Best matchups of the 2023 College Football season based on the AP Poll
The preseason AP Poll for the 2023 college football season dropped on Monday, yet another waypoint hit on the path to kickoff. The rankings also provide more ammunition for arguments about tough schedules, trap games and the like.
A number of the teams ranked in the Top 25 will be squaring off throughout the year, mostly in conference matchups: Alabama vs. Tennessee, Michigan vs. Ohio State, Clemson vs. Florida State, and the like. But there’s no shortage of top-shelf non-conference bouts between teams in the Top 25 of the preseason AP Poll.
It’s worth noting that by the time some of these matchups happen, the rankings will be vastly different and some of these teams could even be unranked.
Games listed in chronological order
No. 5 LSU vs. No. 8 Florida State (neutral) — Sept. 3
No game in Week 1 will carry as much weight in the race for the College Football Playoff as the showdown in the sunshine state between Florida State and LSU, played in Orlando. The Tigers lost by one point on a blocked PAT in the season opener in New Orleans in 2022.
Both teams return dynamic starting quarterbacks in Jayden Daniels and Jordan Travis. The Seminoles have a little more offensive punch on paper between returners and transfer portal additions, but LSU will have no shortage of players who can hang. The winner of this matchup will have a massive early addition to their CFP resume.
No. 11 Texas at No. 4 Alabama — Sept. 9
In another one-point heartbreaker, the Longhorns came within a few plays and a Quinn Ewers injury of beating the Crimson Tide in Week 2 last season at Darrell K Royal Stadium. Now Texas will pay Alabama a return trip to Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Texas is favored to win the Big 12 and has all the requisite talent to rise to a level where the Longhorns can be in the hunt for a College Football Playoff berth. But beating Alabama at home under Nick Saban is easier said than done, plus the Crimson Tide are on the warpath to return to the CFP, themselves.
No. 8 Florida State at No. 9 Clemson — Sept. 23
The second half of Florida State’s action-packed September is a trip to Death Valley to play Clemson. The Tigers have been a bugaboo for the Seminoles in ACC play for the better part of a decade.
Clemson has slipped the past two years in not making the CFP. But the Tigers have an ACC title-caliber team as usual and Dabo Swinney’s team won’t easily cede conference hegemony to Mike Norvell and his Florida State team primed to ascend.
No. 7 Penn State at No. 3 Ohio State — Oct. 21
Penn State and Ohio State have played in some classic games of late, packed with highlights and memorable moments. Last season it was Ohio State defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau going off for a pair of defensive scores and a generally game-wrecking performance.
Despite being a feisty thorn in the Buckeyes side, Penn State hasn’t actually found much success against the Buckeyes. The Nittany Lions have beaten the Buckeyes once in the last decade and haven’t won in Columbus since 2011.
No. 12 Tennessee at No. 4 Alabama — Oct. 21
Tennessee exorcised some demons in 2022, beating Alabama for the first time in 16 years as part of a red-hot run prior to Hendon Hooker’s torn ACL. It’s a safe bet that Alabama will be out for some blood as the rivalry returns to Tuscaloosa for the 2023 college football season.
As Alabama is seemingly poised to pivot back to a more grinding style of offense, it could be an antidote to the high-paced, high-octane Tennessee passing attack. Plus, Jalin Hyatt isn’t around to burn down the Alabama secondary this time.
No. 5 LSU at No. 4 Alabama — Nov. 4
This rivalry has produced some great matchups of late and the 2022 edition was no exception. LSU pulled off an overtime stunner over the Crimson Tide, something of a signature win for Brian Kelly in Year 1.
Now the expectations are ratcheted up for LSU, with some picking them over Alabama to win the West. To do that, the Tigers will likely need to head into Tuscaloosa for what could be a Top 10 showdown in the AP Poll for SEC West supremacy.
No. 10 Washington at No. 6 USC — Nov. 4
These two teams haven’t played since 2019 and a lot has changed since then — including the future conference affiliation of the two teams. But that probably won’t be front of mind when they meet up this year given the caliber of quarterback at hand.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the reigning Heisman winner and needs little introduction beyond that. But Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. actually finished ahead of Williams in passing in 2022 — this has all the makings of a Pac-12 bout filled with fireworks between two teams atop the AP Poll.
No. 2 Michigan at No. 7 Penn State — Nov. 11
After grinding out a 21-17 win over Penn State in 2021 in Happy Valley, Michigan walloped the Nittany Lions, 44-17, last season in Ann Arbor. The 2023 edition of this divisional matchup should be more like the former, not the latter.
Penn State has a deep, talented front seven on defense and a stud running back duo, but a question to be answered at quarterback. Michigan has all that, minus the quarterback questions. Two of potentially the best teams in the country squaring off is plenty — plus, a division title might hinge on this game.
No. 1 Georgia at No. 12 Tennessee — Nov. 18
A home game against Tennessee was Georgia’s biggest test a year ago prior to the postseason and the Bulldogs passed with flying colors. A trip to Neyland Stadium in 2023 could again make the game against the Volunteers the trickiest on Georgia’s schedule, ranked in the AP Poll or not.
The Bulldogs should have their starting quarterback well squared away and a verdict on Joe Milton’s third act as a starting quarterback will likely be in. If Milton lives up to the hype, Tennessee could very well push Georgia to the limit in a massive SEC game with the division most likely hanging in the balance.
No. 3 Ohio State at No. 2 Michigan — Nov. 25
The last two matchups in The Game have been Top 5 showdowns and 2023 figures to be much of the same, as seemingly only Penn State has a real shot to gum up the works. It could very well be a pair of 11-0 squads taking the field in Ann Arbor two days after Thanksgiving.
Michigan has stunned Ohio State in back-to-back seasons, pummeling the Buckeyes on the ground in 2021 and burning them with big plays in 2022 en route to 20-point-plus margins of victory. Michigan brings back a loaded roster and Ohio State will have a first-year quarterback, but things lined up favorably for Ohio State the last two seasons only for it to unravel against an arch-rival.
Other showdowns of teams in the AP Poll
There are some other high-caliber showdowns scheduled for the 2023 college football season based on the AP Poll, such as Ohio State taking a trip to play No. 13 Notre Dame in Week 4 or USC’s every-other-year trip to play the Irish. Plus, plenty of teams will rise into the rankings, setting up ranked matchups well off the radar in the preseason. And one thing is for certain with the preseason AP Top 25 Poll out: College football is very close to returning.