updated 2:53 a.m. ET Dec. 3, 2006

PASADENA, Calif. - Michigan or Florida?

One will play Ohio State in the BCS championship game. The other will be ticked off at the maddeningly imperfect system used to crown a major college football champion.

One thing’s for sure, a Saturday stunner shook up the Bowl Championship Series and made selection Sunday a whole lot more interesting.

With a chance to lock up a third consecutive trip to the title game, Southern California lost 13-9 to UCLA in the biggest upset of the season and opened the door for the Wolverines or the Gators to play for the national championship.

“It is kind of a shock, but at the same time, they did a great job,” USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett said.

Not long after the Trojans let their opportunity slip away, Florida (12-1) made its final case with a 38-28 victory over Arkansas in the SEC title game.

So it comes down to this for the poll voters and computer rankings the BCS uses to determine which team plays for the national title — a Michigan-Ohio State rematch or Gators vs. the top-ranked Buckeyes in the desert on Jan. 8.

“Michigan already had its chance,” Florida freshman receiver Percy Harvin said. “I think we deserve a chance.”

For the first time since the BCS was born eight years ago, after all the regular season games have been played, the championship matchup is anybody’s guess going into selection Sunday.

And at least one person who will help make the decision, isn’t looking forward to it.

College football How all 32 games are shaping up

“I don’t feel real comfortable casting a ballot,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who votes in the coaches’ poll, told ESPN. “I know we’re going to have to play one of the two and I don’t want to make either of them mad.”

USC was second in the last BCS standings and appeared to be peaking at the perfect time. The Trojans had won four straight since losing at Oregon State, with impressive home wins over Oregon, California and last week against Notre Dame.

The last step for the Trojans (10-2) was a victory over UCLA (7-5), their barely over .500 crosstown rivals whom they had beaten seven straight times.

But this trip to Pasadena didn’t go as planned for USC and now instead of playing Ohio State in Glendale, Ariz. the Trojans will return to the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 with far less at stake.

Michigan (11-1), which ended its season with a 42-39 loss at Ohio State (12-0) two weeks ago, was third in last week’s BCS standings, sitting at home and hoping for help.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos

The Bruins came through for the Wolverines.

The Gators weren’t too far behind the Wolverines in fourth — and even before USC lost, Florida coach Urban Meyer had made it known several times that he wasn’t happy about the prospect of being left out of the national championship game.

The Gators only loss this season came at Auburn in October, a 27-17 setback that was four-point game until the Tigers scored on the final play.

Another SEC slight might cause an uprising in the South. In 2004, Auburn went undefeated but USC and Oklahoma played for the national title.

“We deserve a shot,” Meyer said in Atlanta on Saturday night. “I have great confidence that the University of Florida will get that opportunity. I really do.”

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr passed on a chance to lobby for his team Saturday night.

“I think it’s going to be extremely disappointing to the team that doesn’t get selected and just as exciting for the team that does,” Carr told ESPN.

Florida’s fallback would be the Sugar Bowl. If Michigan gets passed up, the Wolverines will probably play USC in the Rose Bowl.

MORE FROM COLLEGE FOOTBALL

College football Section Front

Big Ten blows BCS spot Opinion: 10 bowl matchups that would be a treat CFT: ‘By the numbers’ — McCoy goes for record CFT: Iowa’s Stanzi could return for bowl game CFT: Meyer says Florida ‘lacking the big hits’ Tribe stops school from dropping nickname Trash Talk: Sorry, but SEC not all it’s cracked up to be   Vote: Which is the best conference? CFT: Mystery over for No. 5 Cincinnati — Pike will sit Iowa-Ohio St. in-depth video preview, analysis College football Section Front   Add College football headlines to your news reader: