4-Down Territory: A Big Lone Star Rivalry Returns Amid the Home Stretch Finale

Texas and Texas A&M return a massive rivalry to the Lone Star state. From Fargo's BBQ in Bryan to the Buc-ee's in Bastrop expect to see lots of burnt orange and maroon apparel. Let's look at a whole weekend of big rivalry games.....

First Down: Black Friday Football: Oregon State (5-6) at #11 Boise State (10-1) 12:00 FOX: This is an early bell at 10:00 am Mountain Time for this match-up on the Broncos’ Blue Turf in Boise. Boise State has an inside track on the bye in the playoffs, but the Oregon State Beavers are coming off a win over Washington State…….Oklahoma State (3-8) at #25 Colorado: The Buffs are one of 9 Big 12 teams that are still mathematically alive to get to the conference title game. They have the nation’s best football player in Travis Hunter and this game could be a final showcase for his Heisman chances….. Mississippi State (2-9) at #14 Ole Miss (8-3) 3:30 ABC: The College Football playoff hopes for Ole Miss are not dead, but they sure need some outside help. The most important key for them is to win the Egg Bowl in-state rivalry game……Georgia Tech (7-4) at #7 Georgia (9-2) 7:30 ABC: Georgia Tech wants to run the ball and at times the Georgia defense has shown some vulnerability in that area. This is not a gimme for the Bulldogs. Getting turnovers will be critical for the Ramblin’ Wreck, an area where they have lagged defensively this year.

Second Down: Saturday Noon Kickoffs: Michigan (6-5) at #2 Ohio State (10-1) 12:00 FOX: Michigan is still unsettled at QB which could be a recipe for disaster against a strong Ohio State defense. Michigan may lean heavily on the run to test the toughness of that Buckeye defense. Michigan’s front should be a major test against the OSU o-line which has had a rash of injuries. Look for the Buckeyes to get the ball out early to their dangerous fleet of speedy WRs. WR Carnell Tate has really emerged from the shadows of better-known WRs to become a scary Buckeye threat in his own right. A Buckeye win gets them a rematch with Oregon in the Big Ten title game and kills that three-game Michigan winning streak in this rivalry game…..#23 Illinois (8-3) at Northwestern (4-7) 12:00 Big Ten Network: These two teams play for a trophy shaped like Abraham Lincoln’s Hat. For the Illini, they are playing for a great bowl game as the first Big Ten team outside the four playoff teams ahead of them…..#8 Tennessee (9-2) at Vanderbilt (6-5) 12:00 ABC: When the Vols played at Georgia, the temperature dipped to 45 degrees and there was an issue with one of the UT heated benches. The players huddled on the other benches. If they thought that was cold, they’d better win and get some help to avoid a potential playoff game in a colder clime like Happy Valley or Columbus. But they’ll need to take care of a Vandy team that beat Alabama and has been a pesky opponent on a number of occasions this year……#15 South Carolina ((8-3) at #12 Clemson (9-2) 12:00 ESPN: For Clemson, if they win, they could be a third ACC team in the playoffs. Everyone is waiting for them to get a win that proves they belong in the playoff conversation. South Carolina has an outside shot at a playoff spot. If South Carolina gets in as an 11-seed you do not want to be the 6th seed. The Gamecocks are on a roll and boast one of the hottest and most dangerous QBs in the country in LaNorris Sellers.

Third Down: Saturday Mid Afternoon: #5 Notre Dame (10-1) at USC (6-5) 3:30 CBS: With the QB change, USC has become a better offensive team. But this Notre Dame defense is really playing well. This is one of those games where pollsters and committee members might be looking at “style points” to sort out where to seed a few 1-loss teams. USC’s defense has played well most of this year, and one suspects they will try to make Notre Dame beat them throwing the ball—an area where they’ve been inconsistent at times…..#16 Arizona State (9-2) at Arizona (4-7) 3:30 FOX: The Sun Devils are surging into the stretch run and heating things up for a shot at the Big 12 Title game. The Territorial Cup is up for grabs, perhaps the only in-state rivalry trophy that pre-dates statehood…Maryland (4-7) at #4 Penn State 3:30 Big Ten Network: Maryland can throw the ball and has a dangerous set of receivers. But can they slow down the Penn State pass rush? Maryland started the season 3-1 but is 1-6 in their last seven games yielding an average of 38 points per game in that stretch. The Terps are also struggling to get pass rush (just 14 sacks) and are -1 in turnover margin. That does not bode well against Penn State. Before Maryland joined the Big Ten, Penn State owned them with a record of 35-1-1 with the last loss to the Terps being in 1961 when JFK was still President. Since Maryland joined the Big Ten, PSU is 8-2 with an average score of 38-13. But the Terps have managed to win two of the five previous Big Ten matchups in Happy Valley where they had never won before……Auburn (5-6) at #13 Alabama (8-3) 3:30 ABC: The Tide are coming off an embarrassing performance at Oklahoma last week. But they still have an outside shot at a playoff berth. Auburn will need to play a clean game and force some turnovers. That has been the formula that has cost Alabama in three games this year….#6 Miami (10-1) at Syracuse (8-3) 3:30 ESPN: This has been a better-than-expected season for the Orange. Ending the season with an upset of Miami will put a big stamp on it. Syracuse QB Kyle McCord and the skill players they have are capable of putting up numbers against a Canes’ defense that has been vulnerable all year. The Canes’ offense can run points up with the best of them. This could be an exciting shootout. The Canes’ ACC title game hopes are in their own hands, but they need a win……Cal (6-5) at #9 SMU (10-1) 3:30 ESPN2: The Mustangs have been a big surprise this year and are on the cusp of a playoff berth. Cal may be 6-5, but they have suffered a number of close losses. That makes them dangerous here.

Fourth Down: Primetime and Late Night: Purdue (1-10) at #10 Indiana (10-1) 7:00 FS1: For Indiana it is win and they are in the college football playoff. Ignore the debate and the noise. Purdue is a team IU should dominate and if they live up to that, they are in the playoff. On a side note, if OSU and PSU get upset, IU will know they are playing to get into the Big Ten title game……#3 Texas (10-1) at #20 Texas A&M (8-3) 7:30 ABC: This is a renewal of a massive in-state rivalry that has run as hot as any in-state rivalry in the country when these teams played every year. With Texas now in the SEC, this thing is gonna be nasty and bitter once again. They sit an easy drive from one another. Expect the Buccee’s in Bastrop, Texas to be busy all day Saturday with fans making their way to Aggieland. As if this rivalry needed any more jet fuel to take off once again, the winner of this one plays Georgia for the SEC title. Texas continues to play great defense, something that will be a big challenge for an A&M offense that needs more consistency at quarterback……Washington (6-5) at #1 Oregon (11-0) 7:30 NBC: Washington has won the last three against Oregon, and the Ducks will really want to settle that score this weekend. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel continues to make the right throws at the right time. If UW plays their aggressive 1 on 1 coverage look for the Ducks to get after them early to set the tone. The story this year for UW has been the difference between their play at home and on the road. The Huskies are undefeated at home and winless on the road and yielding 32 points per game in road games. If they allow the Ducks to hit 32 points Saturday night, the Ducks will be 12-0 headed to Indy for the Big Ten title game.