By Jason Johnson

Special to VegasInsider.com

Spring practice; Over.

NFL Draft; Done

Finals; Finished

And all of that means just one thing….it’s time for college football.

There are hundreds of questions to be answered in the coming months.  Can USC three-peat without offensive coordinator Norm Chow?  Will Urban Meyer bring the University of Florida back to a BCS bowl?  Can Joe Paterno still patrol the sidelines in Happy Valley without the boosters calling for his resignation? 

When you’re looking for the story lines of the season as well as the answers to those questions, you’ll find them in the top 50 games of the 2005 college football season. 

Can Jared Zabransky lead Boise to a Week 1 upset over Georgia between the hedges? (Getty Images)

Week 1

Bowling Green at Wisconsin:  Bowling Green is one of three teams who could make a case for an at-large bid at the end of the season.  They can kiss those dreams goodbye if they lose this game.

Boise State at Georgia:  Boise St. would be the second of the three teams looking for that at-large bid.  A win on the road at Georgia would secure some national spotlight.  Someday the WAC is going to pull off that upset that sends shockwaves through the NCAA.

Wyoming at Florida:  When the Gators scheduled this game, we’re pretty sure they didn’t expect Wyoming to be a solid football team.  Wyoming has 19 starters back from a team that went 7-5 and beat UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.  Coach Urban Meyer’s first game in the Swamp could get ugly.

Georgia Tech at Auburn:  The Tigers finished the 2004 season undefeated but still found themselves left out of the title game.  Now with their two star running backs in the NFL and parts of their defense gone, they’ll have to do some rebuilding.  Georgia Tech won’t be a walk in the park.

Miami at Florida State:  They ACC could be on the line in the first week of the season.  A win makes you the front runner.  A loss could ruin your season.  Miami has the most to lose in this game since they’ll have to play Virginia Tech later on but the Seminoles starting quarterback is in rehab.  This game will shake up the make up of the Top 10.   

Colorado State at Colorado:  It seems that every once in awhile the Buffaloes find a way to make it to the Big 12 title game.  With the important Big 12 games at home this season, CU can not afford a loss in a rivalry game.

Week 2

            Iowa at Iowa State:  The Cyclones are tough at home.  With this rivalry game and the Hawkeyes top 5 ranking, Iowa St. will be poised for a major upset.  While the loss won’t touch Iowa’s chance at a Big 10 title, it would kill any National Championship hopes.

Arizona State at LSU:  It seems that LSU struggles with those Pac-10 opponents.  Will Lee Miles change that?   A win for ASU could set up a huge game against USC for the Pac-10 title and a possible undefeated season. 

            Notre Dame at Michigan:  While this game won’t have national implications, it will be Charlie Weis’ first trip into extremely hostile territory and his first taste of this rivalry.  The last team to win on the road in this series was Michigan in 1994.  An Irish win at Michigan would silence any Weis critic.

            Texas at Ohio State:  Another early non-conference game that won’t affect the BCS but the loser in Columbus has no shot at a national title.  This is the biggest non-conference game each team has played in years.  

Week 3

            Pittsburgh at Nebraska:  At this point in the season, both schools will be looking to keep their name in the top 25 to attract the national attention.  Neither will win their conference but the outcome of this game has some serious recruiting implications.

            Oklahoma at UCLA:  UCLA is one of the only teams capable of shutting Oklahoma down, and only because the game is at the Rose Bowl.  An Oklahoma win and they could be looking at a second trip to the national title game.

            Tennessee at Florida:  Urban Meyer’s first taste of a true rivalry in Gainesville.  The Gators will remember last year's controversial last-second, 50-yard field goal loss in Knoxville.  The winner is in the front seat of the SEC east.  Both teams should be in the top 10 when this game kicks off.

            Bowling Green at Boise State:  If either of these teams can come away with the win in their week 1 road games, this second win will have the sportswriters talking BCS bids.

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Week 4

            Tennessee at LSU:  Fulmer will take his Volunteers to Baton Rouge the week after playing at Florida.  If they come away from Gainesville with a win, a win at LSU would be huge.  If they lose to Florida, a loss here would kill their season.

