Miami Looks To Avoid An Upset While Wisconsin Hopes To Badger Michigan
Like a running back who has just broken through the line of scrimmage for an 80-yard touchdown run, college football is headed to the bench to take a breather.
After heart-pumping and breakaway games all season, we now have have Alabama hosting Mercer (which, incidentally, played Auburn straight-up for three quarters earlier this year), Clemson playing The Citadel and Auburn taking on Louisiana Monroe.
If you’re looking for an upset in all this, by the way, take Louisiana Monroe. The Warhawks have been known to pull an upset or two over the years, the War Eagles are soaring over their heads after their beak-beating of Georgia last week and the L-M’ers have been scoring close to 50 points a game of late. Plus, the birds on the Plains are always at their lowest when expectations on them are at their highest point.
For the rest of the games, coming off the bench there’s some capable reserves to keep us watching this week with Wisconsin hosting Michigan and USC and UCLA kicking the rivalry games a week earlier than the others. Plus, Tennessee will be taking the field with a Michigan retread coaching from the sideline and Miami tries not to think about the unthinkable.
Now onto this week’s games. All times PT because the Prognosticator lives on the West Coast.
Virginia at Miami (9 a.m., ESPN)
In the heyday of the Hurricanes, Miami players would just be coming in from the South Beach nightclubs in time for this early kickoff. These Storm Surges, however, are swirling not with swagger but the calm confidence of their coach. For their part, the Wahoos haven’t had a lot to Wahoo about this year but this may well be their moment to let loose. Winner – in an upset – Virginia.
Michigan at Wisconsin (9 a.m., FOX)
With teams collapsing around him like pieces in a Jenga game, Bucky Badger keeps quietly building his case for being in the College Football Playoffs. Camp Randall will be going crazy with the Fighting Harbaughs in town but if the Beerheads expect the Wolverines to go scampering off to hide by Lake Mendota they had better check for too much foam in their mugs. Coach Khaki will have the visitors ready for this one, perhaps more ready than the hosts are able to handle. Winner: – in an upset – Michigan.
Oklahomas at Kansas (12:30 p.m., ESPN)
With few other games to write about this week, the Prognosticator includes this game because it could be fun to watch to see if the Boomers football team outscores the Jawhawks basketball team when these schools meet on the hardcourt. Actually, the Prognosticator won’t be tuning into this game at all. Rather, he will be eating and drinking his way through the San Diego Wine + Food Festival, which will be far more lively than this game. Still, for those of you with the remote and nowhere else to flip, this one-sided offensive showcase may keep you briefly entertained. Winner: Oklahoma
Navy at Notre Dame (12:30 p.m. NBC)
The Irish Eyes are no longer smiling, but weeping. The Domers got the gold polished right off their helmets during that storm in Miami and these days in South Bend it sure isn’t ’tis like the morn in Spring. It’s Fall and if the Irish fall it’s going to be gloomy eve in November. The Midshipmen have been as up and down as big ocean swells and don’t have enough big guns to completely put the Irish out of action. Winner: Notre Dame
LSU at Tennessee (4 p.m., ESPN)
The Prognosticator included this game here for two reasons. One, I’m from Knoxville so I have some pretty good insight into UT, the school’s traditions, expectations and the fans. Secondly, the school should have hired me as athletic director. Early in his tenure, it’s obvious they guy they chose is as out of place in Rocky Top as a danged city slicker. For one, t took him this long to fire Butch Jones. I would have done it much, sooner and not just for Coach Paranoid’s lack of on-field success. Apparently he was giving media access favor to those who wrote positive stories about him and the team. The Prognosticator would not have put up with such childish behavior. Coach O returns to K-town where he was Lame Kiffin’s one-year assistant, which might get his name painted on The Rock. Winner: LSU
UCLA at USC (5 p.m., ABC)
Tommy Trojan is covered in duct tape and the Bruin “is hibernating” in order to keep cross-town pranksters from altering these on-campus bronzed mascots. Then again, the Cubbies on the field have pretty much been hibernation the entire season. They come limping into this game – literally, with at least half a dozen starters out – but this game usually brings out the best in the Baby Bears. Troy is riding tall in the saddle after clinching the Pac-12 South title last week and doesn’t want to come down off its high horse. This could be a QB show between Dynamic Darnold and Jacuzzi Boy, void of defense but full of thrills. It starts with the tailgate and ends with the post-game song and dance by the USC band and Song Girls. It will be a joyful dance.Winner: USC
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