College football is just 15 days away and excitement for the upcoming season is hitting the airwaves all over the country. ESPN and other media outlets have begun to step up their coverage as camps opened within the last two weeks, predictions are being made for the national championship and annual awards, and the year's biggest games are starting to get hyped up to generate fan excitement.
Big time games between power conference teams has been the trend in the last decade or so, and many times, an early season primetime match-up can make or break a team's fate in the first few weeks of the season. It's been seen in Columbus with a home and home series against Texas and USC over the last five years, and it will be seen again with series coming up against Miami (2010-2011), California (2012-2013), Virginia Tech (2014-2015), Oklahoma (2016-2017), Tennessee (2018-2019), and a return trip to Navy (2014). There is no question this year's home game against the Hurricanes is pivotal for the Buckeyes' chances at a MNC run, and the same can be said for many other teams in their toughest games this season.
We know in Buckeyeland that the Miami-OSU game highlights our schedule, along with a night trip to Madison and road game in Iowa City, but what are the other games around the country that are creating similar buzz amongst their respective fan bases? There are many great choices and just talking about all the possible games that can make this list gets me going, but only 10 could cut it for the purpose of this list.
While you can argue that the OSU-Iowa game may have more on the line due to it's timing, I think this match-up in Madison will prove to be the game that tells he true tale of these two teams. The winner has a great shot to go on and claim the Big Ten crown, while the loser will face a tremendous amount of mid-season turmoil and will have to bounce back in a tremendous way, a la the Buckeyes after Purdue Harbor in 2009, to get back into the title chase.
9. Florida State at Oklahoma, 9/11
This early season match-up squares off two teams with a ton of question marks. Florida State will have it's first real test under Jimbo Fisher and all it's young talent, while Oklahoma will get to see if Landry Jones has made the strides everyone has talked about this off-season. FSU has more room to lose this game, as they are likely not headed for the MNC and this won't affect their conference championship hopes. Oklahoma will likely lose any chance of heading to Glendale at season's end with a Seminoles upset.
8. Alabama at Arkansas, 9/25
Arkansas has gotten a lot of hype this summer and if they want to show that they have made the big stage, they are going to have to find a way to beat the Crimson Tide. With the game in Fayetteville and a sure to be out-of-this-world atmosphere, Nick Saban's team will likely face its toughest challenge of the season. This game may indeed decide the SEC West and if Ryan Mallet and the hogs can pull this one off, the Buckeyes should be in the driver's seat for the National Championship game.
7. LSU vs. UNC (Atlanta, GA), 9/4
This match-up squares off two teams that are trying to take some big strides forward in 2010. UNC has the best defense in the nation on paper, but need to find an offense. LSU features a roster full of athletes possessing video game speed and strength, but they haven't been able to put it together on the field since winning the MNC game in January of 2008. Neither team is likely to contend for a national title, but BCS births are not out of the question for either and this game could be a good measuring stick to see how good they really are. I just hope for Tigers fans that LSU isn't trying to win this with a two-minute drill (yeah, I'm talking to you Les).
6. Florida State at Miami, 10/9
This game will pit two young teams against each other and will have an extremely large impact on the ACC title race. Both teams are likely to have some early season struggles and this game in mid-October could be the turning point for both squads to compete at the elite level. Jacory Harris against Christian Ponder should be a great show to watch and the swagger of these two defenses will surely cause plenty of in-game tussles between these rivals. Which program is closer to reaching the top of college football first? This game will likely let us know.
5. Texas vs. Oklahoma (Dallas, TX), 10/2
The Red River "Rivalry" is always a dandy and this year could have even bigger stakes attached. Usually the winner goes on to take the Big 12 South title, but this year, national title implications could be on the line. I personally don't think too much of Texas this season, and I'm not sold on Oklahoma just yet, but this will be another game that tells us more about these two teams and the young quarterbacks trying to take over for Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford respectively.
4. Texas at Nebraska, 10/16
Texas may come out alive after the Oklahoma game, but two weeks later will have to make a tough, long trip to Nebraska. The Huskers are once again the favorites to win the Big 12 North and this 2009 title game rematch gives Bo Pelini's team a chance to avenge a controversial call that kept them out of the BCS last year. Texas likely will have to beat Nebraska twice if they want to have a chance at the National Title and even the Big 12 Title. Is Nebraska for real as a MNC contender? If they beat Texas here and take care of the Horns or Sooners in December, the answer is obviously yes. If they stumble in this mid-season showdown? Well, there's always next year in the Big Ten West.
3. Florida at Alabama, 10/2
They have met in the SEC Championship game the last two years after no playing in the regular season, with Florida winning in 2008 and Alabama winning in 2009. This year they jump back into it in October for a rubber match and I know I can't wait to watch this likely night game on CBS. Alabama has an advantage playing at home, and Florida will still be breaking in John Brantley, but these teams seem to bring out the best in each other. Will Urban Meyer reach into his bag of tricks and pull out the upset or will Nick Saban wear the Gators out with his physical brand of football? Either way this will be a good one and will have a large effect on the outcome of this college football season.
2. Miami at Ohio State, 9/11
While the 11W tailgate is enough itself to put this in the top ten, I guess the football teams playing are pretty good too. A rematch of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl game is just what ESPN has been craving for years and there will be plenty of words exchanged between the fan bases of these two teams before this game. Ohio State will be the favorite at home and are trying to win a primetime game early in the season for the first time in 2006 when they went down to Austin and gave Colt McCoy a beating. Jacory Harris and the Hurricanes are trying to prove they are back and will seek revenge on the infamous pass interference call that turned the program down hill for years. Can Terrelle Pryor step up and show that he has indeed made the strides we've all waited for or will a hurricane hit Ohio Stadium and leave Buckeye fans in turmoil? September 11 cannot come soon enough.
1. Boise State vs. Virginia Tech (Landover, MD), 9/6
The Broncos are #3 and the Hokies are #5 to start the season off and both teams face MNC elimination with a loss in this game. Boise State plays in the weak WAC, so winning this game and their game against Oregon State are imperative if they want to capitalize on their best chance to bust the BCS. Virginia Tech faces a tougher ACC than in past years, but Tyrod Taylor may finally give the offense enough to supplement the continued success of the great defense and special units of Beamer Ball. This game will be played at FedEx Field, so expect more Hokies fans than BSU fans, which could prove to give VaTech the edge at the end of the day. That being said, never bet against the Broncos, who play their best football on the big stage.
