The NFL schedule is out and people across the country are furiously booking hotel rooms and flights to ensure they're present for some phenomenal matchups this year. NFL.com has already put together the ultimate road trip for fans based on the top NFL games of the 2014 season, but what about those who love college football as much as the NFL? College Football 24/7 is here to help and has assembled the ultimate college football and NFL road trip in 2014.
Each week might not feature the absolute best college football or NFL matchup, but rather the best combination of games that fans could easily attend over a weekend.
NFL Week 1
NFL game:Packers at Seahawks, Sept. 4
College game: Michigan State at Oregon, Sept. 6
Distance: 283 miles from Seattle to Eugene
The skinny: The Pacific Northwest will be the center of the football universe as the NFL schedule kicks off in Week 1. Green Bay will head to Seattle to look for a little revenge for the "Fail Mary" game while the Seahawks hoist their world championship banner prior to kickoff. Down the road a little bit, one of the top non-conference games of the entire college football slate takes place as reigning Big Ten and Rose Bowl champion Michigan State tries to see if it can slow down Marcus Mariota and the Oregon Ducks.
Week 2
College game: Georgia at South Carolina, Sept. 13
NFL game:Lions at Panthers, Sept. 14
Distance: 94 miles from Columbia to Charlotte
The skinny: A huge early battle in the race for the SEC East takes place in Columbia as the Gamecocks look to hold off a talented Bulldogs team that has a number of new faces at key spots. Up the road a little, Matthew Stafford and Detroit look to put up some points on that tough Carolina defense while holding off Cam Newton and company.
Week 3
NFL games:Buccaneers at Falcons, Sept. 18; Colts at Jaguars, Sept. 21
College game: Clemson at Florida State, Sept. 20
Distance: 267 miles from Atlanta to Tallahassee, 166 miles from Tallahassee to Jacksonville
The skinny: A favorable Thursday-night game could factor into a 2-for-1 opportunity. Tampa Bay re-tooled most of the organization for a chance to get back to the playoffs and will have a big NFC South showdown in Atlanta against the tough Falcons. From there it's a short flight or four-hour drive to the game of the year in the ACC as Clemson looks for revenge against Jameis Winston and the defending national champs. After that, a trip to Jacksonville is in order to see Andrew Luck and the Colts take on a revamped Jaguars team that could feature Johnny Manziel or Jadeveon Clowney.
Week 4
College games: UCLA at Arizona State, Sept. 25; Oregon State at USC, Sept. 27
NFL game:Eagles at 49ers, Sept. 28
Distance: 383 miles from Tempe to Los Angeles, 350 miles from Los Angeles to Santa Clara
The skinny: Call this a Pac-12 swing. The Bruins head to the desert on Thursday for a big game with Pac-12 title implications against the Sun Devils. From the Phoenix area, it's a quick trip to Los Angeles for another Pac-12 game that features two pro-style offenses and former NFL coaches in Steve Sarkisian's USC squad and Mike Riley's Beavers. Then for the finale, it's a trip to the Bay Area for former Pac-12 coaches Chip Kelly and Jim Harbaugh in the NFL game of the week.
Week 5
College game: Baylor at Texas, Oct. 4
NFL game:Texans at Cowboys, Oct. 5
Distance: 201 miles from Austin to Arlington
The skinny: How about a little Texas Two-Step? Linebacker Steve Edmonds' comments after the Longhorns' spring game calling the Bears "trash" certainly raised the ante for this matchup. This will also be the first meeting between new Texas coach Charlie Strong -- a tough defensive-minded coach -- and the folksy Art Briles and his wide-open offense. Up the road on Sunday, the battle for NFL supremacy will take place at AT&T Stadium.
Week 6
College game: Georgia at Missouri, Oct. 11
NFL game:49ers at Rams, Oct. 13
Distance: 125 miles from Columbia to St. Louis
The skinny: Stop by Shakespeare's Pizza in Columbia before the Tigers host the Bulldogs in another big SEC showdown between the two teams in the East. You can take your time on the drive to St. Louis afterward as the 49ers and Rams don't get started until Monday night in a big NFC West matchup.
