College football season will be bestowing its charitable graces upon us within days, with the excitement, unpredictability, tears and nauseating tension just waiting to be squeezed from dozens of college towns across the country.
Some fans will attend a game or two of their favorite school while others will plan a cute family road trip to Ann Arbor, Auburn or Los Angeles. Some may travel with their school to all four, five or six away games and some might grab a handful of random games across the country.
But no one will attempt to hit 34 games over 108 days during the 2014 season. The Ultimate College Football Road Trip proposes just that and Next Impulse Sports is challenging someone to attempt this legendary experience of a lifetime.
Week 1
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 1 | 8/28 | Texas A&M | South Carolina | Columbia, SC | – |
| 2 | 8/30 | Clemson | Georgia | Athens, GA | 165 |
| 3 | 8/31 | SMU | Baylor | Waco, TX | 890 |
| 4 | 9/1 | Miami (FL) | Louisville | Louisville, KY | 930 |
Our epic road trip begins in one of the most underrated college football stadiums in the country: South Carolina’s Williams-Brice Stadium. The 80,000-plus seat venue will host one of two massive Week 1 games, with No. 21 (Preseason AP) Texas A&M visiting the No. 9 Gamecocks.
Feel free to arrive in Columbia a couple days early in order to enjoy an electric week-long gameday atmosphere, but get on the road immediately on Friday for Athens, Georgia. It is here you can witness the second big-time matchup of the week, with No. 12 Georgia seeking revenge for the 2013 loss against No. 16 Clemson.
The week concludes with a long drive from Athens to Waco, Texas where Baylor opens brand new McLane Stadium against SMU, followed by another long 1-day drive to Louisville for Bobby Petrino’s homecoming debut against the Hurricanes.
Week 2
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 5 | 9/5 | Washington State | Nevada | Reno, NV | 2,094 |
| 6 | 9/6 | Michigan State | Oregon | Eugene, OR | 427 |
Why are we going to Reno to watch Mike Leach’s Cougars face Nevada on a Friday night? Because it’s relatively on the way to Eugene, which will host a massive top 10 matchup between Michigan State and Oregon on Saturday. Following the uneventful stop in Reno, arrive early to soak in a Eugene gameday and see which squad will begin their quest to the playoff.
Week 3
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 7 | 9/11 | Houston | BYU | Provo, UT | 823 |
| 8 | 9/13 | Tennessee | Oklahoma | Norman, OK | 824 |
As was the case last week, a stop in Provo for Houston-BYU only occurs because it’s on the way to our next destination and it also gives you time for a 2-day mountain vacation in Park City beforehand. The all-Cougars game could actually be worth your time if it resembles a dramatic 1-point game last season.
From Provo, scurry down to Norman to see national title contender Oklahoma host a team with unclear expectations for 2014: Tennessee. QB Trevor Knight and OU will be a double-digit favorite but a decent matchup against an adequate SEC team is attractive enough to make the trip.
Week 4
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 9 | 9/18 | Auburn | Kansas State | Manhattan, KS | 305 |
| 10 | 9/20 | Clemson | Florida State | Tallahassee, FL | 1,103 |
Following a couple weeks of heavy travel, you have five days to wiggle up to Kansas for an intriguing Week 4 matchup between national title runner-up and preseason No. 6 Auburn versus No. 20 Kansas State. Unfortunately Manhattan is not a worthwhile college town and you’ll want to arrive on gameday and depart immediately on Sunday morning before you get rabies.
A potential upset special on September 18th is followed by a 1,100 mile haul to Tallahassee for our first look at Jameis and the defending champs as they face Clemson. While this will be the Tigers second brutal road game in three weeks, it remains one of the only legitimate opponents on the Seminoles 2014 schedule, thus one of their limited chances to impress the CFP committee.
