2010 College Football Predictions: Top 10 Season-Defining Games
Every year in college football there are games that literally define a team's season. Every so often, those games can define the entire college football season.
Games like Ohio State-Texas and Notre Dame-USC in '05 served as a de facto semifinal for the national championship game.
In 2010, it appears that there will be many season-changing games for quite a few teams. With the abundance of inter-conference marquee matchups this season, in addition to the already impressive slate of conference rivalries, the potential for BCS turmoil this upcoming season is off the charts.
Here are just a few of the matchups that will define the 2010 college football season for many of the top national programs.
Boise State Vs. Virginia Tech, Sept. 6
1 of 10
Boise State has been waiting for an opportunity like this for quite some time.
The Broncos' four undefeated regular seasons this decade have landed them in BCS bowls twice, but since their biggest win in those four undefeated seasons was against a No. 16 Oregon team, they have not been able to overcome the BCS.
Now, in 2010, opportunity is knocking in the form of a top-10-ranked Virginia Tech team that many expect to be in the BCS picture most of the season.
A win here for the Broncos could mean an opportunity to play for all the BCS marbles come January.
On the other hand, Virginia Tech has the opportunity to beat the No. 3 team in the nation, according to the AP. The Hokies can play for it all without defeating Boise State. Not so for the Broncos.
Ohio State Vs. Miami, Sept. 11
2 of 10
Miami finally has the talent to become "The U" again. It has the ability to win a much tougher ACC. But do the 'Canes really have the capability to go into Columbus and come out with a victory?
Ohio State is one of the top teams in the country. Miami wants to be one of the top teams in the country. Motive, meet opportunity.
Miami could literally rocket up the polls with a win in Columbus.
Ohio State could use a big win over a top-25 team early in the season as well. The Buckeyes travel to Wisconsin and Iowa later in the season, and an early season win over Miami could keep Ohio State near the top in the event of a loss to either one of those Big Ten teams.
Alabama Vs. Penn State, Sept. 11
3 of 10
There's no possible way Penn State should win this game. The Nittany Lions are still without a starting quarterback. They lost a lot of very talented players from last year's Capital One Bowl-winning squad that defeated LSU.
I'm sure Penn State fans could think of a much better time than 2010 to face the reigning national champion Alabama Crimson Tide.
To hear the pundits tell it, there's no chance that Penn State wins this game.
That is, of course, unless they do.
Alabama will be ranked No. 1 heading into this game in Tuscaloosa. Penn State will be in the top 20.
A win for Alabama is just another win over a team who didn't have much of a chance in the first place. A win for Penn State means a team, a conference, and a national football landscape is thrown into complete chaos in the season's second week.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Oklahoma Vs. Florida State, Sept. 11
4 of 10
So, Florida State wants to get in on the "Back to the Future" effect that Miami is trying to cash in on. Except Florida State has a new head coach replacing a living legend who literally built Florida State's program from the ground up.
Welcome to the new job, Jimbo Fisher. Now, all you have to do is go to Norman, Oklahoma and defeat a preseason national championship favorite.
The game will show everyone where Oklahoma stands in the pursuit of the lofty distinction that some are placing on its program in 2010. It will also show just how good this Florida State team could be in the first season of the post-Bobby Bowden era.
Texas @ Nebraska, Oct. 16
5 of 10
Speaking of blasts from the past, Texas was literally feet away from losing to Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship Game last December.
Nebraska very nearly shocked the college football world then and could be on the verge of doing it yet again in 2010.
The 'Huskers have a fairly easy schedule in 2010. Sure, there are a few big matchups early on, but the big one doesn't come until October, when the Longhorns come calling in Lincoln.
Nebraska could be undefeated at this point as well. The 'Horns could be well on their way to a big season of their own. This game will go a long way in deciding one of the top two teams in the BCS at season's end.
Is that "season-defining" enough for you?
UConn @ Michigan, Sept. 4
6 of 10
UConn is ready to show the entire nation that it can win the Big East. It is ready to shed the "former FCS" label that so often creeps into stories about their program.
The Huskies have the talent, experience and a favorable schedule in which they will host every Big East favorite on their home field.
UConn also has a tremendous up-and-coming coach, Randy Edsall, who could very well find himself at a major program in the next few years. That is, unless he begins turning UConn into one of the major programs this year.
Speaking of coaches, Rich Rodriguez has plenty riding on this game as well. The embattled Michigan coach is ready to put the past two seasons and this off season behind him and begin to develop a winner in Ann Arbor.
A loss for Rich Rod here would seriously damage his hopes of sticking around a few more years.
Nothing like being thrown into the fire in week one.
West Virginia @ LSU, Sept. 25
7 of 10
LSU head coach Les Miles is also squarely on the hot seat. In 2010, his season comes down to a handful of games where if his team wins, he's more than secure, but if he loses, he's out the door.
This West Virginia match is one such game. A Big East team is not supposed to come to the heart of SEC country and defeat one of the conference's sacred cows.
However, that could very well happen in 2010. West Virginia is close to returning back to the top of the Big East, and LSU is entering territory it hasn't seen since the mid '90s.
West Virginia wants a BCS bid. Les Miles wants to keep his job.
Let the games begin.
Iowa Vs. Wisconsin, Oct. 23
8 of 10
With Big Ten favorite Ohio State having to travel to both Iowa and Wisconsin in 2010, this game could wind up as the Big Ten championship.
Wisconsin hosts Ohio State one week before traveling to Iowa. Iowa gets the Buckeyes in November.
Oddly enough, this game should have national implications as well. Iowa and Wisconsin both start the season in the top 10. If Wisconsin can defeat Ohio State the week before heading to Iowa City, this one will become the game of the year to date.
Arkansas @ Georgia, Sept. 18
9 of 10
It won't take long to figure out the Razorbacks. In the season's third week, Arkansas travels to Athens, Georgia to take on the Bulldogs.
This game begins a four-week stretch that includes Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, and Auburn.
All the talk about the Arkansas defense should be answered fairly early in this game. Georgia is likely to have one of the SEC's best offensive units, and we all know what Ryan Mallett and the Hogs offense are capable of.
If Arkansas' "D" isn't fixed and they still win this game, it could very well set the tone for a rocky few weeks for Bobby Petrino and Co.
Georgia wants to prove that last year was an aberration and put an end to all the Mark Richt hot seat talk before it even starts.
TCU Vs. Oregon State, Sept. 4
10 of 10
TCU welcomes back a lot of talent from last season's Fiesta Bowl team. Oregon State came close to winning the Pac-10 last season.
The Horned Frogs couldn't get it done against Boise State last season in the bowl game, but they very well could experience the success for which many believe the Broncos are destined in 2010.
TCU has an easier schedule than Boise State. That is, after this game.
Oregon State will have a new quarterback, but there's no way they want to lose to a non-BCS team like their arch-rival Oregon did when it lost to Boise State last season.
TCU may never get as close to crashing that glass ceiling as it will in 2010.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
