Top 5 future Auburn nonconference matchups

It's near impossible to predict the future, or even have a grasp on what the next few years could look like. Take the COVID-19 pandemic for example.

But that doesn't mean it's not fun to look ahead — in some cases, looking way, way ahead.

The Auburn football program has a fun list of nonconference opponents upcoming within the next decade. It's not as extensive as some schools that are looking even more down the road, but it does feature some historically significant games that also have the potential to be significant to their respective seasons come that year.

As a reminder, here's a snapshot of all 18 of Auburn's currently known nonconference and FCS matchups through the next eight years.

• Alcorn State (home in 2020)

• North Carolina (neutral in 2020)

• Southern Miss (home in 2020)

• UMass (home in 2020, 2023)

• Akron (home in 2021)

• Penn State (away in 2021; home in 2022)

• Georgia State (home in 2021)

• Alabama State (home in 2021)

• Mercer (home in 2022)

• San Jose State (home in 2022)

• Western Kentucky (home in 2022)

• Cal (away in 2023; home in 2024)

• New Mexico State (home in 2023)

• New Mexico (home in 2024)

• Louisiana Monroe (home in 2024)

• Baylor (away in 2025; home in 2026)

• South Alabama (home in 2025)

• UCLA (away in 2027; home in 2028)

The fact that fans can look ahead and tentatively make plans all the way to 2028 may seem silly, but eight years isn't that long relative to some other Power Five schools that already have scheduling plans comfortably into the 2030s. Plus, does 2012 seem that long ago?

Based on completely subjective reasoning, here's a look at some of the best games and locations on Auburn's future nonconference slates.

Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn (2025)

Why: The Tigers and Jaguars agreed to this one during last football season. It's a game that will mark the first time Auburn will face an in-state FBS opponent in nearly 30 years (1996 vs. UAB) by the time the game is played.

A home-and-home would have been a lot cooler, and maybe that's still in the works for the future.

Still, many South Alabama fans are familiar with Auburn and vice versa, so it should make for a fun atmosphere where fans of both sides can hopefully tailgate with some friends, and hope that the Jags will at least give those that traveled the three-and-a-half hours northeast from Mobile a little to cheer about during the game.

Where: McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas (2025); Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn (2026)

Why: Who knows if Baylor can build on its 2019 season of going toe-to-toe with Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game and making the Sugar Bowl. But the Bears seem to have made a home-run hire in the offseason by replacing Matt Rhule, who exited Waco for the NFL, with LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.

However, there's no guarantee Aranda or Gus Malzahn will still be at the helm of their respective teams since these games are so far in the future, so this spot is based entirely on location and history.

Auburn travels to the Lone Star State every other year anyway to play Texas A&M, but the Tigers haven't played a game in Waco since 1975. Auburn is always looking to improve its Texas recruiting stamp, and this matchup should do just that, especially with a win on the road before the series returns to the Plains the following year.

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta (2020)

Why: If this matchup had been part of a home-and-home, it undoubtedly would have been included in the top 3 and possibly a contender for the No. 1 spot.

Neutral-siters are flashy, but how awesome would it be to see Auburn's white and orange road jerseys against a sea of Tar Heel blue in Chapel Hill? Mercedes-Benz is starting to feel like a second home stadium to Auburn, too, seeing as 2020 will mark its fourth time hosting the Tigers since the 2017 postseason.

Since this one is slated for just 101 days from now, the on-field matchups and advantages will be broken down all offseason, so we'll save those for later.

In short, it's an upset-minded UNC team led by the reigning ACC Rookie of the Year in Sam Howell, who threw more touchdowns last season (38) than any freshman in FBS history, against an SEC power looking for a true, early season challenger to flex its muscles on.

Where: California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif. (2023); Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn (2024)

Why: A road trip to the Bay Area against a team Auburn's never played before. That's a lot of positive buzz words for college football fans.

Cal may not be as perennially successful as Auburn or a bunch of other SEC schools, but it's still a tradition-rich program from a conference across the country for Tiger fans to understand and appreciate more over the span of a home-and-home series.

This one lands in a sweet spot between easily projectable and way too far into the future to even worry about the Xs and Os. Cal coach Justin Wilcox has improved the team's record every year since he arrived in 2017, including the program's second bowl win of the decade last season in the Redbox Bowl against Illinois.

Where: Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. (2027); Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn (2028)

Why: Talk about bucket list.

For fans who didn't get to see Auburn in the Rose Bowl in the 2013 BCS title game against Florida State, now — or, seven years from now — is the chance.

UCLA is another squad out in California that Auburn's never had the opportunity to face before on the gridiron. Sure, Chip Kelly, who coached Oregon during its 2010 national title loss to Auburn, being UCLA's head coach is an intriguing angle, but there is absolutely no use speculating whether he'll be with the Bruins in seven or eight years.

Unless UCLA's program is on a drastic upswing when this game is played in Pasadena, the timing of the matchup on the 2027 schedule could be a factor. Look no further than last year's game against Oklahoma, when the UCLA student section and most of the stadium was empty because the game was being played Sept. 17, a week before the school's fall semester began. The Rose Bowl is notorious for being a pain to get to, even from UCLA's main campus. And if the Bruins just aren't that good, students have proven they won't put in the effort, especially if they're not even moved in near campus yet.

If the Auburn game is played early enough in the year, and it's is a big enough mismatch, orange and blue could dominate the Rose Bowl bleachers.

Where: Beaver Stadium in University Park, Penn. (2021); Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn (2022)

Why: With four combined national championships, 1,670 all-time wins, 54 bowl victories and 73 consensus All-Americans, there's little doubt Auburn and Penn State's looming matchups will be some of the most historically packed in recent years.

What makes this home-and-home even sweeter is that the teams have only ever met twice, and both times were at neutral fields for the 2003 Capital One Bowl and the 1996 Outback Bowl. Both Beaver Stadium and Jordan-Hare both boast that they have one of, if not the best home atmosphere in college football.

In terms of the grand scheme of both teams' 2021 and 2022 seasons, these matchups have the potential to be epic. Under James Franklin, Penn State has cemented itself as a yearly conference championship and College Football Playoff contender, while Auburn feels just on the cusp of that level of consistency.

Tradition-wise, there a few college football throwdowns in the next two seasons that are more enticing. For Bo Nix and company, they'll have the chance to write their own history.

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