Week 5
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 11 | 9/25 | UCLA | Arizona State | Tempe, AZ | 1,877 |
| 12 | 9/26 | Fresno State | New Mexico | Albuquerque, NM | 411 |
| 13 | 9/27 | Stanford | Washington | Seattle, WA | 1,434 |
Hopefully the long drive to FSU produced a dandy because you’re embarking on a cross-country journey of 1,877 miles from Tallahassee to Tempe, where we get UCLA at Arizona State. Expectations are growing for both programs and both believe a Rose Bowl berth, if not more, is within reach for 2014, making for a delicate game of expectations.
Fresno State-New Mexico doesn’t scream football road trip! especially now that Derek Carr and Davante Adams have left the Bulldogs for the NFL, but it’s only 400 miles away and you can take a self-guided Breaking Bad tour on Friday morning:
The west coast swing continues with a massive 1,434 mile trek from Albuquerque to Seattle for Stanford-Washington and you have less than 20 hours to do it. This will be our first live look at Chris Petersen’s new gig with the Huskies and his first big boy test as David Shaw rolls into the Pacific Northwest with another Pac-12 title contender.
Week 6
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 14 | 10/2 | Arizona | Oregon | Eugene, OR | 283 |
| 15 | 10/4 | LSU | Auburn | Auburn, AL | 2,605 |
Take a couple days following the Stanford-Washington game to enjoy the sights before popping down to Eugene, our second visit in less than a month. Only 283 miles away, it would be irresponsible to miss a Rich Rodriguez visit to Oregon for a game that could put the Ducks on an unexpected upset alert.
Following a fireworks show on Thursday night, a 2,600 mile trip awaits but it is worth every mile, as you’re rolling to Auburn for a huge all-Tigers vicious fight that will destroy one team’s SEC West hopes with a loss.
Week 7
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 16 | 10/11 | Oregon | UCLA | Los Angeles, CA | 2,138 |
| 17 | 10/12 | Wyoming | Hawaii | Honolulu, HI | – |
Yes, we’re seeing both Oregon and UCLA again but this time it’s in sunny Los Angeles after another 2,000-plus mile excursion from Alabama. In arguably the biggest Pac-12 game of the season, there is a chance UCLA will be favored and a win could vault them into playoff contention, assuming they’re undefeated by Week 7.
It’s time for a vacation, albeit brief and Hawaii looks beautiful. A late flight on October 11th allows us to spend three nights in paradise while catching a game that no one cares about: Wyoming at Hawaii.
You’re welcome:
Week 8
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 18 | 10/16 | Virginia Tech | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | 2,427 |
| 19 | 10/18 | Texas A&M | Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 805 |
After the 3-night Hawaiian break, we arrive back in Los Angeles and begin another cross-country trip, this time to the northeast where Virginia Tech meets Pittsburgh. The Hokies have landed on a few sleeper lists and no one has any clue what to expect from the Panthers but it’s a game worth checking on, plus it keeps us within reasonable distance of Tuscaloosa.
We are treated to college football’s fastest growing rivalry in Tuscaloosa on October 18th with Texas A&M at Alabama in another big-time SEC West showdown. Arrive in the college town as early as possible to partake in the feisty Friday and Saturday festivities.
Week 9
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 20 | 10/23 | Miami (FL) | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA | 548 |
| 21 | 10/25 | Michigan | Michigan State | East Lansing, MI | 551 |
Tired yet?
Unfortunately another beach vacation is not on the horizon as we shoot up from Alabama to watch a second-straight Hokies game, this time in Blacksburg, before heading northwest for the increasingly heated Michigan-Michigan State rivalry.
Yes, going to East Lansing for the in-state matchup instead of Ohio State-Penn State can be debated but you cannot ignore what Mark Dantonio has done with the defending Rose Bowl champs. Braxton Miller’s absence also does not help the case.
Week 10
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 22 | 10/30 | Florida State | Louisville | Louisville, KY | 369 |
| 23 | 11/1 | Auburn | Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | 404 |
After a light week of travel, things continue to slow down with a short sub-400 mile jaunt for our second visit to Louisville, where the Cardinals might be hosting No. 1 Florida State. The weekend road trip continues bright and early on Saturday morning with another short drive, this time to Oxford for Auburn-Ole Miss.
