The Sweet Escape | CFB Week 13 | YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
The Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani is my pick for this week’s Saturday College Football Rivalry weekend of games. Apologies if you get this via email and I’ve spammed you twice in one day with Week to Week Notes. The reason for this is that I need a Sweet Escape from my uncle's duties. Some of those duties on Thanksgiving were I was responsible for putting the ham in the oven and just today I had to baste a leftover turkey. It was A LOT of work, usually, I get to sit on my ass and watch football, but I’ve had to get up a handful of times in between commercial breaks. Nobody has died yet from my oven skills, so I’m rewarding myself by attending my 10-year high school graduation. Someone put earmuffs over my new nephew’s great-grandmother’s ears but long story short I’m going to be a bit hungover for the next several days and I needed to post this Note before the Noon kickoff on Saturday. I hope they serve Guinness at the open bar.
Low-key, high-key, high-key, low-key, this Akon Intro might be up there with Snoop Dogg’s Drop It Like It’s Hot in terms of its distinctness for the era. It is debatable.
I’ve been looking to get to the bottom of what these refrigerator lyrics are about since this song came out on December 1st of ‘06.
Gwen is apologizing for acting foul about how she has treated her guy. She has been crying over spilled milk, or expressing regret over something that already happened in the past and can’t be changed. One of the things she is pissed about is how the guy didn’t close the fridge, which is the reason why she’s been cold-hearted.
Ya know, honestly, I might have to side with Gwen Stefani on this one. Anybody who just carelessly leaves the fridge open is pretty inconsiderate and wasteful.
Week to Week Notes is #TeamGwen.
Good tune, it peaked at #3 on US Billboard’s Hot 100 but it ain’t no Hollaback girl.
Let’s talk ball…
“The Game” will have its 118th edition as the Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Ann Harbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines. These two proud programs first played each other in 1897 when Michigan whooped the Buckeyes 34-0. From 1897 to 1918, Michigan won 12 of the first 14 games, the other 2 results were ties. This rivalry played continuously year after year from 1918 (the year of the Spanish Flu) until they poetically had to cancel in ‘20 thanks to COVID. Michigan holds the all-time head-to-head record of “The Game” 60-51-6 and has won the last two meetings. Not only is this the biggest rivalry in College Football but this game has massive implications on the Playoff implications as Ohio State is ranked #2 and Michigan is ranked #3.
When I talk about Ohio State I always have to lead Marvin Harrison Jr. He is a lock to be a Top 10 pick in the upcoming draft and may even wind up in the Top 3 depending on how everything shakes out. Harrison Jr. has 30 career receiving TDs as a Buckeye, which ties him for 3rd all-time with Devin Smith. He only trails Chris Olave (35) and David Boston (32), but what makes Harrison Jr. that much more impressive is that it took Olave 4 seasons to set the record. When you combine the fact that Marvin’s son only had 3 TDs on 11 catches his freshman year, it really shows how much the kid has improved as well as how deep Ohio State’s WR core was a few years ago. The QB throwing the ball to Harrison is Kyle McCord, who has feasted against lesser opponents while proving to be mortal against the likes of Notre Dame and Penn State. This game won’t be all on the shoulder of McCord or the hands of Harrison Jr., RB TreVeyon Henderson’s legs will also have something to say about this one’s outcome. Henderson has rushed for over 100 yards in 4 of his last 5 games played and has scored at least 1 TD in every game this year since Week 2. That’s enough about their offense, the Buckeye’s defense is as elite as they come by as they average the least amount of passing yards allowed per game (144.4) and allow the 2nd least amount of points per game (9.3). The other major storyline I’m burying in regard to Ohio State is that their head coach Ryan Day has been suspected to be leading the charge in Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal.
Last Sunday, a day after taking 28 handoffs in Michigan’s win over Maryland, RB Blake Corum was out in the community of Ypsilanti handing out 600 turkeys. For the 3rd consecutive season, Corum has put his NIL money to good use and spent it on giving back to his Michigan community. While Corum seems to be a very nice guy off the field, he’s for sure a Wolverine between the lines. The 5’8” senior RB has 51 career rushing TDs and only trails Anthony Thomas (55). Corum’s 11 straight games with a TD currently leads all of CFB. As important as Michigan’s ground game is, this game will probably come down to the QB play of McCord vs JJ McCarthy. Since head coach Jim Harbaugh has been ineligible to coach from the sidelines, McCarthy has not looked as sharp, only throwing for 201 passing yards the past 2 weeks. This may have to do with the fact that his OC Sherrone Moore, is now the interim head coach and has more responsibilities now away from McCarthy. Sherrone Moore will forever be in the Michigan record books for head coaching the Wolverines to their 1,000th school victory. That’s again enough with their offense, the real reason why Michigan is on a 27-game winning streak is because of their defense. They allow the least amount of total yards per game (234.8) as well as the least amount of points per game (9). While it is a bummer that Jim Harbaugh isn’t coaching this game, I’m very much looking forward to watching what should be an instant rivalry classic between two of CFB’s best defenses. I’ll take Michigan because this one is in Ann Arbor.
