Nonconference foes make 2019 truly a challenge

Representing one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the country in 2019, all three of Stanford’s opponents have had banner 2018 seasons and are ranked in the College Football Playoff Top 25.

In the schedule announced Tuesday, the Cardinal will open at home against Northwestern — this season’s Big Ten West Division champion — on Aug. 31. They will visit Central Florida in Orlando on Sept. 14 and finish the regular season at home against Notre Dame on Nov. 30.

Northwestern will play Utah in this year’s Holiday Bowl. UCF, which has gone undefeated for the past two seasons, will appear in its second straight New Year’s Six bowl game, playing LSU in the Fiesta Bowl. Unbeaten Notre Dame will play Clemson in the Cotton Bowl, one of the CFP’s semifinals.

The three nonconference foes have combined to go 33-5 this season and rank No. 3 (Notre Dame), No. 8 (UCF) and No. 22 (Northwestern) heading into the postseason.

The remaining home schedule has Pac-12 foes Oregon, Washington, UCLA in a Thursday night matchup, Arizona on homecoming and Cal in the the 122nd Big Game.

The UCF trip will mark the program’s first visit to Florida since the 2011 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech.

Next year’s Pac-12 Championship Game will be played Dec. 6 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.