Week 1 of the 2023 college football season is finally here. With an exciting slate of Saturday games in the rearview mirror, fans of college football look ahead to the long-awaited marquee matchup of No. 5 LSU football and No. 8 Florida State. Two Heisman candidates, Jayden Daniels and Jordan Travis, go head-to-head, and two title contenders begin a quest for a national title on Sunday night in Orlando.

However, no team has ever made the College Football Playoff after losing in Week 1. These are two of the best teams in the country, but can one of these teams' seasons end so soon?

Here are three LSU football predictions for Week 1:

 

3. Harold Perkins makes a huge impact

Harold Perkins was the No. 1 linebacker in his high school class. After making a big impact for LSU in 2022 as a true freshman, he's already one of the best defensive players in the country. Perkins played very little in last year's Week 0 matchup against Florida State. However, he has every right to feel like he could have changed the outcome of that game. He enters this year's game with a chip on his shoulder.

Perkins is the piece the LSU defense needs to contain Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis. He's an outstanding athlete with elite speed in pursuit. Look for the Tigers to mix up the way they use Perkins. Sometimes, he'll be a quarterback spy, sometimes he'll be an edge rusher. Regardless of where he lines up, Perkins is poised to give Travis hell for four quarters.

Containing Travis and making him uncomfortable is the key to LSU winning this game. Travis is dangerous with his legs and will exploit Florida State's matchup advantages on the outside if he has time to throw. Florida State has a lot of options offensively and loves to operate in the space in the middle of the field. Perkins has to patrol that area. He can disrupt the passing game and also has the speed to limit Travis' scrambling impact.

What will it take for Perkins to make a game-changing impact? Well, against the eventual champion Georgia Bulldogs in the 2022 SEC Championship Game, he had 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Expect Perkins to have a similar impact on this game. He will record 10+ tackles, at least one sack and another tackle for loss. Most importantly, Perkins is going to cause a big-time turnover in a critical moment, either by interception or forced fumble.

 

2. Johnny Wilson causes problems for LSU's secondary

Johnny Wilson is a matchup nightmare on the outside. Listed at 6-7, 235 lbs, he doesn't even really have an NFL comparison. He's like Calvin Johnson or Dez Bryant, but not quite as fast. He put up about 900 yards and five touchdowns in 2022, which is nothing crazy. However, he's Jordan Travis' go-to guy and should elevate his production significantly in 2023.

Wilson is a serious big-play threat and red zone target. More importantly for this matchup, he's a bailout option for Travis. LSU's front seven is going to get after the quarterback, but Travis is great at extending plays and throwing on the run. The weakest part of LSU's defense is the back end, and at any level of football, you can only lock up an elite receiver for so long.

When plays break down, Travis is bound to find his favorite target, and Wilson's immense catch radius makes him a really tough player to defend. Expect Wilson to frustrate LSU defenders all night and find the end zone a couple of times.

 

1. Jayden Daniels wins the game in the 4th quarter

There are certain players that just have that “it-factor.” Another gear they can reach when the lights are brightest and the stakes are highest. Jayden Daniels is one of those players.

After throwing for 2,381 yards and an even 10-10 touchdown-interception ratio at Arizona State in 2021, Daniels hit the transfer portal. He landed at LSU football, one of the biggest and best college football programs. He landed in the SEC, with a schedule full of Alabama, Tennessee and eventually Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. The moment was never too big for Daniels. He finished the year with 2,913 yards and 17 touchdowns to just three picks, adding another 11 scores on the ground.

During prime time against Alabama, Daniels delivered in the clutch. He delivered an electric 25-yard touchdown and a must-have 2-point conversion in overtime to beat the Crimson Tide. That's as high as the pressure gets in college football.

Daniels brings that same edge to this Florida State game. This matchup projects to be a dog-fight. LSU is favored by 2.5 points, and it's going to be close right down to the wire. The outcome will come down to which quarterback makes the big-time plays late in the game. While Jordan Travis is an excellent player, Jayden Daniels is more of a gamer. He's going to deliver when it matters most, because the moment won't be too big.

In a close game, expect Daniels to make a couple of big plays that just give LSU football the upper hand to win it late.

Score prediction: LSU 33, FSU 30