2010 college football playoffs preview

It's the most wonderful time of the year! No, I'm not talking about Christmas. It's college football playoffs time!

I'm so glad everybody came around to this idea. Last year's tournament was great. Who can forget that triple-overtime quarterfinal between Texas and Oregon? And Boise State's Hail Mary against Alabama in the title game was so close to being caught, wasn't it?

This year's playoffs look to be just as exciting, and they start in only two days! Let's take a look at the first round matchups:

14. UConn at 3. TCU (Friday, 8:30 p.m., ABC)
UConn won the Big East championship and a spot in the tourney on a last-second, 52-yard field goal last week. Will the magic carry into the playoffs? Although TCU destroyed then-No. 5 Utah a few weeks ago, the Horned Frogs haven't played a major conference opponent since their Sept. 18 victory over Baylor. A win here could set the stage for a long run for TCU.

9. Michigan State at 8. Arkansas (Saturday, 1:30 p.m., ABC)
Under the old bowl system, these two teams could very well have been opponents in one of the meaningless Big Ten vs. SEC games. But now the winner could have a chance to knock off No. 1 Auburn in the second round.

16. Florida International at 1. Auburn (Saturday, 1:30 p.m., ESPN)
Last year's Sun Belt champ, Troy, got demolished by Alabama in the first round. FIU will likely meet the same fate, but the playoff revenue the Sun Belt now gets will help make its teams more competitive in future years.

11. Virginia Tech at 6. Ohio State (Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN)
Virginia Tech rebounded after a shaky start (losses to Boise State and James Madison) to win the ACC and qualify for the playoffs. But the Hokies' reward is a trip to Columbus to face the 11-1 Buckeyes, who are one of three Big Ten teams with legitimate title hopes.

12. Nevada at 5. Wisconsin (Saturday, 5 p.m., ESPN)
Nevada's upset over Boise State clinched a surprising playoff berth for the Wolfpack, and it was a big win for the WAC, which placed two teams in the tourney (more than the Big East and Big 12). Wisconsin, meanwhile, has a national championship in its sights, but its bracket (a potential quarterfinal against No. 4 Stanford, with No. 1 Auburn waiting in the wings) poses an uphill battle.

10. Boise State at 7. Oklahoma (Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ABC)
Everyone's looking forward to this rematch from the legendary 2007 Fiesta Bowl, when the Broncos shocked the Sooners with their trick plays. Boise State's loss to Nevada two weeks ago cost them the WAC championship and nearly a playoff bid, but they qualified as the last at-large team. The Broncos will be looking for redemption, and the Sooners will be looking for revenge.

15. Miami (Ohio) at 2. Oregon (Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN)
Last year's MAC champion, Central Michigan, put quite a scare into No. 2 Texas in their first-round matchup, before ultimately losing 21-19. Miami is a much weaker team -- they needed a fourth-quarter comeback just to win the MAC title game -- and should be a nice, easy warm-up for the undefeated Ducks' championship run.

13. Central Florida at 4. Stanford (Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
UCF cracked the final regular-season Top 25, but the Golden Knights lost their two major non-conference games this season, to North Carolina State and Kansas State. Stanford flew under the radar all season and is a dark horse to win it all.