Ready For Some Football?: The 50 Biggest College Football Games of '09

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

10.  USC at Oregon (Oct. 31):  Although Cal might have something to say about it, looking at Oregon's schedule it appears the Ducks have the best chance of dethroning USC. For Oregon to make that happen they'll have to take care of the Trojans at home; Autzen is known to get loud and the Ducks will need it to beat a reloaded USC team that should be firing on all cylinders by Halloween.

9.  Alabama at Mississippi (Oct. 10):  If not for LSU's exceptionally tough conference schedule they'd probably be the favorites to take the SEC West. While there's no reason to rule the Tigers out, the winner of this game might have the best shot at the West title. Last year Alabama nipped Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa, now Jevan Snead and the Rebels get a second chance to drop 'Bama, this time in Oxford.

8.  Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (Oct. 17):  The Hokies make their second trip to Atlanta for what might be the biggest game in the ACC this year; if Virginia Tech's first visit there goes well there's a good chance both teams could be unbeaten and ranked in the top ten. Not only would the Hokies' national title hopes be on the line but quite possibly the ACC Coastal division crown too. Miami and North Carolina will certainly be factors but right now it looks like by the end of the 17th, we'll have a clear favorite in the Coastal.

7.  Texas at Oklahoma State (Oct. 31):  Last year Texas barely escaped their top ten battle with the Cowboys despite playing at home. Now the Longhorns must head to Stillwater in their last really big game of the regular season. Both teams already have to compete with the Sooners for the Big 12 South crown so any win against another contender is crucial. Oklahoma State hopes that playing at home this time around will be just what they need to put them over the top and knock off Texas.

6.  Ohio State at Penn State (Nov. 7):  November 7th should definitely be the most anticipated game in the Big Ten this year and probably decide who wins the conference title. Penn State is lucky enough to play their toughest game at home; looking at their a rather soft schedule, the Buckeyes might be the only obstacle in the way of an undefeated season for Joe Pa's Nittany Lions.

5.  Oregon at Boise State (Sept. 3):  A Thursday night game in Boise kicks the 2009 college football season off with style. Oregon and Boise State have big dreams this year and a win against a fellow top 15 team would be a nice way to start. Boise State will be playing in one of the most hyped games in school history and if they can knock off the Ducks on the blue turf, they'll have a pretty good chance at running the table. Hopefully the myriad of oddly mixed colors don't cause too many headaches.        

   Bronco fans can hardly wait for Oregon on the blue turf.

4.  USC at Ohio State (Sept. 12):  USC pays a visit to Columbus for one of the most anticipated non conference match ups in '09. No doubt a win would be huge for either team but it would probably show more about Pete Carroll's ability to keep the Trojans "rebuilding year" proof. On the other hand, if Ohio State wins a lot of people might talk about how USC was breaking in a new quarterback and retooling their defense. That said, anytime you can take down the Trojans you've got to feel pretty good, home or away.

3.  Florida at LSU (Oct. 10):  Possibly the only thing Tim Tebow has yet to accomplish is leading his Gators through a season undefeated. A road trip to Baton Rouge to square off with LSU in what should be an absolutely raucous atmosphere, might be the biggest challenge to a perfect season for Florida. Death Valley is consistently one of the toughest places to play in all of college football; the Gators better hope this isn't a night game or they may not be able to hear themselves think on the field.

2.  Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Sept. 5):  The Chick-fil-A College Kickoff should provide an entertaining ACC vs. SEC battle in Atlanta to start the college football season. Both teams will be ranked in the top ten to start the season and the winner should move into the top five if they're not already there. A Virginia Tech win would be a huge boost for the ACC's image, but both teams realize they need the win if they want to be considered legitimate National Championship contenders.

1.  Oklahoma vs. Texas (Oct. 17):  If LSU manages to stun Florida seven days prior to these two squaring off in Dallas, this game could possibly become a No. 1 vs No. 2 play-in game for a spot in the national championship. Even if they're "only" ranked second and third when they meet this is still arguably the biggest game in 2009. October 17th could make or break Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford's Heisman Trophy run as well as their team's shot at the Big 12 South crown, never mind national title hopes.

*Hopefully you enjoyed the list and I didn't miss too many big games.  Wow, I'm ready for some college football.

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