Do you hear that? That’s the 2022 college football season calling to us, and it’s coming closer than we realize. We get a Week 0 teaser in a little over a month, and then the whole kit and caboodle gets going starting on the very first of September. Talks about NIL, the transfer portal, and most recently conference realignment are important, but frankly I’m ready to push those things to the back of my mind and watch some football. So I’m going to start back up writing about this incredible sport, starting with a hypothetical. If money was no object, and I had no other responsibilities, what would be the dream college football road trip? I set some ground rules for myself: first, I couldn’t go to any stadium more than once, I couldn’t see a certain team more than twice, and I couldn’t pick my own beloved Kansas State Wildcats. Outside of that, I just want to have fun, and not be too cliche. I want to see the iconic settings obviously, but I also want to hit some outside-the-box games as well. So without further ado, let’s get into it and craft the world’s best road trip for the 2022 college football season.
Week 0: Nebraska at Northwestern (Dublin, Ireland)
The game itself is whatever, probably two mediocre Big Ten West teams. Seeing Casey Thompson at a new spot will be fun I suppose. But man, football in Ireland will be an unreal setting. Tailgating with authentic Guiness and Irish cuisine, showing our beloved game to a new culture, in a game that on paper should probably be close (Northwestern has to bounce back to some extent). It’s a very weak slate, but a trip to Ireland is an easy choice.
Week 1: West Virginia at Pitt (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
From a skin and bones Week 0 to an absolutely LOADED Week 1. There’s a lot of contenders, the chalk options being Notre Dame at Ohio State and Oregon vs Georgia in Atlanta, as well of some solid games in Utah at Florida and Cincinnati at Arkansas. And if I wanted to cheat I could go to one of those games on Saturday since my real pick is Thursday. But if I have to pick one I’m going with the revival of one of the most heated rivalries that no longer gets played regularly, the Backyard Brawl. These fanbases absolutely despise each other going back to the old Big East, their most notable matchup being when Pitt upset an 11-0 West Virginia to keep them out of the BCS title game in 2007. I wish it was in Morgantown because I think they have a better stadium atmosphere, but I still want to see these teams back on the same field together.
Week 2: Baylor at BYU (Provo, Utah)
From all accounts BYU has one of, if not the most scenic stadium environments in the sport, so if I can get in for a game in early September before the weather turns cold in Utah, for a game that I think should be two ranked teams, that’s what I’m going to do. Iowa State at Iowa is a fun non conference rivalry that I considered, but frankly it’s a boring game more often than not and I think I’ll have other opportunities to visit Kinnick Stadium. BYU Baylor is soon to be a conference matchup, and BYU is soon to be in the same conference as my own team. Not a Mormon guy, I just want to see the scenery and two good teams.
Week 3: Georgia at South Carolina (Columbia, South Carolina)
You won’t find a better atmosphere than when the defending national champions come to town to play a team that feels like they have all the upward momentum in the world early in the season. South Carolina has a loyal fanbase through thick and thin and they are all aboard the Shane Beamer hype train. And I want to see how Georgia looks defending their first title in 40 years. It was this or Miami at Texas A&M, but I don’t really want to be surrounded by weirdo Aggies.
Week 4: Clemson at Wake Forest (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
I’m not sure about the strength of Wake Forest’s home atmosphere, but if it’s ever going to be rocking it’s going to be coming off an 11 win season, returning loads of talent including one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and hosting the Clemson Tigers. These are two legit contenders to win the ACC, and man I would just love to see Wake Forest take them down and make Clemson fans reeeeeally think about whether or not the run is winding down. I’m not expecting a great tailgate or nightlife experience in Winston-Salem, but the game itself should be a great one.
Week 5: SMU at UCF (Orlando, Florida)
This was a really close decision between this and NC State at Clemson, but I wanted to get some Group of 5 representation on this trip. I’ve heard a lot about the Bounce House being an exceptional atmosphere, so I’d like to see it for myself. The weather will be nice, these should be two good AAC teams, SMU has a very good quarterback, and UCF has upward momentum going into Year 2 of Gus Malzahn after a big bowl win over Florida. I’ll be looking forward to this one!
