Rivalry Weekend Part 2

Well besides feeling the after effects of Thanksgiving I love this weekend in college football. This weekend has no less than 15 huge rivalries. Games from Texas Vs. Texas A&M to the second longest rivalry in history outside of the Ivy League with Kansas Vs. Missouri. These games mean something no matter what. Even when 2 non-football teams like Duke and UNC play it comes down to being a BIG game for the students and Alumni of each school. Rivarlies are one of the main reasons why college football is so compelling and why every Saturday in the fall men, women, and children find themselves watching the TV and drinking themselves into a frenzy. Games this weekend mean so much more than many of the other weeks of the year to the point that they actually have names like "The Civil War", "The Holy War", The Egg Bowl", and "The Bedlam Game". They play for trophies that none of us would care about if it wasn't for these rivalries like "The Victory Bell", The Commonwealth Cup", "The Jeweled Shillelagh", "The Governors Cup", or even "The Golden Boot". Not only that but teams that should not win find a way to beat really good teams. In fact by the time I finish posting this the unranked Texas A&M will have beaten #10 Texas 12-7.

Here are a few picks for some of the weekends big rivalry games:

#19 Tennessee 8-3 Vs Kentucky 7-4.... The Vols have won this matchup 21 straight times and in the last 13 with Fulmer by an average score of 44-17. This year the 2 teams are very similar in every statistical category from passing to scoring to total yards. Kentucky is going to a bowl game this year but they will not end this streak of 21 games this weekend. Watch for Ainge to throw for over 300 yards and 3 TD's as well as a big day from the running attack of Cocker and Foster.
Vols 37 - Wildcats 17

#13 Oklahoma 9-2 Vs. Oklahoma State 6-5.... Bedlam in the Sooner state. This game means a lot more after the Texas loss today to A&M. Oklahoma has really impressed me after the year of turmoil they have had. 1 week before the start of the season they kick their starting QB off the team for violating NCAA rules, Oregon beats them because the refs who were suspended after that game blew 2 HUGE calls, and then their best player Adrian Peterson breaks his collarbone. Even through all of this they have a 9-2 record and look very good. If Oklahoma wins they go to the Big 12 championship against Nebraska and will play for a chance at a BCS game.
Oklahoma 24 Oklahoma State 17

#4 Florida 10-1 Vs. Florida State 6-5.... Florida has looked very vulnerable this year. They should have lost to Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vandy. They beat those teams by a grand total of 15 points. The big move for them seems to be putting Tim Tebow in the game. Tebow before last weeks game against Western Carolina had been in 86 plays and had run the ball 67 times. Here is the secret that for some reason the rest of the NCAA does not understand... WHEN TEBOW IS IN THE GAME HE IS GOING TO RUN THE BALL!!!!! Florida State has played a lot better since putting Xavier Lee in at QB. Florida State is bowl eligible but barely and this game is all about pride.
Florida State 24 Florida 21

#3 USC 9-1 Vs. #6 Notre Dame 10-1.... This game could potentially be the final piece of the National Championship puzzle. Usc and Notre Dame played possibly the best game of the year last year with USC winning with a Matt Lienart QB sneak with 3 seconds to go in the game winning 34-31. Expect this game to be one hell of a game as well. This years USC is not as good as last years and Notre Dame came into this year with all the hype of winning the title. Notre dame is coming off one of the weakest 8 games streaks of teams I have seen in years. Notre Dame just finished playing Purdue, Stanford, UCLA, Army, Navy, Air Force, Michigan State, and North Carolina. These teams have a combines record of 36 - 53. Now you tell me if that team is worthy of playing for a national title. Notre Dame lost its only game against a good team Michigan at home 47-21. Notre Dame is the most overrated team in the country and we will see them exposed for playing teams like that.
USC 37 Notre Dame 24