So the biggest rivalry weekend of the year, not that there haven't already been played a number of big time rivalry games, but the final weekend of the season is usually where the really big games are set. 1. LSU vs Texas A&M ...LSU looks unbeatable as long as Joe Burrow stays healthy. This is the Ag's last shot at upsetting the applecart! Doubt if it happens though. But if the reality is that the LSU defense isn't championship caliber, then the Ag's might make more of a game out of this than expected. 2. Ohio State at Michigan. The biggest game of the weekend. The Buckeyes looked mortal at times vs Penn State and the Wolverines seem to have found their mojo. Michigan was thought to be a playoff contender back in August, and finally get that Big 10 Championship. What happened, I guess it took longer than expected for the new offense to kick in and down in Columbus Justin Fields turned out to be the real deal. Michigan defense will be the best Fields has faced, Ohio States offense and defense will be the best that Michigan has faced. I do think though that the Buckeyes have too much on both sides of the ball for Michigan to hanndle, in Ann Arbor or on the moon. 3. Clemson at So.Carolina So Carolina has not been the team they hoped for and while Clemson has toiled in sort of the shadow of the SEC Teams and Ohio State, they have had a great season, schedule strength or not. Should be a blowout. Muschamp has been given a couple of votes of confidence, but do they survive a blowout to Clemson? 4. Georgia at Georgia Tech. Tech is not a very good football team, Dawgs should roll them with an uncharacteristic offensive flourish. 5. Alabama at Auburn. Auburn's stingy defense vs the backup QB and Alabama's pass happy offense. Auburn doesn't have a great offense and Bo Nix is still a true freshman playing in his 1st Iron Bowl. I see a low scoring game that the Tide win. Which will keep them in the hunt for the 4th playoff slot. I don't think they'll get it, but what if they blow out Auburn (unlikely)? 6. Utah vs Colorado ...one thing for sure, the altitude won't be a problem for Colorado and they are coming off a win over Washington. Ute's need another impressive win no matter what if they are to continue to hold on to hopes for that 4th slot. I'm really hoping that the Utes are the 4th team, I like Kyle Whittington and would like to see him make it. Utes have the best defense out west. 7. OU at Oklahoma State ...Bedlam!! Unfortunately the Cowboys lost their starter at QB, and while Spencer Sanders was a true freshman..he's going to be a good one. They still have the NCAA's best RB in Chubba Hubbard but it won't be enough. I can see this as another close win by OU, but a lot of points scored. OU doesn't have the best defenses west of the Mississippi..that's Utah. 8. Florida vs FSU ...merciful end to a horrible season for the Seminoles. Did I say merciful, well if you think 60-0 is merciful!! 9. Minn vs Wisconsin ...sort of for all the marbles. Badgers are 6-2, Gophers are 7-1 in the Big 10 West. Badgers win here and it's a tie with the tie breaker going to Wisconsin. They are 2 pretty evenly matched teams, I don't know which way to go with this one, home field advantage? 10. Michigan vs Ohio State. Other Games Friday. Texas Tech at Texas...oh boy, no excitement around the Longhorns right now, only dread and doubt. But fortunately the boys from Lubbock aren't all that good either, they've lost 5 of their last 6 games, so I'm thinking they are just what the doctor ordered. Will be a lot less than a full stadium though in Austin. Iowa at Nebraska...Is this the Blue Plate Special AJ? Not exactly the same as the old Thanksgiving Day games with OU is it? I think the Iowa defense is likely too much for the Huskers this year. Iowa doesn't have a great offense so it could be a close game and maybe Frost and Boys can pull it off. Cincinnati at Memphis ...a really big game in the AAC. Memphis lost to USF last weekend leaving them in a tie for 1st with Navy in the West. Lose to UC and Navy wins it's last game (vs mediocre Houston) and they are out. Right now they hold the tie breaker with Navy. Washington State at Washington. Apple Cup, to the victor goes the Cider. Not much else though, both are bowl eligible, both are 6-5. It's a bragging rights and nothing else. Saturday Louisville at Kentucky...is this the Bourbon Bowl? Indiana at Purdue..IU has had a great season, Purdue has had injuries. Baylor at KU..capping off the best season since Art Briles era, and a prep for the B12 Championship game. Oregon at Oregon State ...Civil War! Oregon State with a win becomes bowl eligible. Oregon is out of the CFP playoff, but needs to get that bad taste out of their mouths before they face Utah in the Pac12 Championship. Vanderbilt at Tenn ...remarkable turn around by the Vols this year is capped off with a win on Rocky Top! Bowl game up next. Iowa State at Kansas State ...the State War? Both well coached teams, both bowl eligible and wanting to finish the season on a high. Navy at Houston. Houston not a very good team this year, Navy should have their way with them and finish the regular season at worst with a tie with Memphis for the AAC West. This is a good Navy team, their QB is a lighting bolt. With a potential Championship game with Cincy, then the Army/Navy game the midshipmen have a lot of football left to play.
