thependulumswings

Week 12 thankfully has come and gone for college football.  We say thankfully because many games looked like mismatches prior to Saturday and their scores looked liked mismatches after the game ended Saturday.  There were a few notable exceptions though.  Looking ahead rivalry week is upon us.  Many games look like good matchups.  We give thanks this week for many things.  Good football is one.  Enjoy the Ten Piece Nuggets first.

1. The latest AP Top 25 rolled out yesterday.  The top 10 of the top 25 saw little change from the week prior.  Why? Well, the top 10 beat down their opposition by a combined score of 424-198.  The top six in that order remained unchanged.
2. The 424-198 score gets more lopsided if you remove the leaky Oklahoma D that surrendered 40 to Kansas.  And it tilts further if you remove THE Ohio St. (desperately looking for a place to lie down) D that gave up 51 but easily could have given up 53 to Maryland.  How does 317-107 for the other eight games sound?  Bad.
3. Kansas, yes Kansas, made headlines this week.  First, their “all name” running back Pooka, yes Pooka, Williams ran for 252 yards on 15 carries and two TDs against the sieve that Oklahoma calls a defense.  He threw a td from nine yards out as well.   But, the bigger news is that they named Les Miles as their head coach for 2019 and beyond.  Who cares about Kansas basketball when you have a Mad Hatter coaching a Pooka?
4. THE D is not good for Urban Meyer’s health.  Urban was tired of defending Zach Smith.  He is now more tired of watching THE D.  Maryland blew the try for two in OT.  And, Urban’s legend grows for at least another week as they survived 52-51.  One wonders where it all goes from here.  Well, Saturday it goes into THE Horseshoe to add one more chapter to the Michigan v. OSU rivalry.  The two midwest state schools first met in 1897, and the rivalry has been played annually since 1918.  Much is at stake including a birth into the Big 10 Championship Game as well as a possible probable CFB playoff berth for Michigan and a probable possible birth for THE.  The loser is out of both.
5.  The Citadel attempted zero passes but was tied 10-10 at halftime to no. 1 Alabama.  That didn’t last too long as Bama scored repeatedly in the second half and won 50-17.  Next up is the annual Iron Bowl v. Auburn.  Auburn slowed Alabama’s roll last year in this contest. Of course Bama still won it all when it mattered.
6. Notre Dame deserves it’s just due.  The Fighting Irish have plenty of fight.  In spite of their bad unis last week in Yankee Stadium they took the fight out of the Syracuse Orangemen, 36-3.  A season ending contest on the left coast v. not yet bowl eligible USC stands between them and a CFB playoff spot.  USC seems to have little fight left in them after a loss to 3-8 crosstown rival UCLA Saturday.  Hundreds of fans poured into The Coliseum to watch UCLA score 13 unanswered in the fourth quarter to down USC 34-27.
7.  Kudos to UCF.  College Game day descended onto their Orlando campus and the Golden Knights did not disappoint.  The 24th ranked Cincinnati Bearcats came calling and went home soundly beaten as 38-13 losers.  No “big name” school one wants UCF in a bowl game.  There is no upside.  You win and you were supposed to or you lose and you weren’t supposed to.   USF v. UCF is but five days away.  The UCF win streak, dating back to January 2016 is alive and well.  Orlando loves a good parade.
8.  West Virgina lost 45-41 at Oklahoma State.  Their national title hopes are vanquished.  They play Oklahoma this week.  Their prize, if they win, is a rematch with Oklahoma a week later in the Big 12 Championship Game.  If they lose, three-loss Texas likely slides in to the game.  That would give Oklahoma a chance to avenge the State Fair/Red River Rivalry Shootout loss to Texas several weeks back.   If Oklahoma beats #12 WVA and no. 11 Texas in back to back weeks they will have positioned themselves well to slide into the final four discussion should Georgia lose to Alabama and Michigan lose to THE.    Anyone confused?
9. Utah St. is ranked 14th.  Who?  Northwestern at 7-4 is ranked 20th and has clinched the Big 10 West.  How weak is the Big 10 West?  Army is ranked 23rd.  A win over Navy in two weeks gives them a strong 10-2 record.
10.  Some surprising early lines are out.  Okla at WVA is a pick um.  WVA has to pull up their boot straps.  Washington is +3.5 at Washington St.  Mike Leach has coached a long time and had much fun getting to this moment.  Michigan travels to THE and is favored by four.  Jim Harbaugh is very close to doing it his way yet again.  LSU is a one point dog to Texas A&M.  The previous seven SEC meetings between these two all have gone to the Tigers.  Finally, Auburn is plus a tall 24.5 v Alabama in the aforementioned Iron Bowl.  Nick Saban doesn’t even know Thursday is Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Week, Turkey Day itself, and some great games after the yawn festival of the week gone by.