The college football season started in earnest three weeks ago with the traditional Labor Day weekend festivities, but that really was only an appetizer for what's happening on the first day of fall.
Saturday's college football feast has enough big matchups to last the whole day
College football insider: Florida State vs. Clemson; Colorado vs. Oregon, Ohio State vs. Notre Dame and Penn State vs. Iowa to name a few.
September 22, 2023 at 3:31AM
Saturday's weather forecast in the Twin Cities calls for temperatures in the mid-70s and a 40% chance of rain. If you're a college football junkie and an Avid Indoorsman like I am, the weather doesn't matter. Park your posterior on your Chesterfield, kick your feet up and savor a 14-hour stretch that includes 'Noles-Clemson, Coach Prime vs. Team Nike, Hotty Toddy vs. Roll Tide, Buckeyes vs. Fighting Irish and a Penn State White Out vs. Iowa.
Pro Tip I: Get yourself to your local Radio Shack or wherever they sell batteries and buy some Triple-A's for your remote, just to be safe.
Pro Tip II: If your significant other asks if you're going to mow the lawn Saturday, the proper response is: "Since the Vikings are struggling, I promise to mow the lawn during the first half tomorrow so I can watch college football today." And don't forget. Take that advice from a divorced man.
You can start your football binge with a top-tier ACC matchup when No. 4 Florida State visits Clemson (11 a.m., ABC). The Seminoles are the trendy pick to dethrone the Tigers, who've won seven of the past eight conference titles but fell 28-7 to Duke in the season opener. Florida State will try to add another big win to its 45-24 opening triumph over LSU.
There are a couple of other solid options at 11 a.m. Auburn visits Texas A&M (ESPN), where coach Jimbo Fisher is feeling the heat from last season's 5-7 record and an early loss to Miami (Fla.). Unbeaten Rutgers travels to No. 2 Michigan (BTN), where two years ago the Scarlet Knights gave the Wolverines a big scare before falling 20-13.
Your clicker will get a workout with a trio of 2:30 p.m. games to watch. No. 19 Colorado visits No. 10 Oregon (ABC) in the biggest game so far for Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders. Colorado will be without two-way star Travis Hunter, but quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion's son, has thrust himself into Heisman Trophy consideration by passing for 417 yards per game and 10 touchdowns.
No. 15 Ole Miss travels to No. 13 Alabama (2:30 p.m., CBS), where the Crimson Tide are in the unfamiliar position of having a loss in September and are coming off a lackluster effort in a 17-3 win at South Florida.
The Pac-12, in its final season as presently constructed, has eight teams in the AP Top 25 and three games Saturday feature two ranked teams. No. 22 UCLA visits No. 11 Utah (2:30 p.m., FOX) in a matchup of defenses that are surrendering 10.0 and 10.3 points per game.
No. 14 Oregon State ventures to No. 21 Washington State (6 p.m., FOX) in a matchup of Pac-12 orphans. The Beavers and Cougars are meeting for the first time with both teams ranked in the AP Top 25.
Arkansas travels to No. 12 LSU (6 p.m., ESPN), and the showstopper in this game is Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels, who leads the SEC in total offense (377.7 yards per game).
If Gophers-Northwestern (6:30 p.m., BTN) isn't your thing, the main attractions are Saturday at 6:30, when No. 6 Ohio State visits No. 9 Notre Dame (NBC) and No. 24 Iowa faces No. 7 Penn State (CBS) in the Beaver Stadium White Out. Both games carry College Football Playoff ramifications.
For your nightcap, try some Pac-12 After Dark. No. 5 USC visits Arizona State (9:30 p.m., FOX), where Trojans QB Caleb Williams should put up big numbers. Cal travels to No. 8 Washington (9:30 p.m., ESPN), a game that features the nation's leading passer in the Huskies' Michael Penix Jr. (444 yards per game).
There you have it. Enjoy.
The Nittany Lions converted on three fourth downs while protecting a one-point lead to keep the Gophers from getting the ball back.
