Morgantown is not easy, nor is the location great once you get there.
8. South Florida
Years: 2023, 2024 and 2026
Former Clemson offensive coordinator Jeff Scott has taken over the program at USF and will likely face off against Saban in at least one or two of these games. Although a Group of Five program, the USF series sits at No. 8 on the list almost solely because of the recruiting possibilities in the Tampa market. With an ability to mine the area for some of the prospects left behind by Power Five programs, USF has traditionally fielded athletic, scrappy teams which could make for three surprisingly competitive games.
7. Arizona
Years: 2032 and 2033
Arizona has mastered mediocrity during the last two decades so this series may be slightly over-ranked. The Wildcats have averaged 5.6 wins per season during the last 20 years. But any time the Tide can parachute into PAC-12 recruiting territory and make a statement, it is a good thing. Plus, Tucson is a beautiful city to visit for the road game half of the series. Expectations should probably be tempered as to the quality of the games.
6. Wisconsin
Years: 2024 and 2025
Under no circumstances would a vacation to Madison, Wisconsin, sound enticing — except for a football game. Witnessing a game at Camp Randall Stadium is on the bucket list of many college football fans. That alone elevates interest in this series. The Badgers are never spectacular but reliably steady in the Big Ten. These are the kind of games which will keep Saban up at night even though the talent disparity will be significant.
5. Notre Dame
Years: 2028 and 2029
Storied programs. Enough history between them to fill up the Smithsonian. This series almost has a reenactment quality to it. If this list was simply ranked on brand names, it might be at the top. With an appearance in the college football playoff two years ago and a title game appearance against the Tide in 2013, the Irish have shown they still have a pretty high ceiling. It will be disappointing if this is not a pair of meaningful games when they are played. A trip to South Bend is another bucket list event.
4. Florida State
Years: 2025 and 2026
Playing a hunch here. We have a good feeling about the hire of head coach Mike Norvell as he enters his first season in Tallahassee. A prolific offensive coach, with the kind of energy and focus the program has lacked even before Jimbo Fisher left, Norvell has a lot of promise. Look for the Noles to dethrone Clemson in their own conference and pose a problem for out-of-conference opponents like Alabama. This is the kind of series that looks ordinary now but could boast one of the season’s biggest games five years from now.
3. Oklahoma
Years: 2032 and 2033
The Sooners sit eight games behind Alabama in the all-time program wins total. This series could be higher except Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley will probably be in the NFL by the time it kicks off. The teams also played a rather uneventful home-and-home series in the early 2000s and then got together in the college football playoff two seasons ago, which resulted in a Tide win. Oklahoma fans have the reputation of being among the best and most hospitable, and this game will be big no matter which decade it is played.
2. Texas
Years: 2022 and 2023
Texas and Alabama are tied for third in all-time wins at 916. A fun plot twist would be if two seasons from now they were playing to get a game up on one another. Chances are decent that Tom Herman will still be around to at least get the series started. The Big 12 is looking for someone — anyone — to supplant Alabama and the rest of the SEC. There are probably a lot of Longhorn boosters, fans and players who already have this game circled even this far out. Saban has prospered recruiting in Texas, and a win there would build on the program’s success. Throw in a trip to Austin, and this series is a can’t-miss.
1. Ohio State
Years: 2027 and 2028
Ohio State football seems as sure a thing as something could get outside of Tuscaloosa. An equally sure thing is the incredible hype that will accompany this series. Head coach Ryan Day just concluded his first season in Columbus after taking over for Urban Meyer. Look for Day’s tenure to be a long one. The Buckeye’s recruiting has continued at an elite level and the program will never lack for resources. It’s basically Bama-north. Games this huge render the recruiting impact and travel considerations nearly irrelevant. The television numbers for these games will challenge previous records.
Tim Howe is an owner of Yellowhammer Multimedia
