Preseason College Football: 15 Program Defining Games of 2010

Alabama opened the 2009 season by beating Virginia Tech 34-24. When that happened, I doubt there were many college football fans—LSU or Auburn fans aside—that had any doubts about the Tide marching right through their schedule and into the SEC Title game.

They proceeded to do just that, thus further establishing Nick Saban (and whichever team he's coaching in any given year) as a constant and gigantic presence on the college football landscape.

Meanwhile, in the Big Ten, while Iowa had a number of close games, they really seemed to define who their program was in their game against Michigan State.

A back-and-forth, low-scoring, primarily defensive game, punctuated by an exciting, last-second victory for the Hawkeyes.

On the other hand, the makeup of Bob Stoops and Oklahoma seemed to be defined early in the season, in a game against BYU.

In a game in which the Sooners' Heisman-contending quarterback went down with a shoulder injury, the young o-line took penalty after costly penalty, and Stoops made some questionable decisions , OU wound up losing 14-13.

The rest of their season was a mess of close losses and opportunities wasted, and ended with an 8-5 record. Certainly, eight wins wasn't awful, but it was quite a comedown for a team with National Championship aspirations.

Ultimately, every program has to define itself year-in and year-out.

There are programs with questions, programs on the way up, programs on the way down, programs looking to maintain their status, and some coaches looking to hold on to their jobs.

This list is made up of games featuring programs that will have some questions to answer about who they are. Moreover, those programs will look to answer those questions at the expense of their opponents.

Florida vs Georgia

Mark Richt's overall coaching record is 92-27. He is 7-2 in bowls. He has won two SEC championships, three SEC East championships, and been to three BCS bowls. He has also been ranked in the AP Top Ten five times.

Nonetheless, there are two problems with those numbers.

First of all, he hasn't accomplished any of those things since 2007. Furthermore, he hasn't won the SEC, or even the SEC East, since 2005.

Secondly, Georgia plays in the ultra-competitive, ultra-overachieving SEC. In order to succeed, Richt needs to win and win regularly. No conference championships since 2005 is not "regular" enough for rabid Dawg fans.

His job has been safe for the last few years mostly thanks to former Georgia AD Damon Evans, who was a huge Richt supporter. However, Evans is gone , and Richt's job is no longer safe.

Complicating Richt's plight is a woeful 1-4 record against Urban Meyer and his incarnation of the Florida Gators.

Meanwhile, Meyer has won two National Championships, two SEC championships, three SEC East championships, and been to three BCS bowls in his five years in Gainesville.

I don't know if any SEC head coaching job can truly be called "safe," and that is especially true for the head coach of Florida. However, at this time, Meyer is about as safe as a Gator coach can be.

Nevertheless, the Gators go into this season with a number of question marks . Most notably, they have to replace their Heisman-winning quarterback, Tim Tebow.

This season, the annual Florida vs Georgia Football Classic has a good chance of being for the SEC East crown.

Meyer needs to win the conference to prove that there is life after Tebow.

Richt needs to win to save his job.

Connecticut vs Michigan

Outside of the Big East and especially the state of Connecticut, there is a little known secret. That secret is that Randy Edsall's UConn Huskies are pretty good.

In fact, in a span of seven years, they have gone from a good FCS team to an FBS team to a Big East team to a good Big East team.

Now, the Huskies stand at the precipice. In 2010, they will have a chance to take the next step and become a team that other football teams circle on their calenders. In order to do that, they will have to accomplish two things.

The first will be to win the Big East and get to a BCS bowl. The second will be to beat Michigan, the winningest program in all of college football, in Ann Arbor, with the country watching.

Meanwhile, Rich Rodriguez can't afford this loss.

As I've said, UConn is a good team, and one of the favorites to win the Big East. Certainly, it would be no shame to lose to the eventual Big East champion.

However, as I also said, many college football fans, and certainly most Michigan fans, don't think of UConn as a "good" team. After all, they are not Notre Dame, or Ohio State. They're not even Michigan State.

They are a pushover Big East team that the mighty Wolverines should wipe off the map, especially at home.

Given the bad feelings that already surround Rodriguez in Ann Arbor, if he begins 2010 with a loss to seemingly lowly UConn, many fans might just abandon the ship.

If they do that, the Wolverines' 2010 season might be over before it even starts.

If that happens, Rich Rodriguez's time in Ann Arbor will be over in only three seasons.

