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It’s time to exit offseason hibernation, college football fans.

Week 1 is finally here, with college football games on tap throughout Labor Day weekend. The top five matchups are highlighted below, along with our sportsbook promo codes, which score customers up to $3,400 in bonus bets.

Read our Alabama odds preview and Auburn odds preview to learn what you can expect from the Crimson Tide and Tigers this year.

Best CFB Week 1 matchups: No. 5 LSU (-2.5) vs. Florida State

While Florida State is listed as the home team, this is a neutral-site game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Sunday night.

These teams squared off in Week 1 of the 2022 season, competing in a game for the ages. LSU had the hometown advantage at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, but it wasn’t enough to squeak past the Seminoles as Florida State won 24-23.

Following the game, Brian Kelly was mocked for losing his LSU debut to an inferior opponent. But the Tigers finished the year with a 9-3 regular season record, winning the SEC West.

Dual-threat QB Jayden Daniels fueled LSU’s success, and he’s got the second-best odds to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy. WR Malik Nabers also returns after a 1,017-yard campaign.

Entering his sixth season and leading the Seminoles is QB Jordan Travis. The Florida native posted career numbers in 2022, and replicating those stats would put FSU in contention to knock off reigning ACC champion Clemson.

Top Week 1 CFB games: No. 9 Clemson (-13) vs. Duke

This is a true home game for Duke, as Clemson travels to Wallace Wade Stadium on Monday night.

Dabo Swinney has built a juggernaut program at Clemson but has fallen short of expectations in recent years. The Tigers’ last College Football Playoff appearance came in 2021 and its most recent National Championship appearance was in 2020.

QB D.J. Uiagalelei transferred to Oregon State, and Cade Klubnik will be Clemson’s starter in 2023. In 10 games last season, Klubnik threw for 697 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. The 19-year-old’s only start resulted in a 31-14 loss to Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.

The Blue Devils made noise last season, finishing above .500 for the first time since 2018. Duke’s 9-4 campaign was highlighted by wins over Miami, Wake Forest, and UCF.

Duke lost just one game at Wallace Wade Stadium, giving upset potential to the matchup with Clemson.

Best Saturday CFB matchups: No. 21 North Carolina (-2.5) vs. South Carolina

This neutral-site matchup takes place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte and hosts the opening edition of ESPN’s College GameDay show.

Head coach Mack Brown has revived his career, returning to Chapel Hill for a fifth-straight season after coaching the Tar Heels for 10 years from 1988 to 1997. North Carolina relies heavily on its offense, led by Heisman-favorite QB Drake Maye.

Maye’s 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns were tops in the ACC last year.

Head coach Shane Beamer has successfully turned South Carolina’s program around, notching back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2017 and 2018. The Gamecock’s are also an offensive-reliant squad, led by QB Spencer Rattler.

Rattler threw for 3,026 yards and 18 touchdowns but forced too many throws, resulting in an SEC-leading 12 interceptions.

Expect the scoreboard to light up Saturday night in Charlotte.

Top CFB Saturday games: Boise State vs. No. 10 Washington (-14)

This Mountain West vs. Pac-12 showdown kicks off Saturday afternoon at Husky Stadium in Seattle.

Washington had a resurgent 2022 campaign under head coach Kalen DeBoer, winners of 11 games for just the second time since 2000. The Huskies averaged an eye-popping 39 points per game, the seventh-most in college football.

QB Michael Penix lit it up with 4,641 yards, the second-most in NCAAF, and is a Heisman favorite. However, the Huskies must find a way to get it done without starting RB Cam Davis, who suffered a season-ending injury in practice last week.

Washington will have no cakewalk in Week 1 vs. Andy Avalos’ Boise State squad. The Broncos went 9-3 last year, losing the Mountain West Championship but triumphing in the Frisco Bowl.

Alabama betting odds: Crimson Tide (-39.5) vs. Middle Tennessee

Alabama’s quest for a National Championship begins Saturday night at Bryant-Denny Stadium vs. Middle Tennessee. ESPN Analytics gives the Tide a 98.9% chance to win, and this game will undoubtedly be a blowout.

The intrigue comes in seeing Alabama’s offense, as Nick Saban is expected to revert back to a run-heavy attack. Saban said he will not release the team’s depth chart ahead of Week 1 to avoid distractions in the locker room, but QB Jalen Milroe is the anticipated starter.

Senior RBs Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams will get a bulk of the carries following the duo’s combined 905 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022.

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