Well, I’m watching Southern Miss and Houston go at it right now for the C-USA title and I figured, eh, let’s do this.

Noon- Connecticut @ Louisville (ESPN): Whet your palate with this Big East tilt. A UL win here and a Rutgers lost in Morgantown sends UL to a BCS bowl.

1:00- Georgia Tech vs. Wake Forest (ABC): I’ve been asked numerous times this week if I planned on going to Jacksonville. My answer was, and is, no. I have a project due Monday, blah, blah, you don’t care. However, I care greatly about graduating in two weeks….
So what do I think about this game? Well, it’s tough to get a read on it. Obviously, Reggie needs to play better. The main key is whether or not Wake’s misdirection will cause our fast defense to overpersue. We shall see.

2:30- Army vs. Navy (CBS): My Dad is an Army grad (class of ’73), so I feel obligated to say “GO ARMY BEAT NAVY”, despite the fact Army probably doesn’t have a chance. 🙁
Also rooting for former GT head coach Bobby Ross, who during his tenure here won a national title.

3:00- Stanford @ California (FSN): The Big Game isn’t, well, terribly big this year. But did you know that GT’s official fight song, “Up With the White and Gold” (though, of course, “Ramblin Wreck is much more famous”) was stolen from Cal during GT’s trip to the 1929 Rose Bowl (GT won, by the way)? Compare this to this lyrics for “Up With the White and Gold” I posted last week. (Though, of course, I like this Cal song better….)

4:30- USC @ UCLA (ABC): I think we’re all aware what’s on the line here, and I think most of us are also aware UCLA doesn’t have a chance.

6:00- Florida vs. Arkansas (CBS): Well, just down the road from here there’s playing a conference championship game. Arkansas’s situation seems pretty similar to ours, honestly. Both teams are coming off disappointing losses to major rivals. It’ll be interesting to see if either, or both, can recover. UF, meanwhile, is looking to put an impressive game together, but I think it’ll be too little, too late.

7:45- Rutgers @ West Virginia (ESPN): Battle for the Big East! Kind of.

8:00- Nebraska vs. Oklahoma (ABC): Two traditional Big 12 powers! Still surprised OU made it, I mean, they only lost the best RB in the country and all. And I think the most insightful thing one can say about Nebraska is what my Dad said last weekend: “Man, it’s weird to see Nebraska throw the ball all over the place.” Indeed.

12:00am, Sunday- Oregon St. @ Hawaii (ESPN): I love it when BCS teams use a trip to Hawaii as, basically, a bowl game. Thing is, OSU is a decent squad and all (they beat USC), but Hawaii isn’t bad either. If I’m still conscious, I’ll watch.

And that’s it, folks! Have a good weekend, and Go Jackets!

They’re up and at the link to your right. I’ll explain my BCS selection process real quick:
Ohio state has locked up a spot in the title game, and if USC wins they weekend like they should, they’ll remain #2 and go to the title game. The Rose gets the first two picks in compensation for losing both their teams. The easy pick is Michigan. The second pick isn’t as easy – they basically have two options:
1) Take Notre Dame, who just lost big to USC and lost big to Michigan already
2) Take a second team from the SEC, like LSU
Honestly, I think both will sell plenty of tickets. LSU fans are high off their win over Arkansas. It’s not exactly every day either ND or a SEC team goes to the Rose – neither set has been there since the 40’s. I hope against hope the Rose tries to produce a good football matchup and takes LSU.
Next is the Sugar, which needs an opponent for the SEC champion (either Arkansas or Florida). I like Notre Dame here if the Rose doesn’t take them.
After that is the Orange, which needs an opponent for the ACC champion. The only teams left to pick at this point are the two remaining auto-bids: the winner of the Big East (either Rutgers or Louisville) and Boise State. The Orange will likely take the Big East champ, leaving Boise State to play the Oklahoma-Nebraska winner in the Fiesta.

The Rose is where this whole thing hinges. If they take Notre Dame (or someone else besides LSU, basically) then the Sugar will probably wind up with the Big East champ, allowing the Orange to take LSU or some such. In any scenario, the Fiesta goes last, meaning they get Boise State. (I’m all for mid-majors getting chances in the BCS, but that Utah team in 2004 was scary good. Boise State, not so much.)

