BCS Standings 2011: The 10 Most Intriguing National Championship Games

We are just over a third of the way through the 2011 college football season, and the first BCS poll is set to be released October 16th. We can now begin wondering and predicting BCS National Championship game potential matchups. Whether or not they are all that realistic is to be decided, but there are certainly some intriguing matchups that could possibly occur. 

Will it finally be Boise State's time to shine, or will Oklahoma win out and give the Big 12 a shot at the title? What about the SEC? Who will represent them, LSU or Alabama? That is all to be determined, but in the meantime, we can ponder potentials and just wishfully think about what games we'd love to see.

Boise State Broncos vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

Can you imagine Boise State's explosive offense against the No. 1 defense in the nation in Alabama? What a game this would be.

With the exception of a struggling TCU team left on the Broncos schedule, they will most likely go undefeated this season, making their first BCS title game berth more and more likely. It is pretty much a given that an SEC team will be competing for the national championship, and Alabama could be that team.

Boise QB Kellen Moore has never faced a defense with the talent of the 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide, who are allowing just eight points a game to opponents, but Moore could also be the Tide's biggest challenge of the year as well. The deep throw that the Broncos use so well against secondary’s will challenge the corners and safeties of 'Bama. 

On the other side, the Broncos underrated defense is allowing just 293 yards a game and 14 points per game, but against Trent Richardson and the Bama offense, that could change.

Either way, a game between Boise State and Alabama would be very entertaining and dynamic, no doubt, and it would be nice to see the Broncos and Chris Petersen finally get a shot at a national championship.

Clemson Tigers vs LSU Tigers

When Texas A&M came out that they were joining the SEC, everyone was guessing that Clemson could be the next to join. If they did, this BCS National Championship could be the beginning of an amazing rivalry. Unfortunately, it appears as though Clemson will be staying in the ACC. Nonetheless, this game would be a great one and a rematch of the 1958 National Championship that saw LSU walk away with a 7-0 victory.

The match up between Clemson QB Tajh Boyd and dynamic cornerbacks Tyrann Mathieu and Morris Claiborne of LSU would be worth your money alone. Boyd has 14 touchdowns to just two interceptions and nearly 1,500 yards on the season, and he has a great arm. The challenge of Mathieu and Claiborne would be amazing to see Clemson battle through.

For the LSU offense this match up allows them to rack up more yards through the air than they have this season, and Jarrett Lee could finally entertain the LSU faithful with some big plays. This game could end up being a battle of quarterbacks, something we haven't seen from LSU all season long.

It could also be a lopsided victory, but that comes anytime a team from the SEC takes on a team from another conference. Either way, if it were to happen, the fans in New Orleans would get their money's worth.

Boise State Broncos vs Oklahoma Sooners

What better game is there than a rematch of the game that got it all started for Boise State?

It would be a rematch of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, where Boise State defeated Oklahoma on the last second Statue of Liberty play to win it all 43-42, featuring the infamous proposal from Ian Johnson to his cheerleader girlfriend of Boise State after the game. 

The lone battle between the two teams was one of the best bowl games in history and will be remembered for years to come. Oklahoma and Boise State come in with the same hype, if not more this time around, and a match up between the two schools would do wonders for college football and would be an amazing game.

If not just for the rematch, Boise's offense, led by Kellen Moore, against Oklahoma's stellar defense and Landry Jones battling it out in this one would be nothing short of amazing. It would be a shootout and extremely entertaining. 

Something about this matchup is very intriguing, and anyone could win it—as seen in 2007.

Michigan Wolverines vs Alabama Crimson Tide

That's right, Michigan vs. Alabama for the BCS National Championship.

Brady Hoke has turned the Wolverines around in 2011 and has an undefeated team. A matchup between 'Bama and Michigan would prove to be a battle of two great defensive minds in Nick Saban and Brady Hoke, with 'Bama having the No. 1 defense and Michigan having the No. 2 in the nation. 

This game would be a game of mistakes, and whoever makes the biggest mistake defensively loses. The stingy, strong defenses of both teams will prove too much for both offenses, and it will be a grind to the victory.

Although not as entertaining for the fans, a nail biter to prove defense wins championships might be just what the BCS needs.

Wisconsin Badgers vs Stanford Cardinal

This match up is very unlikely, but both Wisconsin and Stanford are undefeated and still in the running for a title berth. The Stanford Cardinal and Wisconsin Badgers have met five times, most recently in the 2000 Rose Bowl that saw Wisconsin win 17-9, but this is a new generation.

This match up would be amazing, to say the least. Both sides rank in the top 10 in scoring and in points allowed; they are perhaps the two most balanced teams in the country. The offensive back and forth action between Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson would be a sight to see, and the running game on both sides is fantastic, too. 

