No matter the season, SEC fans want to know two things when the new schedule is released:

Who plays who in the cross-division games that often impact the divisional races, and which teams have the toughest/easiest non-conference schedule.

Today, we’re focusing on the non-conference games. Here are 10 we can’t wait to watch in 2017.

1. Alabama vs. Florida State (Sept. 2: Atlanta): This could be the game of the year on opening weekend of the season — in sparkling new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Both schools are good enough to potentially meet again in the College Football Playoff. Both feature young, talented quarterbacks who are expected to be in the Heisman race in 2017.

FSU’s Deondre Francois (below) opened the 2016 season by rallying the Seminoles past Chad Kelly and Ole Miss in Orlando. The Noles have won six consecutive games against the SEC.

Dec 30, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Deondre Francois (12) attempts s pass against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Florida State has only defeated Alabama once in their four overall meetings, coming in Nick Saban’s first season at Alabama in 2007. Alabama holds victories in 1965 and 1974 over the Seminoles.

2. Georgia at Notre Dame (Sept. 9): It’s always unique to see a SEC team go into South Bend and take on the Fighting Irish. Georgia and Notre Dame have only met one time, in the 1981 Sugar Bowl that secured the Bulldogs’ 1980 national championship season.

Kirby Smart likely will enter this game as favorites as the Irish are coming off a disappointing 4-8 season.

Georgia, with its star-laden backfield, is expected to be the SEC East favorites. Notre Dame can only get better following a losing season in 2016, but the prestige of this game makes it a must-see game of 2017.

3. Auburn at Clemson (Sept. 9): Defending champion Clemson won’t have Deshaun Watson this time.

The Tigers of Auburn and Clemson have squared off four times this decade and five times since 2007. Clemson has won the past three, although Auburn holds a 34-14-2 overall series record that dates back to 1899.

Both Auburn and Clemson have won national championships this decade and make for this non-conference rivalry of late to provide another good chapter.

4. Florida vs. Michigan (Sept. 2: Arlington, Texas): These two have only met in bowl games, but now they’ll open the season.

Michigan lost a ton of talent — most notably Jabrill Peppers — but Wilton Speight is their returning QB, and former No. 1 overall recruit Rashan Gary could lead the defense as a sophomore.

Dec 30, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight (3) attempts a pass against the Florida State Seminoles during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Gators are 0-3 against the Wolverines, losing the 2003 Outback Bowl, the 2008 Capital One Bowl and the 2016 Citrus Bowl to Michigan.

5. Texas A&M at UCLA (Sept. 2): Last season Texas A&M and UCLA played to a 31-24 overtime thriller in College Station. Now the Aggies will take on the Bruins at the Rose Bowl for the first time and the first time playing at UCLA since 1955 when the Bruins played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The trip to the Rose Bowl will also mark the first time Texas A&M will play in the state of California since playing at Stanford in 1992.

UCLA features a prolific passer in Josh Rosen, whose 2016 season ended early because of a shoulder injury.

6. Ole Miss at Cal (Sept. 16): When the Rebels travel to Berkeley, Calif., it will mark the first meeting between the programs — and the Rebels’ first against a Pac-12 team. It will be the westernmost game in Ole Miss history, surpassing the 2011 game at Fresno State, which was the program’s only other visit to the Golden State.

The timing could benefit Ole Miss: Cal will be starting over at quarterback after Davis Webb threw for 4,295 yards and 37 touchdowns as a senior in 2016.

7. LSU vs. BYU (Sept. 2: Houston): BYU will play two SEC opponents in 2017, LSU and Mississippi State. LSU will look to keep the program rolling under now full-time head coach Ed Orgeron. Orgeron was 6-2 in both stints as interim head coach at LSU and USC.

8. Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech (Sept. 4: Atlanta): An old SEC showdown will take place between the Volunteers and Yellow Jackets at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

This series was played annually from 1954-73 and played 11 times from 1976-1987, with the 1987 meeting being the last between the two schools. Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson proudly claimed a 3-0 record against the SEC East in 2016, defeating Vanderbilt, Georgia and Kentucky; now the Yellow Jackets will have their chance against Butch Jones’ Volunteers on a Monday night to close out the opening week.

9. Arkansas vs. TCU (Sept. 9): Two old Southwest Conferences foes will play the second-half of a home-and-home series in 2017. The Razorbacks won a thriller a season ago at TCU, pulling out a come-from-behind 41-38 double-overtime victory over the Horned Frogs.

The two schools met every season from 1930-1991 before Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992. It’s a series that dates to 1920 and one that the Razorbacks hold a 44-23-2 overall series edge over TCU.

10. Mississippi State vs. BYU (Oct. 14): The Cougars under second-year head coach Kalani Sitake travel to Starkville for their first game at Davis-Wade Stadium. BYU defeated Mississippi State 28-21 in 2016, the first part of the home-and-home series.

Nick Fitzgerald threw two interceptions and was held to just 41 rushing yards. He topped 100 yards in six of his next seven games.