College Football Rankings: The Top 10 Games to Watch in 2011

The 2011 season—like every season—is filled with marquee matchups with major BCS national championship implications.

Week in and week out, talented players will square off for their respective squads with the hope of earning bragging rights heading into the next week.

With the 2011 season set to begin in the not-so-distant future, several matchups jump out as potential barn burners. Each game will have its own separate storylines and things to watch as the season goes on and situations change.

How many of these matchups will live up to their billing is yet to be determined, but without a doubt there will be excitement in the air each and every week of the college football season.

Here are the top 10 games to watch in the 2011 college football season:

10. Oklahoma at Florida State

The Oklahoma Sooners will travel to Tallahassee to face the Florida State Seminoles in Week 3 of the college football season.

College football fans around the nation should be very excited for this matchup for a few reasons.

Last season, the Sooners routed the Seminoles 47-17. Landry Jones threw for more than 300 yards and had four touchdowns for the prolific Sooners offense.

Don't expect Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops to allow his brother's squad to do that again.

Florida State's defense is much more experienced and has plenty of speed and toughness. This should allow its unit to slow down Oklahoma's aerial attack.

Offensively, the Seminoles are replacing Christian Ponder behind center, and this should be the first major test for new quarterback E.J. Manuel.

The talent on both sides of the ball should make this game closer than last season. The Seminoles can be expected to come out fired up at home and looking to avenge last season's blowout.

However, the Sooners' talent is simply too much.

Prediction: 34-21 Oklahoma

9. Texas A&M at Oklahoma

On Nov. 5, the Texas A&M Aggies will walk into Oklahoma Memorial Stadium looking to derail the Oklahoma Sooners' national title hopes.

While the Aggies may not have national title hopes for themselves just yet, they are still a very dangerous offensive squad. They also managed to upset the Sooners 33-19 in last season's matchup.

The Aggies offense is led by quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who returns from a surprising second half of the 2010 season. On the receiving end of Tannehill's passes will be senior Jeff Fuller. Fuller had more than 1,000 yards receiving and caught 12 touchdown passes last season. The Aggies' biggest offensive strength lies in the backfield, where Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael return after combining for 16 rushing touchdowns a season ago.

For the Sooners, the success of the offense rides on the strength of Landry Jones' throwing arm. He has the luxury of throwing to one of the most complete receivers in football, Ryan Broyles, and also has several other experienced skill players surrounding him.

Defensively, the Aggies lost their best player from a year ago, Von Miller, but other players will fill his role and the Aggies defense should be solid. Led by Travis Lewis, the Sooners defense could be one of the best defenses in the entire nation.

Look for the Aggies to hang around in this huge conference matchup but, in the end, the Sooners will be too talented for this gritty squad.

Prediction: 31-21 Oklahoma

8. Michigan State at Nebraska

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will receive their first major Big Ten test when they are visited by the Michigan State Spartans on Oct. 29.

After last season's disappointing bowl blowout at the hands of the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Spartans will look to finish the year in the top 10. They will also look to win the Big Ten conference championship for the second straight season.

Playing a large part in that will be returning quarterback Kirk Cousins along with rising star Edwin Baker at running back.

For the Cornhuskers, Bo Pelini will look to start his first Big Ten campaign with a bang as his team looks to make a smooth transition from Big 12 powerhouse to Big Ten titan.

The Cornhuskers will be led by their defense, namely defensive tackle Jared Crick and linebacker Lavonte David, as they look to slow down Mark D'Antonio's rugged and smart squad.

In the end, expect Cousins to find his favorite target, B.J. Cunningham, several times and for the Spartans to give the Cornhuskers a rude welcome to their new conference.

Prediction: 24-17 Michigan State

7. Georgia at Boise State

The Boise State Broncos will have a chance to snatch a coveted win against a power conference opponent when they travel to the Georgia Dome to face the Georgia Bulldogs Sept. 3.

Just like every other season, the Broncos will need to score a win against their rare major opponent if they want to have a shot at a BCS national championship.

Leading the Broncos on offense is quarterback Kellen Moore. Moore is extremely accurate and understands Chris Petersen's offense as well as anyone. He will need to find new targets at receiver after losing Austin Pettis and Titus Young to the NFL, but Tyler Shoemaker and Geraldo Hiwat appear ready to step in. The backfield is led by the talented Doug Martin as he comes off a 12-touchdown 2010 season.

