College Football Predictions: Projecting the 4 Biggest 2012 Regular-Season Games

At this point in the preseason, plenty of people are publishing lists about the biggest non-conference college football games of 2012. With the Michigan Wolverines facing the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish facing the Oklahoma Sooners, this year offers plenty of big ones. However, conference games are often just as important when deciding who makes the BCS National Championship.

When we look back next December, which games will we peg as the ones that decided who made the final game of the season? Here are my predictions for the four most likely candidates.

[Note: Conference championship games are excluded since the matchups themselves require predictions as to who will be playing in them.]

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Michigan Wolverines on Sept. 1

The defending BCS champions and their revamped defense will face a very difficult challenge in Week 1 when they take on the defending Sugar Bowl champion Michigan Wolverines.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will obviously be one of the top choices to win the SEC and national championship next season. And Michigan is my pick to win the Big Ten in 2012. So, I predict the winner of this game will have the inside track on the No. 1 ranking in the polls.

If Michigan wins, it'll move way up the rankings. If Alabama wins, it'll have the confidence boost necessary to get its young players ready for games against the LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks.

Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans on Nov. 3

The Oregon Ducks lost significant firepower with LaMichael James and Darron Thomas departing for the NFL, but they will reload as they always do (most notably with Bryan Bennett at quarterback), and they still have Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas around.

With Matt Barkley returning, the USC Trojans will likely start the year No. 1 or No. 2. They face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Stanford Cardinal as well, but with Andrew Luck gone, Oregon will be the toughest test they face all year.

The Ducks will have extra motivation after a missed field goal against USC cost them a chance at the BCS National Championship Game last season.

Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Tech Hokies on Nov. 8

Some people are probably scoffing at an ACC intraconference matchup being listed here since an ACC team hasn't made the BCS National Championship Game since 2000 (the year after these two teams played for the top prize), but this year will be different.

It's possible neither one of these teams will play a ranked team before their matchup on Nov. 8, so it's entirely possible both teams could be undefeated coming into the game.

The Florida State Seminoles are projected to be slightly better in 2012, but the Virginia Tech Hokies will be at home on a Thursday night. This one should be fun.

Oklahoma Sooners vs. West Virginia Mountaineers on Nov. 17

The West Virginia Mountaineers will enter their first season in the Big 12 as one of the favorites to win the conference. All four major offensive weapons return in Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, Dustin Garrison and Stedman Bailey.

With Landry Jones coming back, the Oklahoma Sooners will likely start the season ranked in the top five. Receivers Kenny Stills and Jaz Reynolds also return, along with most of the defense.

Oklahoma is the more complete team, but once again the underdog gets the home-field advantage. Oklahoma also faces a tougher schedule with Notre Dame on the docket. This one may well decide the Big 12.