I was amused because Athlon's #1 was the third-best game of that weekend by an objective ranking, not the best game of the year.
I have no complaints with the Athlon position - there is nothing wrong with subjective analysis. But I think the juxtaposition of Athlon's list with my RBIF list shows how human polls can be unduly influenced by "name recognition." To humans "Notre Dame vs Michigan" stands out, even though neither are top-10 teams. If they'd only seen "#19 vs #11" they might've recognized that "#9 vs #10" and "#17 vs #20" were both better matchups.
Here's my list of interconference matchups in best-to-worst order.
RBIF Date Game Confs 3.3294 1-Sep #10 Washington vs #9 Auburn P12 vs SEC 3.0499 24-Nov #11 Notre Dame at #15 Southern Cal ND at P12 2.9177 2-Sep #17 Miami FL vs #20 LSU ACC vs SEC 2.8805 15-Sep #3 Ohio State vs #16 TCU B10 vs B12 2.8715 1-Sep #19 Michigan at #11 Notre Dame B10 at ND 2.8715 29-Sep #19 Stanford at #11 Notre Dame P12 at ND 2.7754 15-Sep #23 Boise St at #15 Oklahoma St MW at B12 2.7665 6-Oct #11 Notre Dame at #22 Virginia Tech ND at ACC 2.7052 3-Nov #11 Notre Dame at #24 Northwestern ND at B10 2.5482 15-Sep #15 Southern Cal at #31 Texas P12 at B12 2.5039 10-Nov #32 Florida St at #11 Notre Dame ACC at ND 2.4858 8-Sep #35 Iowa St at #21 Iowa B12 at B10 2.4494 24-Nov #33 South Carolina at #3 Clemson SEC at ACC 2.4421 1-Sep #33 Louisville vs #1 Alabama ACC vs SEC 2.4358 21-Sep #36 Florida Atlantic at #15 Central Florida CUSA at AAC 2.4312 8-Sep #19 Mississippi St at #37 Kansas St SEC at B12 2.4028 1-Sep #36 Florida Atlantic at #6 Oklahoma CUSA at B12 2.4005 22-Sep #11 Notre Dame at #37 Wake Forest ND at ACC 2.3540 8-Sep #44 Georgia Tech at #38 South Florida ACC at AAC 2.3540 22-Sep #38 Boston College at #44 Purdue ACC at B10 2.3103 31-Aug #43 San Diego St at #19 Stanford MW at P12 2.2896 8-Sep #3 Clemson at #42 Texas A&M ACC at SEC 2.2838 15-Sep #48 Missouri at #44 Purdue SEC at B10 2.2666 8-Sep #46 Duke at #24 Northwestern ACC at B10 2.2589 24-Nov #44 Georgia Tech at #4 Georgia ACC at SEC 2.2429 20-Oct #30 Memphis at #48 Missouri AAC at SEC 2.2337 15-Sep #48 West Virginia at #26 North Carolina St B12 at ACC 2.1726 15-Sep #53 Arizona St at #43 San Diego St P12 at MW 2.1712 24-Nov #52 Florida at #32 Florida St SEC at ACC 2.1578 27-Oct #51 Navy vs #11 Notre Dame AAC vs ND 2.1513 15-Sep #55 Houston at #53 Texas Tech AAC at B12 2.1333 8-Sep #56 Arizona at #55 Houston P12 at AAC 2.1307 29-Sep #53 Pittsburgh at #15 Central Florida ACC at AAC 2.1286 8-Sep #13 Michigan St at #53 Arizona St B10 at P12 2.1265 13-Oct #53 Pittsburgh at #11 Notre Dame ACC at ND 2.1226 8-Sep #7 Penn State at #53 Pittsburgh B10 at ACC 2.0976 29-Sep #57 Toledo at #46 Fresno St MAC at MW 2.0695 15-Sep #17 Miami FL at #57 Toledo ACC at MAC 2.0482 24-Nov #59 Kentucky at #33 Louisville SEC at ACC 2.0338 1-Sep #59 Appalachian St at #7 Penn State SBC at B10 2.0263 1-Sep #61 Mississippi vs #53 Texas Tech SEC vs B12 2.0259 1-Sep #23 Boise St at #60 Troy MW at SBC 2.0248 8-Dec #61 Army vs #51 Navy Ind vs AAC 2.0214 31-Aug #61 Army at #46 Duke Ind at ACC 2.0045 22-Sep #61 Army at #6 Oklahoma Ind at B12 1.9668 15-Sep #46 Fresno St at #64 UCLA MW at P12 1.9615 8-Sep #64 UCLA at #6 Oklahoma P12 