The Georgia Bulldogs will be led by quarterback Aaron Murray. Murray is also looking to replace his top target, A.J. Green, but Tavarres King appears ready to emerge as a No. 1 option. In the backfield, the Bulldogs lost Caleb King for disciplinary reasons.

Defensively, both squads should be solid. Safety George Iloka will lead an experienced Broncos defense, while DeAngelo Tyson will lead the Bulldogs as a talented rusher off of the edge.

By the end of the day expect the Broncos to make it fairly obvious that they are here to stay on the national scene. Moore and company are far too talented on offense to be denied and the defense is as good as it needs to be.

Prediction: 34-24 Boise State

6. Stanford at USC

Andrew Luck will lead his Stanford Cardinal squad into the Coliseum to face the USC Trojans on Oct. 29 in a premier Pac-12 matchup.

Not only does this matchup pit two of the Pac-12's best teams against one another, it also pits two of the top signal callers in the nation against each other.

For Stanford, Luck will look to make a statement against its in-state rival as he continues his road to a 2011 Heisman Trophy and possible No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Helping Luck on offense will be underrated running back Stepfan Taylor and underachieving pass target Chris Owusu. Luck also has the benefit of having Jonathan Martin protecting his blindside. Martin enters 2011 as one of the best left tackles in the game. Defensively, the Cardinal return key linebackers Chase Thomas and Shayne Skov to a unit looking to keep its potent offense in games until the end.

The Trojans are led by junior standout Matt Barkley at quarterback. Coming off a 26-touchdown performance in 2010, Barkley will look to make use of versatile receiver Robert Woods and perhaps highly touted freshman receiver George Farmer. The Trojans will be without Marc Tyler in the backfield, but C.J. Gable and Dillon Baxter are both quality options. Defensively the Trojans must be better this season, as they have another year of experience under their belts.

When all is said and done on the West Coast, fans can expect Luck's talent to be too much for the Trojans. Stanford has its sights set on a possible national championship berth and it isn't going to let the Trojans stand in its way.

Prediction: 37-28 Stanford

5. Oklahoma at Oklahoma State

The Big 12 championship could come down to the Nov. 26 matchup between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

This should add more fuel to the fire of this in-state rivalry as both teams look to make room at the top of the Big 12 standings.

The Sooners may have the most balanced team in the nation. Led by Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles on offense, the Sooners boast possibly the best pass-catch combo in the nation this season. Defensively, the Sooners are stacked as well, with Travis Lewis providing the heart and soul in the middle of everything.

However, this season the Cowboys may be able to give the mighty Sooners a run for their money.

Last season, the Cowboys fell just short with a 47-41 loss at the hands of Bob Stoops' squad. With experienced quarterback Brandon Weeden back behind center and the nation's top receiver, Justin Blackmon, snatching up anything close to him, one can expect the Cowboys offense to be ready to roll. Defensively, the Cowboys are also talented and are not to be overlooked in a game sure to bring offensive fireworks.

This game will be a battle from opening kickoff until the very end. Despite losing offensive coordinator Dana Holgerson to West Virginia in the offseason, you can expect the Cowboys offense to be as good as it was last season and just good enough to get revenge over its in-state rival in an epic battle.

Prediction: 38-35 Oklahoma State

4. Wisconsin at Michigan State

The Wisconsin Badgers will leave the comforts of Camp Randall Stadium to travel to East Lansing, Mich. in order to square off against the Michigan State Spartans in a huge Big Ten matchup.

In 2010, the Badgers only conference loss was at the hands of the Spartans. That should leave them with a very bad taste in their mouths heading into this season's matchup.

The Badgers return most key players on offense and landed the biggest prize in the country this offseason when former N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson decided to take his talents to Madison. Combine Wilson's dual-threat talents with the deadly backfield combination of Montee Ball and James White, and the Badgers are the favorites to take it all in the Big Ten this season. Defensively, the Badgers are solid as usual. David Gilbert was a standout in Wisconsin's spring football game and should continue that trend throughout the regular season.

The Spartans possess a very balanced attack on offense led by the efficient and accurate quarterback Kirk Cousins. Returning alongside Cousins are running back Edwin Baker and receiver B.J. Cunningham. Both of these players provide Cousins with capable playmakers. Defensively, the Spartans will be tough in the trenches. Jerel Worthy can be a monster at defensive tackle, and William Gholston is due for a breakout season at defensive end. In the secondary, Johnny Adams is a very good corner with above average ball skills.

