College Football 2011 Predictions: 10 Upsets That Are Guaranteed To Happen

We may still be about eight months away from the 2011 college football season, but you better start getting excited now.

Why? Because the chances of a 2011-12 NFL season aren't looking too good right now, and the NCAA may be the only football we'll be watching come September.

And like always, it should be an exciting season, one that's filled with pleasant surprises, huge shockers and epic clashes.

In fact, I'm predicting a plethora of upsets next season that will blindside the nation.

Here are the top 10 "damn, I didn't see that coming" games of the 2011 season.

10. LSU Over Oregon (Sept. 3)

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ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 07: Eric Reid #1 and Kelvin Sheppard #11 of the Louisiana State University Tigers celebrate after an interception during the game against the Texas A&M Aggies during the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium on January 7, 2011 in Ar

Given that both Oregon and LSU will likely be preseason top-five teams, it's hard to call a Tiger victory here an upset.

But make no mistake about it, the Ducks played for a national championship last year and should be the favorites in this one.

Still, I like LSU to get the big early win because the Tigers only lost two key starters on offense (Stephan Ridley and Terrence Toliver) and three on defense (Drake Nevis, Kelvin Sheppard and Patrick Peterson).

Other than that, the team returns largely intact and may have solved its quarterback woes with the signing of highly touted junior college quarterback Zach Mettenberger.

9. Arizona State Over Missouri (Sept. 10)

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MADISON, WI - SEPTEMBER 18: Steven Threet #14 of the Arizona State Sun Devils passes the ball against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin defeated Arizona State 20-19. (Photo by Jonathan Da

One of the surprise teams of 2010, Missouri returns nine offensive starters for 2011.

But the team's best player, Blaine Gabbert, is headed to the NFL, so the Tigers will have an inexperienced quarterback behind center.

Arizona State, on the other hand, ended the 2010 season on a high note, winning their final two games after losing to Stanford and USC by a combined four points in their previous two.

The Sun Devils, who had the nation's No. 15 passing attack and No. 28 scoring offense last season, appear to be headed in the right direction. A big early win against Missouri would set the tone for a breakout season in the new Pac-12.

8. USC Over Stanford (Oct. 29)

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PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 09: Matt Barkley #7 of the USC Trojans after the Stanford Cardinal missed a extra point attempt at Stanford Stadium on October 9, 2010 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Stanford's football program breathed a big sigh of relief when Andrew Luck decided to return to school, but the loss of Jim Harbaugh can't be minimized.

Will the Cardinal still be good? Yes, of course.

However, I'm not sure they're BCS-good, and we'll find out if they're indeed headed for another magical season when they take on USC.

The Trojans, who lost to Stanford by just two points last season, had one of the nation's more balanced offenses last season (ranking 41st in passing and 25th in rushing) and put up plenty of points (31 per game) on the board.

Naturally, USC will also be loaded with talent once again, as the Trojans had the No. 4 recruiting class for 2011 according to ESPN.

7. Oklahoma State Over Texas A&M (Sept. 24)

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STILLWATER, OK - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Brandon Weeden #3 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys looks for an open receiver against the Oklahoma Sooners at Boone Pickens Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Image

From start to finish, Oklahoma State was a better team than Texas A&M last season.

But a six-game winning streak for the Aggies and 18 returning starters has many analysts pegging Texas A&M as the second-best team in the Big 12 (behind Oklahoma) and top-five team.

However, it seems like these guys forgot that the Cowboys will have Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon back in 2011. 

Those two combined to form the nation's No. 2 passing offense and No. 3 scoring offense in 2010, and now they'll help knock the Aggies off their early-season pedestal.

6. Miami (FL) Over Ohio State (Sept. 17)

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COLUMBUS, OH - SEPTEMBER 11: Damien Berry #20 of the Miami Hurricanes runs with the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 11, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Ohio State will be one of the nation's most talented teams next season, but the Buckeyes will be without five key players for the team's first five games of the season, including wide receiver DeVier Posey and quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Though they took care of Miami (FL) with relative ease last year, 2011 will be a different story.

