Alabama-LSU In Prime Time & There’s Bedlam In Oklahoma
If you think there’s Bedlam in Oklahoma, you should go to Florida.
Or Tennessee.
Or Arkansas. Or onto campus at Texas A&M.
There’s a whole lotta shakin’ goin on in the Southeastern Conference and ‘ol Jim Mac finally led the way in something. Even if it was being the first guy in the league to be escorted off campus, proving the Florida Gators are a lot more decisive than the Tennessee Volunteers, Texas A&M Aggies and Arkansas Razorbacks.
Meanwhile the posse that controls the College Football Playoffs delivered some anti-venom to counter the media’s rat poison and gave Nick Saban just what he wanted: extra motivation for Alabama. This team does not need much to tick it off and being voted #2 behind Georgia is just the kind of thing that can turn an already-dangerous elephant into a angry, stampeding one.
Onto this week’s biggest games.
All times Pacific because the Prognosticator lives on the West Coast
Friday, Nov. 3
UCLA at Utah (6:30 p.m., FS1)
While the rest of Los Angeles consumes itself with the Dodgers, and any college football talk centers around the job security of the head coach at USC, the Cubbies are going unnoticed playing in a distant forest. So off the radar is UCLA that when The Prognosticator mentioned to a once-loyal fan that the Bruins were playing on Friday night he said, “they are?” And the way this team is playing, it’s good to be hiding. This week they play the Picnic Flies who will be pestering the Baby Bears, even tho they themselves have lost a lot much of their buzz this year. Winner: Utah
Saturday, Nov. 4
Penn State at Michigan State (9 a.m., FOX)
Just when the Lions had their pray captured and were ready to deliver it to the playoff committee on a platter, they failed to move in for the kill and allowed it to spring back to life and escape. Now, they must scratch and claw their way to get back in the game. Playing a scrappy Sparty can leave a few more wounds but the Spartans are too spartan on offense to cause much more than a few flesh wounds. Winner: Penn State
South Carolina at Georgia (12:30 p.m., CBS)
The Dawgs are pounding their paws at being #1 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings and the Baby Bamas are certainly playing like Pit Bulls. This is traditionally one of the best games of the year that nobody outside of Georgia or South Carolina knows about, as it often it comes down to odd breaks and weird plays. But these Dawgs are different; they don’t seem to have their usual knack for rolling over just when they are ready to lead the pack. This is a key mental game for the UGAs and they are going to be treating these Gamecocks like pork chops. Winner: Georgia
Ohio State at Iowa (12;30 p.m., ESPN)
The Comeback Kids must come down from their slaying of the Lions to face a team that had those same Nits licked right up until the end. The Corn Staters have a habit of playing havoc with contending teams but did they lose their chance to make it happen this year? They will be trying to crack the Nuts and may well drive the Buckeyes fans nuts for a while, but Brutus has too tough of a shell to collapse. Winner: Ohio State
Clemson at N.C. State (12:30 p.m., ABC)
A year ago, the Wolfpack had the Tigers at the door but couldn’t kick a short field goal and allowed the Cats to escape through the woods. Now they have the Tigers at home and this would seem to be an advantage, but they have proven their howl is far worse than their bite as they seem to be able to make games close without actually winning them. Winner: Clemson
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State (1 p.m., FS1)
The Bedlam in Oklahoma is on the field, for that’s what happened in Stillwater back in 1917 when it was learned the Pokies beat the Sooners. People also literally painted the town white. Now, they will settle for a victory from the Cowboys and Mullet Man Gundy. This game will put the Big 12’s offenses on display while at the same time showcasing the meaning of “matador defense” – a lot of capes being waved as runners and receivers are allowed to pass untouched by the defenders. Winner: Oklahoma
LSU at Alabama (5 p.m., CBS)
The last thing the visiting Bengal Tigers wanted was for the Pachyderms to be stomping mad at not being voted #1 by the playoff committee because they know they could be flattened like roadkill on Highway 82 in Tuscaloosa. Just ask Vanderbilt and Ole Miss what happens when this team feels disrespected. The Coach O’s have shown signs of typical LSU Tiger bite since being trampled by Troy but when the Tide gets these Tigers by the tail, it’s going to be time for LSU to high-tail it out of Bryant-Denny. Winner: Alabama
Virginia Tech at Miami (5 p.m., ESPN)
There’s been a bit of storm brewing in Miami and the Hurricanes have grown from a tropical depression to a Category 3 while threatening to turn into a Cat 5. The problem has been they are surviving like cats, hanging on with seemingly nine lives. Now they face the Hokies, who quietly don’t appear to be a bunch of pokies and who will packing their lunch pails. Unfortunately for them, when they open those pails, the Hurricanes will soak their sandwiches. Winner: Miami
Arizona at USC (7:45 p.m., ESPN)
There’s been a change among the college teams in L.A. No longer are the Baby Bruins the Trampolines; now it’s the Trojans. Just when they look like a defeated army, they come charging at you causing a full retreat. Then again, both of the Arizona teams are about as predictable as a woman trying to pick out a new pair of shoes, so toss this one up the air like a Lawry’s tableside salad. Winner: USC
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