First, let this feature wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving today. May you eat enough turkey to fall into the most heavenly coma tonight.
Week 14 is the end. It is for any conference with a conference championship game. For the ACC, Big Ten, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac 12, SEC, the games this weekend are the end of the road for most of the teams in this league until December or January. This includes heavyweights like Clemson, LSU, Oregon, and more. The Big XII and American Athletics Conference will continue playing football next week, mostly to to bogart the spotlight from more deserving conferences—those with conference championship games.
It's also Hate Week for Ohio State, which plays its final regular season game in Ann Arbor before traveling to Indianapolis to play Michigan State for the Big Ten championship. In honor of our enemies in Ann Arbor, this week's TV Guide cover features one of their higher profile students. Though not officially an alumnus, Madonna Louise Ciccone (or, simply, "Madonna") was at That School Up North on a dance scholarship in the late 1970s before dropping out and pursuing a dance career in New York City.
Plus, I'm not gonna lie: Madonna and Like A Virgin were phenomenal. I don't care if you disagree, because you'd be wrong.
Music and American Life, though? Yeah, those were the works of a Michigan (Wo)man, for which she should eternally feel bad.
Here's your schedule for this weekend.
Tuesday
Northern Illinois had long secured its spot in the MAC Championship Game in Detroit before playing host to Western Michigan in its regular season finale. Though the 33-14 win over the Broncos was not overwhelming, there was no doubt who was the better team. Currently the BCS no. 14 team, Northern Illinois' quest for a second straight at-large bid into the BCS remains alive.
However, it would need something screwy, including a Fresno State loss or, possibly, a Florida State loss in the ACC Championship Game.
Thursday
Today is the day typically reserved for the NFL. Games included are Green Bay @ Detroit (FOX, 12:30 p.m.), Oakland @ Dallas (CBS, 3:30 p.m.), and Pittsburgh @ Baltimore (NBC, 8 p.m.). However, there are two high profile college football games today as well.
Texas Tech @ Texas (FOX Sports 1, 7:30 p.m.). This used to be the slot for the rivalry game between Texas A&M and Texas. However, that changed when the Big XII lost Texas A&M to the SEC, and hemorrhaged even more teams to prevent the league from having a conference championship game. Thus, the Big XII now plays an additional week of football on the season.
However, Texas retains its position on Thanksgiving, having hosted Texas Christian on Thanksgiving last year. It will host the Red Raiders this year. Texas Tech enters the game off a bye, which is fortunate timing beyond the short week. Texas Tech has lost four straight games after beginning the season 7-0.
Ole Miss @ Mississippi State (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.). Some weeks ago, I mentioned that Mississippi State's Dan Mullen may be on the hot seat. I don't think it's necessarily anything that is his fault. Mississippi State might be the SEC school for which it is most impossible to win. I think Kentucky has better potential in the SEC than Mississippi State, despite Jackie Sherrill's not too distant resurgence of the Bulldogs program in the mid-1990s.
Granted, seeing my hunch come true about Mullen's hot seat depends on whether Mississippi State's athletic department sees itself in a "domain of loss", for which it is willing to take what would otherwise be a reckless gamble. Part of that "domain of loss" may be induced by Ole Miss, which is running laps around its rival from Starkville on the recruiting trail. A loss for Mullen in the Egg Bowl drops the Bulldogs to 5-7 on the season, precluding them from a bowl game in a season which may be the prologue to a renaissance of Ole Miss football.
Friday
Iowa @ Nebraska (ABC, 12 p.m.). The holiday weekend is a blessing for those that like extended college football through Friday as well as Saturday. It begins with the Iowa-Nebraska rivalry, which is contested for the Heroes Trophy. I forget what this trophy looks like. I think it's just a federal ethanol subsidy.
This game was a lot of fun last year, which saw the Cornhuskers win in Iowa City to end Iowa's dismal 4-8 season. Well, the game itself wasn't fun. Reading ESPN's Big Ten Blog to observe Rittenberg and Bennett (mostly Bennett, likely) raking Kirk Ferentz and Greg Davis over coals was something else.
