BCS Rankings 2013: Picks for Games That Will Have Major Impact on Standings

As the Bowl Championship Series heads into its final weeks, the system's final season has been rather mundane. It's lacked the week of complete chaos, which completely changes the championship picture once the dust settles after several upsets.

That could all change on Saturday. There are three games that will have a major impact on the BCS rankings regardless of which team comes out on top and there's several more capable of shaking up the standings if the underdogs come out on top.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at the three biggest games of Week 14 and make predictions for each. The margin for error is extremely thin with only a few weeks until the final rankings are released, which adds even more pressure to the equation for BCS hopefuls.

No. 1 Alabama at No. 4 Auburn

The Iron Bowl is always one of the most talked-about matchups of the year. Add in the fact both teams are ranked inside the top five and the hype is through the roof. If Auburn could pull off the upset, the BCS drama will suddenly be the talk of sports once again.

For the Tigers to have a chance, they must find a way to slow down the dynamic rushing duo of T.J. Yeldon and Kenyan Drake. If they allow Alabama to gain nearly five yards per carry, as Georgia did last week, keeping pace will be virtually impossible.

Alabama knows Auburn is going to focus much of its defensive energy on slowing down the run. So the onus falls on AJ McCarron to take advantage of single coverage on the outside. The Crimson Tide defense should take care of the rest, most notably preventing Nick Marshall from taking over the game.

Prediction: Alabama 35, Auburn 27

No. 21 Texas A&M at No. 5 Missouri

If Johnny Manziel wants to win his second straight Heisman Trophy here's his chance to make a late impression on the voters. Texas A&M has three losses, but they all came against ranked teams. Beating Missouri would give him the marquee win his résumé needs.

While Manziel needs to make a handful of big plays to give the Aggies a chance, the biggest key is for the defense to step up. In their three losses, they gave up nearly 43 points per game and that's simply not going to get it done, even with a Heisman quarterback on the other side.

On the flip side, Missouri must take advantage of that weakness. The Tigers must push the tempo early, feeding the ball to Henry Josey and Russell Hansbrough. That will open the door for one or two deep balls to L'Damian Washington, which will change the game, keeping Missouri alive in the title race.

Prediction: Missouri 38, Texas A&M 34

No. 6 Clemson at No. 10 South Carolina

Clemson must be wondering where it would stand right now if it had taken down Florida State. It was an uncharacteristically sloppy performance from a normally reliable team, and it likely cost them a spot in the current top two, or three at the very least.

The Tigers deserve credit for bouncing back to win their next four games, giving themselves an opportunity to knock off South Carolina and get back in the championship mix if chaos reigns on Saturday, which is possible.

That said, South Carolina has the edge. The Gamecocks are one of the most balanced teams in the country. The combination of Connor Shaw, Mike Davis and a defense that's elevated its play in a major way since the loss to Tennessee should push them over the top and toward the top five.

Prediction: South Carolina 31, Clemson 28