Clemson vs. Florida State is a top 2023 matchup

Something you’ll hear a ton about heading into the 2023 college football season is the battle for the top spot in the ACC between Clemson and Florida State.

While there are no guarantees that the season will end with these two powerhouse programs battling it out for conference glory, they are far and away the favorites to do so. Right now, the popular opinion is that Florida State will make its long-awaited return to the top of the ACC, being the best team the conference has to offer in 2023. The talent is there, but Dabo Swinney and the Tigers also boast a tremendous amount of talent with a ceiling that we can’t quite pinpoint yet. 

The Tigers’ offense is going through a major transition with the addition of 2022 Broyles Award winner Garrett Riley, who could unlock the potential of starting quarterback Cade Klubnik. Florida State may be the popular choice to win the conference right now. Still, Clemson’s potential is something that no one can deny. 

The Tigers and Seminoles’ Week 4 matchup in Death Valley could be the biggest game of the season in the entire ACC. 247Sports Carter Bahns recently released an article stating the ten biggest games in 2023, with this matchup ranking No.5.

The ACC dropped its divisional format ahead of the 2023 season, following the Pac-12’s lead from a year ago. Under the new structure, both Florida State and Clemson could earn a conference title game berth as they no longer have to compete within the Atlantic Division. That potential security blanket does slightly diminish the stakes of this September 23 matchup, but the game will be one of the biggest on the college football schedule nonetheless. It is among the earliest ranked-on-ranked conference games of the year and should provide insight into whether or not Florida State’s rise in 2022 will lead to a full-on breakthrough this year.

The ACC will be one of the most exciting conferences to watch in 2023, with these two teams at the top of the conference. This…