The 20 Likely Biggest Blowouts of the 2012 College Football Season

Every season there are mismatches galore in non-conference play, whether it be because of the new trend of power conference schools scheduling weak Football Championship Subdivision opponents to give themselves a guaranteed win—do not tell that to Michigan or Virginia Tech fans, though—or opting to line up against mid-major teams from the Mid-American and Sun Belt conferences.

This season will be no different than any other in terms of the substantial amount of mismatches, and there are several other potential blowouts not on this list.

These 20 games are not going to shock anyone and, if you happen to be a gambling man, these would be your surefire winning bets for the 2012 season. 

Nebraska vs. Idaho State

Date: September 22nd

The Nebraska Cornhuskers took on Chattanooga from the Football Championship Subdivision in 2011 and won that game convincingly 40-7.

Their 2012 matchup with Idaho State should provide Nebraska with a chance to show off their high-powered offense again.

Taylor Martinez should have no problem running around and showing off his new mechanics against Idaho State, which finished 115th in the FCS in total defense.

This one should be over by halftime, and the Cornhuskers are likely to be 4-0 after this blowout victory. 

Michigan at Minnesota

Date: November 3rd

The Michigan Wolverines beat down the Minnesota Golden Gophers 58-0 last season at the Big House despite Denard Robinson sitting out much of the second half because of an injury.

Last year's game also introduced Michigan fans to their new feature back Fitzgerald Toussaint, who ran for 108 yards and one touchdown on only 11 carries.

Do not expect much to change in 2012 when the Wolverines travel to Minnesota.

Michigan is armed with just as many offensive weapons as a year ago, and the Golden Gophers are likely to be one of the bottom feeders in the Big Ten Legends Division this season.

Wisconsin at Indiana

Date: November 10th

The last two meetings between Wisconsin and Indiana have been over relatively early, but that never stopped the Badgers from piling up the points against the struggling Hoosiers.

The Badgers hung 83 points on Indiana in 2010, and last season Montee Ball racked up 142 yards and three touchdowns on only 14 carries in leading the Badgers to a 59-7 victory.

Wisconsin's offense will be reloading in 2012: Ball will be back for his senior season, tailback James White is ready to emerge as a star in his own right and transfer quarterback Danny O'Brien is looking to return to the form that earned him Rookie of the Year honors in the Atlantic Coast Conference at Maryland in 2010.

The Hoosiers simply do not have enough talent on either side of the ball to make this a close game.

Alabama vs. Florida Atlantic

Date: September 22nd

After matching up with Michigan in their 2012 season opener and Southeastern Conference West Division rival Arkansas just two weeks later, the Alabama Crimson Tide will get a chance to get healthy and show off some swagger against the Florida Atlantic Owls.

In 2011, the Owls finished dead last in total offense per game in the Football Bowl Subdivision, while the Crimson Tide boasted the nation's best defense.

That's a recipe for disaster for Florida Atlantic.

Georgia vs. Buffalo

Date: September 1st

Buffalo finished with a 3-9 overall record and went 2-6 against Mid-American Conference opponents in 2011.

This does not bode well for the Bulls who will have to line up against the Southeastern Conference East Division champion Georgia Bulldogs to open their 2012 campaign.

Georgia's Aaron Murray and Isaiah Crowell should be able to stuff the stat sheet and immediately position themselves as contenders for the top national awards.

This one will be over between the hedges by halftime.

Missouri vs. Southeastern Louisiana

Date: September 1st

Missouri will be welcomed into the Southeastern Conference on September 8th when they take on the Georgia Bulldogs, but the Tigers open their season with a tune-up contest against the lowly Southeastern Louisiana Lions.

The Tigers bring back a solid group of veterans and plenty of offensive power, along with the nation's No. 1-ranked recruit, wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who will be making his debut.

Sophomore quarterback James Franklin and DGB should hook up more than a few times against the Lions, and Missouri should have no issues moving the football against a team that finished last season with a 3-8 overall record.

Alabama vs. Western Carolina

Date: November 17th

Western Carolina's defense gave up over 500 yards of total offense per game en route to finishing 2011 with a 1-10 record.

The Catamounts even failed to win a game against Southland Conference opponents.

Alabama's Eddie Lacy should run all over the Catamounts sluggish defense. This game will also give the Crimson Tide a chance to get healthy and prepared for its matchup with archrival Auburn the following week.

Louisiana State vs. Idaho

Date: September 15th

If LSU's new quarterback Zach Mettenberger struggles against Washington on September 8th, then the matchup against the Idaho Vandals the following week will be a great opportunity to regain his confidence.

If he plays well against the Huskies, then the new signal-caller could be in line for a record-setting afternoon against one of the nation's worst teams in 2011.

This is not the only potential blowout on LSU's slate of games for 2012.

The Tigers season opener against North Texas and a late-September tilt against Towson should provide LSU with a couple of games to fine tune their units for a championship run. 

Georgia vs. Florida Atlantic

Date: September 15th

Alabama is not the only repeat team on this list, and, unfortunately for Florida Atlantic, they are making their second appearance on the wrong side of a potential blowout.

Aaron Murray and the Bulldogs will be coming off of their Southeastern Conference opener against the Missouri Tigers and looking to either rebound from a tough defeat or take their undefeated record and confidence to new heights.

Either way, Georgia will have no problem throwing the hammer down against Florida Atlantic in its third game of the season.

