Unfamiliar Territory: Part II of II

In Part I of Unfamiliar Territory, we examined the teams which Michigan has never faced.  In today's post, we make use of "The Matrix".

The Matrix is the product of about 10 man hours of work between December 2011 and June 2012.  I made use of the awesome Stassen database form here.  It could have been more comprehensive, but simply told, it shows the relative number of times teams have played since 1936 (my arbitrary cutoff based on the first AP poll) and the year of their most recent meeting (that is the season year, January bowl games rolling to the previous calendar year.)  The teams were selected as being the 35 FBS schools from 2011 AQ conference (or independents) with the most wins all-time (look, we go by winning percentage, Boise State's small sample size gets in the way) along with 6 wild cards (teams I just wanted to look in to, like FSU, Miami, UCLA, etc.)  Army and Navy are there mostly from a love of history.  So there's some absolutely arbitrary decisions in there.  If you're upset that Mississippi or Oregon State isn't in there, I'm sorry.  (About the only one I'm lamenting now is that I didn't include BYU, but alas.)  At the end of the article, you'll get the complete list of never have mets if you don't want to sort through my analysis.

Some general notes: As was pointed out by Pete Gaines in my tweet previews, the South was very insular.  Just look at the number of teams that Auburn has never faced, it's staggering.  As I pointed out in Part I, many of Michigan's SEC matchups have been in bowl games in the last 25 years.

So, my question, what are the ten best matchups that have never been played?  What would you most like to see?


But first, the honorable mentions of things that struck me funny:

Nebraska vs. Navy

This just makes sense.  I mean, Nebraska has no use for the Navy, even if the highest honor a Nebraskan can receive is Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska

Ohio State vs. Army
Woody Hayes was a USN veteran.  No way that Wayne Woodrow was playing Army.  Then again, he never played Navy either.

Stanford vs. Iowa

The Herbert Hoover Bowl.

Clemson vs. Purdue

Eightball vs. Team Not Found

Georgia Tech vs. Colorado

The battle for the 1990 National Championship can finally be settled on the field!

And now, the ten best in no particular order:

Michigan vs. LSU

I mentioned this yesterday, but this would have everything in terms of storylines: Two historically powerful teams, Les Miles vs. his alma mater, Les Miles Damn Strong Team vs. Brady Hoke's Michigan Fergodsakes.  The team that only plays at night vs. the team that treated its first home night game last year as the moon landing.

Texas vs. Florida State

I just find this one shocking.  I guess the issue is that the ACC and the Big XII don't have a lot of  bowl matchups.  Five national championships between them.  

Notre Dame vs. Auburn

13 claimed National Championships between them (one less than Alabama, PAWWWWL!), War Eagle vs. Go Irish!  I'd love to see this.

Alabama vs. Oregon

OK, seriously, Nick Saban's defenses vs. Chip Kelly's offense?  Would that interest you?  Would it?

Oklahoma vs. Georgia

Seriously, never?  Nine national titles between them, and they've never played.  Ever.  Wow.

Tennessee vs. West Virginia

Oh man, Vols vs. Mountaineers.  So many couches.  The poor couches.

Virginia Tech vs. Iowa

Hokies and Hawkeyes.  Beamerball vs. Ferentzball.

Arkansas vs. Michigan State

The Battle of John L. Smith.  How could we screw this up?  Oh right, because John L. won't be there next season in Fayetteville.

Florida vs. Wisconsin

The prototypical B1G/SEC matchup has somehow never been played?  Never a Citrus Bowl?  Ever?  

North Carolina vs. UCLA

Probably better on the hardwood, but still, it could be fun.

So there you have it, ten great games that have never been played.  Below, the complete list.  Thanks for reading.  Post your most intriguing games in the comments below.

Michigan vs. LSU

Michigan vs. West Virginia (1904)

Michigan vs. Georgia Tech (1934)

Michigan vs. Clemson

Texas vs. Clemson

Texas vs. Michigan State

Texas vs. Florida State

Texas vs. Illinois

Notre Dame vs. Auburn

Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech

Notre Dame vs. Arkansas

Nebraska vs. Navy

Alabama vs. Pittsburgh

Alabama vs. Stanford (1934)

Alabama vs. Navy

Alabama vs. Wisconsin (1928)

Alabama vs. Iowa

Alabama vs. Purdue

Alabama vs. Oregon

Penn State vs. Virginia Tech

Penn State vs. Arkansas

Penn State vs. Utah

Oklahoma vs. Georgia

Oklahoma vs. Georgia Tech

Oklahoma vs. Michigan State

Oklahoma vs. Illinois (1917)

