BCS Rankings Week 9: Georgia vs. Florida and Saturday's Most Meaningful Games
Each and every week of the college football season features big-time games that not only mean a lot to the teams playing in them, but also to those teams that have beaten said team.
With the BCS rankings being extremely important, several teams need the opponents they beat to also keep winning. It boosts their rankings and gives them a better shot at playing in a BCS Bowl.
Week 9 isn't all about that, though, as several games will determine whether or not teams stick around in the Top 25.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Here are three Week 9 games that are the most meaningful in regards to the rest of the 2011 season.
Georgia vs. Florida
Formerly known as "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party," the Bulldogs and the Gators will meet in Jacksonville this Saturday.
Both teams are in desperate need of a win, and they are very evenly matched, especially since they're both coming off a bye week.
The Bulldogs are ranked No. 22, and if they want to stay in the polls, they have to win on Saturday. Also, a win would put them in an even better position to win the SEC East.
Plus, the Boise State Broncos need the Bulldogs to keep winning to help them in the BCS, so Saturday's game is of great importance to multiple teams.
Michigan State at Nebraska
The Spartans are fresh off a last-second victory over the Wisconsin Badgers, which propelled them to No. 11 in the BCS. The Cornhuskers, on the other hand, are No. 14 in the BCS, and Saturday's matchup gives them a chance to prove they can hang with the big boys of the Big Ten.
Nebraska has already lost to Wisconsin, which means they can't afford another conference loss, especially not to one in their division. The Cornhuskers had high hopes for their first season in the Big Ten, which is why this Saturday is a crucial game.
Should Nebraska win, the Cornhuskers will then be in the drivers seat in the Legends division of the Big Ten. However, if the Spartans win, it will be very difficult for anyone to catch them, as they will likely win out the rest of the season.
Stanford at USC
The Cardinal have yet to lose a game, but this Saturday against the Trojans will be their toughest test yet. Andrew Luck can finally solidify himself as everyone's favorite to win the Heisman if he performs well on Saturday.
It's a huge game for Stanford because, if the Cardinal win, they get better creditability in the BCS national title race. But if they lose, then their season is toast.
For the Trojans, they get a chance to show they can compete with the best of their division, plus a shot a spoiling the Cardinals' dream season. USC isn't allowed to play for the Pac-12 title, but a win on Saturday will give them great confidence moving forward and show everyone they are still an elite program.
| 1 | LSU | .9702 |
| 2 | Alabama | .9627 |
| 3 | Oklahoma State | .9240 |
| 4 | Boise State | .8302 |
| 5 | Clemson | .8240 |
| 6 | Stanford | .8124 |
| 7 | Oregon | .6877 |
| 8 | Kansas State | .6681 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | .6642 |
| 10 | Arkansas | .6581 |
| 11 | Michigan State | .538 |
| 12 | Virginia Tech | .534 |
| 13 | South Carolina | .501 |
| 14 | Nebraska | .439 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | .433 |
| 16 | Texas A&M | .428 |
| 17 | Houston | .368 |
| 18 | Michigan | .342 |
| 19 | Penn State | .307 |
| 20 | Texas Tech | .201 |
| 21 | Arizona State | .163 |
| 22 | Georgia | .159 |
| 23 | Auburn | .131 |
| 24 | Texas | .119 |
| 25 | West Virginia | .073 |
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
