The Ten Games That Will Shape the 2009 College Football Season

(Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images)

This game will show if the Dawgs did enough in the spring to recover from their personnel losses...after all...they do still have A.J. Green.

5. Alabama @ Virginia Tech on Sept. 5 in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic

For the second year in a row, Chick-fil-A is sponsoring a huge match-up to the begin the season in the Georgia Dome.

Last year's win for Alabama was a major factor leading to that No. 1 ranking the Crimson Tide enjoyed most of the season. If the Hokies win this game, they could be staring down the National Championship the rest of the season.

4. Utah @ Oregon on Sept. 19

Utah will be gunning for national respect and a ranking high enough and early enough to get them to the BCS Championship Game.

An early win over the always-crafty Ducks will help them do just that. Oregon, on the other hand, will be building on last season as they try to unseat USC and the kings of the Pac-10.

3. Florida @ LSU on Oct. 10

Tim Tebow's final trip to Tiger Stadium will no doubt be one for the ages. With the expectation of the '08 game, the Tigers and the Gators battle always battle each other tough normally with conference and national implications. 2009 should be no different.

2. USC @ Ohio State on Sept. 12

Don't expect this game to turn out like the '08 game did. With a more seasoned Terrelle Pryor and the crowd in the Horseshoe, Ohio State proved in the Fiesta Bowl they will not lay down.

USC will also be breaking in a new QB this game, which really doesn't mean much, as USC is an NFL QB factory.

1. Oklahoma @ Texas on Oct. 17 from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX 

Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy return for one last heavyweight match up in The Red River Shootout. The air is always hostile and given the manner in which the BCS played out last season, the atmosphere will be even more hostile.

This game once again will play into the division, conference, and national title pictures. Only next year, I'm sure more people will pay more attention to the scoreboard.

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