Alabama-Auburn, Ohio State-Michigan Winners Plus Other Key Matchups
The rivals are ready and the fans are fired up, for it’s the end of the season for some teams and the end of the chase for the playoff season for others.
There are often debates about which schools have the greatest rivalry – Alabama-Auburn, Ohio State-Michigan, Florida-Florida State – but the fact of the matter is that all rivalries are great and the best is in the eye of the ticket-holder.
Onto this week’s games. All times Pacific because The Pigskin Prognosticator lives on the West Coast.
Friday, Nov. 29
Virginia Tech at Virginia (9 a.m, ABC)
The Gobblers play the day after Turkey Day, so leftover sandwiches seem in order to be packed in the lunch pails of the visitors. The host Parliamentarians are certainly hungry for a win but all they will get is empty wrappings. Winner: Virginia Tech
Iowa at Nebraska (11:30 a.m., Big 10 Network)
The Corn Bowl hardly brings to mind the great Oklahoma-Nebraska games that were once a Thanksgiving Weekend tradition. Then again, these Shuckers would hardly do that rivalry any justice. On the day after Thanksgiving, the Flightless Birds will soar in Lincoln. Winner: Iowa
Saturday, Nov. 30
Ohio State at Michigan (9 a.m., FOX)
If ever there were a moment for the Michigan men to step up and put on their big boy pants, it’s now in the Big House. The Khaki Coach has been kicked in the pants by the Acorns ever since he arrived back in Ann Arbor and unfortunately for the Weasels it likely to happen again this year. They will be chased by Young all day on offense and the playing Fields will have a field day on their defense, and no change in wardrobe is going to prevent that from happening. Winner: Ohio State
Clemson at South Carolina (9 a.m., ESPN)
The sometimes game, sometimes lame Cocks have an early date with the ferocious Felines from just down I-385, and while we know they have upset in their DNA, there is no determining if they will come to fight or lay an egg. The Dabos are as untested as a Virgin Galactic space flight and just as powerful. Here’s thinking the kids from Columbia – inspired by the home crowd – will find whatever it is they had against Georgia and pull off the upset. Winner: South Carolina
Georgia at Georgia Tech (9 a.m., ABC)
There used to be a trip wire between Athens and Atlanta but this year, there’s not enough buzz from the Yellow Jackets to string it along Highway 78. After this win, the Kirby Canines might as well stay in The Big Peach for next weekend’s SEC Championship. Winner: Georgia
Alabama at Auburn (12:30 p.m., CBS)
The Tua-less Tide travels to L.A. (Lower Alabama) where the Pachyderms hope the Joneses can keep up with the Tagovailoas. If not, there’s another of the latter waiting just offstage, but the Punches and Jeudy act provides enough entertainment to keep folks on both sides in their seats. The Gus Busers would love nothing better than to wreck their rival’s season and they certainly have the horses to do it up front on defense. But they too often break down on offense and while there won’t be a tsunami of points washing down on the Plains, there will still be enough of a rolling Tide to get the victory. Winner: Alabama
Rutgers at Penn State (12:30 p.m., Big 10 Network)
There’s nothing like facing the Rusty Knights to lick off the wounds suffered last week in Columbus. The Jersey Boys have been Dancing In The Dark all season and getting whipped by the Pennsylvania Felines isn’t going to shed any new light on their hopeless season. Winner: Penn State
Wisconsin at Minnesota (12;30 p.m., ABC)
The Caddyshack Characters take their swing at the Big-1o Championship game and they are bringing out the big driver because they won’t be putting around this one. The Pigskin Prognosticator’s faith in Bucky Badger faded like a Greg Norman 4-iron at the Masters on the practice green in Illinois followed by a complete collapse on the big course in Columbus. Winner: Minnesota
Oregon State at Oregon (1 p.m., Pac-12 Network)
The Civil War is never civil and the once-overrated Quackers are anxious to show they are still Ducky and can do that by being dam busters against the eager Beavers. Phil Knight need not to worry – the Willamette River will still be flowing after this one, even tho the hosts’ National Championship hopes were washed away last weekend in the Arizona desert. Winner: Oregon
Texas A&M at LSU (4 p.m., ESPN)
The Red Baton is on fire with more than jambalaya and gumbo boiling on the stove and into this cauldron of spice marches an army wounded from several unsuccessful battles. The Cadets not only don’t have enough weapons to attack the Louisiana Felines they don’t have the front line to protect what they do have, and eventually their defense will collapse under the relentless assault of the Cajuns. Winner: LSU
Colorado at Utah (4:30 p.m., ABC)
For many around the USA, this will be their first look at those unknowns from the winter ski & snowboard state. And what they are going come away thinking is either “hey those Utes are pretty good” or “geez, look how pathetic those Pac-12 teams are the Utes have been playing all year.” The Ralphies might be stampeding into the state but they won’t be causing any avalanches at the ski resorts. Winner: Utah
Florida State at Florida (4:30 p.m., SEC Network)
There’s been few bright spots in the Sunshine State for the Spears this season, who hope they can get some rays of light when they go to the Swamp. Unfortunately for them, the Prehistoric Creatures won’t show them the light of the day – even when they turn on the lights. Winner: Florida
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State (5 p.m., FOX)
Here’s what’s going to happen in this game. Because it happens every year. The Pokes are going to come out on fire, turning the rankings into Bedlam. They will build a two touchdown lead, fall behind by a touchdown then rally at the end only to fall a two-point conversion, incomplete pass in the end zone or – perhaps for something a little different – a missed field goal short of winning. And the Boomers will prevail again. Barely. Winner: Oklahoma
California at UCLA (7:30 p.m., FS1)
Few people even within Bruins Nation care about this game and the players may join them after Chip “On His Shoulder” Kelly threw his players under the bus after last week’s loss to USC. “The coaches are doing a good job with what we’ve got,” he said when answering a question about his defensive coaches after giving up 52 points. The Prognosticator would not be surprised to see the Baby Bears give up in this one. They are the Trampolines, of course, with the ability to bounce back up after being down, but when your coach trashes you it’s difficult to spring back to life. Winner: Cal
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