Strike a Heisman pose!

*poses* Five bucks to the one who looks the most like Desmond Howard in 1991. Now, as college football season begins, I'll be giving the top games to decide a team's season. But before I do, I got a couple things. First, if one game registers as the one people will look at for the intangibles, it would be on September 8, Virginia Tech at LSU. Those two will compete in a great game, and both have legitimate arguments to win the national championship. But what I think people will take notice is these are two schools that have suffered through terrible disasters lately. LSU was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina, and Virginia Tech lost 32 innocent students (and one raving lunatic) in the massacre on April 16. I wouldn't be surprised that both schools will be playing with a lot of heart that afternoon. Second, I selected 17 teams that should be the top contenders for the national championship, two of whom are outside the BCS conferences. Those teams are Boise State, California, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Hawaii, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Texas, USC, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Now, the games that will make or break a team's season.

August 30
Miami (OH) at Ball State

August 31
Washington at Syracuse

September 1
Arizona at BYU
Army vs. Akron
Central Michigan at Kansas
Colorado State vs. Colorado
Connecticut at Duke
Middle Tennessee at Florida Atlantic
Tennessee at California
UCF at North Carolina State
Virginia at Wyoming
Wake Forest at Boston College

September 8
Buffalo at Temple
Indiana at Western Michigan
Memphis at Arkansas State
North Carolina at East Carolina
Ohio at UL Lafayette
Rice at Baylor
Virginia Tech at LSU

September 15
Arkansas at Alabama
Pittsburgh at Michigan State
Virginia at North Carolina

September 20
Texas A&M at Miami

September 22
Clemson at North Carolina State
Georgia at Alabama
Illinois at Indiana
Iowa State at Toledo
Kentucky at Arkansas

September 27
Southern Miss at Boise State

September 29
Alabama vs. Florida State
Kent State at Ohio
Notre Dame at Purdue
Pittsburgh at Virginia
Syracuse at Miami (OH)
UCLA at Oregon State
UNLV at Nevada
Western Michigan at Toledo

October 6
Florida at LSU
Fresno State at Nevada
Georgia at Tennessee
North Texas at UL Lafayette
Northwestern at Michigan State
Oklahoma vs. Texas
Oklahoma State at Texas A&M
Tulane at Army

October 10
Navy at Pittsburgh

October 11
Florida State at Wake Forest

October 13
Air Force at Colorado State
Auburn at Arkansas
Boston College at Notre Dame
Bowling Green at Miami (OH)
East Carolina at UTEP
Georgia Tech at Miami
Indiana at Michigan State
Middle Tennessee at Memphis
Minnesota at Northwestern
New Mexico at Wyoming
New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech
Tulane at UAB
UL Monroe at North Texas

October 20
Arkansas State at Middle Tennessee
California at UCLA
Central Michigan at Clemson
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Florida Atlantic at UL Lafayette
Iowa at Purdue
Kansas at Colorado
Miami at Florida State
San Jose State at Fresno State
Tennessee at Alabama
Texas A&M at Nebraska
Tulsa at UCF
Virginia at Maryland

October 27
Clemson at Maryland
Florida vs. Georgia
Louisana Tech at Utah State
Ohio at Bowling Green
Ohio State at Penn State
Troy at Arkansas State
UL Monroe at Florida Atlantic
Virginia at North Carolina State
West Virginia at Rutgers

October 28
UCF at Southern Miss

November 1
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech

November 2
Akron at Bowling Green

November 3
East Carolina at Memphis
Florida State at Boston College
Illinois at Minnesota
Louisana Tech at Idaho
Marshall at UCF
Oregon at Arizona State
South Carolina at Arkansas
UTEP at Rice
Washington at Stanford
Wisconsin at Ohio State

November 6
Central Michigan at Western Michigan

November 8
Louisville at West Virginia
TCU at BYU

November 10
Arkansas State at Florida Atlantic
Auburn at Georgia
Colorado at Iowa State
Houston at Tulsa
Indiana at Northwestern
Kentucky at Vanderbilt
Michigan at Wisconsin
San Diego State at UNLV
USC at California
UTEP at Tulane
Wake Forest at Clemson

November 13
Toledo at Ball State

November 14
Akron at Miami (OH)

November 15
Oregon at Arizona

November 17
Northwestern at Illinois
Ohio State at Michigan
Syracuse at Connecticut
UCF at SMU

November 23
Boise State at Hawaii
Ole Miss at Mississippi State
Wyoming at Colorado State

November 24
Alabama at Auburn
Ball State at Northern Illinois
Duke at North Carolina
Georgia at Georgia Tech
Miami at Boston College
UL Monroe at UL Lafayette
Utah State at Idaho
Wake Forest at Vanderbilt
Washington State at Washington

November 29
Rutgers at Louisville

December 1
Arizona at Arizona State
Oregon State at Oregon

And as it is with every other season, Let's Go Blue!

My time's up, you've been great. For the road: Rihanna "Umbrella"