Last week: 7-1; For the season: 61-17.
“In my mind I’m going to Carolina.”—James Taylor.
# 1 Clemson hosts Wake Forest.
After a depressing
weekend road trip to scenic South Bend last week, the Demon Deacons drive south
across the NC/SC state line to Clemson.
Meanwhile, the
Tigers are back home where they can rub Howard’s Rock for good luck as they run
down the hill in Memorial Stadium minutes before kickoff.
Rub the rock or
not, it’s doubtful the Fightin’ Dabos will need much luck this Saturday. The
Tigers lead the CFP rankings--and after the win over ‘Cuse last weekend--have
secured a school-record fifth consecutive 10-win season.
Wake is 1-57
all-time against Top 10 opponents.
Clemson QB Deshaun
Watson will update his Heisman-esque resume passing and running…and, to
paraphrase Barry Corbin’s character in No
Country For Old Men, that will be that, as they say.
Projected winner:
Clemson.
The Muppets take Columbus. #3 Ohio State
Hosts #9 Michigan State.
The spirts of the
late, great Buckeyes HBC Woody Hayes and State’s Duffy Daugherty will watch
over the Horseshoe on Saturday when 9-1 Sparty comes to see 10-0 Brutus the
Buckeye.
Fifty years ago
this season, Duffy’s Spartans won the national championship.
This Saturday’s
game may be decided by who has the better QB.
State’s Connor Cook is expected to return after an injury last week; for
OS, J.T. Barrett will get his second start in a row after sitting out a game for
impaired driving.
The Spartans are
5-1 against their last six Top 10 opponents.
The Buckeyes have won a record 30 consecutive Big 10 games.
The Buckeyes also
have this fellow named Zeke Elliott whose prowess at running back will surely obtain for
him a visit to New York for a shot at the Heisman.
See Zeke. See Zeke run.
Projected
winner: Ohio State.
“OOOOk-lahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain.”-Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. #6 Oklahoma State hosts #10 Baylor.
As if the Baptists didn’t get
enough from the state of Oklahoma with a loss to the Sooners last Saturday night
in Waco, now they actually have to go to the Sooner State, to face the
undefeated Cowboys.
As is with the top Big 12 teams,
the Bears and the Cowboys can light up the scoreboard. Baylor is the #1 FBS
offensive team; Ok. St. is #18.
The only “D” on Saturday night in
Stillwater may be the one in OSU HBC Mike Gundy’s last name.
The Cowboys will feel mighty home
on the range at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Projected winner: Oklahoma State.
“We know we belong to the land. And
the land we belong to is grand!”-Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.
#7 Oklahoma hosts #18 TCU.
After bashing the Baptists in
Jerusalem-On-The-Brazos last Saturday night, the Sooners look to extend their
winning record against church schools by welcoming the Horned Frogs to Norman.
After a fall from grace, the
1-loss Frogs hope to have QB Trevone Boykin back on the field, but he will be
without this ace receiver Josh Doctson who has a season-ending wrist injury.
Meanwhile, for the Crimson &
Cream, QB Baker Mayfield continues his push to get into the Heisman debate.
TCU has the #2 FBS offense; OU’s
is ranked #6.
But, the Sooner D is #21.
As Richard and Oscar wrote, “You’re
doing fine, Oklahoma! Oklahoma—OK!”
Projected winner: OU.
The Uncle Verne Bowl: As I Lay Dying-William Faulkner. #15
LSU @ #22 Ole Miss.
A big contingent of Cajuns will
drive north on US 61 to Oxford where between the LSU and Ole Miss fans
(The traditional game day shindig in The Grove)---SHOCK---there may be a party atmosphere!
Even with the mouthwatering deep
fried whatever and the white cloth tables and crystal, following season-setback
losses for both teams, the clash between the Tigers and the Rebs just won’t
have that same feeling as it would have if it’d been played pre-smack downs.
LSU hopes to shake the doldrums
of back-to-back losses to Bama and Arkansas—and get running back Leonard Fournette
back into the Heisman race. While Ole
Miss will try to return to its pre-three loss glory.
The Tigers’ Fournette will have
to have a terrific game, as will his compatriots, to stave off a victory by Ole
Miss that’s averaging a SEC-leading 40.7 points per game.
The Tigers are 61-0 when they
rush for 100 and hold an opponent to under 100.
Les Miles has never lost three in
a row at LSU.
Projected winner: LSU.
Now, some Quick Headlines…
Dreamland or Archibald’s?
#2 Alabama hosts
Charleston Southern.
Two 9 and 1 teams will battle on the
Bryant-Denny Stadium turf on Saturday.
With a week to go before the Iron Bowl, look for Bama to dispatch its FCS opponent fairly early, rest the starters and then head down to Jerusalem Heights or across the river to Northport for some Q.
With a week to go before the Iron Bowl, look for Bama to dispatch its FCS opponent fairly early, rest the starters and then head down to Jerusalem Heights or across the river to Northport for some Q.
Projected winner: Alabama.
“I’m shipping up
to Boston…”-The Dropkick Murphys. #4 Notre Dame vs. Boston College at Fenway Park in Boston.
Saturday will mark just 11 days shy of 60 years since a college
football game has been played at Fenway.
The Irish have a Final Four slot on the line as they play 3-7 B.C.
Two Catholic schools will play on the hallowed field and gaze at the
Green Monster.
The Irish will set the tone early and allow the fans plenty of time to contemplate the complex sociological meaning of the Murphys’ tune and its intensely personal and politically relevant lyrics.
The Irish will set the tone early and allow the fans plenty of time to contemplate the complex sociological meaning of the Murphys’ tune and its intensely personal and politically relevant lyrics.
Projected winner: Notre Dame.
“Hey! Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa.”-From Field of Dreams. #5 Iowa hosts Purdue.
A band of engineers will depart Indiana for the Hawkeye state to see if
they can have any success at the real-life version of the game Angry Birds.
Not since the 1963 Hitchcock thriller, The Birds, when thousands of highly agitated foul visited Bodega Bay,
has there been a horror like the one that will beset Purdue on Saturday when the Boilermakers visit
Iowa City to play the undefeated Hawkeyes.
Projected winner: Iowa
Have a great CFB weekend. Watch
for the weekly Sunday Afternoon Tailback, with nuggets from Saturday’s games.
For your CFB TV watching pleasure, the
quintessential, easy-to-read guide: http://www.lsufootball.net/tvschedule.htm
Sources: ncaa.com; collegefootballplayoff.com;
the Associated Press; ok.gov; biography.com; IMDB.com. Columbus.gov.
So esteemed are the ACC Eagles, that on the Fenway turf you will not spot the letters B or C anywhere. The Irish drive the Catholic football bus in the Hub of the Universe.
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