It’s rivalry week in college football. Some of the most intense, hate-driven matchups in sports will take place this Saturday, and one more rivalry may be created. Tied with a record of 49-23, Ross Dellenger and Jon Hillard have only six games to separate from each other. Six games that Nostradamus would have trouble predicting.
In case of a tie between the two, a tiebreaker will be used. The tiebreaker is how many yards Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kinsgbury will throw for against Oklahoma this weekend. Dellenger answered with 350, Hillard guessed 210. Should they tie, the closest one wins.
Now for the games. The Ohio State Buckeyes are one win away from the Fiesta Bowl. All they have to do is beat Michigan–a team who has owned them throughout the course of history. Even though the game is in Columbus, beating the maize and blue will be easier said than done for the second-ranked Buckeyes.
Our second game is the game Washingtonians wait for all year–The Apple Cup between the Washington Huskies and the Washington State Cougars. The Cougars are still in the Fiesta Bowl race, standing third right now, but need to win out and hope for a loss by Miami or Ohio State to reach Tempe. The Huskies took down the Cougs last year at Washington, but things could change this year, since the game is in Pullman.
Say the words “Iron Bowl” anywhere in Alabama, and anyone will tell you an Alabama vs. Auburn memory. Whether it’s an Auburn fan telling you about “punt, ‘Bama, punt” or a ‘Bama fan talking about Bear Bryant like he’s their father, everyone in Alabama has an opinion on the Iron Bowl, who many consider to be the biggest rivalry in college sports. Tuscaloosa will be rocking on Saturday.
The Civil War between Oregon and Oregon State is usually one of the most intersting rivalries to watch. The game has been played for well over a century and the rivalry has yet to subside. This year, with the Beavers needing a win at home over the hated Ducks to become bowl eligble, the game that already means so much, now means that much more.
One of the most storied rivalries in college football takes place at the Rose Bowl this weekend between USC and UCLA. Both teams still have aspirations of playing the Rose Bowl Game, but a loss by either will quickly demolish those dreams. USC Heisman candidate Carson Palmer will look to give the Trojans another win over the Bruins. Our final game of the week takes place in Death Valley between the LSU Tigers and the Mississippi Rebels. The Tigers are coming off a home loss to Alabama, and the Rebels are coming off four straight losses to Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia. LSU needs a win in their final two games of the season to clinch their second straight SEC Western Division title, while the Rebels just need a victory against either LSU or Mississippi State to become bowl eligible for the first time in two years.