The Hurricanes and the Buckeyes meet in the third week of the season, and Jim Tressel's group will learn really quick how important Pryor is to the team's success.

As long as Al Golden's the right man for the Miami job, that is.

5. East Carolina Over Virginia Tech (Sept. 10)

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BLACKSBURG, VA - SEPTEMBER 18: Running back Giavanni Ruffin #1 of the East Carolina Pirates runs with the ball for a touchdown past defensive tackle Dwight Tucker #53 of the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Blacksburg, Virgin

Virginia Tech is no stranger to early season letdowns. 

Remember when James Madison got its biggest victory since 1808, against the Hokies?

Well, look for East Carolina to be the early obstacle for Va. Tech this season, as the Pirates had the nation's No. 16 scoring offense and No. 8 passing offense in 2010.

ECU also is familiar with Virginia Tech after having played them last season (in a loss), while the Hokies will be working in a new quarterback and trying to find replacements for the production of Ryan Williams and Darren Evans.

4. Mississippi State Over Alabama (Nov. 12)

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TUSCALOOSA, AL - NOVEMBER 13: Wide receiver Marquis Maze #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide returns a kick and is tackled by Nick Bell #36 and Patrick Hanrahan #35 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs November 13, 2010 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala

In all likelihood, Alabama will enter the season a top-three team in the preseason polls, and the Crimson Tide should stay near the top of the rankings all season long.

But there's an up-and-coming SEC program that's looking to make that leap to the top of the SEC: Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs (who were last seen destroying Michigan) return eight offensive starters, one of the SEC's best defenses (21st in scoring in 2010) and the nation's No. 16 rushing attack (214.8 yards per game) from last season.

Bank on Mississippi State getting some payback and ruining Alabama's undefeated season and a chance at another BCS National Championship. 

3. San Diego State Over Michigan (Sept. 24)

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MUNCIE, IN - NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Brady Hoke of the Ball State Cardinals watches the Mid-American Conference (MAC) game against the Western Michigan Broncos at Scheumann Stadium November 25, 2008 in Muncie, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The potential storylines in this game are made for a movie.

Imagine this: Brady Hoke leaves Michigan in 2002, winds up at San Diego State seven years later, leads the program to one hell of a turnaround, then goes back to Michigan only to lose to San Diego State in his first season in Ann Arbor.

It's actually not completely out of the question either.

The Wolverines will be transitioning to a new offensive system and are coming off a season in which their defense ranked 108th in points allowed (35.2 per game).

Aztecs for the win.

2. Chick-Fil-A College Kickoff: Georgia Over Boise State (Sept. 1)

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ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 27: The Georgia Bulldogs and quarterback Aaron Murray #11 react after a touchdown in the final minutes of play against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. C

Why not kick the season off with a huge upset?

Though Boise State will have the higher ranking at the beginning of the season, Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore no longer has his top two wide receivers, Austin Pettis and Titus Young.

Of course, Georgia's Aaron Murray won't have A.J. Green either, but the Bulldogs are getting a huge lift to their offense after the signing of No. 1 running back recruit Isaiah Crowell.

And if Murray can play like he did last season as a freshman (3,049 passing yards and 28 total touchdowns), Georgia could be a sleeper pick in the SEC East.

1. Florida State Over Oklahoma (Sept. 17)

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NORMAN, OK - SEPTEMBER 11: Offensive lineman Donald Stephenson #59 of the Oklahoma Sooners grabs the facemask of Brandon Jenkins #49 of the Florida State Seminoles at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 11, 2010 in Norman, Oklahoma. (P

Oklahoma returns 18 starters from 2010 and will likely be the preseason No. 1, but the Sooners' first game of the season isn't an easy one. 

Not only will Oklahoma be a little rusty in its first game in eight months, but they'll be taking on a Florida State team who's looking to avenge an embarrassing 47-17 loss at the hands of the Sooners in 2010.

E.J. Manuel will attempt to lead the Seminoles to a huge upset over the top-ranked team, and he'll have the nation's best recruiting class (according to ESPN) backing him up.

Write it down: The nation's preseason No. 1 will fall after its first game of 2011.