Week 6: Texas Tech at Oklahoma State (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
I’m not as well traveled in the world of sports as I’d like to be, but many of my K-State fans have recommended Stillwater as a great town to visit, and Boone Pickens is a stadium destination. But most importantly, I have GOT to get to Eskimo Joe’s and try the Sweet Pepper Bacon Cheese Fries. I mean, I’d go to Stillwater just for that. I’ve heard spectacular things about them, I’ve heard lovely things about Stillwater, and this should be just 4 hours of unadulterated Big 12 fun.
Week 7: Miami at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Virginia)
This one was very close between this one and USC at Utah, but I really want to see the infamous environment at Blacksburg, which should be electric for a matchup with an up and coming Miami team. There’s no telling how good of a team the Hokies will actually be with a first year head coach and not a particularly talented roster, but I don’t care, I want to go to Lane Stadium
Week 8: Georgia State at Appalachian State (Boone, North Carolina)
Similar to my BYU pick, App State’s stadium is located in a beautiful part of the country particularly in mid October when the leaves on the surrounding trees will be beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow, the weather will be lovely, and we’ll get to sit back and watch some great Fun Belt football. App State is always one of the best teams in that conference, Georgia State’s always frisky, this should just be a fun time in one of the more picturesque settings in the country.
Week 9: Ohio State at Penn State (State College, Pennsylvania)
I have a two-pronged take on Penn State’s appearance. First: I don’t care if their uniforms are “iconic,” they’re boring and ugly, particularly the helmets. But, for that one game a year where the fans do the white out, it hits different. I’ve seen the videos, I’ve seen how loud it gets during that game. Think back to when Michigan had to call a timeout on the first play of the game in 2019 because of how loud it was. This is the first time Ohio State has been the subject of the whiteout since 2018, it’s going to be an unreal scene, so dress me up in white and throw me in the stands of Happy Valley.
Week 10: Alabama at LSU (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
My two chalkiest picks come in back to back weeks, but many well-traveled fans would tell you that the Penn State whiteout and Saturday night in Death Valley are the two best environments in college football. I’m not sure what to expect from LSU in Year 1 of Brian Kelly, but what I do know is that stadium will be shaking from pillar to post even if they’re 0-8 coming in. I don’t particularly like either team, but a college football road trip just wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Baton Rouge.
Week 11: Wisconsin at Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa)
I just want to wave to the kids, I don’t care if the game is going to be a 13-10 slog. These will at worst be two of the three best teams in the division so this game could have very high stakes, Kinnick is a great environment, and yeah, waving to sick kids in the children’s hospital that overlooks the stadium is awesome. I want to participate in that. And I have an affection for Iowa because I like that they own Iowa State.
Week 12: Utah at Oregon (Eugene, Oregon)
I need to get some PAC 12 representation, so let’s go to a matchup between the likely two best teams in the conference and to Autzen Stadium, probably the best atmosphere out west. Utah is a dark horse playoff contender, Oregon is one of the top programs in the country looking to start the Dan Lanning era off with a bang, this should be a fun one up in the Pacific northwest.
Week 13 Three-Part Special: Mississippi State at Ole Miss (Oxford, Mississippi), Florida at Florida State (Tallahassee, Florida), Minnesota at Wisconsin (Madison, Wisconsin)
The Egg Bowl being on Thanksgiving is a fun little treat because it’s one of the most hate-filled rivalries that doesn’t get talked about as much as the big ones. Both teams should be good, with State in year 3 of Mike Leach and returning one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC while Ole Miss grabbed Jaxson Dart and Zach Evans out of the portal to maintain their high powered offense. Plus I’d get to check out The Grove. Then on Friday we’re taking a jaunt to the east to see Florida at Florida State. Two programs on unsteady ground heading into the year, it’ll be interesting to see how the year plays out for both of them, with Florida State trying to right the ship in year 3 of Mike Norvell, and Billy Napier taking over a Florida job with a very promising quarterback in Anthony Richardson. And finally on Saturday, we’re aren’t going to The Game, we aren’t going to the Iron Bowl, we’re bundling up and heading to Wisconsin to watch Paul Bunyan’s Ax, baby! This game could have major stakes on the Big Ten West race, it’s a great rivalry trophy, and Camp Randle is, by many accounts, one of the best stadium environments in the sport. Miss me with Alabama destroying Auburn, miss me with Ohio State smoking Michigan, THIS is the Saturday rivalry game I want to go to.