LSU is vulnerable because of their lack of defense. If Burrow has a bad day, and Monde has a good one...who knows! OSU vs UM should fall in OSU's favor due to talent and balance. UM's defense is pretty good but their offense is inconsistent.
hmmmm turns out Willie Taggert never signed a formal contract with FSU. This could get interesting. Willie Taggart never signed a final contract. Here’s why it could matter
Don't get excited guys. One of my tip top friends found a list of the officiating crew for the upcoming game in Red Stick. Referee - Boudreaux Umpire - Theriot Head linesman - Thibodeaux Line judge - Hebert Field judge - Breaux Side judge - Bergeron Back judge - Fontenot I don't have a good feeling about this one...
ALL-TIME RECORD (WINNING %) (*minimum 100 games) 1.Boise State(459-168-2).731 2.Michigan(962-344-36).730 3.Ohio State(922-325-53).730 4.Alabama(915-330-43).727 5.Notre Dame(906-327-42).727 6.Oklahoma(906-326-53).726 7.Texas(914-375-33).704 8.USC(847-350-54).699 9.Nebraska(902-394-40).690 10.Penn State(896-393-42).689 So this weekend the winner of Ohio State/Mich jumps the other in Winning %.
Its Iowa. In Omaha without Approval. I outa went around. I owe the world an apology. Idiots out wandering around. Best thing to come outa Iowa?...I80. Big Red 34....Hogeyes 30 Best 25 points in a long time.
I have to say this...after watching Lamar Jackson destroy the Texans and the Rams, he's way exceeded what I thought he would accomplish. Which is that I thought the Ravens wasted a draft choice on him. I thought he was exciting in college, sort of like a Johnny Manziel but with more character. But I thought he'd be out of the league in a couple of years or at best a QB nobody remembers like RGIII. I was really wrong.
I saw today that A&M is the only program to ever play 3 number one (AP poll) teams in one season. Pretty impressive SOS.
Coaching Carousel should be open for business after this weekend. FSU and Arkansas have jumped the gun, and in the Group of 5 New Mexico and UNLV have also entered the frey early. At Mich State much speculation on Mark Dantonio but he says he's coming back. Has Arizona seen enough of Kevin Sumlin? Has Miss State seen enough of Joe Moorhead. Steve Addazio at BC, has fought with a short stick, not sure who can do better. They just don't have the resources. Barry Odom at Missouri has been decidedly average, he's 25-25 in his 4 years. Who are the latest up and comers. Luke Fickell, Mike Norvell and Byron Harsin are probably the top names in the Group of 5. i keep wondering if Joe Brady is going to stick with Eddie O? They've publically said he's going to get a big raise. But they haven't said they will make him the OCoord and retire Steve Ensminger? Is money and a seat next to Steve enough? Or does he want the title, it seems like somebody will offer him the title and the money.
I saw an interview with Da Coach O in which they asked him about Brady getting a raise, and he said something to the effect of 'making sure he gets NFL money.' If LSU wins it all, they can print whatever they want down there and hand it out.
Well the Longhorns got what they needed, Texas Tech as the opponent! Texas rolls 49-24. Don't know what Bowl we'll end up in right now, but we desperately needed this win today and more importantly we needed to have it be a big win, not a 1 point win late like we had vs Kansas. I see that former UF coach Jim MacElwain has his Central Michigan team into the MAC Championship game.
Tough loss for AJ's Huskers, another last second FG. While they didn't win, it looked to me that they are close to turning the corner and I expect next year will be much different. Just a question for AJ, going forward who do you like at QB, McCaffrey or Martinez?
Put some weight on Luke....push him hard, and then have an honest QB comp in spring. Right now Martinez just plain sucks.
Virginia gets it's first win over Va.Tech in the last 16 meetings! I saw Bryce Perkins the UVA QB in person at the ND/UVA game. He was really athletic and gave us a lot of problems, till our defense broke down his protection and we started sacking him. He had a great game vs Va.Tech. Caught a bit of the Memphis/UC game. Memphis looked really good, they get to play UC again next week for the AAC championship. Huskies win the Apple Cup the 2nd year in a row, and there wasn't even an snow storm! Tomorrow is the big day!
I heard on some radio show that Alabama has never beaten a ranked Auburn team in Jordan-Hare Stadium. That true?
Terry, I'm not sure but I'm also not sure how many times Auburn has been ranked when we played in Auburn.
I thought Alabama/Auburn would be a low scoring game. 31-27 at the half, I didn't think they reach that score for the whole game.