Southern Methodist @ Houston (ESPN2, 12 p.m.). A lot more was riding on this game for Houston at the beginning of the month. By that time, Houston was in the thick of things for the American Athletics Conference championship and had yet to lose in conference play. It is winless this month. In fact, 5-5 Southern Methodist is above it in the league standings at 4-2.
Bowling Green @ Buffalo (ESPNU, 1:30 p.m.). The timing of this game is fortunate for the Mid-American Conference. Competing only against mid-table games in the Big Ten and the American Athletics Conference in the noon slot, this game will actually decide the MAC's East Division. The winner plays Northern Illinois in Detroit next week. A Buffalo win would probably be most beneficial to Ohio State fans.
Arkansas @ LSU (CBS, 2:30 p.m.). Bert's first season in Fayetteville comes to a merciful end in the Bayou on Friday. With only three wins on the season to date, and winless in the SEC, the Hogs are done after this game no matter what. If Arkansas can't beat a hapless Mississippi State team in Fayetteville, there's no reason to believe it can beat LSU in Baton Rouge.
Arkansas is winless since Jen Bielema's #karma tweet.
Fresno State @ San Jose State (CBS Sports Network, 3:30 p.m.). Fresno State, still undefeated, is the BCS no. 16. However, it has no real quality opponents left on the schedule. 5-6 San Jose State does not constitute "quality". Still, winning out should still be sufficient to get Fresno State an at-large selection into the BCS. Most projections have them in the Fiesta Bowl with the Big XII champion.
Miami @ Pittsburgh (ABC, 3:30 p.m.). Not sure if this is less interesting as an NFL game or an ACC football game...
Washington State @ Washington (FOX, 3:30 p.m.). Washington is 7-4 and Washington State is 6-5. Feel the excitement of the Apple Cup.
Oregon State @ Oregon (FOX Sports 1, 7 p.m.). Remember Oregon? Oregon was fun until it got RichRod'd. This is the first "Civil War" game since 2008 with no conference championship stake riding on the outcome.
South Florida @ Central Florida (ESPN, 8 p.m.). All that stands between Central Florida and the Sugar Bowl is 2-8 South Florida at home, and a game at (currently) 5-5 Southern Methodist in Dallas.
Saturday
Ohio State @ That Team Up North (ABC, 12 p.m.). Your game of the week is first on ABC on Saturday. Make sure to stay tuned to Eleven Warriors for comprehensive preview and coverage of that game.
Florida State @ Florida (ESPN, 12 p.m.). I want to believe. I really do. Even when Florida was losing to the likes of Vanderbilt, I thought, possibly, Florida's violent defense could flex its SEC muscle against Florida State's offense in a way that Clemson's idiotic defense couldn't do. However, if Florida can't do that to FCS Georgia Southern, there's no hope of that happening against Florida State.
Florida's own players don't sound optimistic either.
Minnesota @ Michigan State (BTN, 12 p.m.). The Big Ten really limps to the barn on Saturday. I'm not sure any game has any intrigue, beyond the historic legacy of "The Game" played this week in Ann Arbor. The Big Ten Championship Game is already set and most of the season finales established by Legends and Leaders are boring. This includes the Minnesota-Michigan State series.
Duke @ North Carolina (ESPN2, 12 p.m.). If Duke wins this game, it wins the ACC Coastal Division and plays Florida State for the ACC Championship. Yes, that Duke. Duke, Duke.
If Duke loses? Well. I don't know. Assuming Miami beats Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech beats Virginia (both expected), it creates a six-team logjam on the top of the ACC Coastal Division.
Rutgers @ Connecticut (ESPNU, 12 p.m.). Yeah, no.
Alabama @ Auburn (CBS, 3:30 p.m.). War Damn Eagle.
Baylor @ Texas Christian (ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.). I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for Oklahoma State hammering Baylor last week in Stillwater. As a result, I don't have to care about the result of this game.
Penn State @ Wisconsin (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.). Revisiting my comment about the Minnesota at Michigan State game, the Legends and Leaders rebranding made this game a regular season finale for both teams. You know: the historic rivals that Penn State and Wisconsin are...
Georgia @ Georgia Tech (ABC, 3:30 p.m.). How badly is college football limping to the barn? Look at some of these rivalry games on Saturday: Georgia-Georgia Tech, Penn State-Wisconsin, Iowa State-West Virginia, Tennessee-Kentucky. The list goes on. College football really phoned in Week 14.
