Today's Schedule of Games

Nothing to do now but go out and win it all.  The playoffs start now, at least for us.  Win and advance.   

Here are some of today’s highlights:

At Noon on FOX: #3 Michigan at #10 Penn State.  Game on.  Let the empty suits talk among themselves, it’s time for Michigan to make a statement on the field.  On defense, Michigan needs to keep Allar on the move.  His accuracy goes way down under pressure.  Don’t let him get comfortable and get in a rhythm.  On offense, Michigan is going to need to be able to run the ball at least somewhat to win this game.  That running includes JJ’s runs which are a difference maker.  I am not concerned about Penn State.  But I am concerned about the refs.  A referee job is a non-secure, transient job that is done at pleasure of the Big Ten conference.  As a ref, you have to make many 50/50 calls per game.  If you are a ref in this game, it is very clear where your employer wants you to come down on these calls.  Michigan will play for the honor of their coach, and will play angry and motivated and focused.  They will beat Penn State and the Big Ten refs.  Bet.       

Also at Noon on ESPN: #8 Alabama at Kentucky.  We joke about September Maryland, but it’s not a unique phenomenon to just them.   There is also September Kentucky . . . THIS IS DEFINITLY GOING TO BE OUR YEAR, Y’ALL!  Then they play the heart of their SEC schedule and it’s not even their month.  November Kentucky is upon us and it’s unsightly.  Besides, it’s basketball season now anyway.  Alabama starts the tip off festivities in Lexington with a dominating win.

In the Afternoon at 3:30 PM on ABC: Miami at #4 Florida State.  Miami has the talent to make this a game.  But let’s call it, that team is a bunch of head cases.  They lost to Georgia Tech and NC State in humiliating fashion, and they damn near lost to Virginia.  And given what has happened to Clemson, they don’t have any big wins.  But they can redeem it all with a win at FSU.  And they are capable of doing it despite themselves.  They will make it a close game, and I really want to go out on a limb and pick them.  But . . . no.  FSU will win.         

Also at 3:30 PM on FOX: #18 Utah at #5 Washington.  Washington has been living on the edge a little bit its last few games.  They are letting teams hang around that should not be hanging around a #5 team.  They give up yards on the ground (Utah is a running team) and they rely heavily on their passing game (it will be rainy and windy in Seattle).  There are some planets that are aligning against them in this game, and I am predicting the upset in this one.  Utes win.          

Also at 3:30 PM on CBS: #13 Tennessee at #14 Missouri.  These are two pretty good teams that only have 2 losses each – one against a random team, and one against one of the conference bullies (Georgia/Alabama).  They are tied for second in the SEC east, but neither has a realistic shot at winning it.  They are essentially playing for bowl positioning and respectability.  Hard to pick a winner here, so I’ll just go with the slight favorite Tennessee.   

In the Evening at 7:00 PM on ESPN: #9 Ole Miss at #2 Georgia.  This game should be getting more national hype than it is.  It is technically a bigger game than Michigan - Penn State.  It’s just that everybody already knows what’s going to happen, so it’s kind of a formality.  Georgia will play with its food for a while, and then they will kick it into that extra gear that they have when they feel like using it.  Georgia smothers Ole Miss in the second half for the win.

At 7:30 PM on NBC: Michigan State at #1 Ohio State.  We’ll keep a side eye on Ohio State because it’s November . . . and because they are sneaky little bitches.  They are playing MSU who isn’t even worth the effort of watching, but we get them thrown in for free.  Ultimately, this game won’t tell us anything.  Ohio State will win big over MSU (but not as big as Michigan beat MSU).    

Also at 7:30 PM on SEC Network: Florida at #19 LSU.  This game is pointless, I just like watching a night game at LSU.  And Florida and LSU have had some classics over the years.  Since the Pac-12 After Dark Special game is not a real Pac-12 After Dark Special game (see below), I am anointing this game as tonight’s honorary Pac-12 After Dark Special.  LSU will win it, but that’s not even the point.    

