Five College Football Teams Facing Brutal September Tests in 2025

Curt Weiler|published: Sun 17th August, 14:49 2025

Mar 21, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer gives directions during practice at the University Alabama Thursday. PHOTO USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES

For most teams, the college football season begins with a ramp-up.

Before the season kicks into full gear in October with conference play and the College Football Playoff race, a number of top-ranked teams will ease into the season with a soft September schedule loaded with cupcake opponents that won’t show us much about exactly what those teams are.

But it’s not the case across the board. Some teams are diving into the deep end with tough matchups that will prove to be early litmus tests.

Here are five teams you’ll be talking about in October.

Alabama

Year two of Kalen DeBoer’s tenure in Tuscaloosa should allow him to crawl a bit further out of Nick Saban’s sizable shadow. The Crimson Tide are installing a new starting quarterback in Ty Simpson but return standout receiver Ryan Williams (865 yards, eight touchdown catches in 2024).

No. 8 Alabama enters Week 1 as a 13.5-point favorite for its game at Florida State on Aug. 30. It then closes out the month with a tough test at No. 5 Georgia on Sept. 27.

Oregon

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during a timeout in the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Oregon looked like a strong contender to bring home that elusive first national title last season when it entered the CFP as the No. 1 seed with a 13-0 record. A 41-21 Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State ended that dream.

Now, the seventh-ranked Ducks are replacing Heisman finalist quarterback Dillon Gabriel and nine other players taken in April’s NFL Draft. After a month of warmup games against Oklahoma State, Northwestern and Oregon State, we’ll find out what the 2025 Ducks are made of when they play at No. 2 Penn State on Sept. 27.

Georgia

Georgia coach Kirby Smart speaks to the media on the first day of spring practice in Athens, Ga., on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. PHOTO USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES

After winning consecutive national titles in 2021 and 2022, No. 5 Georgia is looking to return to the mountaintop in 2025 after failing to make the final four-team CFP in 2023 and losing to Notre Dame in the 2024 CFP quarterfinals.

The Bulldogs will have a chance to prove they’re legitimate candidates in September when they play consecutive ranked SEC games: traveling to face No. 24 Tennessee on Sept. 13 before hosting Alabama to close out the month.

Miami

Nov 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes mascot Sebastian the Ibis leads the team onto the field before the game against the Duke Blue Devils at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck is now at Miami, replacing Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Beck suffered an elbow injury in his final game at UGA, but has recovered after offseason surgery and will have plenty of talent around him with the Hurricanes.

No. 10 Miami kicks off the 2025 season with a standalone home game vs. No. 6 Notre Dame on Aug. 31 and closes out September with a home game vs. No. 15 Florida on Sept. 20.

LSU

Nov 23, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) signals a first down against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Entering Brian Kelly’s fourth season as LSU head coach, he’s under pressure to live up to the program’s lofty expectations.

His ninth-ranked Tigers play three ranked opponents in the first five weeks of the season, opening at No. 4 Clemson, hosting Florida on Sept. 13 and playing at No. 21 Ole Miss on Sept. 27.