Florida State vs. Savannah State

Date: September 8th

The Florida State Seminoles are coming off of a slightly disappointing 9-4 campaign in 2011, but the Savannah State Tigers were one of the worst teams in the Football Championship Subdivision last year, finishing with a 1-10 overall record.

Savannah State yielded an average of 452 yards per game in 2011 and could give up much more than that it travels to Tallahassee.

Look for E.J. Manuel and Florida State to put this one away early and get some of their younger players valuable game day reps.

Virginia Tech vs. Austin Peay

Date: September 8th

Virginia Tech will have to deal with a short week after playing Atlantic Coast Conference foe Georgia Tech on Monday night, but luckily the Hokies will be lining up against one of the worst teams in the Ohio Valley Conference in Austin Peay.

The Governors only scraped together a 3-8 overall record (2-6 in conference play) in 2011, and things are not exactly looking up for them having to face Virginia Tech early this upcoming season.

Look for Logan Thomas to bolster his draft stock and put on quite a show against the Governors in Blacksburg.  

Virginia vs. Richmond

Date: September 1st

Virginia head coach Mike London has the Atlantic Coast Conference paying a bit more attention to the Cavaliers after attaining an impressive 8-5 record last season. 

Now it is time for Virginia to take the next step, and with weapons on offense like Michael Rocco and Perry Jones, there is no reason to believe the Cavs can't do that in 2012.

A season-opening blowout of Football Championship Subdivision member Richmond should get them off on the right foot.

Georgia Tech vs. Presbyterian

Date: September 8th

Tevin Washington was Georgia Tech's offense a year ago as he led the Yellow Jackets in both passing and rushing yards.

The senior quarterback will get a chance to put up monster numbers against Presbyterian.

Paul Johnson's triple-option offense is always difficult to prepare for and even more difficult when you don't have enough talent on defense to slow it down.

The Yellow Jackets will grind out a victory on the ground by the third quarter, if not earlier.

Southern California vs. Hawaii

Date: September 1st

Matt Barkley and the USC Trojans have unfinished business to take care of in 2012, and, unfortunately, the Hawaii Warriors are the first team in the way of USC's ultimate goal of winning a national title.

Hawaii only won two games on the mainland in 2011, and USC returns enough offensive firepower to blowout the Warriors before they even get off of the plane.

Expect Barkley to hook up with All-American wideout Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, the other half of the most explosive pass catching duo in the country, on several occasions in USC's season opener. 

Oregon vs. Colorado

Date: October 27th

LaMichael James and Darron Thomas are done at Oregon, but Kenjon Barner and the lightning fast De'Anthony Thomas are back to wreak havoc on the Pacific 12 Conference in 2012.

Oregon recorded 371 rushing yards and over 500 yards of total offense in their 2011 tilt with Colorado, which resulted in a 45-2 beatdown of one of the Pac-12's newest members. 

Do not expect to see anything different in 2012, with the Buffaloes making the trip to Autzen Stadium, where the Ducks offense is especially explosive and prolific.

Southern California vs. Colorado

Date: October 20th

USC has enough talent to blow away just about everyone in the Pac-12 this season, but Colorado is one of the weakest teams in the conference and, therefore, easily makes its second appearance in this slideshow.

Expect this to be another field day for Matt Barkley, Robert Woods and Marqise Lee en route to USC's second consecutive domination of the Buffaloes.

USC won the 2011 contest against Colorado in decisive fashion, 42-17, behind Barkley's six touchdown passes. 

Oklahoma State vs. Savannah State

Date: September 1st

What do you get when you line up one of the Football Championship Subdivision's worst teams and put it up against one of the best offensive teams in the entire country? 

The answer is a total mismatch.

That is what Savannah State will have on its hands when it walks into Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Even though Oklahoma State head coach has turned over the keys of his offense to a true freshman quarterback, Wes Lunt, the Cowboys' 2012 season opener should give the young man a chance to put up some monster numbers in his debut.

Kansas State vs. Missouri State

Date: September 1st

Missouri State only managed to score a combined 14 points against Arkansas and Oregon in 2011 while its defense gave up over 50 points in both of those games.

Kansas State's Collin Klein set a Big 12 Conference record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 27 in 2011, and the Wildcats option offense is entirely reliant on his health and efficiency in order to win football games.

Klein should have no issues getting off to a hot start and chasing the rushing touchdown record he set a year ago.

West Virginia vs. Kansas

Date: December 1st

Most of the cupcake games up to this point have been at the beginning of the season, but West Virginia's season finale against the Kansas Jayhawks will provide it with an easy opportunity to finish the 2012 season as winners.

Mountaineer quarterback Geno Smith is expected to contend for the Heisman Trophy this season; if he is still in the discussion by late November, this mismatch against Kansas may be the one of his best opportunities to leave a lasting impression on the voters.

Not even Charlie Weis will be able to figure out a way to slow down West Virginia's offense in Morgantown.

Tulsa vs. Nicholls State

Date: September 15th

Tulsa has consistently been one of the nation's best teams when it comes to scoring points, and Nicholls State failed to win a game in the Southland Conference, finishing its 2011 season with a 1-10 overall record.

This one is a total mismatch and is not likely to entertain fans for very long—unless fans of the Golden Hurricane enjoy watching their team beat a lowly Football Championship Subdivision squad to a pulp in mid-September.