It’s Showtime

This is it, it’s here. This weekend has long been circled on the calendars of fans from all parts of the college football nation. I mean let’s face it, this weekend has a “bowl week” feel to it because of the consequences.

I mean thank god I’ll be at the game this weekend or my remote would melt.

Florida State-Miami. Oklahoma-Texas. Tennessee-Georgia. Penn State-Michigan. Oregon-UCLA……ALL IN ONE DAY!!!!!

This is a soggy dream come true for any college football fan.

What can I say about this game? OU sucks and that’s all that matters. Seriously though, this will be the game of the day. Whenever two of the top three teams meet, it’s exciting. Through on top of that one of the bitterest rivalries in college football, there you have the red river shootout.

This rivalry has hit a fever pitch. Saturday, over 75,000 burnt-orange and crimson-clad fans are expected to make their way into the Cotton Bowl on the State Fair of Texas grounds in Dallas. It's the 57th consecutive season the game has sold out.

At this point in the season both teams have overcome close calls and a few kinks in the armor to make it undefeated. Last year, both teams came in undefeated but the Sooners left the fair with a 14-3 narrow victory over the hated Longhorns. Fuck OU! Nobody likes them. Most of their championships are tainted by drug charges and/or suspensions the following year. After all, Oklahoma is the only land the Indians gave back.

Oh sorry…I got off on a rant there.

The key to this game will the Texas offense versus the OU defense. OU has a fast defense that gets to the ball quicker than anyone in college football, but the Horns are stacked with offensive firepower. On the other side, the Texas defense should be able to handle the OU defense.

Look for this game to be tight and come down to the end with special teams being the difference.

If Oklahoma wins ... things get ugly at Texas for Chris Simms, who cements his place in history as the Ultimate Big-Game Choker. OU steals a few No. 1 votes from Miami. Or just steals No. 1 altogether, if FSU pulls off an upset.

If Texas wins ... all record of Simms' failure in 2001 is erased from UT archives, while national championship talk in Austin reaches fever pitch. Amidst the hoopla, someone will undoubtedly say, "Well, this is what you were supposed to do."

Here’s another rivalry with plenty of tradition. FSU-Miami has received national attention for decades and this year will be the same. If FSU had not tripped up against Louisville a few weeks ago, this would be 1 vs. 4. We’ll settle for 1 vs. 12 because that 12 is hungry and ready to be back in the top five. The Seminole’s Rix must shake his big game tendencies and learn to play under pressure.

I give the edge to Miami but either team could come out on top. Miami has the edge because I can’t really pick against a team that hasn’t lost in 29 games! Sorry.

If Miami wins ... all is well in the world. The devil continues to uphold his contract with the 'Canes, which guarantees a Florida Cup, a second straight national championship and a Heisman for Ken Dorsey, regardless of mediocre statistics.

If Florida State wins ... Armageddon. Many, many people go into convulsions, including 'Canes' coach Larry Coker, who has no idea how to handle a loss. FSU, meanwhile, gets its name back in the national championship race.

Both teams here are coming off real gut checks last week. Tennessee survived a 6 OT scare and Georgia held off Bama 27-25 with a late field goal. So that brings us to a great rivalry. UG is still undefeated but the Gators stuck it to the Vols last month. So I say the Vols have more to prove in this game.

Georgia has won the last two meetings with Tennessee after losing the previous n ine. Richt's biggest win in his rookie year as coach was a 26-24 victory in Knoxville last season as Greene threw a six-yard TD pass with five seconds remaining.

If Georgia wins ... the 'Dawgs take the driver's seat in the SEC East, with Tennessee and Florida tied down in the back of the truck. Pat Dye-inspired "Man Enough–Dawg Enough" t-shirts sell like boiled peanuts as UGA cracks the top five for the first time since 1983.

If Tennessee wins ... the SEC East race levels off, with the Vols, Dawgs and Gators (if they beat LSU) each having one loss. Phil Fulmer could have a QB situation on his hands, however, if backup C.J. Leak, rather than injured starter Casey Clausen, leads the Vols to victory.

Last Week's Scores:
K State	31		UCLA	43
Colorado	35		Oregon St	35
USC	27		Penn St	34
Wash St	30		Wisconsin	31

Week 8 Top 10 Rankings

	Last wk	Record	Result
1. Miami	1st	5--0	W 48-14 vs. Uconn
2. Texas	2nd	5--0	W 14-15 vs. OSU
3. OU	3rd	5--0	W 31-24 at Mizzou
4. Virginia Tech	4th	5--0	Idle
5. Georgia	6th	5--0	W 27-25 at Bama
6. Notre Dame	9th	4--0	W 31-7 vs. Stanford
7. Oregon	7th	5--0	W 31-14 at Zona
8. Ohio St	10th	5--0	W 27-16 at Northwestern
9. Tennessee	Unranked	5--1	W 41-38 vs. Arkansas
10. Florida St	Unranked	5--1	W 48-31 vs. Clemson

Picks:

	Straight	Line
Last Week:	4--1	4--1
Season to Date	19--6	16--9

And finally…….

My picks this week

I’m being brave and picking the hard games

Week 8 Matches (favorites in bold)

	Straight	Line
Texas at Oklahoma (+3)	Texas	Texas
Penn St (+4.5) at Michigan	Michigan	Penn St
Tennessee (+3) at Georgia	Georgia	Tennessee
Oregon (+2.5) at UCLA	Oregon	Oregon
Texas Tech (+6.5) at Iowa St	Iowa St	Iowa St