BYU vs Washington

The BYU Cougars have won 10 games or more four years in a row. They have won the Mountain West Conference two of the last five years.

They have finished the season ranked, four of the last five years. Their overall record during that time is 49-15.

And what do they have to show for it?

Five straight trips to the Las Vegas Bowl.

Meanwhile, they have watched TCU and Hawaii go to one BCS bowl apiece, Boise State go to two, and their arch-rival, Utah has also been invited to two.

This, despite the fact that, in the grand scheme of things, BYU has a more prestigious football team than all of them. They've even won a National Championship in the relatively recent past.

Part of BYU's problem has been their substandard 3-6 record against ranked teams.

Nevertheless, in 2010, BYU will be looking to be the next BCS buster. In order to do that, they will have to get through the Washington Huskies.

As for the Huskies, due to Jeremy Masoli's off-season indiscretion, as well as USC's little problem, the Huskies find themselves as a dark horse contender for the Pac-10 title.

Leading the way for Washington will be nine returning offensive starters, including Heisman-hopeful Jake Locker at quarterback

Obviously, this game will have nothing to do with the Pac-10 race, but it will be a good way for Locker to get noticed.

It will also be a good way for second-year coach Steve Sarkisian to let the college football world know that his program is a force to be reckoned with.

Sarkisian's alma mater, by the way?

BYU.

USC vs Oregon

Oregon went 10-3 last year, and was the first team not named USC to win an outright Pac-10 championship since 2001.

Despite getting solidly beaten in the Rose Bowl, Oregon looked to be even better in 2010, and were the odds-on favorite to win their conference.

Then, quarterback Jeremy Masoli was suspended for the season after pleading guilty to burglary. This put a sizable dent in the Ducks' hopes for repeating, but all is not lost.

They return eight starters from the 35th-ranked defense in the country. They also return nine starters (not including Masoli) from the seventh-ranked offense.

Meanwhile, USC had its own drama-filled off-season. Firstly, they had a bevy of sanctions placed against them. Most notably, they received a two-year bowl suspension.

Secondly, the ring leader and chief orchestrator of USC's infractions bolted out of Dodge before the hammer was dropped.

Thirdly, to take the place of one unprincipled weasel, USC hired another, arguably even more unprincipled weasel .

Whatever I might think of either weasel, the fact is USC has been and still is an extremely talented team.

Moreover, even if they won't be going to a bowl game this season, Lane Kiffin is intent on silencing doubters.

As for Oregon coach Chip Kelly, he is intent on supplanting USC at the top of the Pac-10 mountain.

Both teams' greatest opportunity to accomplish their goals might be October 30, when Oregon visits the Colosseum.

North Carolina vs Georgia Tech

Under Butch Davis, the Tar Heels have qualified for a bowl for the last two years. They finished 2009 with a very respectable 8-5 record.

Following former UNC coach John Bunting and his two bowl appearances and 27 wins in six years, this is cause for celebration.

However, they've still got some issues to iron out. Most notably, last season, they had inexplicable losses to decidedly inferior NC State and Virginia teams.

In 2010, they will have a good chance to win the ACC, and put the country on notice.

They return 10 starters on offense and nine starters on defense.

Even more notable is the quality of those starters. The defense has five players that project to go in the first round of next year's NFL draft. Five. On one defensive unit. That is insane.

Meanwhile, in his two years at Georgia Tech, Paul Johnson has compiled a 20-7 record, won the ACC Coastal championship twice, won the ACC once, and gone 1-1 against arch-rival Georgia.

His unique flexbone offense has given defenses fits. The problem is it, and the Yellow Jackets, have floundered in the bowl games, prompting the argument that the success of his offense is based primarily on its uniqueness.

When a good defense has time to prepare for, and adjust to it, then that defense tends to be successful in shutting it down.

The Tar Heels will have a bye on September 11. Then on September 18, Georgia Tech will come to town. Consequently, the staunch UNC defense will have two weeks to prepare for the Jackets.

North Carolina will look to make a statement, and take their first step towards winning their first ACC championship since 1980.

Georgia Tech will also look to make a statement by letting the country know that their offense is not a one-trick pony.

Alabama vs Arkansas

We are all well aware that right now, Nick Saban and Alabama are kings of the mountain. When you are the king of the mountain, your only goal is making sure you don't get knocked off.

That is not an easy task. It is made especially difficult when your defense only returns three players. On the other hand, it helps when there are three legitimate Heisman candidates—and one Heisman winner—playing in your offense.

