SUPERSERIOUS SUPERSATURDAY SOOTHSAYING, Nov. 8
THURSDAY
No. 12 TCU (9-1) at No. 8 Utah (9-0), CBS CSN, 8 p.m.
Call it a hunch, but I see the Horned Frogs jumping out to an early lead, say, 13 points. No, maybe more like 10. Then I see those troubled Utes scrapping their way back into the contest. Maybe Louie Sudoku (oh, you know who I mean) makes a couple field goals for Utah, and maybe Ross Evans, who’s only missed two field goals all season, misses a pair. Utes go on a late, game-winning TD drive. Call me nuts, that’s just what I see transpiring.
Mormon Tabernacle 13, Cowgirl Hall of Fame 10
FRIDAY
Nevada (4-4) at Fresno State (5-3), ESPN2, 9 p.m.
The Wolfpack’s leading rusher is Vai Taua who, were he a Wheel of Fortune puzzle, you’d end up owing them money. Taua (112 yards per game) took over after last year's leading rusher in the WAC, Luke Lippincott, was lost for the season in September with ACL and MCL tears. I doubt Chris Ault buses his team the 300 miles to the Valley, but there probably isn’t a more scenic—if you take the backroads—pilgrimage between two campuses anywhere in the U.S.A.
Both of these schools still have undefeated Boise State on their schedule.
Domesticated Dogs 27, Wild Dogs 23
SATURDAY
No. 11 Ohio State (7-2) at No. 24 Northwestern (7-2), ESPN2, Noon
Time for some Small talk, courtesy of suspended Buckeye wideout and returner Ray Small’s father, Ken: “He had a couple of incidents, but he never got caught smoking marijuana before the national championship game. Or he never got a DUI, or picked up a prostitute.” Mr. Small, Chris Rock has a classic riff (that I cannot repeat here, unfortunately) on certain people wanting to be given credit for something that “yo’ supposed to do!”
Musbergers 23, Herbstreits 21
No. 20 Georgia Tech (7-2) at No. 19 North Carolina (6-2), ESPN 360, Noon
The Yellow Jackets average nearly nine tackles for loss per game, which is tops in the nation. The Tar Heels are most likely to score when their offense is not on the field. God bless the ACC—just don’t make us watch its title game.
Bill Curry’s alma mater 31, Curry Kirkpatrick’s alma mater 24
No. 1 Alabama (9-0) at No. 16 LSU (6-2), CBS, 3:30 p.m.
Those of us who oppose a playoff don’t pretend for a moment that the BCS is about anything more than maximum revenue generation. Having said that, please understand why we prefer it. If there were a playoff, this game would only matter to SEC fans—since the SEC champ would advance to the 8-team playoff format. With the seemingly chaotic system we have, though, fans of USC, Penn State and even Texas will be rooting for the Tigers this afternoon. More cross-sectional interest equals more fun.
No. 3 Penn State (9-0) at Iowa (5-4), ABC, 3:30 p.m.
Will it take a quarter, or an entire half, for the Nittany Lions to find their rhythm after a bye week? Can the Hawkeyes’ Shonn Greene (140 yards per game) overcome the nation’s 11th best rushing defense? What are the press box accommodations like in Kinnick Stadium? Have Alan Alda and Gary Burghoff ever been invited to Iowa City to be part of the ceremonial coin toss? What is the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and would Candace Bushnell be welcome there?
Little League World Series 23, Field of Dreams 13
Cincinnati (6-2) at No. 25 West Virginia (6-2), ESPNU, 7 p.m.
If the Bearcats win in Morgantown and then defeat Pittsburgh at home on Nov. 22, they’re headed to a BCS bowl. Such an outcome will beg the question, “What exactly is a bearcat…is it more bear, or more cat?” while answering the question, “What will be the least-watched BCS bowl come January?"
Coal Miner’s Daughter 26, WKRP 24
Notre Dame (5-3) at Boston College (5-3), ESPN, 8 p.m.
When you heard that Eagle linebacker/fullback Brian Toal was injured and would miss this game, was your reaction the same as mine: “How freakin’ long has Brian Toal been at B.C.? Didn’t he once sack Carlyle Holiday?” B.C. has taken five straight from Notre Dame. Do they get cable at the Vatican?
Kids Who Got Into B.C. 31, Kids Who Go To B.C. 21
No. 9 Oklahoma State (8-1) at No. 2 Texas Tech (9-0), ABC, 8 p.m.
“I’m 47 and I still haven’t made man.” For that quote alone, Mike Leach may be my Coach of the Year. The Cowboys looked awfully impressive both in their defeat of Mizzou and in their loss at Texas. The latest Big 12 South epic features two of the nation’s best receivers, sophomores Michael Crabtree of Tech and Dez Bryant of Oklahoma State.
Pokes 35, Guns Up! 34
No. 21 California (6-2) at No. 7 USC (7-1), ABC, 8 p.m.
Points USC allowed in Corvallis: 27. Points USC has allowed in its seven other games: 30. Wow. Another Trojan home game means another opportunity for InsideSoCal.com blogger Scott Wolf (who’s aged somewhat from his Party of Five days...but then, haven't we all?) to pose for a photo with the opposing team’s cheerleaders. It’s beginning to get a little creepy.
Arash Markazis 32, Michael Silvers 10
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