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Some games (even in May) are better than others

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College football games that seem spellbinding in May don’t always turn out that way in September or October, but here are 10 games I am AT THIS MOMENT most looking forward to in 2009:

10: (Sept. 5) Georgia at Oklahoma State. For years the Bulldogs wouldn’t leave the state to play a non-conference game and now, a year after winning handily at Arizona State, Georgia is taking UGA to Stillwater? This is so un-SEC like, but we love it.

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9: (Sept 12) UCLA at Tennessee. Possible pre-game conversation between coaches:

Rick Neuheisel: ‘What did you think of that test they make you take on the NCAA rules before you can become a head coach?’

Lane Kiffin: ‘Test? They make you take a test?’

8: (Sept. 5) Alabama vs. Virginia Tech in Atlanta. One of these national title contenders is nicknamed ‘Hokies’ and the other is coming off a humiliating loss to Utah and trying to avoid a three-game losing streak.

7: (Oct. 17) Texas/Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl. Texas won the game last year, Oklahoma claimed the Big 12 title, so now the Longhorns are looking to kick the Sooners’ asterisk.

6. (Nov. 7) Ohio State at Penn State. It could decide the Big Ten title, whatever that means these days. And remember, if the final score is 13-6 again, that’s just hard-nosed Big Ten football and not a long, boring, low-scoring sleeping pill.

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5. (Oct. 17) USC at Notre Dame. Charlie Weis’ first loss against USC in 2005 (Bush Push) was definitely his most exciting, but one of these years -- this one, for instance -- he might want to win one for the Gipper.

4. (Sept. 19) Texas Tech at Texas. Two things wrecked Texas’ national title hopes last year: Michael Crabtree’s game-winning touchdown catch in Lubbock and the Big 12 Conference’s tiebreaker rule. Crabtree is gone, but the rule is still on the books.

3. (Sept. 3) Oregon at Boise State. A rockets’-red-glare of a Thursday-night season opener set on a blue field.

2. (Sept. 19) Tennessee at Florida. Lane Kiffin’s first trip to the Swamp. Can’t wait to read the tweets that week.

1. (Sept. 12) USC at Ohio State. Will this Titanic battle between schools that never seem to meet in the Rose Bowl anymore draw more fans than that terrific Ohio State vs. Ohio State spring game in Columbus?

-- Chris Dufresne

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