While college football analysts and hype masters seem to agree that Friday ranks as the best or most important day of the season, it's not so much a daylong extravaganza as one midday matchup that matters.
The annual Iron Bowl, with Auburn at Alabama this season, matters the most -- and it could be the most competitive game involving ranked teams. What happens in that game could impact the national championship game more than any other result of the day.
Although BCS leader Oregon plays No. 21 Arizona and unbeaten Boise State (fourth in the BCS standings) faces No. 19 Nevada in ranked-vs.-ranked matchups, if either of the underdogs won those games it would be a huge upset.
Defending national champ Alabama is actually favored at home against Auburn. And that in-state contest always comes with high stakes.
Of all the games worth watching during the day, the Iron Bowl seems unparalleled. Sure, West Virginia and Pitt bring emotion and physicality to their game, but the stakes there are not nearly as high -- even with a BCS bowl berth at stake.