Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Can you sense it?
Yes, it’s still practically hot enough to cook an egg on the pavement in most of the continental U.S. Yes, we’re all drenched in sweat after making the short trip from our front door to the mailbox. Nevertheless, this weekend is Labor Day, and that means fall and that means college football is finally here (officially).
Technically, several teams were in action last weekend for what college football fans have come to dub Week 0. But this is our first full weekend where nearly every team in every conference is finally in action at the same time.
With so many games going on all at once, it can be tough to know where to place your attention. We’ve conveniently ranked the five best games of Week 1 so you know where to tune your TV or streaming devices for the ideal college football Saturday.
1
No. 8 Florida State vs. No. 5 LSU (Sunday, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC)
Favorite: LSU (-2.5)
We’ll have to wait until Sunday night to see what is undoubtedly the biggest game of Week 1, a top-10 rematch of last year’s instant classic between Florida State and LSU. This year’s edition takes place in Orlando, but don’t expect Florida State to have any kind of home-field advantage in this one, as the LSU faithful are true believers in Brian Kelly following his stunning success in his first season in Baton Rouge a year ago. Last year’s game came down to the final play, and there’s no reason to believe this year’s edition should be any less competitive.
2
No. 20 North Carolina vs. South Carolina (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC)
Favorite: South Carolina (-2.5)
Despite a preseason ranking and the return of heralded quarterback wunderkind Drake Maye, North Carolina enters this game against regional rival South Carolina as slight underdogs. The Gamecocks have over-performed every year under Shane Beamer and had one of the best offseasons of any program when it comes to bringing in new players from the NCAA transfer portal. With both teams looking to make some noise in their respective conferences, this opener should feature some intense competition between a lot of players you’ll be watching for many years to come.
3
No. 14 Utah vs. Florida (Thursday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN)
Favorite: Utah (-4.5)
The Gators pulled off a late comeback last year in Gainesville against a very good Utah team thanks in no small part to some big-play heroics from quarterback Anthony Richardson. With Richardson now an opening day starter for the Indianapolis Colts, Florida coach Billy Napier hopes Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz can provide the same kind of boost this season for an offense still lagging behind some other elite SEC powers when it comes to talent. Meanwhile, Utah is hoping it can win its third straight Pac-12 championship and head into the brave new world of college football as a next-generation powerhouse.
4
No. 7 Penn State vs. West Virginia (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET on Pac-12 Network)
Favorite: Penn State (-20.5)
At this point, Penn State fans could be forgiven for not getting their hopes up after year after year of disappointment under James Franklin. But hear me out: This year could finally be different. With what should be one of the best defenses in the Big Ten and a ton of impressive returning players on offense, the Nittany Lions enter 2023 with perhaps their best chance yet at breaking the Michigan/Ohio State stranglehold on the league. West Virginia is not likely to be much of a match for Penn State, but Neal Brown’s program is in desperation mode and needs to make some big statements this year before the Big 12 starts to look like a very different place in 2024.
5
No. 16 TCU vs. Colorado (Saturday, Noon ET on Fox)
Favorite: TCU (-20.5)
This one certainly isn’t expected to be very competitive, but what it will be is a spectacular clash of styles. Sonny Dykes is building a perennial powerhouse at TCU, and he’s done it with a slow and steady pace and a commitment to his system. On the other sideline, Deion Sanders is shaking up the world of college football, bringing in a level of showmanship and exploiting all the latest tricks when it comes to NIL, the transfer portal, and new media promotion. The Buffs won’t likely be ready for showtime in this season opener but one thing is for sure: Lots of us will be watching.
