The Cowboys and Cardinals decided to do the turkey, days before Thanksgiving.
Much to my chagrin.
The Okie State pony express was bushwacked by Boomer Sooner. In its own backyard no less. U of L apparently thought three quarters of play would be enough to fell Pitt. Instead the Panthers gobbled up the Cards for 35 second quarter points. I’m stuffed, mama, where’s that pumpkin pie of yours?
That was the bad news for the kid, who mispicked more than a single game for the first time since I went 2-3 in Week VII. Thanks to the Cats, Tar Heels and Sparty — aren’t those basketball schools — I did finish on the plus side.
Three up, two down, and my season record remains glossy at 38-21.
Now that we’re stuffed until, like Mick Jagger on “Get Yer Ya Yas Out,” we’re bustin’ buttons on our trousers, it’s time for Rivalry Week matchups. You don’t want my trousers to fall down now, do ya?
Navy @ Houston. Is there a squad in the land with a more lopsided rushing yards to passing yards ratio than the Naval Academy? Well, since the Ramblin’ Wreck wrecked, the answer is negatory. The Middies rush for 348 yards per game, 2d nationally, but leave air strikes to their counterparts at Air Force Academy. 68 ypg has them near the bottom of the rung at 127th in the land. Seems to be working OK though. An L in South Bend is the only blemish on the Middies slate. In Annapolis, they’re thinking Big 6 New Year’s Day Bowl. Which is what the upstart Cougars were also thinking before they did their own turkey trot last week, losing to mediocre UConn. An L in this game might not be the worst Houston suffers, if Flavor of the Month Tom Herman is one and done, and abdicates to one of the juicy bigger time jobs open. First things first. One if by land, two if by sea. Two.
Notre Dame @ Stanford. Nothing was more satisfying this week, besides an extra helping of dark meat, than seeing the Fighting Irish drop in the Final Four poll. For awhile there, I was actually rooting for ND, on the theory that it would open up a better ACC bowl spot for U of L if the South Benders, a social member of the conference, didn’t steal one of the league’s primo post-season league slots. But Louisville’s not going anyplace where you’d be inclined to bring home picture postcards, so fall Irish fall. I always thought their season would be waylaid in Palo Alto anyway. The Cardinal — No S on the end — with 2 Ls is/are out of the running for the Final Four, but still covet that Tourney of Roses spot in Pasadena. ND gets the blue screen of death in Silicon Valley.
Iowa @ Nebraska. This is arguably the most fascinating, and possibly the most watched battle of the weekend. No team is getting less props for a job well done than the Hawkeyes. Sure, they’re currently ranked in the Final Four. Buuut, once that Select Committee starts sipping on the spiked holiday egg nog, you never can tell what they might do. Even if Iowa wins out. Really? Yeah, really. The Huskers also have something on the line in Lincoln. Bowl eligibility if they win. But, oh my, have they been up and down. While Iowa, despite the lack of respect, hasn’t wavered, with impressive Ws over Northwestern, Pitt and Wisconsin. Despite a spot already secured in the Big 10 title game, Iowa is still hungry. Hawkeyes over Huskers.
UCLA @ Southern Cal. I’m one of those guys who pays attention to uniforms. I’ve taken a liking to Oregon because they never wear the same combo twice. But I’m also partial to the traditional garb, love schools that wear what they’ve been wearing since Pudge Heffelfinger roamed the gridiron for the Eli, then quaffed a few at a table down at Mory’s. These two LA rivals don among the most heralded garb in the game. At least USC has stayed true to tradition. While the Bruins, shame on ’em, have been showing up, clothed in unis other than Cali blue and Malibu sun gold. Which, one guy’s opinion, is why the Westwooders haven’t quite had the season they were hoping for. Oh yeah, there’s the injuries and a freshman QB. Yet they did win last time out at Utah, which is nice. While the Trojans succumbed to my resurgent Quack. If the Bruins take the field in traditional garb, they’re a lock. If they wear something else, well, unis be damned, they still win.
Louisville @ Kentucky. You know I’m going to pick my Cardinals, right? So, I’ll get that out of the way from the get go. Not that there would be suspense if I saved my prediction to the end. I daresay there shan’t be a pair of eyes outside the Commonwealth, other than a few alumni perhaps, who shall take in this game at noon on Saturday. Can’t really blame ’em, can you? But, for those of us who bleed blue or red, this may be the most fascinating battle of the renewed series. Neither team has really played worth a shit. The game means more — literally — for UK. Lose and they go home, shamed by the fact that their arch rival will have deprived them of bowl placement for the second season in a row. For most of the season I’ve felt that this would be the season that the Wildcats finally break their losing streak to Little Brother. Then I watched UK play Vandy. Bobby Petrino seems to have a legit hatred for Kentucky. That focus is just one of the reasons U of L shall win again.
— Seedy K