            Arkansas at Alabama:  The SEC West is wide open and this rivalry game will put a lot of the pieces into place.  The winner will challenge for a trip to Atlanta in December.

            Michigan at Wisconsin:  A simple Big 10 game that could determine the Big 10 champion.  Michigan has the better team but road teams fall in Madison in the fourth quarter.  (It must be the jump-around.) 

            Iowa at Ohio State:  If the Big 10 champion isn’t playing in Madison today, they’re playing in Columbus.  This is likely Iowa's make-or-break game in the Big Ten.  The Hawkeyes beat the Buckeyes by 26 last season in Iowa City.

Week 5

            Florida at Alabama:  Why is it that Urban Meyer wanted to coach at Florida?  Another game for the Gators they can’t afford to lose.  A win for the Tide will likely roll them straight to the SEC West championship.

            Iowa State at Nebraska:  The Big 12 North is at stake here.  Who will play the Oklahoma/Texas winner?  An Iowa State win and this season could very well shape up to be their first division/conference first-place finish of any kind since 1912.

            USC at Arizona State:  Likely for the Pac-10 Championship and a possible undefeated season for both schools.  The Trojans first true test.  This is the biggest game at Sun Devil Stadium in years.

Week 6

            Georgia at Tennessee:  By this point in the season, the SEC East should be shaping up.  This game is a must win for both teams as the winner stays alive and the loser gets ready for the Citrus Bowl.

            Texas A&M at Colorado:  A&M would like to challenge for the Big 12 South but they’ll need to go into Boulder and come away with a win if they even want a chance at a trip to Kansas City.  The Buffaloes will need this win for a Big 12 North birth.

            Oklahoma at Texas:  As always, one of the best games of the season.  The winner is the front runner in the Big 12 South and a national championship contender.  Another Texas loss to Oklahoma will have Mack Brown’s and his contract under fire.  Oklahoma has taken 5 in a row in the Red River shootout. 

Week 7

            Florida at LSU:  Meyer can’t catch a break.  This just goes to show that the SEC is the toughest conference in football. For Lee Miles’ first “big” game at home, Death Valley will be rockin’.  Florida has won 3 straight at LSU. 

Week 8

            Virginia Tech at Maryland:  A Thursday night game in College Park.  Tech’s got the players to win the ACC but “Fear the Turtle.”  Stranger things have happened during ESPN night games.

            Auburn at LSU:  A game that is usually for the SEC West championship.  LSU will need to beat Florida or Tennessee to set this up to be a “big” game. 

            Tennessee at Alabama:  If LSU can’t beat Florida or Tennessee, this becomes the SEC game to watch today.   

            Michigan at Iowa:  Going into the season, Michigan is Iowa's last loss.  These two schools are the front runners for the Big 10 title.  Will this game decide it?  Good chance.

Week 9

            Iowa State at Texas A&M:  Iowa State needs this game.  While A&M is already in the backseat of their division, the Cyclones could be in the front seat of theirs.  A win for ISU would go a long way toward Kansas City.

            Oklahoma at Nebraska:  This hasn’t been much of a game for a little while now but the word coming from the Cornhusker locker room is that we can expect things to change this season.  Oklahoma has struggled on the road in the past and they’ve lost their Heisman trophy quarterback.  Anyone smell an upset in the Cornfields?

            Georgia at Florida:  You’d bet that Urban Meyer hasn’t been to a cocktail party like this.  Chris Leak and the Gators seem to have Georgia’s number winning 13 of the last 15 but losing last season.  They’ll need another win in Jacksonville to stay in contention for the SEC East.

Week 10

            Pittsburgh at Louisville:  Welcome to the Big East's newest rivalry.  Remember the Big East?  They still get a BCS bid and you can expect the winner of this game to get it.  Louisville is looking to make a dent in their new conference.

            Miami (Fla.) at Virginia Tech:  The old Big East powerhouses are now the kings of the ACC.  If Miami can come away with a win at Florida State in their first game of the season, they’ll come to Blacksburg undefeated.  Virginia Tech has won 7 of the last 10.  The winner of this game will get the ACC Coastal title and a trip to Jacksonville for the first ever ACC Championship game.