Finally, your Pac-12 After Dark Special - meaningless crazy football just for the fun of it:       

At 10:30 PM on FOX: USC at #6 Oregon.  This is not a typical Pac-12 After Dark Special game, as it is not meaningless at all.  Oregon looks like the most complete team in the country next to Michigan.  Actually, they probably have to be considered to be the most complete team, since they are allowed to have a head coach.  USC has the talent on offense to put pressure on Oregon to keep up with their scoring.  But USC does not have the talent on defense to stop Oregon from doing just that.  USC will have some early fireworks, as they always do, but then Oregon will settle in and control the game for the win.                                  

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2023:

AWAY                        HOME           TIME         TV

NOON:

3 Michigan  @  10 Penn State   12:00 PM   FOX

8 Alabama  @  Kentucky   12:00 PM   ESPN

Texas Tech  @  16 Kansas   12:00 PM   FS1

Tulsa  @  23 Tulane   12:00 PM   ESPN2

Holy Cross  @  Army   12:00 PM   CBSSN

Indiana  @  Illinois   12:00 PM   BTN

Maryland  @  Nebraska   12:00 PM   Peacock

Vanderbilt  @  South Carolina   12:00 PM   SECN

Virginia Tech  @  Boston College   12:00 PM   ACCN

Georgia Tech  @  Clemson   12:00 PM   ABC

Temple  @  South Florida   12:00 PM   ESPN+

AFTERNOON:

Old Dominion  @  Liberty   1:00 PM   ESPN+

21 Arizona  @  Colorado   2:00 PM   PAC12

UConn  @  James Madison   2:00 PM   ESPN+

NC State  @  Wake Forest   2:00 PM   CW NETWORK

Memphis  @  Charlotte   2:00 PM   ESPN+

Appalachian State  @  Georgia State   2:00 PM   ESPN+

Troy  @  UL Monroe   2:00 PM   ESPN+

Baylor  @  25 Kansas State   3:00 PM   BIG12|ESPN+

Sam Houston  @  Louisiana Tech   3:00 PM   ESPN+

Nevada  @  Utah State   3:00 PM    -

Miami  @  4 Florida State   3:30 PM   ABC

18 Utah  @  5 Washington   3:30 PM   FOX

13 Tennessee  @  14 Missouri   3:30 PM   CBS

15 Oklahoma State  @  UCF   3:30 PM   ESPN

Rutgers  @  22 Iowa   3:30 PM   BTN

Florida International  @  Middle Tennessee   3:30 PM   ESPN+

Minnesota  @  Purdue   3:30 PM   NBC

Northwestern  @  Wisconsin   3:30 PM   FS1

New Mexico State  @  Western Kentucky   3:30 PM   ESPN+

Pittsburgh  @  Syracuse   3:30 PM   ACCN

UAB  @  Navy   3:30 PM   CBSSN

Texas State  @  Coastal Carolina   3:30 PM   ESPN+

Auburn  @  Arkansas   4:00 PM   SECN

Washington State  @  California   4:00 PM   ESPN2

East Carolina  @  Florida Atlantic   4:00 PM   ESPN+

Arkansas State  @  South Alabama   5:00 PM   ESPN+

Stanford  @  12 Oregon State   5:30 PM   PAC12

EVENING:

9 Ole Miss  @  2 Georgia   7:00 PM   ESPN

West Virginia  @  17 Oklahoma   7:00 PM   FOX

Cincinnati  @  Houston   7:00 PM   FS1

Georgia Southern  @  Marshall   7:00 PM   NFL NET

San Diego State  @  Colorado State   7:00 PM   CBSSN

Michigan State  @  1 Ohio State   7:30 PM   NBC

7 Texas  @  TCU   7:30 PM   ABC

Florida  @  19 LSU   7:30 PM   SECN

Mississippi State  @  Texas A&M   7:30 PM   ESPN2

Rice  @  UTSA   7:30 PM   ESPNU

Duke  @  24 North Carolina   8:00 PM   ACCN

Arizona State  @  UCLA   9:00 PM   PAC12

LATE NIGHT:

New Mexico  @  Boise State   10:00 PM   FS1

Iowa State  @  BYU   10:15 PM   ESPN

USC  @  6 Oregon   10:30 PM   FOX

Fresno State  @  San José State   10:30 PM   CBSSN

Air Force  @  Hawai'i   11:00 PM    -