at B12 1.9485 29-Sep #65 Temple at #38 Boston College AAC at ACC 1.9325 1-Sep #66 Northern Illinois at #21 Iowa MAC at B10 1.9321 22-Sep #66 Northern Illinois at #32 Florida St MAC at ACC 1.9317 1-Sep #39 Washington St at #66 Wyoming P12 at MW 1.9317 8-Sep #40 Utah at #66 Northern Illinois P12 at MAC 1.9312 8-Sep #66 Wyoming at #48 Missouri MW at SEC 1.9168 22-Sep #26 North Carolina St at #67 Marshall ACC at CUSA 1.9159 15-Sep #67 Marshall at #33 South Carolina CUSA at SEC 1.8964 8-Sep #46 Fresno St at #68 Minnesota MW at B10 1.8577 3-Nov #71 Louisiana Tech at #19 Mississippi St CUSA at SEC 1.8573 22-Sep #71 Louisiana Tech at #20 LSU CUSA at SEC 1.8459 17-Nov #11 Notre Dame vs #72 Syracuse ND vs ACC 1.8149 15-Sep #15 Central Florida at #74 North Carolina AAC at ACC 1.7978 8-Sep #75 Western Michigan at #19 Michigan MAC at B10 1.7785 8-Sep #77 Arkansas St at #1 Alabama SBC at SEC 1.7744 1-Sep #74 North Carolina at #64 California ACC at P12 1.7698 7-Sep #16 TCU at #77 SMU B12 at AAC 1.7678 15-Sep #77 SMU at #19 Michigan AAC at B10 1.7639 15-Sep #74 North Texas at #71 Arkansas CUSA at SEC 1.7614 15-Sep #60 Troy at #75 Nebraska SBC at B10 1.7448 15-Sep #59 Ohio U. at #76 Virginia MAC at ACC 1.7424 31-Aug #72 Syracuse at #75 Western Michigan ACC at MAC 1.7404 8-Sep #76 Virginia at #62 Indiana ACC at B10 1.7136 15-Sep #81 Vanderbilt at #11 Notre Dame SEC at ND 1.7113 1-Sep #31 Texas vs #80 Maryland B12 vs B10 1.6991 1-Sep #77 SMU at #74 North Texas AAC at CUSA 1.6771 8-Sep #78 Colorado at #75 Nebraska P12 at B10 1.6748 22-Sep #84 Tulane at #3 Ohio State AAC at B10 1.6620 15-Sep #65 Temple at #80 Maryland AAC at B10 1.6509 31-Aug #85 Utah St at #13 Michigan St MW at B10 1.6437 15-Sep #86 Middle Tennessee St at #4 Georgia CUSA at SEC 1.6398 30-Aug #37 Wake Forest at #84 Tulane ACC at AAC 1.6392 29-Sep #86 Southern Miss at #9 Auburn CUSA at SEC 1.6336 15-Sep #83 Colorado St at #52 Florida MW at SEC 1.5920 8-Sep #71 Arkansas at #83 Colorado St SEC at MW 1.5717 29-Sep #90 Central Michigan at #13 Michigan St MAC at B10 1.5708 31-Aug #83 Colorado St vs #78 Colorado MW vs P12 1.5671 15-Sep #86 Southern Miss at #59 Appalachian St CUSA at SBC 1.5671 17-Nov #86 Middle Tennessee St at #59 Kentucky CUSA at SEC 1.5445 29-Sep #61 Army at #87 Buffalo Ind at MAC 1.5372 1-Sep #89 Tennessee at #48 West Virginia SEC at B12 1.5343 8-Sep #87 Buffalo at #65 Temple MAC at AAC 1.5239 8-Sep #91 Air Force at #36 Florida Atlantic MW at CUSA 1.5011 1-Sep #86 Middle Tennessee St at #81 Vanderbilt CUSA at SEC 1.4957 6-Oct #51 Navy at #91 Air Force AAC at MW 1.4952 1-Sep #90 Central Michigan at #59 Kentucky MAC at SEC 1.4942 22-Sep #92 Eastern Michigan at #43 San Diego St MAC at MW 1.4922 8-Sep #92 Eastern Michigan at #44 Purdue MAC at B10 1.4717 3-Nov #91 Air Force at #61 Army MW at Ind 1.4704 15-Sep #46 Duke at #93 Baylor ACC at B12 1.4533 27-Oct #61 Army at #92 Eastern Michigan Ind at MAC 1.4435 15-Sep #98 Brigham Young at #6 Wisconsin Ind at B10 1.4385 29-Sep #98 Brigham Young at #10 Washington Ind at P12 1.4371 15-Sep #97 Akron at #24 Northwestern MAC at B10 1.4204 3-Nov #98 Brigham Young at #23 Boise St Ind at MW 1.4188 22-Sep #97 Akron at #35 Iowa St MAC at B12 1.3919 22-Sep #100 Florida Int'l at #17 Miami