Oklahoma vs. Purdue

Ohio State vs. Georgia Tech

Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech

Ohio State vs. Army

Tennessee vs. West Virginia

Tennessee vs. Washington

Tennessee vs. Stanford

Tennessee vs. Navy

Tennessee vs. Michigan State

Tennessee vs. Illinois

Georgia vs. Washington

Georgia vs. Army

Georgia vs. Minnesota

Georgia vs. Utah

Georgia vs. Iowa

Georgia vs. Illinois

LSU vs. Pittsburgh

LSU vs. Navy

LSU vs. Army

LSU vs. Minnesota (1931)

LSU vs. California

LSU vs. Purdue

LSU vs. UCLA

Auburn vs. Pittsburgh

Auburn vs. Washington

Auburn vs. Stanford

Auburn vs. Navy

Auburn vs. Minnesota

Auburn vs. California

Auburn vs. Utah

Auburn vs. Iowa

Auburn vs. Illinois

Auburn vs. Purdue

Auburn vs. UCLA

West Virginia vs. Texas A&M

West Virginia vs. Arkansas

West Virginia vs. Washington

West Virginia vs. Minnesota

West Virginia vs. Iowa

West Virginia vs. UCLA

Syracuse vs. Texas A&M

Syracuse vs. Arkansas

Syracuse vs. Stanford

Syracuse vs. Utah

Syracuse vs. Oregon

Georgia Tech vs. Colorado

Georgia Tech vs. Washington

Georgia Tech vs. Minnesota

Georgia Tech vs. Wisconsin

Georgia Tech vs. Illinois

Georgia Tech vs. UCLA

Georgia Tech vs. Oregon

Virginia Tech vs. Colorado

Virginia Tech vs. Arkansas

Virginia Tech vs. Washington

Virginia Tech vs. Minnesota

Virginia Tech vs. Wisconsin

Virginia Tech vs. Utah

Virginia Tech vs. Michigan State

Virginia Tech vs. Iowa

Virginia Tech vs. Illinois

Virginia Tech vs. Purdue

Virginia Tech vs. UCLA

Virginia Tech vs. Oregon

Virginia Tech vs. Missouri

Colorado vs. Pittsburgh

Colorado vs. Arkansas

Colorado vs. Florida

Colorado vs. North Carolina

Colorado vs. Navy

Colorado vs. Purdue

Texas A&M vs. North Carolina

Texas A&M vs. Navy

Texas A&M vs. Minnesota

Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin

Texas A&M vs. Iowa

Texas A&M vs. Oregon

Pittsburgh vs. Arkansas

Pittsburgh vs. Stanford (1932)

Arkansas vs. Washington

Arkansas vs. Army

Arkansas vs. Clemson

Arkansas vs. Utah

Arkansas vs. Michigan State

Arkansas vs. Florida State

Arkansas vs. Iowa

Arkansas vs. Illinois

Arkansas vs. Purdue

Arkansas vs. Oregon

Washington vs. North Carolina

Washington vs. Clemson

Washington vs. Florida State

Washington vs. Missouri

Florida vs. Stanford

Florida vs. Navy

Florida vs. Minnesota

Florida vs. Wisconsin

Florida vs. Purdue

Florida vs. Oregon

Stanford vs. Florida State

Stanford vs. Miami (Florida)

Stanford vs. Iowa

North Carolina vs. Minnesota

North Carolina vs. California

North Carolina vs. Iowa

North Carolina vs. Purdue

North Carolina vs. UCLA

North Carolina vs. Oregon

Navy vs. Michigan State

Navy vs. Iowa

Navy vs. UCLA

Navy vs. Oregon

Army vs. Wisconsin

Army vs. Florida State

Army vs. Iowa

Army vs. Purdue

Army vs. UCLA

Minnesota vs. Florida State

Minnesota vs. Miami (Florida)

Wisconsin vs. Clemson

Clemson vs. Utah

Clemson vs. Michigan State

Clemson vs. Iowa

Clemson vs. Purdue

Clemson vs. UCLA

Clemson vs. Oregon

Utah vs. Michigan State

Utah vs. Florida State

Utah vs. Miami (Florida)

Utah vs. Purdue

Florida State vs. Iowa

Florida State vs. Illinois

Florida State vs. Purdue

Florida State vs. Oregon

Florida State vs. Missouri

Miami (Florida) vs. Illinois