College Football Week 9 Picks: Power Ranking The Most Likely BCS Buster Upsets
College Football Week 9 Picks are what we're here to discuss on this fine Thursday afternoon.
With each week that passes, college-football fans are hoping that their team doesn't blow its chances at a BCS berth with a devastating loss so late in the year.
The 2010 regular season has only about a month left for teams to make an impression on voters. There are plenty of important games on Saturday that could cause major shakeups in the college-football landscape.
Though there are numerous games that could affect the bowl picture, from the New Mexico Bowl to the Meineke Car Care Bowl, we're here to talk about one thing: the BCS.
Specifically, let's take a look at what games on Saturday will have the biggest impact on the BCS when it's all said and done.
Here are the top-10 most-likely upsets that could rock the foundation of the controversial system.
10. Idaho at Hawaii
1 of 10
Let this be clear: in no way am I trying to say that the winner of this game will bust the BCS. That's ridiculous.
But I am saying that this game could have a huge effect on Boise State's chances to play in the BCS championship game.
As Boise State has grown accustomed to, the argument against the Broncos playing for a national title is that the team's schedule is too weak.
Well if Hawaii wins this game, the Warriors will be 7-2 heading into next week's showdown with the Broncos on the Smurf Turf in Idaho.
And Boise needs to be facing the hottest Hawaii team it can possibly play in order to bolster its strength of schedule.
9. Utah at Air Force
2 of 10
With all the talk about Boise State and TCU busting the BCS, most people have forgotten about Utah.
Utah has played—and subsequently blown through—a very weak schedule this season. But the Utes have a matchup with Air Force that will be tougher than most people expect.
Air Force sits at 5-3 on the season, and the Falcons boast the nation's No. 1 rushing offense. They have already played two top-10 teams (Oklahoma and TCU).
Utah better be on upset alert.
8. Florida Vs. Georgia
3 of 10
Florida started the season 4-0 but got blown out in their fifth game by Alabama.
At the time, it seemed like the Gators would be able to rebound and regain the form they've had since Urban Meyer took over in Gainesville.
However, the Gators have since dropped two more games—to LSU and Mississippi State—and are riding a three-game losing streak.
The Crimson Tide and the Tigers need the Gators to win this game because their victories over Florida aren't looking so great right now.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Arizona at UCLA
4 of 10
Arizona has a loss to Oregon State on its record. But is perfect otherwise and the Wildcats have two huge games remaining on their schedule.
Whoever created the school's schedule must not like Arizona because the Wildcats have two November games on the road against Oregon and Stanford.
Arizona needs to be at full strength if Stanford wants to improve its resume and possibly earn a BCS berth. In order for that to happen, they will have to beat the Wildcats and hope that Oregon slips up down the road.
Plus, it's become quite apparent that the computers hate the Ducks, so they'll need to have some big victories late in the season as well.
6. Oklahoma State at Kansas State
5 of 10
Oklahoma plummeted down the rankings following its loss to Missouri last week. But the Sooners end the season with a showdown against Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys have a rough stretch before their season-ending meeting with the Sooners, starting this week at Kansas State.
Oklahoma needs Oklahoma State to keep winning while Missouri would also benefit from a Kansas State win, since the Tigers play the Wildcats in a few weeks.
The Cowboys are certainly not assured a victory this week, but no matter what the outcome of this game is, it will have a big impact on what the Big 12 and BCS pictures.
5. Stanford at Washington
6 of 10
After starting the season with four blowout victories, Stanford lost to Oregon followed by two closer-than-expected wins over USC and Washington State.
On Saturday, the Cardinal takes on Washington in what could prove to be a pivotal game in the Pac-10 and the BCS picture.
Stanford basically has to win out the rest of the way, and hope Oregon stumbles considerably, in order to secure a spot in a BCS bowl game.
That won't be easy against a Washington team that has two upsets, over USC and Oregon State, on the season.
Stanford's BCS hopes are on the line in this one.
4. California at Oregon State
7 of 10
At the beginning of the season, one of the games that was supposed to strengthen Boise State's resume was its game against Oregon State.
Well, that isn't looking too good right now.
The Beavers now sit at 3-3 and have a tough matchup against California this week.
Oregon State is likely the favorite because they're at home, but Cal has one of the nation's better scoring and rushing offenses.
If the Beavers go down, it could kill Boise State's chances of playing for a national title.
3. Missouri at Nebraska
8 of 10
Both Nebraska and Missouri are in the midst of rough stretches of Big 12 play.
The Tigers will face Nebraska just one week after facing then No. 1 Oklahoma. And the Cornhuskers are playing Missouri just one week after facing Oklahoma State.
Undefeated Missouri is a favorite over one-loss Nebraska. But we saw last week, when Bo Pelini's bunch dropped 51 points, that the Cornhuskers can win with a little offense, too.
Both teams need this game: Nebraska to make their way into the top 10, and Missouri to prove that they're for real.
2. Michigan State at Iowa
9 of 10
Michigan State scraped by with a win over Northwestern last week and will face an Iowa team that was one-point away from upsetting Wisconsin last week.
The Spartans have surprised the college football world with their 8-0 start, but this is the last major hurdle on the way to an undefeated regular season.
Iowa boasts the nation's No. 11 scoring defense while Michigan State's offense ranks 27th in the nation with 34.5 points per game.
This is only Michigan State's third road-game of the year, so we'll find out this week if the Spartans are truly a national championship contender.
1. Oregon at USC
10 of 10
We all know the story about the Oregon Ducks.
They continue to destroy people, ranking first in points scored, with 55 per game, and 12th in points allowed. But they are consistently passed over in the BCS standings.
Well, Oregon has a chance to impress the voters against USC this week. The Trojans rank 14th in the nation in scoring and are fresh off a whooping of California. Oregon allowed 31 points to another pass-heavy team (Stanford), but will USC be able to outscore the potent Ducks offense?
This could be an absolute shootout as the Trojans looks to play spoiler.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
