Most schools schedule non-conference football schedules years, in advance.
This means many college football non-conference schedules feature games that lack currency.
College football should consider adopting the NFL's scheduling formula, which sets its regular season schedule early in the year it will be played.
College football would benefit from a non-conference schedule that features more games played by current football powers:
http://mmqb.si.com/2014/04/24/making-of-2014-nfl-schedule/
http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2014/11/how_is_nfl_schedule_set.html