FL CUSA at ACC 1.3905 24-Nov #98 Brigham Young at #40 Utah Ind at P12 1.3864 17-Nov #98 Alabama-Birmingham at #42 Texas A&M CUSA at SEC 1.3585 20-Oct #97 Miami OH at #61 Army MAC at Ind 1.3532 1-Sep #98 Brigham Young at #56 Arizona Ind at P12 1.3487 31-Aug #103 Western Kentucky at #6 Wisconsin CUSA at B10 1.3395 1-Sep #67 Marshall at #97 Miami OH CUSA at MAC 1.3384 15-Sep #101 Texas-San Antonio at #37 Kansas St CUSA at B12 1.3362 1-Sep #103 UNLV at #15 Southern Cal MW at P12 1.3361 15-Sep #97 Miami OH at #68 Minnesota MAC at B10 1.3299 8-Sep #102 Tulsa at #31 Texas AAC at B12 1.3296 8-Sep #64 California at #98 Brigham Young P12 at Ind 1.3230 27-Oct #66 Northern Illinois at #98 Brigham Young MAC at Ind 1.3096 1-Sep #97 Akron at #75 Nebraska MAC at B10 1.3058 15-Sep #103 Western Kentucky at #33 Louisville CUSA at ACC 1.3015 1-Sep #101 Texas-San Antonio at #53 Arizona St CUSA at P12 1.2958 1-Sep #62 Indiana at #100 Florida Int'l B10 at CUSA 1.2674 17-Nov #107 Massachusetts at #4 Georgia Ind at SEC 1.2639 22-Sep #59 Ohio U. at #102 Cincinnati MAC at AAC 1.2621 25-Aug #66 Wyoming at #101 New Mexico St MW at Ind 1.2550 30-Aug #101 New Mexico St at #68 Minnesota Ind at B10 1.2512 22-Sep #87 Buffalo at #97 Rutgers MAC at B10 1.2480 1-Sep #102 Cincinnati at #64 UCLA AAC at P12 1.2471 15-Sep #84 Tulane at #98 Alabama-Birmingham AAC at CUSA 1.2417 5-Oct #85 Utah St at #98 Brigham Young MW at Ind 1.2275 22-Sep #104 Nevada at #57 Toledo MW at MAC 1.2226 20-Oct #102 Tulsa at #71 Arkansas AAC at SEC 1.2093 1-Sep #107 Massachusetts at #38 Boston College Ind at ACC 1.2093 15-Sep #38 South Florida vs #107 Illinois AAC vs B10 1.2093 6-Oct #38 South Florida at #107 Massachusetts AAC at Ind 1.1972 15-Sep #77 Arkansas St at #102 Tulsa SBC at AAC 1.1783 8-Sep #101 New Mexico St at #85 Utah St Ind at MW 1.1772 15-Sep #108 Louisiana-Monroe at #42 Texas A&M SBC at SEC 1.1756 22-Sep #103 UNLV at #77 Arkansas St MW at SBC 1.1697 22-Sep #22 Virginia Tech at #110 Old Dominion ACC at CUSA 1.1543 29-Sep #107 Massachusetts at #59 Ohio U. Ind at MAC 1.1375 8-Sep #111 Georgia St at #26 North Carolina St SBC at ACC 1.1342 8-Sep #104 Nevada at #81 Vanderbilt MW at SEC 1.1298 14-Sep #111 Georgia St at #30 Memphis SBC at AAC 1.1273 8-Sep #93 Baylor at #101 Texas-San Antonio B12 at CUSA 1.1244 6-Oct #108 Louisiana-Monroe at #61 Mississippi SBC at SEC 1.1179 8-Sep #113 New Mexico at #6 Wisconsin MW at B10 1.1171 8-Sep #112 Connecticut at #23 Boise St AAC at MW 1.0921 15-Sep #113 East Carolina at #22 Virginia Tech AAC at ACC 1.0878 17-Nov #101 New Mexico St at #98 Brigham Young Ind at Ind 1.0742 8-Sep #102 Cincinnati at #97 Miami OH AAC at MAC 1.0654 15-Sep #115 Georgia Southern at #3 Clemson SBC at ACC 1.0471 8-Sep #115 South Alabama at #15 Oklahoma St SBC at B12 1.0350 1-Sep #116 Oregon St at #3 Ohio State P12 at B10 1.0197 22-Sep #115 South Alabama at #30 Memphis SBC at AAC 1.0137 8-Sep #108 Louisiana-Monroe at #86 Southern Miss SBC at CUSA 1.0059 29-Sep #117 Louisiana-Lafayette at #1 Alabama SBC at SEC 0.9957 22-Sep #75 Western Michigan at #111 Georgia St MAC at SBC 0.9824 22-Sep #112 Connecticut at #72 Syracuse AAC at ACC 0.9778 15-Sep #117 Louisiana-Lafayette at #19 Mississippi St SBC at SEC 0.9675 1-Sep #116 