Other games of note:
Cotton: I’m tentatively sending Auburn out here, but the Cotton is always reluctant to pick teams from that far east. They may take Arkansas if they are available (like if Tennessee or Auburn were taken in the Capitol One).
Peach Chick-fil-a: The bowl said last week they’d take the UGA-Tech winner, but at any rate it seems like they want 10-2 Virginia Tech a lot. The ACC title game loser will probably fall to the Gator for the second year of the row, which the Gator people probably isn’t terribly happy about. Look for the ACC title game to move out of Jacksonville in the few years, either further south or back up to the heart of ACC country in Charlotte.
Holiday: This is usually a good game, but this year, the Pac-10 team brings the rushing offense (relatively) and the Big 12 team bring the West Coast style offense? WTF, mate?
Emerald and MPC Computers: FSU and Miami play on a baseball field and the blue turf! My schadenfraude knows no bounds here.

Also, Kansas, Rice, and Kentucky all making bowls? Mama mia, what a year!

But I do have statistics:
Ball (Passing): 6/22 for 46 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
Ball (Rushing): 11 carries, -10 yards, -0.9 ypc, 1 fumble
Johnson (Receiving): 2 catches, 18 yards
Team: 4/14 on 3rd down

Let us give thanks that there will be a college game tonight, even if it is Boston College – Miami. I want to fall asleep every time I watch an NFL game, and I was watching the FOX pregame show earlier for the 4:30 game and just remembered how much I really hate Joe Buck.

As I mentioned, we have BC-Miami tonight on ESPN for the usual Thursday night time slot. You’ll probably see that Doug Flutie hail mary about 20 times, but that aside BC shouldn’t need any miracles against a down-and-out Miami team.

Since there’s games on Friday and Saturday, I’ll do a double feature for them. Since I’m at home, this’ll reflect games shown here, but times will still be Eastern.

Friday, noon – Texas A&M @ Texas (ABC): If there were at Kyle Field, I might give the Aggies a chance. Otherwise, Texas should roll. But what a way to start off the day!

2:30 – LSU vs. Arkansas (CBS): Doesn’t count for the SEC standings, but possibly were the SEC stands in terms of BCS bids. LSU might be able to sow one up if they win, but it looks better if Arkansas heads into the SEC title game with 1 loss.

3:30 – Colorado @ Nebraska (ABC): Nothing at stake here, Huskers roll.
Oregon @ Oregon State (FSN): The Civil War has some bowl position at stake here – OSU has proven to be the better team since their victory over USC. A win or loss for either team doesn’t effect USC that much.

9:00 – Fresno St. @ Louisiana Tech (ESPN2): Uh, okay. I think this was schedule back when no one had any idea Fresno St. would suck as badly as they do this year.

Saturday, noon:

• Florida @ Florida State (ABC): FSU lost 30-0 to Wake a couple weeks ago at Doak Campbell. Is there really anything else to say here?
• South Carolina @ Clemson (ESPN): It’s been a relatively disappointing season for both these teams. Clemson looked like a legit top-10 contender after destroying GT, but got destroyed themselves @VPI. South Carolina lacks a signature win this season, and I have my doubts they’ll be able to get it in Death Valley.
• USF @ West Virginia (ESPN2): Uh, okay.

12:30 – Kentucky @ Tennessee (local SEC station): Will Tennessee suffer another devastating loss to the dregs of the SEC East this year? Kentucky is bowl-eligible this year and not completely horrible. Tennessee shouldn’t have any issues, but we’ll see what happens.

2:30 – Oklahoma @ Oklahoma St. (FSN): This is one of those throw-out-the-record book rivalries. Always at stake and always insane. Does OU still remember the 2001 season, where a 4-7 OSU team beat Oklahoma? OSU is 6-5 this year, but they always get up for this game (to continue using bad cliches).

3:30:

• Georgia Tech @ Georgia (CBS): Hopefully we’ll run all over them like they’re Wake Forest or Maryland or somebody.
  I’ll serenade you with some songs. The second two correspond to the two played in the video.
  To hell, to hell with Georgia!
  To hell, to hell with Georgia!
  To hell, to hell with Georgia!
  The cesspool of the South!
  —–
  Oh well, it’s…..
  Up with the White and Gold
  Down with the Red and Black
  Georgia Tech is out for a victory
  We’ll drop our battle axe on Georgia’s head
  When we meet her our team is sure to beat her!
  And down on the farm there’ll be no sound
  ‘Till our bow-wows rip through the air!
  And after the battle, Georgia’s team will be found
  With the Yellow Jackets swarming ’round!
  ——
  I’m a Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech and a helluva engineer
  A helluva, helluva, helluva eingeer
  Like all the jolly good fellows
  I drink my whiskey clear
  I’m a Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech and a helluva engineer

  Oh, I wish I had a daughter sir
  I’d dress her in the White and Gold
  Put her on the campus to cheer the brave and bold
  But if I had a son sir
  I’d tell you what he’d do
  He’d yell, “TO HELL WITH GEORGIA” like his daddy used to do!