Speaking of limping to the barn, Georgia's team will be without Aaron Murray this contest, and going forward. Goodness knows how many other players are lost for this game in this season from hell for the Dawgs. A season removed from being one play from the BCS National Championship Game, Georgia is fighting for an 8-4 regular season. Injuries played a large role in those four losses.
Purdue @ Indiana or Northwestern @ Illinois (BTN, 3:30 p.m.). Given the choice of the top two teams of the Legends Division, or four teams with a combined 13-31 record, BTN put Minnesota and Michigan State at noon and put these four bowl-ineligible teams at the 3:30 p.m. slot.
Smooth move, BTN.
Virginia Tech @ Virginia (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.). Virginia is 2-9 overall and winless in the ACC. It has not defeated Virginia Tech since 2003. Virginia Tech is the consummate paper tiger in college football. I don't have much to add on top of that.
Iowa State @ West Virginia (FOX Sports 1, 4 p.m.). Yeah, I got nothing.
Tennessee @ Kentucky (ESPNU, 7 p.m.). Yeah, still got nothing.
Notre Dame @ Stanford (FOX, 7 p.m.). This game doesn't have much intrigue for Stanford, which already knows it will play in the Pac-12 Championship Game next week with a chance to play in the Rose Bowl for the second straight year.
However, it does loom large for Stanford if Stanford fails to beat Arizona State in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Should Stanford lose that game, and lose to Notre Dame at home for the first time since 2007, the Cardinal could go from a Rose Bowl team to a Sun Bowl team.
Pasadena or El Paso? There's Stanford's incentive. Winning this game, but losing against Arizona State, should at least get Stanford to San Diego for the Holiday Bowl.
Well, I'm sure there's something to be said about winning for winning's sake, especially against a team like Notre Dame.
Clemson @ South Carolina (ESPN2, 7 p.m.). There's a fair bit riding on this game between 10-1 Clemson and 9-2 South Carolina. Mostly, it's for Clemson. If Clemson beats South Carolina, it becomes a very attractive option for the Orange Bowl as an at-large selection, assuming Florida State wins its next two games and plays in the BCS National Championship Game. Presently, Clemson is the BCS no. 6.
CBS Sports projects a Clemson-Wisconsin Orange Bowl, which might be my favorite bowl game of anything that seems plausible right now. I so want this to happen.
However, Clemson would need to defeat South Carolina if it wants that Orange Bowl bid. It has not done that since 2008, when current coach Dabo Swinney was still the interim coach, taking over for Terry Bowden. It's the win that basically got Swinney, a wide receiver coach and non-coordinator by trade, the permament job.
If Clemson fails in this task, it's back to the Peach Bowl for the Tigers. It may also lead to some rumblings among the Clemson faithful about just how far Clemson can go under Dabo Swinney, especially when Chad Morris is not long for the area.
Meanwhile, South Carolina's bigger intrigue might be the game being played on ESPN at the same time.
Texas A&M @ Missouri (ESPN, 7:45 p.m.). I've mentioned this elsewhere, but Missouri blowing that fourth quarter lead against South Carolina at home, and missing a field goal try in the second overtime, looms large in this contest. If not for that, Missouri is already playing the winner of the Iron Bowl in the SEC Championship Game in only Missouri's second year in the conference.
But for that, Missouri has needed to win out. South Carolina has been done with conference play for two weeks. Missouri still needs to beat Johnny Football's Aggies.
However, that Missouri was able to win as convincingly as it did in Oxford should lend some confidence to Missouri in this matchup. LSU couldn't win in Oxford this season, and Texas A&M needed a game-winning field goal.
UCLA @ USC (ABC, 8 p.m.). ABC's Game of the Week is a game of no consequence to anything. UCLA's loss last week to Arizona State eliminated both the Trojans and the Bruins, sending Sparky into a rematch with Stanford next month. Week 14 really phoned in the matchups. Maybe I'm phoning in this feature as well.
New Mexico @ Boise State (ESPN2, 10:15 p.m.). San Diego State @ UNLV (ESPNU, 10:30 p.m.). None of these games matter. But, if you're the kind that enjoys midnight football on the East Coast...