Bowling Green at #40 Oregon MAC at P12 0.9578 29-Sep #116 Bowling Green at #44 Georgia Tech MAC at ACC 0.9511 10-Nov #98 Brigham Young vs #107 Massachusetts Ind vs Ind 0.9465 8-Sep #74 North Carolina at #113 East Carolina ACC at AAC 0.9330 15-Sep #107 Massachusetts at #100 Florida Int'l Ind at CUSA 0.9020 1-Sep #71 Louisiana Tech at #115 South Alabama CUSA at SBC 0.8440 1-Sep #120 Coastal Carolina at #33 South Carolina SBC at SEC 0.8308 8-Sep #80 Maryland at #116 Bowling Green B10 at MAC 0.7726 15-Sep #113 New Mexico at #101 New Mexico St MW at Ind 0.7611 1-Sep #51 Navy at #121 Hawai'i AAC at MW 0.7577 15-Sep #123 Kent St at #7 Penn State MAC at B10 0.7344 27-Oct #107 Massachusetts at #112 Connecticut Ind at AAC 0.7315 15-Sep #121 Hawai'i at #61 Army MW at Ind 0.7174 20-Oct #115 Georgia Southern at #101 New Mexico St SBC at Ind 0.7105 8-Sep #118 Kansas at #90 Central Michigan B12 at MAC 0.7027 17-Nov #124 Liberty at #9 Auburn Ind at SEC 0.6698 29-Sep #110 Old Dominion at #113 East Carolina CUSA at AAC 0.6611 15-Sep #97 Rutgers at #118 Kansas B10 at B12 0.6594 15-Sep #116 Oregon St at #104 Nevada P12 at MW 0.6587 13-Oct #101 New Mexico St at #117 Louisiana-Lafayette Ind at SBC 0.6547 8-Sep #107 Massachusetts at #115 Georgia Southern Ind at SBC 0.6439 22-Sep #123 Kent St at #61 Mississippi MAC at SEC 0.5977 13-Oct #60 Troy at #124 Liberty SBC at Ind 0.5947 8-Sep #124 Liberty at #61 Army Ind at Ind 0.5942 8-Sep #125 San Jose St at #39 Washington St MW at P12 0.5921 15-Sep #125 San Jose St at #40 Oregon MW at P12 0.5865 8-Sep #98 Alabama-Birmingham at #120 Coastal Carolina CUSA at SBC 0.5777 8-Sep #126 Ball St at #11 Notre Dame MAC at ND 0.5509 22-Sep #74 North Texas at #124 Liberty CUSA at Ind 0.5507 13-Oct #121 Hawai'i at #98 Brigham Young MW at Ind 0.5432 10-Nov #124 Liberty at #76 Virginia Ind at ACC 0.5409 13-Oct #61 Army at #125 San Jose St Ind at MW 0.5055 20-Oct #120 Coastal Carolina at #107 Massachusetts SBC at Ind 0.4917 17-Nov #127 Rice at #20 LSU CUSA at SEC 0.4866 8-Sep #59 Appalachian St at #126 UNC-Charlotte SBC at CUSA 0.4785 15-Sep #126 Ball St at #62 Indiana MAC at B10 0.4647 29-Sep #127 Rice at #37 Wake Forest CUSA at ACC 0.4286 1-Sep #55 Houston at #127 Rice AAC at CUSA 0.4102 6-Oct #124 Liberty at #101 New Mexico St Ind at Ind 0.4102 24-Nov #101 New Mexico St at #124 Liberty Ind at Ind 0.4011 1-Sep #123 Kent St at #107 Illinois MAC at B10 0.3827 3-Nov #126 UNC-Charlotte at #89 Tennessee CUSA at SEC 0.3627 3-Nov #124 Liberty at #107 Massachusetts Ind at Ind 0.3422 1-Sep #126 Texas St-San Marcos at #97 Rutgers SBC at B10 0.3352 1-Sep #110 Old Dominion at #124 Liberty CUSA at Ind 0.3189 22-Sep #126 Texas St-San Marcos at #101 Texas-San Antonio SBC at CUSA 0.3189 27-Oct #101 New Mexico St at #126 Texas St-San Marcos Ind at SBC 0.3062 22-Sep #103 Western Kentucky at #126 Ball St CUSA at MAC 0.3047 29-Sep #124 Liberty at #113 New Mexico Ind at MW 0.2787 22-Sep #126 UNC-Charlotte at #107 Massachusetts CUSA at Ind 0.1215 8-Sep #127 Rice at #121 Hawai'i CUSA at MW 0.1015 15-Sep #130 UTEP at #89 Tennessee CUSA at SEC 0.0799 22-Sep #101 New Mexico St at #130 UTEP Ind at CUSA 0.0759 8-Sep #130 UTEP at #103 UNLV CUSA at MW
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