Upcoming Games that will shape the National Championship race

[NateG]

After seeing the polls from this past week, I thought it could be interesting to look at games on a timeline showing how the National Championship could be determined. Some sites have put 10 games to watch as per the title game but there are many more games than 10 that are worth watching or tracking for that purpose. I'll try to condense as much as possible for teams that I feel have no legitimate chance whatsoever. As teams get knocked off with 2 or more losses, I'll remove them from this post. And if teams that looked out of the picture start to rise, I'll add games of theirs that are important.

This isn't a Chaos Theory thread just one to track all the happenings leading to the title. If tOSU is getting into range I am sure that the Chaos Theory Thread will reopen.

Week 2 - 9/8-9/10

Arizona @ 7. Oklahoma St. (Ok St to likely move up during week 3, preparing for big matchup against Tex A&M)
19. Mizzouri @ 23. Arizona State
2. Alabama @ 20. Penn State
12. South Carolina @ Georgia
17. Mississippi State @ 22. Auburn

Week 3 - 9/15-9/17

3. LSU @ 25. Mississippi State
20. West Virginia @ Maryland
Tennessee @ 17. Florida
16. Ohio State @ Miami
1. Oklahoma @ 5. Florida State
6. Stanford @ Arizona

Week 4 - 9/22-24

25. North Carolina @ 24. Georgia Tech
3. LSU @ 16. West Virginia
14. Florida State @ 22. Clemson
12. Arkansas @ 2. Alabama
6. Oklahoma State @ 8. Texas A&M
Missouri @ 1. Oklahoma
13. Oregon @ Arizona

Week 5 - 9/29-10/1

14. South Florida @ Pittsburgh
2. Alabama @ 12. Florida
13. Texas A&M @ 18. Arkansas
Northwestern @ 22. Illinois
Auburn @ 9. South Carolina
15. Clemson @ 10. Virginia Tech
25. Michigan State @ Ohio state
8. Nebraska @ 7. Wisconsin

Week 6 - 10/6-10/8

23. Auburn @ 12. Arkansas
1. Oklahoma vs. 10. Texas
11. Michigan @ Northwestern
18. Florida @ 2. LSU
Ohio State @ 15. Nebraska

Week 7 - 10/13-10/15

7. Oklahoma State @ 21. Texas
13. South Carolina @ Mississippi State
20. Arizona State @ 9. Oregon
Ohio State @ 15. Illinois
24. Baylor @ 23. Texas A&M
10. Michigan @ 19. Michigan State
17. Virginia Tech @ Wake Forest

Week 8 - 10/20-10/22

7. Oklahoma State @ Missouri
Auburn @ 2. LSU
4. Wisconsin @ 19. Michigan State
North Carolina @ 8. Clemson
Washington @ 5. Stanford

Week 9 - 10/27-10/29

9. Oklahoma @ 8. Kansas State
Baylor @ 3. Oklahoma State
11. Michigan State @ 14. Nebraska
Illinois @ 19. Penn State
Missouri @ 16. Texas A&M
15. Wisconsin @ Ohio State
5 Clemson @ Georgia Tech
6. Stanford @ USC

Week 10 - 11/3-11/5

16. Texas A&M @ 9. Oklahoma
1. LSU @ 2. Alabama
13. South Carolina @ 10. Arkansas
8. Kansas State @ 3. Oklahoma State
7. Oregon @ Washington

Week 11 - 11/10-11/12

3. Alabama @ Mississippi State
7. Oregon @ 4. Stanford
10. Virginia Tech @ 21. Georgia Tech
Wake forest @ 9. Clemson
19. Nebraska @ 12. Penn State
TCU @ 5. Boise State

Week 12 - 11/17-11/19

North Carolina @ 8. Virginia Tech
5. Oklahoma @ 22. Baylor
SMU @ 11. Houston
Mississippi State @ 6. Arkansas
USC @ 4. Oregon

Week 13 - 11/24-11/26

3. Arkansas @ 1. LSU
2. Alabama @ 24. Auburn
Notre Dame @ 6. Stanford

Week 14 - 12/1-12/3

9. Oklahoma @ 4. Oklahoma State
CCG's

Clemson vs Virginia Tech
Georgia vs LSU
UCLA vs Oregon


Looking at things, Weeks 3-5 build a huge foundation for teams to push for the Title. Okla vs FSU, TA&M vs OkST, Ark vs Ala, Neb vs Wisc. TA&M vs Ark. This will shape where the next few weeks games of importance shift to. And where the teams in the middle can make a push to get into the top 5 as well. I think Boise will fade back with so many top matchups causing teams to jump up. Unless perfect chaos happens Boise will end up behind a couple to three unbeatens by the time they play TCU. By then it may be too late due to the BCS Standings. Only time will tell.

Week 11 looks like a monster week of filtering out the contenders and pretenders. This season looks like alot of fun.

 

[Coqui]

I don't think the Miami game carries as much weight as it used to.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

I don't think the Miami game carries as much weight as it used to.

Agreed. Everything else looks good, though.

 

[Gatorubet]

I think by Florida - Auburn, both of our destinies will have already been decided.

 

[Bill Lucas]

Auburn @ Georgia

This game might have something to do with a Hunger Bowl bid but it has nothing to do with the national championship.

 

[southcampus]

The more I look at this, the more I think we'll see Boise State in the NCG. Some brutal schedules for the top teams this year.

 

[buckiprof]

The more I look at this, the more I think we'll see Boise State in the NCG.

And that will lead to creampies galore in Bristol, Connecticut.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

And that will lead to creampies galore in Bristol, Connecticut.

It would be cool to be in the title game this year, proving all the doubters wrong, but I don't want to do it against the Donkeys. It's a no win situation. If we beat them, people will think that Boise didn't belong in the game, and if we lose... Well, we would be the laughing stock of College football and ESPN would continue to cock-snif Ohio State.

 

[BigWoof31]

18. Florida @ 3. LSU

 

[NateG]

Granted I don't think Miami, Georgia, and a few others have a true chance to be a contender, but I will keep them on here due to the remote possibility to still shape the way the title is determined. If OSU loses to Cryami, they are most likely going to have a extremely difficult time to get back into the race. Being outside the top 10 and then losing to a terrible team will drop them tremendously. Winning against Cryami will put them in the position to be in the top 10 when they play MSU and Nebraska due to the others teams that play each other in front of the Bucks. This will be a fluxuating timeline and I'll mark the winners and losers throughout and add and pull games that should or shouldn't be here.

 

[NateG]

And in week 8, I will switch from the coaches poll to the BCS standings.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

If we want to be in the title game, we will have to be undefeated.

 

[Coqui]

If we want to be in the title game, we will have to be undefeated.

Sadly, I think we will also need a lot of help. And that's even if we could beat Nebraska soundly.

Although if Penn State somehow beats 'Bama and we convincingly beat MSU, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Penn State (assuming they still are highly ranked) mbe just going undefeated would work.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

If we beat all of those teams, it would be hard for the voters and the BCS computers to keep us out, especially if we win the BIG championship game.

 

[EasternBuck]

Maybe the positive hype from the "First" conference championship game would help push us into the title game.