An old rivalry resumes while a new one takes place, all within less than 200 miles of one another, as college football rocks into Rocktober.
About all that’s settled so far is that Georgia is causing its fans to use only the front part of their recliners, Michigan is as untested as an engineer’s first drawing, Colorado is as unpredictable as its coach, LSU is what Notre Dame fans knew it would be under Brian Kelly, Oregon and Washington are quietly lurking in the background and USC still can’t play defense.
Now onto this week’s game. All times Pacific because the Prognosticator lives on the West Coast.
Oklahoma vs. Texas, Red River Rivalry (9 a.m, ABC, Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas)
There’s a party happening at the Texas State Fair and it starts early with the fairgrounds opening at 8 a.m., and kickoff at 11 a.m., local time. This unique envrionment – the stadium is located inside the fair – and the 50.50 split of the crowd is one of college football’s great traditons that fortunately will not end with conference realighment. The Boomers are off to a booming start this year but the Bevos should be the nation’s No. 1 team right now. The Horns, on a roll, are going to hook the out-of-staters. Winner: Texas
Maryland at Ohio State (9 a.m., FOX)
The quarterback-challenged Acorns face Little Tua who is more than a shell of his older brother. He’s passing for 300 yards a game and the Shells lead the Big 10 in offense. Stats, tho, can be as misleading as a misdirection play and the i-dotters have a better defense than the likes of Towsend, Virginia and Indiana. Still, it could be a nutty game with a Notre Dame-style of ending. Winner: Ohio State
Washington State at UCLA (Noon, Pac-12)
The soon-to-be conference homeless Cougars are hoping to find a temporary home in the Rose Bowl, a place they are unlikely to ever see again. They enter it undefeated having disposed of Oregon State and Wisconsin (as well as brushing aside Colorado State much more easily than did the Neons) while the Baby Bears are still licking their wounds from a loss two weeks ago at Utah. In true traditional fashion, tho, the Trampolines will bounce back after a setback. Winner: UCLA
Alabama at Texas A&M (12:30 p.m., CBS)
The Pachyderms pack their bags and head to Aggie Park in a game that will determine the fate of that team and answer a few questions about the other. They are fresh off stomping around Stark Vegas but face more than the 12th Man in an environment that can shake the nerves of an opponent like a Californa earthquake. The Soldiers went into full retreat in Miami and whether or not they are back on the attack or wind up waving the white flag hinges on the outcome of this game. The difference here is the quarterbacks. The Bama boys have someone who gets frying pan feet and bails out to the right side at the mere site of a rush while the Cadets have a guy who may look awkward at times but makes plays. Winner: Texas A&M
Kentucky at Georgia (4 p.m., ESPN)
The Junkyard Dawgs have been playing like junk against a pile of scrap heap so far but they had better clean up things or they will find themselves feeling like trash. The Kentucky Felines ran for 329 yards aganst Florida last week and later, Kirby’s Canines were barking up the wrong trees against the Auburn runners, nearly causing the Tree Rollers to break out the TP. That’s enouogh to make UGA stay hidden in his air conditioned doghouse and it’s the Cats’ meow for the visitors. It won’t be a dog’s life ‘tween the hedges on this Saturday. Winner: Kentucky
Arizona at USC (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
The Zonies put up a good fight against the Sailgaters and now must face another offensive onslaught, this time against the defenseless Trojans. Troy can score but can’t stop a knight in a Monty Python movie and, as proven last week, can turn a rout into a heart-stopper in little more than a quarter. Lucky for them, the Mildcats do not possess the weapons to overpower their hosts. Winner: USC
About The Pigskin Prognosticator
The Pigskin Prognosticator has covered college football for daily newspapers and has been the beat writer for Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina and Clemson. He has been to games all over the country, including Tennessee, Texas, USC and UCLA.
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