Nine years out of 10, September is where college football really gets going, and 2023 is no exception. Which of its games should stand out as the best of the best?
I recently narrowed down my pick for the best college football game that the month of August had to offer, and considering just how limited the options typically are that early in the season, it wasn’t too tough of a task.
As I built up the suspense for revealing my choice (Florida at Utah), I mentioned the fact that the month of September is typically what gets the credit for being when most college football fans start turning their heads. While that is a blessing for them, it’s a curse for me, as that means there are all the more games to choose from when attempting to establish the best of the bunch.
However, I am also a football diehard at the end of the day, so if having too many good games to pick from is the hardest “struggle” that I encounter, I will eagerly tackle it head-on every single time. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what I’ve done here today.
The following are my picks for the best college football game that the month of September has in store for us for Weeks 1-5.
Week 1: LSU vs Florida State (Sep. 3)
We’ve technically covered Week 1 already, as Florida/Utah is set to be played on Thursday the 31st. But with there still being several good games to watch in the first days of September that follow it, I see no problem with giving Week 1 some extra love.
Some notable matchups that will be getting the month started off right include Boise State/Washington, North Carolina/South Carolina, West Virginia/Penn State, South Alabama/Tulane, Coastal Carolina/UCLA, and Clemson/Duke—quite a few bangers.
Yet, on hype alone, I have no choice but to give LSU/Florida State the nod over all of them.
Entering their 2022 matchup in New Orleans, the Tigers, and Seminoles had eyes on them simply for being big names, but it was for much greater than that by the time they were all said and done. In short, what had started as nothing more than a difficult game to predict ended as one of the wildest battles of the year.
Since that day, the two college football powerhouses have regained every ounce of the momentum they had lost through prior coaching turbulence and now have sky-high standards to meet as they prepare for their rematch in Orlando.
It’s unlikely that the pair will be able to keep us on the edges of our seats as well as they did last year, but they nonetheless have both the coaches and the talent to make for another iconic showdown. The thought of that keeps the fan in me up at night out of sheer anticipation, which is more than enough to rest their case for why they should take the first cake of the day.
Week 2: Texas at Alabama (Sep. 9)
Speaking of games that are carrying hype from last year, we have Texas at Alabama.
Usually when a team that has been as underwhelming as Texas faces one as consistently dominant as Alabama, we expect it to fall heavily in the latter’s favor without a second thought. However, if 2022’s duel holds any bearing on 2023’s, there is absolutely nothing about these two that gives off such a vibe.
Last September saw this high-profile clash get ugly fast, as there were mistakes, missed opportunities, and costly injuries that all resulted in the Crimson Tide outlasting the Longhorns by a low score of 20-19.
Bama QB Bryce Young was recognized for the pivotal role he played in the outcome with an outstanding performance late, but so was Texas QB Quinn Ewers for the equally impactful role he played by getting knocked out of the game.
With Young now in the NFL and injuries hopefully not being as big of an issue this time around, the mere thought of a Longhorn should strike fear into the hearts of Bama fans nationwide. But luckily for them, their Crimson Tide will have the home-field advantage, providing them with some hope of their own and throwing fuel onto the fire of unpredictability.
Simply put, Texas/Alabama is an even-leveled deathmatch wedged between a beautifully chaotic 2022 affair and a new era of the beloved Southeastern Conference, one that will swiftly turn the two bluebloods into hated league foes. Circumstances like those are nearly impossible to beat.
Week 3: Pittsburgh at West Virginia (Sep. 16)
We can see a hefty drop in the stakes here, as last year saw the Panthers win a decent-yet-not-great nine games and the Mountaineers miss the postseason. With that said, what puts this game above all the others in Week 3 is the rivalry factor.
Despite finishing their seasons on such contrasting notes, the former Big East powers were giving each other an abundance of scares last September en route to a tight 38-31 final closed out by the Panthers—and that was in Pittsburgh. The Mountaineers being the welcoming party for round two should make things much dicier.
Only the most fascinating college football rivalries can be talked about in that manner despite gaps in their participants’ capabilities, and 2022 reminded us that this one checks that box for even the most picky of football fans.
It may miss the title of “September’s Best Game” by a country mile, but with Week 3 being in the running for slowest of the month, this hate-filled encounter should easily stand out as a diamond in the rough.
Week 4: Florida State at Clemson (Sep. 23)
Boy, combining this one with the LSU game really tests the Seminoles early, but that clearly goes a long way in a discussion like today’s.
Florida State/Clemson might come off as a bit of a questionable selection, as the Tigers have not fallen to the Noles since 2014 and were demolishing them by three scores in the final quarter of their 2022 meeting. Especially with Clemson having busted its hump to address its offensive concerns, that means that Florida State is in no way promised to give the Tigers a fight in “Death Valley.”
However, when covering a conference that has been as uncompetitive as the ACC, this game still manages to look like one of its biggest in recent memory. Also, with the outstanding talent that is returning to Tallahassee—including but not limited to QB Jordan Travis, RB Trey Benson, WR Johnny Wilson, and DE Jared Verse—this is looking like FSU’s best shot at downing Clemson since the former’s fall from grace several years ago.
At its worst, the game will amount to nothing more than another snap back to reality, but at its best, it could be a turning point for the Atlantic Coast that is long overdue, and that’s something worth circling on the calendar.
Week 5: South Carolina at Tennessee (Sep. 30)
Here we have another shocker, as the latest installment of the Gamecocks-Volunteers series was easily the most lopsided of the 2022 games referenced today, with SC’s victory being decided by a whopping 25 points (second place was Pittsburgh’s seven-point win over West Virginia).
With that said, what makes this matchup so special that it’s the top dog for Week 5? The answer can actually be seen quite clearly once we look at both how much it meant last year and how much it means this year.
The 2022-23 Volunteers finished their stretch at a very strong 11-2, with their only losses being to the Georgia Bulldogs and, of course, the Gamecocks. When considering just how great the Dawgs were, along with the Vols playing them as well as they did in Athens, it’s safe to say that the loss to South Carolina could have very much cost them a spot in the CFP.
This season, Tennessee is set to host the Gamecocks in what will be a crucial rematch, headlined by elite matchups at the head coach (Josh Heupel/Shane Beamer) and quarterback (Joe Milton/Spencer Rattler) positions. Beyond that, the Volunteers have dates with the Alabama Crimson Tide—a team they beat last year—and the aforementioned Bulldogs—whom they also host.
Those two on their own are enough to show that Tennessee’s 2023 slate is far from a kind one and that any playoff path the Vols could have run far deeper than just beating South Carolina. But even with that fact in mind, their doing so would check a box that last year’s squad couldn’t.
Depending on how well they’d perform in the weeks that follow, the victory could go on to greatly alter the SEC’s postseason impact. When a game has the potential to hold that kind of influence on the best conference in college football, it deserves to be recognized for such.
As I said earlier, August will always be known as the month when CFB returns, but it’s the September games that give the first true impression of what it’s all about. These pairings prove that beyond the shadow of a doubt, and it leaves us fans thinking that the season couldn’t possibly get here fast enough.