September college football games to get excited about now

As June brings conversation of dads and grads, your Throw The Flag podcast remains focused on the first few weeks of the greatest sport in the known universe.  We’re still 87 days away from the season kicking off, but it’s never too early to get excited about college football. With that in mind, here are September college football games to get excited about right now.

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Now, here are the games scheduled for the first week of the season that will get you excited right now. The mere thought of these contests should get us all through the next 12 weeks.

Let’s be honest. These games are merely prelude until fans sink their teeth into Alabama’s trip to Texas on Sept. 10. If the Tide wins, it’ll be their first time to beat Texas without winning a national championship in the process.

NOTRE DAME @ OHIO STATE (Sept. 3)

Notre Dame is just about as likeable as a team as they’ve ever been. With new coach Marcus Freeman, the Irish will make it a very long season for every other team with a statement win against Ohio State. The Buckeyes can absorb a loss here and still be in the title hunt, but Quarterback CJ Stroud will be motivated to avoid any early black marks on his Heisman resume.

NEBRASKA vs NORTHWESTERN (Aug. 27)

We’re admittedly cheating with this one. It’s in August and it’s between two teams who will end up with losing records. But it’s in Ireland! There are a slate of other games, but unless you’re strapping in for Duquesne at Florida State or staying up for Vanderbilt to visit Hawaii, this is going to be the main event in college football’s Week Zero.

FLORIDA STATE vs LSU (Sept. 4)

While the two teams are pretty far away from their past brilliance, this is a unique matchup that will be fun to see. New coach Brian Kelly gets his first test against FSU’s Mike Norvell, who begins his season on the hot seat. The two teams have played only nine times, the most recent contest taking place in 1991. The game will be played on a neutral field in New Orleans, which adds up to a free home game for the Tigers.

OREGON vs GEORGIA (Sept. 3)

This one has the most potential to be a letdown. It’s the SEC-colored glasses we’re wearing, but every Pac-12 team turns out to be a disappointment. For years, we’ve heard Oregon is back. If the game gets out of hand early, it won’t take long for fans and sportswriters to write off not only Oregon, but its entire conference. That, in itself, is worth the price of admission. Georgia will have to travel only 70 miles to the neutral site in Atlanta.

WEST VIRGINIA @ PITT (Sept. 3)

The Backyard Brawl is back for the first time since 2011! Will this game matter in the grand scheme of the college football season? No. There’s a small chance we’ll see a couch set aflame or a Gatorade bath involving ketchup. Should either of those happen, we’ll all be winners. Even the losers.

CINCINNATI @ ARKANSAS (Sept. 3)

Arkansas is the only other SEC school to field a legitimate opponent in week one. Coming fresh off a playoff appearance, the Bearcats will try to prove to the world that they’re not just another UCF. Arkansas will try to build on their 9-4 record last season, which was good enough to get them third in the SEC West (4-4).

PENN STATE @ PURDUE (Sept. 3)

Penn State is rebuilding and has ceded perennial Big 10 runner-up status to Michigan. If they let Purdue notch a victory in the first week, the Boilermakers could gather up the steam to make a run at the division.

What did we get wrong? What games are you looking forward to? Let us know on Twitter or Instagram. Listen to Throw the Flag below or wherever you get your podcasts.