SEC items of interest
Iron Bowl, iron defenses. Alabama's defense is the best in the country, even with out senior safety and future NFL starter Eddie Jackson, who wrecked his knee earlier this year. Auburn has its best defense since maybe Pat Dye was on the Plains. Collectively, these teams enter Saturday's game playing more than 360 minutes without allowing an offensive touchdown to its opponents. Now, know that Alabama is starting a true freshman quarterback - and as great as Jalen Hurts has been at times, he still is a true freshman making his first Iron Bowl start - and Auburn has no idea who its quarterback will be. Boy, this game screams first team to 20 wins, right? (And let's be honest, if Alabama gets more than like 14, it really feels like it will be hard for Auburn to get well into the teens, even with Kam Pettway back on the field.)
Good Ol' Fashion Hate. This is a great rivalry nickname, one that eventually may be changed in a time when we can't call things "Cocktail Party" or "Hate" or "Beer Barrel" or what have you because of our delicate sensibilities. Phooey. Whatever you want to call the Georgia-Georgia Tech game, believe this: Every year this is the most important game for the Jackets bar none. For the Dogs, this only becomes the most important game when they lose to Tech. And that very well could be the case this year, considering the number of young Georgia defensive players seeing the Tech triple option for the first time. How desperate is Georgia and Kirby Smart? Well, they in Brian VanGorder as a defensive consultant, and BVG's resume over the last decade is so bad, we can only think of two things he should be consulting: 1970s Stunt Men hair and 1980s detective mustaches. You know he's got that look.
Who ever has the ball last wins. There are a few SEC rivalry games this weekend - and even one regular-season finale, considering it's a fair to ask if Arkansas-Missouri is really a rivalry - where the defenses are struggling. Tennessee-Vandy will have the league's hottest offense and the league's coldest defense involved, and yes, they each will be in orange and white. The Egg Bowl has two teams that are not afraid to play well into the 30s. Louisville is a monster favorite, but they better be ready for a lot of run, run, run from a physical UK bunch that will put points on the board. And then there is the Tigers-Razorbacks matchup, which come late Friday afternoon, when that score scrolls across your screen, you may wonder if that's basketball or football.
And the other side of the coin. Will Muschamp loves him some defense. And he apparently hates him some Thanksgiving - this week he said Thanksgiving is a meal, not a holiday; and peace unto you and yours Will - so there's that. Well, the last two programs to employee Muschamp has the head coach - his current South Carolina Gamecocks and his previous stint with Florida - are defensively sound. Each team will need to be considering they are underdogs on the road against ranked-ACC teams with high-powered offenses. Can either of the teams touched with the Muschamp seal of holiday warm and fuzzy deliver? If they do, it will be because of their defenses.
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Fab 4 (plus 1) picks
We have been hunting entertainment in college football games in this space since the beginning of the 2011 season. We have hit better than 59 percent in each of those years, and have hovered right around 60 percent for the duration.
So, being at 57 percent with fewer and fewer weeks ahead - and the difficulty that can be bowl motivation - means we need to make a run as the season winds down.
So where doe we start. We start with games that matter and teams with a lot on the line. Yes, pressure can have its effects on teams differently, but here's what we believe heading into rivalry week. (As always, these picks are for entertainment purposes only, and the lines are from VegasInsider.com as of Thursday morning.)
Ohio State minus-6.5 over Michigan. Each team has plenty to play for, but only one of these rivals is assured of playing its starting quarterback completely healthy. Now if Jim Harbaugh and Michigan have concealed the true injury for Wilton Speight, the Wolverines starting QB who some said had a broken collar bone, and he's ready to go Sunday, well, then Harbaugh is even more tricky than we give him credit for. Also of note is this: In Michigan's 11 games so far this year, it has left its home state twice with a win at hapless Rutgers and a loss at Iowa. The Horseshoe will be a clear edge for the Buckeyes.
Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs (11) throws a pass downfield. The Vanderbilt Commodores visited the Tennessee Volunteers in SEC football action November 28, 2015.Tennessee-Vandy over the 54. We have made a lot of hay in this space over the year taking Derrick Mason and Vandy going under in games. Defensively they are sound and offensively, they have been challenged. Well, over the course of the last month, the Vandy offense - which found some balance against Ole Miss - has come alive and the Tennessee offense looks simply unstoppable. Add to that statement, that the Tennessee offense has to believe it has to score 30-plus to cover for a banged-up defense that allowed 740 yards to Missouri last week, and well that smells an easy over.
Navy minus-7 over SMU. A lot on the line for the Mustangs, who could get to bowl eligibility under second-year coach Chad Morris with a win here. But there's a lot on the line for Navy too, considering the Middies could be in the mix for the top-ranked non-power five conference team and earn a spot in the Cotton Bowl. Navy has rolled up a ton of points - heck they scored 66 last week on East Carolina with quarterback Will Worth throwing all of five passes. Here's a great stat: When Navy attempts fewer than 10 passes it's 8-0 this year; when Navy attempts more than 10 passes, it's 0-2.
LSU minus-6 over Texas A&M. The dye is cast on Ed Oregron, but here's a feeling that the Tigers have a big effort left in the tank for the interim head coach. We also think the Aggies are starting to be ready for this year - one that at one point not that long ago had the Aggies in the playoff discussion - to be done.
Hawaii minus-7 over UMass. UMass has two wins on the season - one against FIU, which may be the worst FBS team in the country and one against Wagner. (Rushmore of Wagners: Robert Wagner from Hart-to-Hart, Wagner power tools. And composer Richard Wagner - pronounced differently of course - edging the local law firm of Wagner and Wagner.) Where were we? Oh yeas, UMass, and the fact that they stink. Now, they go on the road - for the second consecutive week - headed way west. Last week they covered 2,090 miles from Boston to Provo and lost 51-9 to BYU. And that was one way. Now after Thanksgiving, they head to Honolulu (5,076 miles one way) for a game that kicks off at 11 p.m. Eastern. The math makes too much sense.
Last week: 4-3 against the spread (57.1 percent)
This season: 41-31 against the spread (56.9 percent)
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Teddy bears, mementos, and balloons have been placed at the site of a fatal school bus crash on Talley Road on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The makeshift memorial to victims of the Monday crash, which killed 6 Woodmore Elementary students and injured dozens more, has grown since the road was reopened Tuesday.Thanksgiving
Here is my A2 column on being thankful even in a time of grief and great loss.
It's easy to wonder about the pain the families of the six dead children from the bus crash earlier this week.
The TFP has had a wave of coverage, focusing on every angle.
Among that, and it feels like we too often ignore the great human spirit in a lot of sports teams and people.
From Butch Jones bringing four Vols to Erlanger on Wednesday to Weber State and UTC raising funds and wearing helmet decals Saturday to the Titans donating $25,000 to even Terrell Owens pledging his time and services.
God bless everyone. And may you have a safe and wonderful holiday.
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This and that
- Andrew Luck has been ruled out of today's game against the Steelers. This is normally not the type of news that would make the This and That. This one is different because Luck's injury now means each of my top 6 picks in this year's fantasy draft now have missed games because of injury. #Sprintingtothebasement
- Cool story here about Rory McIlroy sending a personal letter to a young golf fan. Man, Rory seems like a likable cat.
- Wow, the Warriors dropped a little vengeance on the Lakers last night. Yep, 149 points is a statement.
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Today's question
Football, family and food make Thanksgiving a great holiday, regardless of what Ol Ebenezer Muschamp says.
With that, and maybe this is the Thanksgiving Rushmore, but what are the first four items on your plate today? Ours are the bird, the Mrs. 5-at-10's dressing (high quality stuff friends), potatoes and broccoli casserole. Discuss. And then digest.
And remember the mailbag.