Assuming the Tide get by Penn State on September 11, it is very likely they will roll into Fayetteville at 3-0, still sitting squarely on top of the proverbial mountain.

Meanwhile, Bobby Petrino will be entering his third year as the head coach of Arkansas. During that time he has compiled a 13-12 record, though he has only gone 5-11 in conference games.

This season, he will be looking to put the Razorbacks amongst the SEC elite, and he should have the players to do it.

In 2009, his offense ranked at the top of the conference. Nine of those starters return, including quarterback and probable NFL first-round draft choice, Ryan Mallett.

However, the big issue lies with his defense, which was the worst in the conference.

Bama could very well look right past Arkansas, as they play Florida the following week. Meanwhile, the Razorbacks will put everything into this one, as their next week is a bye.

When it's all said and done, this one could be for the SEC West crown.

Michigan State vs Michigan

These two in-state rivals are both at key points in their histories.

Michigan's trials have been well documented.

2010 will be the third year of the Rich Rodriguez experiment, and thus far, it has been a dismal failure. Michigan's record over that time has been 8-16.

That marks their worst two-year stretch since 1962-1963.

At this point, Rich Rodriguez probably has to win at least seven, if not eight games in 2010 to save his job.

Meanwhile, Mark Dantonio's Spartans are at a crossroads of their own.

At 6-7, last season was hardly a disaster, but MSU has a history of inconsistency and flightiness. This has been the case in East Lansing regardless of who's been coaching.

Dantonio's first two years produced a respectable 16-10 record and consistent improvement. Things seemed to have turned a corner for the Spartans.

Then, in 2009, the old, flighty Michigan State reared its ugly head. Moreover, the bowl season was fraught with issues that left the program heading into the off-season with an ugly black eye.

In effect, the residents of The Great Lake State are left to wonder which of their teams will bring home the Paul Bunyan Trophy , and hopefully, right the ship.

Missouri vs Nebraska

This season will be Nebraska's swan song in the Big 12. It will also probably be the swan song for their annual rivalry with Missouri.

Aside from simply wanting to win for winning's sake, I suspect Nebraska would like to leave the Big 12 with one last parting shot at Texas. Or better yet, perhaps they can meet up in the Big 12 title game with their old rival Oklahoma (who is not on Nebraska's regular season schedule).

Furthermore, it would be something of an embarrassment to the Big 12 to essentially be without a reigning conference champion next season.

That would be a fitting adieu for the Huskers, and one I'm sure Tom Osborne would relish.

However, in order to do all of that, they will first have to win the Big 12 North. I suspect Missouri would like nothing more than to ruin that plan.

Obviously, I was not behind the closed doors in the Big Ten office, but my guess is after Nebraska and probably Notre Dame, Missouri was the third choice to join the Big Ten.

Moreover, Mizzou couldn't have made it more obvious how hungry they were to get that invitation. I suspect there were more than a few upset parties in Columbia when Nebraska's inclusion was made official.

What better way than to ruin Nebraska's farewell party? What better way to send a message to the Big Ten that they made the wrong choice?

Most importantly, what better way to send a message to the Big 12 that Missouri is a player, and they will no longer be treated like a second fiddle?

Virginia Tech vs Boise State

I make no bones about my opinion of Boise State's scheduling tactics . They play in a weak conference, which is one thing, but they usually schedule only one difficult out-of-conference game a year.

This year, to their credit, they scheduled two: Virginia Tech and Oregon State.

Nevertheless, the marquee game is against V-Tech. Yes, they have to beat both Virginia Tech and Oregon State—not to mention their other 10 opponents—to get to a BCS bowl.

However, the OSU game is on the blue turf, whereas the Tech game is on a "neutral" field in Landover, Maryland.

Also, Virginia Tech will begin the year in the Top 15 and will have serious National Championship aspirations. Oregon State is a good team—maybe even top 25 worthy—but their chances of getting to the National Championship, let alone a BCS bowl, are very slim.

Finally, the Hokie game will be played on a Monday night. There will be absolutely no other games on. Every college-football-watching-eye in the nation will be tuned in.

BSU will likely start the year in the top five. Furthermore, the rest of the top teams this year all have palpable weaknesses. In effect, if the Broncos beat the Hokies, and win the rest of their schedule, this might be the year that a non-BCS team gets their shot at the crystal football.

