Colorado at No. 17 TCU
Sept. 2, 11 a.m. CT, FOX
TCU is back in action after making the College Football Playoff national championship game last year. The Horned Frogs must replace playmakers on both sides of the ball if they wish to recapture the magic from a season ago, most notably Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan. Colorado made headlines this offseason by bringing Deion Sanders to lead their program, who wasted no time overhauling his roster as he signed the number one transfer class in the country according to 247Sports. There are a lot of unknowns heading into this game, which should make it a fun one.
No. 5 LSU vs. No. 8 Florida State
Sept. 3, 6:30 p.m. CT, ABC
A rematch of last year’s instant classic, LSU and FSU meet in week one’s only top-10 matchup. LSU head coach Brian Kelly turned heads a year ago as he led the Tigers to victories over Tennessee and Alabama en route to an SEC Championship game appearance. Led by Jayden Daniels and Harold Perkins, LSU will look for even more success this season. Florida State will look to cement themselves among college football’s elite with an early signature win after winning 10 games last season. The Seminoles will lean on their returning production and highly-ranked transfer class to help them succeed. A win for either team will place them in early discussions for the College Football Playoff.
No. 21 North Carolina vs. South Carolina
Sept. 2, 6:30 p.m. CT, ABC
The Battle of the Carolinas should be a good one. Led by potential 2024 NFL top-five pick quarterback Drake Maye, North Carolina is eager to show off their passing attack against a South Carolina defense that returns only four starters. The Tar Heels will look to rebound after ending last season on a four-game skid. On the other hand, South Carolina has had nothing but momentum after dismantling Tennessee and ending a seven-game losing streak to rival Clemson late in the season. The Gamecocks also brought back quarterback Spencer Rattler and wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr. in what should be a dynamic offense. Expect the scoreboard to be lit up by the time this game is over.
West Virginia at No. 7 Penn State
Sept. 2, 6:30 p.m. CT, NBC
There may not be a coach’s seat going into the 2023 season that is warmer than West Virginia’s Neal Brown. He is 22–25 at West Virginia as he heads into his fifth year at the helm. It does not help that he has to start off the season in Happy Valley at night against the seventh-ranked Nittany Lions. Despite breaking in a new quarterback in Drew Allar, Penn State has a tremendous rushing attack and a stout defense. With all that being said, sparks could flare between the old rivals in the first matchup between the two since 1992.
