Rivalry week this year brings us several contests between ranked teams, but I'm not including a lot of those because, well, truth be told it's the end of the season and I don't really care much about what happens where we aren't directly impacted. Alabama's needed a bizarre combination of upsets in order to have a shot of making the BCSCG and so far all of those things have fallen into place. We could certainly use one more slip up by Oklahoma State just to erase all doubt about our status of making the title game, but they have a bye week this week. I've skipped over better match-ups on paper this week, but so many of them conflict with our game that I've just skipped all of those in favor of providing a schedule that will allow you to watch the maximum amount of football over the next couple of days. As always, the rankings are from the BCS and all times are central.
TEXAS (25) at TEXAS A&M - Thursday, November 24 - 7:00 p.m. - ESPN
One of college football's oldest rivalries is going on indefinite hiatus given Texas A&M's exodus to the SEC. TAMU has said they will gladly make room on their schedule for the Longhorns, but Texas has said they're booked solid until 2018. We all know how easy it would for Texas to make it happen seeing as games get cancelled all the time. Alabama, for instance, postponed a series with Penn State several years ago and Georgia Tech recently broke their contract with us. Texas could make it happen if they wanted to, but they don't want to and are blaming Aggie in the process. I think they'll get back to playing each other eventually, but this one is big due to the fact that the victor will have bragging rights at a minimum for just under a decade. Regardless of who wins this one, expect an epic contribution to "It's Meltdown Time."
HOUSTON (8) at TULSA - Friday, November 25 - 11:00 a.m. - FSN
Houston, the only other undefeated team in the country besides LSU, is hoping to keep it going against Tulsa and land in their first BCS bowl. Both teams are undefeated in C-USA play and the winner will go to the C-USA championship game. Tulsa's 8-3 record is better than it looks at first glance considering the losses came to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State. Houston would probably have the same record if their out of conference slate included those three instead of the likes of North Texas, Louisiana Tech and Georgia State (though they did beat one BCS team, UCLA...who is 6-5.) Houston is looking to BCS bust and Tulsa is looking to win the conference.
ARKANSAS (3) at LSU (1) - Friday, November 25 - 1:30 p.m. - CBS
Game of the Century of the Season Part II. It's very rare that fans of the #2 team in the country would pull for the #1 team against the #3 team, but this has been an insane last couple of weeks. If all of the pieces fall into place, we'll likely get a bye into the national championship game where LSU will be forced to play an extra game against Georgia. These here are crazy times.
OHIO STATE at MICHIGAN (15) - Saturday, November 26 - 11:00 a.m. - ABC
Michigan is 1-9 against the Buckeyes in their last 10 meetings, but you've got to think the Wolverines have a decent chance this year (they're a 7 point favorite.) Michigan fans will probably spontaneously combust if they lose this game because it's got to finally be "their year" in their eyes. While many Buckeye fans are probably silently bracing themselves for a loss, I doubt they'll handle a loss very well since it would break the seven game winning streak they have going. Don't know why this is a meteor game for me but it is. Regardless of the outcome, expect Grade-A meltdowns.
NOTRE DAME (22) at STANFORD (6) - Saturday, November 26 - 7:00 p.m. - ABC
Who really cares? At this point of the day we'll either be jubilant in celebration or wallowing in a mire of self-pity questioning the meaning of life and our place in the universe. Either way, I'm not likely to be in front of a television.