As for Tech, the fact is after 24 years at the helm, coach Frank Beamer is getting old, and this may be his last chance at a National Championship. Then again, maybe he's got a little Joe Paterno in him, and he may go another 20 years.

Regardless, with one of the best groups of returning skill position players in the country, the Hokies will have a good chance to put up points.

While there aren't quite as many returning players on the defense, consider the following: Since joining the ACC in 2004, the Hokies have never fielded a defense that wasn't one of the top two in the conference.

If Virginia Tech beats Boise State, their schedule is fairly easy until November.

If Boise State wins, outside of Oregon State, their schedule is just easy.

South Carolina vs Auburn

2010 will be Steve Spurrier's sixth as the head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Old Ball Coach came into Columbia with all of his usual bravado.

And he's done OK. In five seasons, he's gone 35-28, which isn't bad for the Gamecocks. However, it is also fair to say he hasn't quite lived up to the hype.

Nevertheless, this may finally be his year. Firstly, USC returns 10 on offense, eight on defense, both kickers, and their quarterback. Secondly, the rest of the SEC East—including the Gators and Bulldogs—have palpable question marks on both sides of the ball.

However, a schedule that includes Georgia, Bama, Tennessee, and Arkansas, as well as road games at Auburn, Florida, and Clemson might just spell the Gamecocks undoing.

Meanwhile, Auburn fans seem to be very hopeful heading into Gene Chizik's second year with the program.

He had a monster year of recruiting , has pleased all the right people, and even seems to have Alabama fans commending him on the job he's done .

Last season, the Tigers went 8-5, though they did it in somewhat sloppy fashion. They were the second most penalized team in the SEC and they had the worst defense. This year, they will look to improve on that, and move back into the upper echelon of the always-competitive SEC.

Certainly, both the Gamecocks and the Tigers will have bigger, and even tougher games in 2010. However, this is a game that matches two programs looking to take the next step on the SEC ladder.

The winner might just take that step. The loser will be left to look at the winner's rear.

Wisconsin vs Ohio State

It seems like Wisconsin has been poised to jump to the next level since the end of the 1990's, when they went to, and won, two Rose Bowls.

However, "poised" is the appropriate word, as they have gone a respectable 86-42 since then, and only missed bowl eligibility once. Yet, they have failed to win another Big Ten title or go to another BCS bowl.

At this point, they seem to have sunk into permanent second-tier status in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State.

Complicating that has been the transition from former coach Barry Alvarez to current coach Bret Bielema.

Bielema has done pretty well, going 38-14 in his four years. However, he lacks any signature wins, or even signature seasons. Without either of those things, it seems he will always be standing in Barry's rather formidable shadow.

Nonetheless, this might be his year. With 10 players returning from the Big Ten's best offense, he will have a good opportunity to bring the Badgers back to Pasadena.

Meanwhile, within the Big Ten, Ohio State is a team with seemingly nothing to gain and everything to lose. Without Michigan to balance them out, they have won six Big Ten championships in a row.

It is at a point where it is assumed they will win, and any losses they might incur make them look terrible. Even some of their wins are heavily criticized.

In effect, what can they do?

The only thing they can do. Get to a BCS bowl—preferably the National Championship—and try to make up for the 2006 and 2007 BCS collapses against Florida and LSU; losses that are still used as condemnation against both OSU and the Big Ten.

However, to do that, OSU will have to get by a very good Wisconsin team. A Wisconsin team that is looking to finally take that next step at the expense of the Buckeyes.

Florida State vs Oklahoma

The Bobby Bowden era is finally over in Tallahassee. After 34 years, 304 wins, and two national championships, the old man has retired.

Needless to say, new coach Jimbo Fischer has some sizable shoes to fill.

In 2010, he'll have plenty of opportunity to show that he's up to the challenge. This will include an end-of-the-year game against Florida, an early game against BYU, winning the somewhat weak ACC Atlantic Division, and hopefully going to, and winning the ACC Championship Game.

However, his first opportunity to show what he's got will come against Oklahoma, in Norman.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma and Bob Stoops have some of their own questions to answer.

In 2009, they went 8-5 in a year when many picked them to supplant Texas atop the Big 12. Furthermore, in the last five years, Stoops and the Sooners have gone 1-4 against the Longhorns.

Couple that with his pitiful 2-5 record in BCS bowls, and the fact that he hasn't won a BCS bowl since 2002, and you've got a Bob Stoops that will probably be on the warpath in 2010.