The Badgers can be expected to hold on to this game but not by much. Both of these teams are tough in the right areas, but also have the skill players needed to break a game wide open. This should be a very entertaining game from start to finish.

Prediction: 24-21 Wisconsin

3. LSU @ Alabama

On Nov. 5th, the LSU Tigers will travel to Tuscaloosa to face off against the Alabama Crimson Tide in a battle of SEC titans.

Last season, the Crimson Tide lose 24-21 too the Tigers. This season, Alabama will seek revenge as it pursues an SEC championship and possibly a BCS national championship as well.

Offensively, both teams are unproven at quarterback. Jordan Jefferson is a great athlete for the Tigers but his inconsistency and questionable decision making are concerns for the LSU passing offense. A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims will battle it out for the Crimson Tide at quarterback, and whoever wins will be surrounded by enough talent to make the learning curve a little less steep. At running back, the Tigers should be strong with Michael Ford replacing Stevan Ridley. However, the Tide should be stronger with the return of Heisman-hopeful Trent Richardson.

Defensively both teams are very solid. The Crimson Tide boast the best linebacker trio in the nation with Courtney Upshaw, Dont'a Hightower, and C.J. Mosley leading the charge for Nick Saban. Mark Barron leads a very talented Alabama secondary as they look to support the playmakers at linebacker. The Tigers' defense returns all but Patrick Peterson to the best pass defense from a year ago. Morris Claiborne will take over Peterson's role as a do-everything playmaker on the back end of the defense.

This game should be a war. Both teams are very physical and have enough flaws on offense that both of these defenses could showcase just how good they really are. Either way, expect a classic SEC matchup.

In the end the Tide's defense, combined with Richardson's ability to tote the rock, will allow Nick Saban's squad to defend their house.

Prediction: 17-14 Alabama

2. Oregon at Stanford

The Nov. 12 matchup in the Pac-12 between the Oregon Ducks and the Stanford Cardinal could be for all the conference marbles.

Last season, the Ducks were the only team able to hand the Cardinal a loss as they defeated them 52-31.

Fans can expect a game with the same frenetic pace this season.

The Stanford Cardinal once again have the services of Andrew Luck behind center. Every fan in the nation knows Luck's abilities, but the lack of surprise should not slow down his production at all this season. In the backfield, Stepfan Taylor continues to fly under the radar because of Luck's presence. However, Taylor proved to be very explosive last season. He provides the Cardinal with a very dangerous second option on offense and allows their offense to maintain balance.

Oregon will once again be led by Darron Thomas and LaMichael James on offense. The offensive strategy will stay the same as well. Chip Kelly will have his Ducks squad lined up quickly and spread as wide as possible on every single play. This should provide a very tough test for the Cardinal defense as it did last season.

The winner of this game could be the team able to make more plays on defense, or it could completely lack defense in any way, shape or form. Fans and viewers can expect the latter.

Prediction: 49-38 Oregon

1. LSU at Oregon

The first week of the season also provides the best matchup of the season. On Sept. 3, the LSU Tigers and Oregon Ducks head to Cowboys Stadium to face off. 

The Ducks utilize a deceptive spread offense keying on speed and mismatches. Chip Kelly keeps the field spread and allows his superstar running back LaMichael James to squirt through holes provided by the hogs up front. Quarterback Darron Thomas provided balance in the passing game last season and also is a dangerous threat to run outside of the pocket. Kenjon Barner provides another dangerous option for Kelly's bunch on offense.

For LSU, the Tigers' success depends squarely on the maturation of quarterback Jordan Jefferson. Jefferson is a great athlete, but his inconsistency and bad decision making can make him a major liability in the passing game. The Tigers will need to replace Stevan Ridley in the backfield, but Michael Ford looks primed to take over and shoulder the running load. If Jefferson can harness his arm, look for Rueben Randle and the electric Russell Shepard to be on the receiving end.

In order for LSU to win this game it must rely on its defense. Led by cornerback Morris Claiborne, the Tigers boast a very athletic and aggressive defensive bunch this season.

However, the Oregon offense is simply too good and the Tigers offense is simply not good enough.

Prediction: 35-24 Oregon