Week 7
College game: Notre Dame at Florida State, Oct. 18
NFL game:Browns at Jaguars, Oct. 19
Distance: 166 miles from Tallahassee to Jacksonville
The skinny: Two teams with a combined 14 national titles meet at the Doak for one of the biggest games of the entire college football season. We're sure clips of the teams' famous game from 1993 will be played quite a bit in the lead up. From there it's a short drive across the state to Jacksonville, where the Jaguars will take on an improved Browns team that could be a matchup between the third and fourth picks in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Week 8
College game: Ohio State at Penn State, Oct. 25
NFL game:Colts at Steelers, Oct. 26
Distance: 139 miles from State College to Pittsburgh
The skinny: James Franklin's bravado has kept the Nittany Lions at the forefront of the Big Ten conversation this offseason, and he'll have a chance to get a big win in late October with Urban Meyer's Buckeyes rolling into town. Down the road on Sunday, Luck and the Colts will be looking to take advantage of a defense that slipped a bit last season. A fully healthy Steelers team won't be easy to handle at home, however.
Week 9
College game: North Carolina at Miami, Nov. 1
NFL game:Chargers at Dolphins, Nov. 2
The skinny: A weekend in South Beach? Sure, why not? The Tar Heels and Larry Fedora surged at the end of last year by winning six of their last seven games. They'll be seeking a bit of revenge for a narrow home loss to Miami when they make the trip south with their high-powered offense. We're sure a few NFL scouts will be in attendance at that game before returning to Sun Life Stadium the next day for the Chargers coming from the left coast to take on the Dolphins.
Week 10
College game: Alabama at LSU, Nov. 8
NFL game:49ers at Saints, Nov. 9
Distance: 82 miles from Baton Rouge to New Orleans
The skinny: More often than not, the Crimson Tide and Tigers are battling for a trip to Atlanta, and that figures to be the case again in 2014. Both teams are young and searching for new leaders, so the matchup is unlikely to earn a "Game of the Century" title, but it's annually one of the best games of the year. Down the road on Sunday is an equally big matchup as two playoff teams from last season battle it out under the dome.
Week 11
College game: Nebraska at Wisconsin, Nov. 15
NFL game:Eagles at Packers, Nov. 16
Distance: 135 miles from Madison to Green Bay
The skinny: This trip will probably involve plenty of beer and brats, so you've been warned. The atmosphere around Camp Randall should be fantastic as Nebraska comes into town looking to make a trip to the Big Ten title game. The college game might be played at a slower pace and with fewer points than the one up the road in Green Bay given the offenses the Packers and Eagles will trot out.
Week 12
College game: Stanford at California, Nov. 22
NFL games:Chiefs at Raiders, Nov. 20; Redskins at 49ers, Nov. 23
The skinny: This Bay Area special might be on here just for NFL Media insider Michael Silver. A Thursday-night stop in Oakland for an AFC West rivalry game starts things off before Saturday's 117th Big Game between the Cardinal and Bears. If you're not so inclined to watch that Pac-12 rivalry game, a quick flight to Los Angeles would allow you a chance to see USC and UCLA battle it out for the South Division. On Sunday a huge matchup will take place at Levi's Stadium as Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick face off in a game that might be tough to stomach if you're a defensive coordinator.
Week 13
College game: Auburn at Alabama, Nov. 29
NFL game:Cardinals at Falcons, Nov. 30
Distance: 204 miles from Tuscaloosa to Atlanta
The skinny: How will Alabama respond after suffering through the "Prayer at Jordan-Hare?" It's safe to say this date has been circled on the Crimson Tide calendar for some time after last year's instant classic. Up the road in Atlanta, this could be a huge game between the Cardinals and Falcons as each looks to get into the playoffs.
Week 14
NFL game:Cowboys at Bears, Dec. 4
College game: Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis, Dec. 6
Distance: 183 miles from Chicago to Indianapolis
The skinny: There are a number of options on the college front during championship week but this trip stays in the Midwest for a big-time weekend. First, two historic NFL franchises brave the cold of early December as the Cowboys and Bears get after it on "Thursday Night Football." A quick trip down I-65 the next day gives you plenty of time to prepare for the Big Ten championship game at the home of the Colts. Even though we won't know who's in the game until late in the season, heres to hoping the contest is just as thrilling as last year's Michigan State-Ohio State game.
Week 17
NFL game:Cardinals at 49ers, Dec. 28
College game: The Rose Bowl, Jan. 1st, 2015
Distance: 346 miles from Santa Clara to Pasadena
The skinny: A college football playoff is finally reality and the granddaddy of them all is the site of one of the semifinal games on New Year's Day. If you're interested in some NFL action before that takes place though, an NFC West game between the Cardinals and 49ers could have significant NFL playoff implications.
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
