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Florida football: 5 non-conference opponents we’d like to see

By Matthew Clark

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 30: Kyle Trask #11 of the Florida Gators passes during a game against the Florida State Seminoles at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 30: Kyle Trask #11 of the Florida Gators passes during a game against the Florida State Seminoles at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 28: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions leads his team against the Memphis Tigers in the second half of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 28: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions leads his team against the Memphis Tigers in the second half of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Nittany Lions Football
Penn State Nittany Lions Football /

Home-and-Home

If you’re looking for a quality opponent from a strong conference, then the Nittany Lions of the Big 10 would certainly fit the bill.

What could be more interesting than a September matchup in Happy Valley, or vice-versa, one in Gainesville?

In some years, this would be a matchup of top 10 teams.

James Franklin has built Penn State out of the shadows of a scandal that would have rocked any other program to its core and seen decades of rebuilding.

Instead, they have rebuilt in short order and continue to do a solid job of recruiting.

Plus, I would find it interesting to see Justin Shorter go up against his former team if, for no other reason, then to show Penn State what they missed by not playing him.

The Nittany Lions tick a lot of checkboxes for what you want in a competitive, non-conference opponent. They play in a strong football conference, they aren’t bottom-feeding in that conference and they draw a huge crowd.

Just for record’s sake, Florida football has played Penn State on three occasions between 1962 and 2010, winning all three games — all three bowl games.

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