Clemson at Syracuse (Sept. 14)

Playing in a weak ACC, few obstacles stand in the way of Dabo Swinney’s Clemson. Upstate New York’s basketball school may be the best bet to upset the defending champs. Coming off their first 10-win season since 2001, the Orange remain the most recent team to beat the Tigers in the regular season — in 2017, before nearly shocking Clemson last year — and get another opportunity in a rare prime-time game in the Carrier Dome.

Notre Dame at Georgia (Sept. 21)

In Jake Fromm’s first career start two years ago, the true freshman quarterback led the Bulldogs to a 20-19 win over the Fighting Irish, sparking Georgia’s run to the national championship game. This year, the star junior returns to lead the team with the third-best odds to take home the title. If Notre Dame is to make a second straight playoff appearance, a win in Athens is probably a must.

Oklahoma vs. Texas in Dallas (Oct. 12)

The rivals met twice last season — the Longhorns won a 48-45 thriller in the Red River Shootout and the Sooners clinched a playoff berth with a 39-27 win in the Big 12 Championship — and could be on track to do so again. Oklahoma is the favorite to win a fifth straight conference crown with the arrival of Jalen Hurts, but fellow dual-threat quarterback Sam Ehlinger could put Texas on top and enter Heisman contention this year.

Ohio State at Michigan (Nov. 30)

The Big Ten hasn’t appeared in either of the past two playoffs. The winner of this game will be the most likely to snap the skid. The Buckeyes have won seven straight in the series, but are banking on an unproven head coach (Ryan Day) and quarterback (Justin Fields) to continue haunting Jim Harbaugh and the overdue Wolverines.

Alabama at Auburn (Nov. 30)

The Crimson Tide entered two of their past three trips to Jordan-Hare Stadium as the top-ranked team in the nation, then left with their first loss of the season. In 2013, the “Kick Six” ended one of the greatest games in the sport’s history. In 2017, the Tigers handed Nick Saban his first double-digit loss in more than seven years. Gus Malzahn has the talent to keep Alabama from the SEC title game again.