The Rebels, a preseason top 25 team, have been picked as a sleeper by many “experts” and this Week 10 game against the Tigers is their chance to prove it, assuming they enter with less than three losses.
Week 11
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 24 | 11/4 | Bowling Green | Akron | Akron, OH | 732 |
| 25 | 11/5 | Buffalo | Ohio | Athens, OH | 161 |
| 26 | 11/8 | Alabama | LSU | Baton Rouge, LA | 983 |
Week 11 is the Return of the MAC(k), with games in Akron (vs. Bowling Green) and Athens (Ohio vs. Buffalo), both of which should help determine the conference champion. While the excitement of MAC football will always be debated, these are two games worth checking out mid-week before heading back to SEC country for Bama-LSU.
Our first and only visit to Baton Rouge graciously allows us to see another elite SEC game, with both teams expecting to be jockeying for one of the top four playoff slots. Bama and LSU do not play football to win meaningless bowl games. They play football to win national titles and this game will be a huge determinant for the CFP committee.
Week 12
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 27 | 11/13 | Eastern Carolina | Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | 858 |
| 28 | 11/15 | Nebraska | Wisconsin | Madison, WI | 444 |
Entering into crunch time, Week 12 may not hold many sexy games, but a 858 mile trip to Cincinnati from Baton Rouge is worth it to check on Tommy Tuberville and the Bearcats, especially since it’s on the way to Madison, Wisconsin.
If Melvin Gordon’s Badgers can get past LSU in Houston to open 2014, they have a phenomenal shot at the playoff. While an upset by Nebraska in Madison on November 15th is possible, we don’t see it happening but it still remains an incredible college town atmosphere.
Week 13
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 29 | 11/22 | UCLA | USC | Los Angeles, CA | 1,974 |
After a month of sub-1,000 mile drives, Los Angeles comes calling again. The nearly 2,000 mile trip from Madison to L.A is heavy duty but we’re not missing a UCLA-USC matchup, one that new Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian is very familiar with.
Try to make the drive in less than three days in order to enjoy a couple much-needed sun days in Manhattan Beach before the potential top 25 late-season rivalry game at the Coliseum.
Week 14
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 30 | 11/27 | LSU | Texas A&M | College Station, TX | 1,482 |
| 31 | 11/29 | Auburn | Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 628 |
Week 14 brings another cross-country gallop as LSU-Texas A&M is calling from College Station. Our first chance to see the $400 million in renovations to Kyle Field and the electric atmosphere is just icing on the cake.
Both teams fully expect to be in both SEC and playoff contention in late November, but only one will likely be teetering on the top four edge. As if LSU-A&M isn’t enough, strap on the fanny pack and head east for the Iron Bowl, a visit chosen over a host of other rivalry games because, well, it’s the Iron Bowl. We sure hope everyone pinched their road trip pennies this week because one ticket to Auburn-Alabama in Tuscaloosa is gonna cost upwards of $400.
It’s our fourth Auburn game and third Alabama game of the season, but no one cares. It’s the Iron Bowl.
Week 15
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 32 | 12/6 | Kansas State | Baylor | Waco, TX | 624 |
| 33 | 12/6 | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma | Norman, OK | 271 |
Depending upon conference title game schedules and matchups, Week 15 is a tentative trip but the drive to Big 12 country is worth it. It will also be our first and only aggressive attempt at two games in one day, a feat that will surely put a little hair on your chest.
Assuming Kansas State-Baylor in Waco is an early game, there is time to make the quick 271 mile poke to Norman for Oklahoma State-Oklahoma. There is almost a guarantee that one, if not both, will determine who wins the Big 12 title.
Week 16
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 34 | 12/13 | Army | Navy | Baltimore, MD | 1,352 |
No way are we missing Army-Navy, even if it does mean a meaty 1,352 mile car ride from Norman to Baltimore. Yes, last year’s game between the service academies was dull but this event remains imperative to college football and is a perfect end to a 16 week road trip.
