September Danger Zone: Early Tests for College Football's Top Teams

September usually proves to be a so-so time for college football fans.

On one hand, it's the long awaited and much anticipated return of the game we all love as we watch our favorite teams and players take the field once again.

While on the other hand, conference play has yet to hit its stride and many times we can be left with top-tier teams dominating lesser and lower level opponents (that 56-to-3 Florida-Troy game was fun, right?).

However, this year, we as a fan base have been blessed with some great early-season action.

Lucky for us, but not so lucky for the coaches and teams that have to make sure they're prepared for the rigors of the gridiron right from the get-go.

Let's take a look at some of the toughest September games for college football's preseason top 20 teams (based off Lindy's early rankings).

20. Miami Hurricanes

At PITT (Sept. 23)

It has taken over six years, but now the time finally seems right for the Panthers and Canes to renew their old Big East rivalry.

The Thursday night game looks to be a tough test for both squads, and the benefit of playing at Heinz Field should help the Panthers a great deal.

Both teams will have 11 days to prepare for the showdown, but the fact that PITT gets FCS New Hampshire while the Canes have to bring their A game against Ohio State leading up to this contest could very well give the the Panthers the upper hand in game planning.

19. West Virginia Mountaineers

At LSU (Sept. 25)

The Mountaineers looked to make their statement last year that the boys from the Big East could hang in the dangerous conditions of the SEC when they took on Auburn at Jordan Hare Stadium.

The Blue and Gold started off like gangbusters but eventually "screened" their way out of a chance to beat Auburn in consecutive years, falling 41-30.

They look for redemption this year with an early-season tilt down in Baton Rouge against LSU.

This will only be West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith's fourth game as the starter and needless to say Smith, who at one time was offered a scholarship by LSU, will have to adapt quickly to the pressures of Death Valley.

West Virginia is a solid team with the capability of putting up a fight. If they can come away with a victory, it would go a long way toward restoring the credibility of the Big East conference, which has come under scrutiny recently.

18. LSU Tigers

Vs. North Carolina in Atlanta (Sept. 4)

Speaking of those LSU Tigers, they have a fight to worry about long before the Mountaineers come to town.

The Tigers have the distinct pleasure of opening up their season against the most talent-laden defense in the entire nation in the form of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

UNC is one of the rare teams outside of the SEC to have a defense that possesses that kind of size, speed, and strength; now it's time to show what they're made of.

Jordan Jefferson, good luck!

17. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Vs. North Carolina State (Sept. 25)

Is this year Tom O'Brien finally takes the Wolfpack to "breakout" status?

Is this the year the ACC catches up with Paul Johnson's flexbone offense?

If both scenarios play out, it could spell disaster for a Yellow Jackets team that'll probably be coming into this game a little wounded from a showdown with North Carolina the week before.

N.C. State doesn't boast a defense as strong as their in-state counterparts, but they do have a great equalizer in mobile quarterback Russell Wilson.

It wouldn't be shocking to see the defending champs go down in back-to-back weekends to ACC foes.

16. Arkansas Razorbacks

At Georgia (September 18th)

For a team that finished ninth in rushing defense in the SEC during the 2009 season, the last thing Arkansas will want to see is the tandem of Caleb King and Washaun Ealey. Especially with those two running behind a big and experienced line like the one Georgia has.

Jerry Franklin, Jake Bequette, and the rest of the Razorbacks defense will have their hands full trying to contain the Bulldog rushing attack.

If Mark Richt's crew can keep it on the ground and out of the hands of QB Ryan Mallett, they could very well ruin Arkansas' chance at a dream season.

15. Oregon Ducks

At Tennessee (September 11th)

Don't expect Chip Kelly to be overlooking the Volunteers just because the rest of America is.

Walking into an intimidating environment of 100,000 screaming SEC fans with a new starting quarterback is never an easy proposition.

Tennessee has the talent to compete with Oregon, and the benefit of home field advantage helps tremendously.

If players like Chris Walker and Janzen Jackson can help keep running back, LaMichael James, in check during his return; Derek Dooley could end up with his first statement win in Knoxville earlier than expected.

14. Pitt Panthers

At Utah (September 2nd)

I'll say it right now, I think Utah QB, Jordan Wynn, has a chance to be a very special player. The type of player in fact, that can give a team like PITT a whole bunch of headaches.

If Wynn can move around well enough to neutralize PITT's pass rushing tandem of Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard, we could be looking at this year's version of Boise over Oregon.

13. North Carolina Tar Heels

Vs. Georgia Tech (September 18th)

No matter how the much anticipated matchup against LSU turns out, it really has no bearing on North Carolina's biggest goal.

The ACC Championship.

Yes, this year the Tar Heels look to be a solid contender for their first conference Championship in thirty years.

To reach the goal, they will have to get through the defending champs, Georgia Tech, in their first conference clash of the season.

This will only be North Carolina's second game of the year as they have the benefit of a bye week after the LSU game.

That could serve them well as they will have time to both recuperate and prepare in their quest to redeem last year's 24-7 loss at the hands of the boys from Atlanta.

This matchup will be an early measuring stick to show if the Heels really have what it takes to take control of the ACC Coastal Division.

12. USC Trojans

At Minnesota (September 18th)

The great unknown.

That's exactly what Lane Kiffin's first USC squad is.

Pete Carroll's Trojan teams would never dream of losing to a team like Minnesota but with Kiffin all bets are off.

2,000 mile cross country trips are never fun for Pac-10 teams and if this game is green lighted with the dreaded early start time then the Trojans really better take caution.

Playing as the underdogs with nothing to lose in front of your home crowd is always a fun role to be in.

Tim Brewster's Gophers could be having themselves a party in Minneapolis if they play this one just right and catch the West Coast Trojans with a case of homesickness.

11. Nebraska Cornhuskers

At Washington (September 18th)

Nebraska looks like it has the makings to be this year's preseason "it" team.

After their showing in last year's Big 12 Championship and Holiday Bowl, it's well deserved but it also brings on some added pressure.

That pressure will come to a head early in the season as the Cornhuskers head up to Washington in September to try and contain college football's new found golden boy, Jake Locker.

If Locker is the real deal, will often shaky Nebraska quarterback, Zac Lee, have enough to last in a shootout with the future franchise signal caller?

It seems unlikely. Therefore, the black shirt's stout defense, led by Jared Crick, will need to get to Locker early and often to keep him from breaking loose.

10. Iowa Hawkeyes

At Arizona (September 18th)

The Iowa Hawkeyes are a team that wins ugly and those teams are neither fun to watch or safe to to bet on to go undefeated for very long.

Iowa is not a team built to light up a scoreboard or come back from large deficits.

If Nick Foles and company can get the offense rolling early, it will prove to be a not so fun adventure in the desert for Ricky Stanzi and company.

9. Oklahoma Sooners

Vs. Florida State (September 11th)

As of now, new Florida State head coach, Jimbo Fisher, has done and said everything he's supposed to. He's made friends with the boosters and looks to have put together a contender in the ACC (something Noles fans have been yearning for in recent years).

Now it comes time to get the results on the field.

After a nice warm up against Samford, it gets down to business pretty quick for Fisher and FSU as they head to Norman for a matchup with the mighty Sooners of Oklahoma.

Attitude is key for this game.

If Fisher has his young men prepared, Stoops and his squad could have a battle on their hands trying to stop Christian Ponder and get through an improving Seminole defense.

8. Virginia Tech Hokies

Vs. Boise State in Landover (September 6th)

Believe it or not, this game is more important for Va-Tech than it is for Boise.

Yes, the Broncos would like to go undefeated and keep kicking the butts of BCS squads but the expectations for this one lie firmly on the shoulders of the Hokies.

It's still not fashionable for a BCS program to lose to the likes of Boise no matter how highly they're regarded. Just ask Chip Kelly, who took a brunt of criticism after last year's dismal showing.

Will a patchwork defense, something you don't see too often for the Hokies, be able to get the job done against Kellen Moore, Jeremy Avery, and the rest of America's favorite underdogs?

7. TCU Horned Frogs

Vs. Baylor (September 18th)

TCU could be living off of last year's accomplishments as far as this year's Top 10 ranking is concerned and the Frogs may not have the talent this year to back up the expectations.

The defense loses some key players and that leaves some holes for a dynamic player like Robert Griffin to run through.

Even though Baylor may have been stuck in the Big 12 basement in recent years that doesn't mean they lack talent.

TCU should have their hands full for this Texas showdown.

6. Wisconsin Badgers

Vs. Arizona State (September 18th)

Arizona State may have fallen off during the last two years but their rush defense is certainly not to blame as the culprit.

John Clay will not have a fun time running into the awaiting hands of the powerful Lawrence Guy and Vontaze Burfict.

If Clay can't get it going on the ground will Scott Tolzien have enough to get it done for the Badgers through the air?

5. Florida Gators

Vs. Kentucky (September 25th)

Can you spell look ahead?

For the 2010 Florida Gators, it could be spelled K-E-N-T-U-C-K-Y.

With the ultimate revenge game against Alabama set for the Saturday after, John Brantley and the Gators best not forget the Wildcats are coming to town before hand.

Randall Cobb will remember to show up, Derrick Locke will remember to show up, and you can bet that the rest of the UK team, who all remember last year's 41-7 embarrassment, will remember to show up as well.

4. Texas Longhorns

Vs. UCLA (September 25th)

Has anyone taken a good, hard look at Akeem Ayers lately?

The young man looks like he's been getting bigger and more athletic with each passing day.

Garrett Gilbert has shown us all he is capable of taking a hit with the best of them (National Championship game). Now the question becomes, can he take a beating and still pull out the victory for the Longhorns?

Ayers is going to make him find out the hard way.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes

Vs. Miami (September 11th)

Miami has been a roller coaster of a program since the turn of the millennium.

They have gone from top dogs to laughing stock and are now currently working their way back to respectability.

Wouldn't it be fitting to reverse the trend against the Buckeyes, the team that started their downward spiral from elite status of college football back in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl?

No Chris Gamble.

No phantom pass interferences.

This time, it's personal.

2. Boise State Broncos

Vs. Oregon State (September 25th)

It's not all hugs and kisses for the Broncos after their opening weekend test against Virginia Tech.

If Boise were to pull out a win on that Monday night in Maryland, it would become a moot point if they were unable to stop Jacquizz Rodgers and take care of business against the sneaky Beavers just a few games later.

Oregon State may be in a bit of a rebuilding year, but don't for a second doubt Rodger's ability to put a team on his back and carry them to a victory.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

At Arkansas (September 25th)

Ryan Mallett, the best QB in College Football?

In this writer's humble opinion, yes!

Mallett is the real deal, total package, or whatever cliche catchphrase you can come up with to describe him.

Thus, it looks like Nick Saban and the Tide drew the short end of the stick when it comes to their warm up for the big match up against Florida on October 2nd.

Mallett can sling it with the best of them, and when he's on his home turf, he can be almost unstoppable with a QB rating of 191.

Will Alabama's highly talented yet highly inexperienced defense be up for the challenge so early in the season?

We'll see.