Pigskin Prophet: Rivalry Edition |
Rivalry week is one of my favorite weeks of the season and the one I dread the most.
Rivalries are what make college football great, but it also means it’s the last week of the regular season, and all we have to look forward to is a bunch of meaningless games in weird places, along with a few good games that really capture our attention. Of course, if you live in the state of South Carolina, it means Clemson and South Carolina. It means batteries and water bottles and babies tossed from the upper deck and ice that smells like doo doo. It means tailgating in front of machine shops and industrial complexes, and cheering for a chicken wearing a dress. We wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t think. FRIDAY TCU AT OKLAHOMA TCU played for the national title last season and now is fighting to play in a bowl game. Oklahoma looked to have it on cruise control after the win over Texas, but now needs a win and Oklahoma State to lose to be able to play for the Big 12 title. Turnovers will be big in this one, and the Horny Toads have been a turnover machine the last few weeks. What do we expect? A lot of points, turnovers, and a lot of fun to watch. Sooners go Boomer over the Toads. OKLAHOMA 40, TCU 27 SATURDAY OHIO ST. AT MICHIGAN The big noon kickoff features two of the nation’s best teams, and two teams that nobody else in the nation can stand. Ohio St.’s coach has a punchable face, and we all know Harbaugh doesn’t have a personality or a conscience. But this should be a good game, and now that the Wolverines aren’t able to steal the Buckeye signals, it gives the Buckeyes a little bit of an advantage. And I think the Buckeyes beat the Cheaters with Heaters. OHIO ST. 23, MICHIGAN 20 KENTUCKY AT LOUISVILLE I had the chance to watch Kentucky last week when the Wildcats played the Gamecocks, and while they lack speed, don’t let that fool you. They also lack the ability to block, cover, or tackle. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are clicking right along, and they’re at home. Yes, the Cards have a big game the next week when they play for the ACC title, but they won’t be overlooking old blue. And they will blow them out. LOUISVILLE 33, KENTUCKY 17 FLORIDA ST. AT FLORIDA The Seminoles suffered a devastating injury to quarterback Jordan Travis last week, and while Tate Rodemaker isn’t Travis, he isn’t terrible. Florida has had some success throwing it at times, and some success passing it at times, but just never have been consistent at either. Like Louisville, the Seminoles have a big game next week, but they also realize that the roster they’ve hired will have a lot of turnover this offseason, and the time is now. And Florida? They’re just not very good. FLORIDA ST. 27, FLORIDA 17 GEORGIA AT GEORGIA TECH The Bulldogs are humming right along and destroying everything in their path. The Jackets have been a nice little story this season, but they earned bowl eligibility last week with a win over hapless Syracuse, and now they just need to keep everyone healthy. They really could be a Wreck from Georgia Tech if the physical Bulldogs get angry. My guess is the Bulldogs do enough to win. GEORGIA 44, TECH 20 OREGON ST. AT OREGON Listen, Oregon St. has been a nice story, and their offense has been a little better than average most of the season. But Oregon is on another level right now under Bo Nix, and the Ducks are not about to let a bunch of Beavers make things hairy in Eugene. OREGON 40, OREGON ST. 24 CLEMSON AT SOUTH CAROLINA Here we go. It’s time for the double-birds and the moms yelling words they shouldn’t be yelling, and for the parking lots around Willy B to look a little better than Sodom and Gomorrah. On the field, the Gamecocks are on a three-game winning streak, but they’ve beaten a Sunday School class, a troop of Boy Scouts, and a bunch of old ladies who play bingo every Tuesday night. Clemson has been beating some actual teams, and the Tigers are playing their best football of the season. The rent is due, and I am not sure there will be anyone around in the fourth quarter to pay it. CLEMSON 38, SOUTH CAROLINA 16 ALABAMA AT AUBURN Yes, Auburn paid some kind of smaller school $478 million to come and be a sacrificial lamb last week and lost. Alabama beat their lamb like a drum, and the Crimson Tide are playing well. Maybe, with Gus as coach, you would feel like Auburn had a chance. Maybe there would be a 109-yard return for a TD or the clocks would malfunction, but Auburn doesn’t have that kind of luck of Hugh Frozen. ALABAMA 37, AUBURN 20
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