Best Neutral-Site Games in 2025 College Football Season

The 2025-26 college football season may be six months away, but it's never too early to start looking ahead. While every college football season brings us great games and atmospheres at campus sites, there are also fun neutral-site games every season. 

Some of these neutral-site games are rivalry games, while others are in cities that have hosted big college football games for years now. 

Let's run through the biggest neutral-site games for the 2025-26 season. 

When: Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, Time TBD

Dublin has given us some great college football games in recent years. Three years ago, Northwestern rallied to upset Nebraska 31-28. Last year, Georgia Tech pulled off a stunning upset of Florida State, capped off by a 44-yard game-winning field goal. 

This year's game in Dublin should be a great game, and it has serious Big 12 title game implications. Iowa State played for a Big 12 title last season, and Kansas State team won the conference two years ago. 

These two teams played each other last year, with Iowa State winning 29-21. Both of these teams look like Big 12 contenders, too. The Cyclones return quarterback Rocco Becht from last year, in addition to 11 other starters from last year. Kansas State returns dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson, running back Dylan Edwards and leading receiver Jayce Brown.

2025's game at Aviva Stadium should be wildly entertaining, not to mention the fact that it has real conference title game stakes. Who knows, maybe we'll see both of these teams meet again in Dallas come December. 

When: Saturday, Oct. 11, Time TBD

The Texas State Fair annually plays host to one of the most heated college football rivalries in the country between Texas and Oklahoma. Last year, Texas won this one handily 34-3. 

Heading into 2025, both of these teams will be rebuilding a bit. Texas will officially be turning to quarterback Arch Manning at quarterback and returns running back CJ Baxter, receiver Ryan Wingo and defensive stars like Anthony Hill Jr. and Michael Taaffe. Head coach Steve Sarkisian will be looking to bring his team back to the playoff with a re-tooled roster. 

Oklahoma brought in quarterback John Mateer via the transfer portal and returns receiver Deion Burks and running back Gavin Sawchuk. This is an important year for head coach Brent Venables, who has yet to have a legitimate team within contention in either the SEC or Big 12. Another year not being in the mix for the conference title could put Venables, who is 22-17 overall in Norman, squarely on the hot seat. 

The Red River Rivalry is always a fun game, and 2025 should be no exception.

When: Saturday, Nov. 1, Time TBD

This game was entertaining last season, even as Florida lost starting quarterback D.J. Lagway to injury and was down to its third-string quarterback. But Georgia has beaten Florida the last four times in this series, all by at least two scores. If Billy Napier wants to make Florida into a legitimate SEC contender in 2025, beating Georgia is a great first step. 

The Gators return Lagway, in addition to running back Jadan Baugh and four starters along the offensive line. Landing UCLA receiver transfer J. Michael Sturdivant from the transfer portal should help give Lagway a weapon to throw to. Eugene Wilson III is also returning, recovering from hip surgery he had last year. Florida returns three starters along the defensive line, in addition to four guys in the secondary.  

Georgia will also be rebuilding in 2025, and the biggest question mark will be at quarterback. It looks like the Dawgs will choose between Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi under center, unless Georgia signs a signal-caller in the spring portal window. The Dawgs' defense will continue to be dominant under Kirby Smart, but Georgia needs to re-establish running the football effectively next season. 

It feels like this could be the year that Florida gets past Georgia for the first time in four years, but it's still a tall task. This one should be a great game regardless.  

When: Friday, Nov. 28, Time TBD

A rematch of last year's eight-overtime thriller between these two in-state rivals? Yes, please! This game is typically held at both teams' respective home stadiums. But instead of being played at Bobby Dodd Stadium, 2025's matchup will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta. Both fanbases are expected to draw big crowds, but the Georgia Bulldogs might fill a bit more of the stadium. 

As we mentioned previously, Georgia is expected to be a playoff contender once again in 2025, despite replacing a ton of talent from last year. 

Under fourth-year head coach Brent Key, the Yellow Jackets will look to be a legitimate threat inside the ACC this season. Although losing receiver Eric Singleton Jr. to the transfer portal hurts, Georgia Tech returns quarterback Haynes King, several starters along the offensive line and running back Jamal Haynes. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Haynes has 856 rushing yards before contact over the past two years, which tops power-conference running backs returning in 2025.

If Georgia Tech wants to defeat its in-state rival for the first time since 2016, this season might be its best chance. 

When: Saturday, Dec. 13, Time TBD

What's better than Army-Navy every year? The pageantry, the tradition, and the rivalry between these two service academies is unmatched each and every season. 

This year's game will be played in Baltimore, Maryland, at M&T Bank Stadium. The Charm City has hosted Army-Navy four times since 2000, with the most recent game there coming in 2016, which Army won 21-17. 

Last year, Navy snapped a two-game losing streak to the Black Knights, winning handily 30-13. Both programs had successful seasons last year, as Navy finished 9-3 and capped its season off with an Armed Forces Bowl victory over the Oklahoma Sooners. Army went 12-2, claiming the AAC crown with a conference title game victory over Tulane. 

This game is a good measuring stick for both programs every year, and 2025 is no exception. We'll see if Army can avenge the loss from last season in the rematch in Baltimore. 

Thanks to the expanded 12-team playoff, college football's New Year's Bowl system is incorporated in the postseason now. That means we get neutral-site playoff games, although the locations rotate, and proximity favors the higher seed in the bracket. 

Here's a look at this year's playoff bowl slate for the quarter, semifinals and national title game: 

Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)

• Wednesday, Dec. 31: Cotton Bowl (Arlington, Texas)
• Thursday, Jan. 1: Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, Fla.)
• Thursday, Jan. 1: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
• Thursday, Jan. 1: Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, La.)

Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)

• Thursday, Jan. 8: Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.)
• Friday, Jan. 9: Peach Bowl (Atlanta, Ga.)

CFP National Championship

• Monday, Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida