Who is playing in the 2023 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game?

This year’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game will be an incredibly ACC-centric neutral-site contest again.

What if I told you it will be all about the ACC in this year’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game once again?

Since the dawn of the popular neutral-site game, first at the old Georgia Dome and now at majestic Mercedes-Benz Stadium, it has always featured either an ACC or an SEC team, sometimes both, dating back to 2008 when Alabama took on Clemson. This makes sense because Georgia is home to an SEC program, as well as one over in the ACC. So what about a double-down?

For the second year in a row, we will be getting a conference game in its entirety in Atlanta, as Georgia Tech will take on its new annual rival Louisville. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 1. Last year saw traditional rivals Clemson take on Georgia Tech in the second of two games.

So who all is playing in the 2023 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta this season?

The game might mean slightly more being an ACC conference game, but I think attendance could be absolutely dreadful for this one. Usually, an SEC team will be able to hold up its end of the bargain, whether that be Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss or Tennessee. As far as the ACC is concerned, you need to hope Clemson or Florida State are playing in it, or Miami is looking strong…

While Georgia Tech and Louisville fans have reasons to be optimistic this year with Brent Key and Jeff Brohm taking over the respective alma maters full-time now, are you going to tune into this game if you are a casual fan of the sport? Frankly, one of these two teams could be back on its way towards relevancy, but both have plenty of work to do. Maybe a win will get either one going?

The other strange part about this year’s Kickoff Game is that there isn’t a second. Dating back to 2012, we occasionally will get two of these during Labor Day Weekend, including a pair of games in the last two seasons. Alabama crushed Miami and Ole Miss defeated Louisville in 2021, while Georgia clobbered Oregon and Clemson did the same to the Ramblin’ Wreck. Why not do it again?

Look. I understand that the Yellow Jackets play right down the road at Bobby Dodd Stadium, but they haven’t done anything in the last several years to lead us to believe they can draw a number on cable TV. It has everything to do with the complete buffoonery the program experienced under Geoff Collins. Key might have what it takes to return Tech to respectability as a top-25 program.

As for Louisville, you have to like the massive upgrade of Brohm over opportunist Scott Satterfield.