Week 11

            Texas A&M at Oklahoma:  The reason A&M has no chance at the Big 12 title game is that they have no chance of winning this game, right?  Winning in Norman is no easy task but I wouldn’t stamp this game as an OU victory just yet.

            Iowa at Wisconsin:  If Iowa tops Michigan back in week 8, this game will likely be a chance for Iowa to win the Big 10 title.  Don’t count out that jump-around yet.

LSU at Alabama:  Alabama gets the Tigers at home this year so if the Tide can roll over Florida or Tennessee and then beat LSU, they’ll be looking at a trip to Atlanta.

            USC at California:  Aaron Rodgers has left Cal but that won’t take anything away from this rivalry.  Great games the past 2 seasons and you can expect another one with the Pac-10 on the line. 

            Boise State at Fresno State:  We haven’t talked about a non-BCS team since back in week 3 and this is the first mention of Fresno State.  That’s because it could be the only game of the year that they lose.  State is 0-4 against Boise St. with Hill on the sidelines.  Fresno is the third non-BCS team that could make some noise this season.  A win over Boise State will set up next weeks game at USC. 

            Florida at South Carolina:  It seems that every Gator game is big but the world can’t wait to see Spurrier against his old team.  Spurrier was 10-0 against South Carolina while at Florida, beating it by an average of 25 points.  Will new Florida coach Urban Meyer pick up on this habit? 

Week 12

            Bowling Green at Miami (Ohio):  The MAC East will be on the line in this high scoring Tuesday night matchup.  Always a great rivalry game.

            Penn State at Michigan State:  This game will have zero importance, except that it could be the last game for Joe Paterno.  Another losing season for Penn State could send shockwaves through Happy Valley with boosters calling for his resignation.  Another losing season for Penn State and Paterno may want to call it quits. 

            Alabama at Auburn:  This is a great rivalry game and with the SEC West a toss up this season, the winner could earn more than just bragging rights, like a trip to the SEC Championship game.

            Fresno State at USC:  Let’s imagine for a second that both of these teams are undefeated going into this game, which could easily happen.  The non-BCS vs. the BCS for a national championship birth.  That’s right, if Fresno State can top USC and finish up undefeated, they’ll have a legitimate argument at a spot in the title game.  Consider this option this season’s worst nightmare for the BCS.

            Memphis at Southern Mississippi:  The winner should get to C-USA's first championship game.  Southern Miss wants revenge for a 30-26 loss at Memphis last year.  This game is premier piece to the DeAngelo Williams Heisman puzzle.

Ohio State at Michigan:  If Michigan picks up that win in Iowa, this game will be for the Big 10 title.  If not, it’s just another Ohio State/Michigan game.  Either way, it’s huge.

Week 13

            Pittsburgh at West Virginia:   If Pittsburgh manages to beat Louisville in week 10 they’ll still need to get past the Mountaineers in Morgantown before they get that BCS birth.  Going to West Virginia is never easy and the verdict of Dave Wannstedt's first season with the Panthers could come down to this game.

Nebraska at Colorado:  If all things go as planned in the Big 12, this game will determine the Big 12 North champion.  That team will likely play Texas or Oklahoma in Kansas City the following week for the BCS birth.  Bill Callahan was given a mulligan by the Cornhusker fans last season but they’re expecting better results this year.

            Texas at Texas A&M:  Texas A&M is still on the outside looking in at the Big 12 South but with this big game on their home turf the Aggies have a chance.  If Mack Brown and the Longhorns finally get past Oklahoma, they could blow the season with a loss to A&M. 

            Florida St. at Florida:  If Urban Meyer can escape the SEC schedule unblemished, he’ll still have to beat the Seminoles if he wants a chance at the national spotlight.  FSU has won 5 of the last 7.  The game is in Gainesville which should give him some help but in this rivalry, anything can happen.  

Week 14 

            UCLA at USC:  Let’s again imagine that USC is undefeated coming into this game.  A win will put them in a national championship game but a loss to their rivals will have USC quarterback Matt Leinart wondering why he didn’t just take the money for being the first pick of the NFL Draft.  UCLA can end what will be a 32-game winning streak by this day.