CFB Week 13: Rivalry week!

While good teams across the country are battling each other in meaningful games, the Hokies and the Hoos battle for honor? I guess?

November 22, 2012; 10:31 AM • by Ross Catrow

Well. That was certainly a weekend.

Baylor utterly dominated #1 Kansas State, #2 Oregon lost in overtime to Stanford, and Notre Dame is currently “the best team” in all the land. Kill me. I can’t decide what’s worse: that Notre Dame, assuming they beat USC this weekend, will head to the national championship or that Alabama might. I was so excited for a non-SEC national championship. Sigh.

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, Maryland announced they were leaving the ACC to join the Big Ten! While the Terps haven’t brought a lot to the ACC table in a while, it still stings that the Big Ten was able to raid one of our teams. Maryland was a freaking founding member, for Pete’s sake! So now, the conference realignment discussions heat up–which, to be honest, I’m OK with; this stuff fascinates me.

Here’s my short list of teams I’d like replace Maryland with:

• Louisville — Great basketball and a strong commitment to football (Louisville was ranked #9 before losing last week).
• USF — Big alumni base, decent football, and they made it to the third round of the NCAA tournament last year.
• UCONN — They seem to be the most likely addition at this point, the least attractive option in my mind.
• Notre Dame — Ugh. The Irish could end all of this if they just joined the conference, for real, in football.

Here’s a couple notables from this past weekend that you may have missed:

Ohio State beat Wisconsin, 21-14, in overtime. OSU has one game remaining, against Michigan. If the Buckeyes win, which they should, they’ll have an undefeated season and a postseason ban. Hilarious / terrible.

Do you remember when West Virginia was ranked #5 heading into their game against Texas Tech? Since then WVU has lost five straight, including this past weekend’s one-point loss to Oklahoma, 49-50. Demoralizing. Maybe next year ‘Neers.

Whoa, UCLA! You are 9-2! USC you used to be ranked #1, but now you’re 7-5 #lanekiffin.

— ∮∮∮ —

Virginia Tech vs. Virginia

12:00 PM; ESPN U

The battle for the Commonwealth Cup! Last year a trip to the ACC Championship Game was on the line. This year…uh…honor?

Last week VT picked up their first road win against terrible, terrible Boston College…in overtime! The Hokies are averaging 11 more points at home than they are on the road (33.6, 22.3). Meanwhile, over in Cville, the Wahoos couldn’t get it done against a UNC team sporting the ugliest helmets I have ever seen.

Here’s what this game comes down to: which of these teams is worse? Which one will make the most terrible mistakes? Tech’s gotta win this one to continue their 20-year bowl streak.

Games worth watching

12:00 PM, ESPNU; Virginia at Virginia Tech — Go everyone!

12:00 PM, ABC; #19 Michigan at Ohio State — I absolutely CANNOT wait for the fallout of an undefeated season for Ohio State. So good.

3:00 PM, Pac-12 Network; #5 Oregon at #15 Oregon State — The Civil War! Will Oregon bounce back from a heartbreaking loss? I dunno Duck fans, I dunno.

3:30 PM, CBS; #4 Florida at #10 Florida State — Man FSU, too bad about that NC State game, right?

7:00 PM, ESPN; #12 South Carolina at #11 Clemson — This would be a really great time for the Tigers to beat the Cocks for the first time since 2008. Come on ACC!

8:00 PM, ABC; #1 Notre Dame at USC — I think we all know what needs to happen here.

— ∮∮∮ —

Etc.

• Game of the week — Florida at Florida State
• Gus Johnson watch — Stanford at UCLA, 6:30 PM on FOX
• Stupid picks from the heart — USC over Notre Dame, FSU over Florida, and Oregon State over Oregon.

November 22, 2012 10:31 AM 0