Four college football games to watch in September

Starting Thursday, college football arrives to rescue us from baseball and Tom Brady “settlement conferences” and all the other stuff that’s kept us occupied this summer. Here are four games you need to mark down on your calendar this month as appointment television.

Rankings are taken from the Associated Press preseason poll. Time and TV information included when available. All times are PST.

Sept. 5

No. 20 Wisconsin vs. No. 3 Alabama in Arlington, Tex. (5 p.m., ABC)

For just the second time in his tenure as the Crimson Tide’s head coach, Nick Saban enters the season with questions at quarterback. Jake Coker, a transfer from Florida State, is the only passer on Alabama’s roster to have thrown a collegiate pass, and by all accounts he appears to be the front-runner. But Saban has yet to make it official as of this writing. Whoever gets the call will face a Badgers team that’s on its third coach in four years - former Pitt coach Paul Chryst takes over for Gary Andersen after the latter’s shocking departure for Oregon State - but Wisconsin returns defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and a host of defensive starters from a unit that was fairly stout last season (excepting that slightly problematic 59-0 loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten title game). Also back: four-year starting quarterback Joel Stave, one of those guys that makes you say, “Wait, he’s still in college?”

Sept. 12

No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 7 Oregon (5 p.m., ABC)

The Spartans’ defense was potent as usual last season … except when they played good teams like Oregon, Ohio State and Baylor. Those three offensive powerhouses averaged 7.9 yards per play and 45.3 points against Michigan State. Everyone else on the schedule averaged 4.1 yards per play and 14.4 points per game. Throw in the fact that Pat Narduzzi - coach Mark Dantonio’s defensive coordinator for the past 11 seasons - took the Pitt vacancy and the defense could appear to be a question mark (though Michigan State’s front seven should again be nasty). The Ducks, of course, must replace Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota at quarterback, but whomever gets the call - it could be graduate transfer Vernon Adams, the runner-up for the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy the last two seasons - will have just a silly amount of skill-position weapons at his disposal.

Sept. 19

No. 14 LSU vs. No. 6 Auburn (12:30 p.m., CBS)

Will Muschamp flamed out as head coach at Florida, but it wasn’t because of his defense: The Gators ranked 15th nationally in total defense last year and allowed just 140 plays of at least 10 yards, the second-lowest number in the SEC behind LSU. Now Muschamp is Auburn’s defensive coordinator - and the nation’s highest-paid assistant, to boot - and the Tigers are seen by many as the favorite to win the SEC. Auburn’s defense was dreadful last season, ranking ninth or worse in every major statistical category in the SEC. LSU, meanwhile, led the SEC in yards allowed per game but registered only 19 sacks, the lowest number in the conference. Combined with an offense that ranked 13th out of 14 SEC teams the Tigers’ 8-5 record - which included a 41-7 loss to Auburn - shouldn’t have been a surprise. But Leonard Fournette (1,034 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns) is back to carry LSU on his shoulders.

Sept. 26

No. 15 Arizona State vs. No. 8 USC

The Sun Devils were on the list of teams that Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian slagged in his unfortunate pep-rally speech last weekend, so suddenly this early Pac-12 matchup gets some added luster. We’re just going to mention that Arizona State has beaten USC in three of their last four meetings - including last year, when the Trojans displayed the most hapless Hail Mary defense ever - and go from there. The Sun Devils return just about everyone from a team that nearly made the Pac-12 title game last year, including midseason quarterback replacement Mike Bercovici (12 touchdown passes, just four interceptions last season) and most of a defense that improved as the year went on. USC is just about back from NCAA-mandated scholarship limitations, and should get improvement from a young defense that could neither rush the quarterback nor defend long passes all that well last season.