Rivalry Week Game Times, TV Channels, SEC Implications, Bowls and More

Not too many weekends in sports can compare to Rivalry Week in college football. Dreams of national or conference titles die on this weekend, improbable upsets occur, and teams and fans get a year's worth of bragging right over the team and fans of other schools.

Rivalry week in the SEC has several matchups that carry huge implications for the bowl season, the SEC Championship and potentially the National Championship.  Here is a look at those games and other important matchups on the national title race around the country.

No. 3 Ohio State at Michigan (11 am): If the Buckeyes stumble against their rival in Ann Arbor, their hopes for a national championship would be dashed as would hopes of two Big Ten teams playing in the BCS.  Auburn or Missouri would be the two teams that could benefit the most, along with Clemson with an SEC Armageddon scenario of Auburn beating Alabama, but losing to South Carolina in the SEC Championship game.

No. 2 Florida State at Florida (11am): Apparently Will Muschamp does not have to worry about being fired after this game, but a few of his assistants will be coaching their final game in Gainesville.  An upset here would be shades of Pitt defeating West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl a few years ago to cost the Mountaineers a shot at the national championship.

Wake Forest at Vanderbilt  (11:21): Vanderbilt can their eighth win of the season and better secure themselves for the SEC Bowl picture with a win.  A loss guarantee a trip to Birmingham for the Commodores who would not be two wins better than any SEC team, which would make it much easier for the SEC to decline to protect them.  A win and a horrendous Georgia showing could potentially move Vanderbilt up the bowl ladder to perhaps the Gator Bowl.

There may not be a greater rivalry in college football than the Iron Bowl, and with what all might be on the line, gasoline has been thrown onto this fire.  Both teams are playing for hopes of an SEC championship and national title.  The Crimson Tide have a clear path to the title: win today, and win in the SEC championship game.  The Tigers need to do both of those as well and hope voters recognize that a one-loss SEC champion is much more deserving of playing for that national title than Ohio State (and they might...) or hope for Ohio State to lose either this weekend or next.

Georgia at Georgia Tech (2:30) The post-Aaron Murray era opens at Georgia, and what a scenario for it to happen as Good Clean Hate takes over the Peach State.  Georgia needs a win or at least a good showing to keep the Gator Bowl folks from getting wobbly in their idea of selecting the Bulldogs.

No. 6 Clemson at No. 10 South Carolina (6pm): The Tigers bookended 2013 with high profile SEC matchups.  They knocked of Georgia to begin the year, and now they can defeat their Palmetto State rivals to close the regular season.  Nothing in the SEC is at stake in this matchup, but both teams can help their bowl placements (including a chance for a BCS at large for Clemson) with a win today.

Tennessee at Kentucky (6pm): Well they  have to play it because it is on the schedule.  I guess they have to play it.

No. 21 Texas A&M at No. 5 Missouri (6:45pm): The Tigers only need to win to have a chance to play in the SEC championship game and potentially earn a shot at a national championship game birth.  The Aggies have a chance to come into Columbia and wreck the hopes of a dream season.  Missouri is interesting in that if they win, they play for the SEC championship.  If they lose, they could drop significantly in the SEC bowl picture.