This game seems too good to be true. They are so evenly matched up in every aspect of the game that it is difficult to predict the victor. This is a dream match up for the BCS National Championship Game.

Oklahoma Sooners vs Michigan Wolverines

A rematch of the 1975 National Championship that saw the Michigan Wolverines fall to the Oklahoma Sooners 14-6 in the Orange Bowl, the Wolverines meeting Oklahoma again for the title would be fantastic. 

A game between the nation's No. 2 ranked defense and No. 5 ranked passing attack, this game could come down to the running game. If this is the case, Michigan running back Fitzgerald Toussaint and the Wolverines have the advantage with the seventh ranked running game in the nation.

If there is one place the Sooners have struggled this season, it is run defense. Michigan has a legitimate chance at winning this game, which could be one of the bigger upsets in BCS history. Landry Jones has to come out gunning against the Michigan defense, but they could just stop him and the game would be over.

If there were to be an upset in any potential BCS Championship games, this would be the game in which it occurs.

LSU Tigers vs Oregon Ducks

A rematch to top all other rematches, a BCS Championship game between the LSU Tigers and the Oregon Ducks would finish the season as it started. The Ducks had their hopes at an undefeated season and second shot at the title decimated by the Tigers in the first game of the season.

That game saw LSU win 40-27 and showed the Ducks can't win when RB LaMichael James underperforms. This game would be spectacular, based on the sheer fact of how big that first game of the season was.

Since losing that game of the season, the Ducks have gone on to win out, and they should be able to go undefeated the rest of the way. LaMichael James has finally awoken and is first in the nation in rushing; unfortunately, LSU's rushing defense just keeps improving and is third in the nation.

Unless James can get down field, the result will be the same as the first one with a loss, but the idea of a rematch of that first game of the season is very intriguing indeed.

Oklahoma Sooners vs Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers seem to just be floating under the radar at No. 4 in the AP poll right now, and no one really has them in talks for the national title, but the chance still remains that they could get in there. If it is against Oklahoma, the Badgers are in for their biggest test in many years, but they have the capability to perform.

Russell Wilson and the high powered offense can put up points on the Sooners, both on the ground and through the air, and their defense is tied for second in the nation, allowing just 10 points a game. They're also eighth in the nation in pass defense, which could cause problems for Sooner QB Landry Jones. 

The Sooners are fairly predictable and will throw the ball a lot, and with Wisconsin's defensive coverage, the Badgers could break up a lot of plays. That being said, the Sooners overall are a better team than the Badgers, so for the Badgers to win, they must be perfect in every aspect of their game.

Either way, this game would be highly entertaining, especially for fans who want to see a unique match up in the BCS Championship.

Oklahoma Sooners vs Alabama Crimson Tide

This is a match up of two superpowers: Alabama vs. Oklahoma, Saban vs. Stoops, Tuscaloosa vs. Norman. Whatever you want to call it, it has all the makings for a classic championship game. Two legendary coaches taking their teams into the Superdome in New Orleans on January 9, 2012, to battle it out for the title.

Alabama matches up very well against the Sooners. Their tremendous running game with Trent Richardson will tear the Sooners rush defense to shreds. This game is sort of a trade off, though; while the Tide have a great running game, their passing game isn't anything special.

On the other side, Landry Jones and the passing game of the Sooners is spectacular, but their running game has struggled. With the flip flop on offense, this game is going to come down to defense.

Defensively, 'Bama has this one in the bag. Ranked third in total defense and first in scoring defense, it is hard to believe that any team can overpower the Crimson Tide this season.

This game has all the intangibles to make it a classic; the clash of two legendary programs is bound to be a great game.

LSU Tigers vs Oklahoma Sooners

Finally to the last game, LSU Tigers at home versus the Oklahoma Sooners.

This game and the Alabama game are the two most likely scenarios come January 9, 2012, and the rematch of the 2004 Sugar Bowl that saw LSU defeat Oklahoma 21-14 for the BCS National Championship. The fact that the game is being played in New Orleans, Louisiana, makes this game that much more intriguing, as it is essentially a home game for the Tigers.

The Tigers defense will have their hands full in this game, with the passing attack of the Sooners. Landry Jones is averaging 361 yards a game and has thrown for 10 touchdowns already. The only aspect of Landry's game that benefits the secondary of LSU is his flaw of throwing interceptions. Morris Claiborne and Tyrann Mathieu will snatch up any ball they can possibly catch, and if Jones struggles with his accuracy, the Tigers defense will eat him alive.

Offensively, the Tigers don't have much to offer against the nations 14th best defense, but throwing Jordan Jefferson in there could throw the Sooner D off, and it might allow for some plays to be broken up by the Tigers' offense. 

This game will come down to how Landry Jones performs against the Tigers defense. Depending on that, this game will be a great battle to watch.

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