There are several different attacks happening on your lawn in the fall. Sticks, pine cones, gumballs, acorns, leaves and pine straw are a few of the major culprits. These items must be removed in order to optimize your lawn's potential. Fall cleanup can be done with a blower or a rake of course, but a blower is the best way to get all the debris out off the nooks and crannies in the quickest way possible. My favorite leaf blowers are an even tie: I like the Echo PB651-T, which you can't get anymore and I like the Stihl BR600 magnum, which is a quieter model that is available at your local lawn and garden supply store.
One thing I see people doing is running the riding mower over a yard full of debris. The intent here (and the misconception in most cases) is that this "mulching" of the leaves is good for the lawn, somehow easier to do than rake, and perhaps even more environmentally friendly. In my many years of experience with lawn care, it is in my opinion that I state that I believe that this method is faulty. It seems to me that mulch mowing the debris creates a thin layer of lawn suppressing garbage as opposed to a more chunky layer of grass killing garbage. Heavy riding mowers exacerbate the problem because the heaviness and the wide tires push the debris into the soil. Pushing acorns, sticks and pine cones into the turf is a sure way to kill that spot in the season to come (grass will not grow on top of a pine cone). Although using the riding mower and getting those yard guy juices flowing seems like a great idea, in my opinion you'd be much better off buying a quality backpack blower, blowing the leaves into a pile, raking that onto a $9 tarp and dragging it to the street or a natural area.
There are also various treatments that you might consider in the Fall. Lime, for instance, might be a good pick if your pH is off, if you see moss, or if you have onions...and often times, in yards that have a lot of washout or pine trees, lime application is a good choice for this time of year. One lawn treatment service that I consider to be a basic need is pre-emergent. Pre-emergent granules can be a critical part of the annual treatment regime in that they "prevent" winter weeds from emerging. This often overlooked treatment also has post emergent properties to a lesser extent and a slight amount of seasonal fertilizer.
In summary, if you have an abundance of leaves, pinecones, or the like in your yard, do your lawn a favor in the spring to come and do the leaf removal with a backpack blower. The job will be done much faster, much easier, and more thorough than other methods like raking. Take the time to manually pick up the heavier debris like sticks and pinecones. Carefully gather acorns with a rake or take the time to blow acorns into a pile so you can collect them and remove them. Spend some time working on your yard in the fall and your lawn will be on its way to being more lush and beautiful for your enjoyment in the spring to come!