  Oh, I wish I had a barrel of rum and sugar three thousand pounds
  A college bell to put it in, a clapper to stir it ’round
  I’d drink to all the jolly good fellows who come from far and near
  ‘Cause a I’m a ramblin’, gamblin’, HELLUVA ENGINEER, HEY!

• Louisville @ Pittsburgh (ESPN): Pitt isn’t horrible this year, but they’re not good either and UL should win this one going away.

4:15 – Boise St. @ Nevada (ESPN2): This is the best (and last) chance for BSU to lose. Should, they? No. But the Wolfpack is a pretty decent team and with the game in Reno they should stand a chance to pull the upset.

6:00 – Arizona St. @ Arizona (FSN): Each of these teams has had their ups and downs this year, but this is always a pretty decent game, and with each team at 6-5, this year should be no exception.

7:45 – Wake Forest @ Maryland (ESPN): This for all the ACC Atlantic marbles. I think I spelled it out below, but I’ll do it again: If Wake wins, they’re in. If those lose, then if BC wins tonight they’re in. If BC loses, then and only then could UMD go.

8:00 – Notre Dame @ USC (ABC): This is always one of those where I’m not sure who to root for. USC does have the song girls, and a USC loss to ND doesn’t help anyone. For maximum BCS chaos, USC needs to beat ND but lose to UCLA, which knocks both USC and ND out of the title game picture (though their loss to Michigan really hurts ND’s chances anyway).

That’s all folks. I hope you enjoy your turkey tonight and give some thanks. I don’t really recommend shopping tomorrow because, after all, it’s cold, the traffic is bad, and hey, there’s football on!

And TO HELL WITH GEORGIA!

Perhaps it’s my fever-induced state, but I just convinced myself that Auburn still has a good shot at a BCS Bowl bid.

Imagine the expected OSU-USC matchup shakes out. The Rose gets the first two picks, so naturally they take Michigan first. But who else does the Rose pick? The SEC title game loser? If that’s Arkansas, they would probably get hammered in the polls. If West Virginia beats Rutgers, I think the Rose wants a conference champion, and they can get that in WVU. (Of course, what the rose really wants is OSU-USC, but oh well.)

So the next to pick is the Sugar. The Sugar gets UF as the SEC title game winner. Notre Dame is still available, so the Sugar picks them.

Next is the Orange, and this is where it gets interesting. Provided Boise State beats Nevada, they get a BCS bid. Since none of the bowls actually want Boise St., they will fall all the way to the Fiesta. Auburn is currently 12th in the BCS standings, and at 10-2 they meet both of the criteria for at-large selection. Ahead of them are the following teams likely to lose in the next few weeks (whereas Auburn is done): LSU, Arkansas, and Notre Dame. ND won’t fall that far when/if they lose this weekend, whereas LSU probably will (3rd loss) and Arkansas will face the usual title-game loser curse. Based on what I’ve said, the Orange could select from a pool of Arkansas, Louisville, Boise State, Auburn, and maybe Oklahoma. If I’m a bowl game committee chairman, I want people in the seats, so I want a SEC team. Arkansas is far away and will be coming off a loss, whereas Auburn is closer and just beat their arch-rival. Auburn is not likely to fall any further despite not playing. (Especially if UF wins the SEC title.)

As usual, I refuse to predict Tech to win the ACC, though I like our chances.

I’m pleasantly surprised by the number of eligible teams this year – especially from the Big 12 and SEC, which I thought might not make it. The Big 12 even has an extra team this year, and plus their weakness sorta helps them (in the sense they won’t get 2 BCS bids). The Big Ten will fall short, but Cincinnati should be able to go to the Motor City, and Washington State isn’t that far away from Boise.

Anyway, I’m tired and sick and heading back to Madison later today. And To Hell With Georgia.