Of course, in the grand scheme, the FSU game is small peanuts compared to beating Texas or getting to a BCS bowl and winning. However, it is the first real showcase for a 2010 Oklahoma team looking to get back on its collective feet.

Meanwhile, it will be the first-ever showcase for Jimbo Fischer's version of the Seminoles.

Nebraska vs Texas

I think it's safe to say that one of the key reasons Nebraska and Colorado were so enthusiastic about leaving the Big 12, had quite a bit to do with their burnt orange neighbors to the south.

In fact, I think it's safe to say that the primary reason the conference seemed to be on the verge of falling apart had a good deal to do with Texas. Rumors are, the entire Big 12 North would have happily gone with any conference that would have taken them.

Maybe it has more to do with jealousy than anything the Longhorns have done. Maybe it has to do with Texas being a bunch of rich bullies . Either way, I couldn't say.

Nevertheless, it is a safe bet that Nebraska will leave the Big 12 with nothing good to say about the Longhorns.

With that in mind, the reality of Texas' schedule is that there are only two teams with a realistic chance of beating them, and ruining their shot at a second straight Big 12 title.

The first is, quite obviously, Oklahoma. The second is Nebraska. Any other Texas losses would have to be considered a major upset.

Texas plays Oklahoma two weeks before playing Nebraska. After the Sooner game, they get a bye, and then they have to travel to Lincoln.

On the other hand, a game at Washington is the only really challenging contest on the Huskers' pre-Texas schedule .

If Nebraska wants to give Texas one last parting shot, this would be the game to do it.

On the other hand, if Texas wants to remind Nebraska not to let the door hit them in the rear on the way out, this would be their opportunity.

Iowa vs Ohio State

Iowa is in a somewhat similar situation to Wisconsin in that they are a second-tier team within the Big Ten. They are competitive, but they do not have the cache of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State.

Unlike Wisconsin, they have had signature wins and signature seasons under their coach, Kirk Ferentz. In fact, last season would qualify as one of those seasons.

Iowa recorded an 11-2 record, received an invitation to the Orange Bowl where they beat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and finished the season ranked No. 7.

On top of that, they have gone to one other BCS bowl, and won two Big Ten Championships under Ferentz.

However, they are a team that seems to thrive under the radar. Then, just when they get the nation's attention, they flounder.

If the Hawks want to reach the elite status of OSU or Michigan, they will have to do it under the spotlight.

As Iowa will surely start 2010 ranked in the top 10, they will have their opportunity.

Meanwhile, as I previously wrote, within the Big Ten, OSU has everything to lose and nothing to gain. They have to win every game, or else, when it comes to national recognition, they will lose out to the likes of Texas or Florida or Alabama.

Maybe it's unfair, but that's the way it goes when you win six straight conference titles.

On November 20, the Buckeyes will travel to Kinnick Stadium, at which time the Big Ten title might just be decided.

OSU will look to maintain their conference prestige. Iowa will look to make their name at the expense of Ohio State.

Rutgers vs West Virginia

Rutgers is the only FCS team that plays in "the birthplace of college football." RU's 1869 victory over Princeton was the first official college football game. Unfortunately, shortly after that game, football and Rutgers became strange bedfellows.

Then, in 2001, Greg Schiano took over as head coach. It took him a few years, but in 2005, he did what no Scarlet Knight coach had done since 1978; he took Rutgers to a bowl game.

In 2006, he did what no RU coach had done since 1976; he led Rutgers to double-digit victories.

At that point, things were supposed to really take off for the Scarlet Knights, but it never quite turned out that way. Certainly, RU has done well. They've qualified for a bowl every year since 2005. Furthermore, they have posted a cumulative record of 43-21.

That's quite an accomplishment for a team that previously finished below .500 for eleven years in a row.

However, there have been no Big East titles. There have been no BCS bowls. There have been no victories that made the country stand up and take notice.

Meanwhile, West Virginia has been in something of a holding pattern since Rich Rodriguez left to take over at Michigan.

Bill Stewart has been the coach and he has compiled a respectable 19-8 record in two seasons. Nevertheless, there have been no Big East titles and no BCS bowls.

This is decidedly sub-par when compared with Rodriguez, who won four conference titles in seven years at the helm.

This year, the Big East is wide open with as many as six teams having a very realistic chance to win the conference.

In effect, every conference game is going to be extremely important towards determining the champion.

However, when RU and WVU meet in Morgantown on the last week of college football, it could just be a hint as to what direction each program is going.