CigarSmokinFootball

Rivalry Weekend
Thursday is a National Holiday where we celebrate the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. It’s a time for families to get together, for old friends to reconnect and to look back on the year and see things from hindsight, which is 20/20. We remember the soldiers who are on foreign soil defending the freedom we enjoy. People will feast on turkeys and stuff themselves with dressing. The NFL will have a couple of games on, one in Dallas and one in Detroit, whatever. Those games are basically there for people to watch as they fall asleep from all the food they have eaten. Friday starts a weekend of passion, love and hate, bragging rights, and traveling trophies…Let the Rivalry Games Began!! And may the odds be ever in your team’s favor.
against “U-Dub”. The series has 107 episodes with Washington holding a commanding 69-32-6 lead. UW has won the last two. But the CSF pick is Washington State. There is just too much on the line for the Cougars and they’ve hit their stride with Coach Leach’s system.

 
The Civil War- Oregon State vs. Oregon- Any game where the teams battle over the Platypus Trophy has to be a good one. OU vs. OSU was first played in 1894 with the Beavers winning, 16-0. Since then, Oregon has left the Beavers behind to the tune of 62-46-10. Plus, the Ducks have won the last seven. When Utah thumped the Ducks 62-20 this year, many people, including yours truly, wrote Oregon off. They have since resurrected their season with victories over Stanford and USC. They’ve now won five in a row and looking like the Fowl of old. It all begins and ends with the return of Vernon Adams to good health, but I don’t like him so I’m not going to give him any credit. Oregon State has not had a good season in Coach Andersen’s first year.. They’re 2-9 and rank last in just about category that is kept on college football teams. Can they pull off the upset? Yes, they can, stranger things have happened. Appalachian State beat Michigan in 2007. So upsets do occur, from time to time. For instance, ARMY is going to upset Navy this year. But I doubt Oregon State is going to upset Oregon. But, yeah, sure, why not? It just won’t. Ducks win.

 
The Revivalry- Baylor vs. TCU– Who knew that this was one of the oldest rivalries in college Footalldom? They started playing in 1899 for a totally of 110 meetings. Baylor holds the edge with a 52-51-7 record. Until lately this hasn’t had much of a national impact but last year the Bears upset the Horn Frogs, which led to both being crowned Co-Champions of the Big 12, that only has ten teams. I’m willing to bet the conference committee is still face-planting themselves for that decision. This year it was set up for the Bears and Frogs to battle for supremacy and carry the Big-12, that only has 10 teams, banner into the playoffs. But TCU has dropped two games and Baylor was thrashed by Okahoma. BU finds itself needing a win and then pulling for Oklahoma State to beat OU. Should that happen the Bears be crowed the king of ten teams in conference named for 12. TCU has little or no hope of making the playoffs, but they’d love nothing more than to ensure that Baylor doesn’t go either. Both teams play fast, both teams will be playing with their back up QB’s, but Baylor is the only one that established the running game as an integral part of their offense. Neither team is all that interested in playing defense. To them, defense is boring. Offense is where the excitements is (with apologies to Del Gue – with an ‘e’). Baylor is picked to win, but it would not be a surprise if the Horn Frogs pull the upset. This is an upset that can actually happen

 
Toledo gets to blast off on Western Michigan
Pitt will defeat Miami and there will be people in the stadium (it’s in Pittsburgh)
Houston needs to recover by sinking Navy
Arkansas is on an upswing, Missouri is headed in the other direction, Hogs win

Boise State Broncos will buck San Jose off for the win
Tulsa takes on Tulane. My Granddaddy went to Tulane back when Eddie Price played for the Olive Green and Blue. Who was Eddie Price? Look it up. We’re pulling for the Green Wave.
Then we all take a breath, smoke a cigar, and get ready for Saturday!