Recap:
The Ultimate College Football Road Trip for 2014 includes 34 games over 108 days and covers an astronomical 30,922 miles (plus 2,558 air miles to Honolulu to conclude Week 8).
You will hit Eugene, Los Angeles (USC & UCLA), Tuscaloosa, Louisville, Waco and Norman twice along with 22 other cities. The ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC all get turns, as does the Mountain West, MAC and two Independents in Army and Navy.
Notre Dame, Florida, Ohio State Texas fans will surely be pissed that none of their away games were included, let alone an actual visit to South Bend, Gainesville, Columbus or Austin, but sacrifices must be made. Missouri and North Carolina remain the other two lone preseason top 25 teams not on the itinerary.
Depending upon your team affiliation, you may want to adjust the Week 15-16 travel plans in order to snag the respective conference title games, but if you’re an Iowa State, Kentucky or Wake Forest fan you’ll have plenty of late-season time.
| No. | Date | Away Team | Home Team | Location | Miles |
| 1 | 8/28 | Texas A&M | South Carolina | Columbia, SC | |
| 2 | 8/30 | Clemson | Georgia | Athens, GA | 165 |
| 3 | 8/31 | SMU | Baylor | Waco, TX | 890 |
| 4 | 9/1 | Miami (FL) | Louisville | Louisville, KY | 930 |
| 5 | 9/5 | Washington State | Nevada | Reno, NV | 2,094 |
| 6 | 9/6 | Michigan State | Oregon | Eugene, OR | 427 |
| 7 | 9/11 | Houston | BYU | Provo, UT | 823 |
| 8 | 9/13 | Tennessee | Oklahoma | Norman, OK | 824 |
| 9 | 9/18 | Auburn | Kansas State | Manhattan, KS | 305 |
| 10 | 9/20 | Clemson | Florida State | Tallahassee, FL | 1,103 |
| 11 | 9/25 | UCLA | Arizona State | Tempe, AZ | 1,877 |
| 12 | 9/26 | Fresno State | New Mexico | Albuquerque, NM | 411 |
| 13 | 9/27 | Stanford | Washington | Seattle, WA | 1,434 |
| 14 | 10/2 | Arizona | Oregon | Eugene, OR | 283 |
| 15 | 10/4 | LSU | Auburn | Auburn, AL | 2,605 |
| 16 | 10/11 | Oregon | UCLA | Los Angeles, CA | 2,138 |
| 17 | 10/12 | Wyoming | Hawaii | Honolulu, HI | – |
| 18 | 10/16 | Virginia Tech | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | 2,427 |
| 19 | 10/18 | Texas A&M | Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 805 |
| 20 | 10/23 | Miami (FL) | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA | 548 |
| 21 | 10/25 | Michigan | Michigan State | East Lansing, MI | 551 |
| 22 | 10/30 | Florida State | Louisville | Louisville, KY | 369 |
| 23 | 11/1 | Auburn | Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | 404 |
| 24 | 11/4 | Bowling Green | Akron | Akron, OH | 732 |
| 25 | 11/5 | Buffalo | Ohio | Athens, OH | 161 |
| 26 | 11/8 | Alabama | LSU | Baton Rouge, LA | 983 |
| 27 | 11/13 | Eastern Carolina | Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | 858 |
| 28 | 11/15 | Nebraska | Wisconsin | Madison, WI | 444 |
| 29 | 11/22 | UCLA | USC | Los Angeles, CA | 1,974 |
| 30 | 11/27 | LSU | Texas A&M | College Station, TX | 1,482 |
| 31 | 11/29 | Auburn | Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 628 |
| 32 | 12/6 | Kansas State | Baylor | Waco, TX | 624 |
| 33 | 12/6 | Oklahoma State | Oklahoma | Norman, OK | 271 |
| 34 | 12/13 | Army | Navy | Baltimore, MD | 1,352 |
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