The Hedge giveth.

The Hedge taketh away.

Long live the Hedge.

Will Levis played significant minutes. All but a small interlude in the 3d Q, wasn’t it?

Cats powered over Cowbell State.

The Hedge giveth. Check mark for the kid.

Bryce Young also played significant minutes. Not only played but was magnifico. Part Fran Tarkenton. Part Peyton Manning. Part Vince Young against Southern Cal.

But Tennessee knucklekicked its way to victory when the reigning Heisman winner’s counterpart Hendon Hooker managed to drive his team within FG range in, oh, fifteen seconds.

The Hedge taketh away. X mark for the kid.

Speaking of hedging as we were where might your less than perfect predictioneer have been when the news of Devin Leary’s season ending injury broke?

Not paying attention. Obviously.

Thus depleted, NC State fell.

Michigan prevailed. Okie State did not.

The yin and yang of life on the hot seat.

2-3 for the weekend. A fair to middlin’ 23-18 for the campaign.

But still full speed ahead.

This weekend’s winners:

UCLA @ Oregon.  In case you haven’t been paying attention, the confederacy that nobody east of PDT cares about has four schools in the Top 15. Two played last weekend. The one that is staying put, Utah, bested one that is soon sayonara, Southern California. One a last minute two point conversion. The other two, which happen to be perched atop the league table, play Saturday. One that is staying . . . for now anyway. Oregon. The other is packing foot lockers. UCLA. Love the Quack, whose old coach will be on the other sideline. Lots of peripheral drama here. But Bruins sneak away with the W.

Mississippi @ Louisiana State. This is referred to as the Magnolia Bowl. Because said flora is the state flower of both competitors. Who knew? OK, Wiki knew, but yours truly didn’t. Until advised. This is the 106th meeting. Not a lot of folks outside this corner of Dixieland pay attention, but these neighbors still do. Spirit of Tiger Billy Cannon and his 89 yard punt return in ’59. Which I actually remember on my own. Against the whole spirit force of Rebel Archie Whatshislastnameagain, the guy whose sons both played QB. You got: Kiffin vs. Kelly. Cocktail dresses vs. Ragin’ Cajuns. It’s a coin toss, kids. Tails means Tigers.

Indiana @ Rutgers. For the Hoosiers that opening victory over surging Illinois this year seems as long ago far away as the magic of ’20, when there wins over Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Covid that Big 10 fans. The Scarlet Knights have lost 3 in a row, all league games, one short of the Crimson and Cream’s four game losing skein. Greg Schiano fired his OC. Will that help the home team in this battle of league bottom feeders? I dunno, but Rutgers wins however.

Syracuse @ Clemson. The Volunteers of Tennessee notwithstanding, the Flavor of the Month is Dino Babers’ Syracuse Orange. Undefeated. #14 in the land. A job-saving turn of events not even the most astute of pigskin wags saw coming before they blasted Louisville in the opener and kept on keeping on. Now comes the fun part. Clemson. Notre Dame. Back to back. The magic ends, at least temporarily, in, where else, Death Valley.

Pittsburgh @ Louisville. What breed of feline are the Cardinals competing against this Saturday night. Panthers, not Tigers. Remember what I said about which inside the conference foes U of L faces that the good guys never beat? Hint. They wear orange. Pitt does not. Thus I predict Louisville wins. And, believe it actually will happen. Hope is forever.

— c d kaplan