Prediction: 24-20 Michigan (-3.5 Michigan & Under 46.5)
If any rivalry in College Football could rival the Michigan-Ohio State game, The Iron Bowl would be the top choice. Alabama and Auburn first met in Birmingham, Alabama back in 1893. Birmingham back then used to rival Pittsburgh as the leading industrialized city in the South, thus where iron comes from. Some say that Tommy Shelby and the Peaky Blinders fixed a few of the games in the early 1900s, but only rumors I can’t confirm or deny it. From 1908 to 1947, these two football rivals never actually played each other due to political reasons over land grant disputes. Since 1948, they haven’t missed a matchup. Alabama holds a 49-37-1 head-to-head lead over Auburn. During the Nick Saban era, ‘Bama is 11-5 in Iron Bowl matchups and winners of the last 3. ‘Bama comes into this game ranked #8 on the College Football Playoff while Auburn is 6-5.
‘Bama’s offense hasn’t been overly impressive this season but sure enough, features an RB duo of Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams who combine to average over 5 yards per carry. Their QB Jalen Milroe has also scored 12 TDs on the ground this season, the most of any QB in College Football, and their top WR target, Jermaine Burton, averages 22.1 yards per catch. They have a big play-threat offense that may struggle against elite teams that can take away big plays. Auburn isn’t that. Defensively, this Alabama team oozes with NFL talent and can be special. ‘Bama’s leading sack artists are Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell who have 7 sacks piece. They also have a defensive end in Justin Eboigbe who is very disruptive in both the running (52 tackles) and passing game (5 sacks). On the outside, CB Kool-Aid McKinstry rarely even gets tried, and when CB2 Terrion Arnold does he’s made plays (3 INTs, 10 pass deflections). The team’s leading tackler, however, is freshman safety, Caleb Downs, who has 90 on the year. Downs has also picked off 2 passes and has taken over punt return responsibilities, even taking one to the house last weekend.
Auburn is a run-first offense, to say the least. Out of 133 D1 football schools, their 162.9 pass yards per game ranks 120th in the country. The War Eagles’ 22nd-ranked rush attack averages 194.3 yards on the ground. Last week in their loss to New Mexico State, RB Jarquez Hunter totaled only 27 yards rushing, but in his previous 4 games, Hunter put up 527 yards on a 7.9 yards per carry. Defensively, the War Eagles are very opportunistic as they are tied for the lead in the SEC with 17 takeaways. Their safety, Jaylin Simpson, leads the team with 4 INTs. After entering College Football as a rotational CB, Simpson has found a new home at the free safety position. I know this is a rivalry game and weird things happen but Auburn struggled to score 10 points against New Mexico State, Roll Tide.
Prediction: 31-13 Roll Tide (-14.5 ‘Bama & Under 48.5)
Virginia Tech and Virginia first played each other back in 1895. Now all these years later, they play in a rivalry game known as the Commonwealth Clash where they compete for the Commonwealth Cup. The Hokies own the head-to-head series 60-38-5 and dating back to ‘04 have won 17 of the last 18 games. Neither one of these teams is sniffing the College Football Playoff as Virginia Tech is 5-6 and the Cavaliers are 3-8.
Virginia Tech’s sophomore QB Kyrone Drones is the Hokies offense. Drones has thrown for 1,749 passing yards while being the team’s 2nd leading rusher with 592 yards with his legs. Defensively Va Tech is led by Antwaun Powell-Ryland who is a bit of a sack artist in his own regard with 9 on the season. APR and the Hokies defense allow the least amount of passing yards per game in the ACC.
Honestly, Malik Washington is the reason I’m writing about this game. Virginia’s top WR leads the Cavs in receiving yards with 96 catches for 1,311 on the season. Only FAU’s LaJohntay Wester (104 catches) and LSU’s Malik Nabers (1,424 yards) have more than Washington. The 5’8” 5th-year senior is in the midst of a breakout college season that needs some attention despite Virginia’s 3-win season. Aside from Week 1, Washington has not had a game of less than 97 receiving yards this season. The Cavs put him in a ton of pre-snap motion and get him the ball in space as he averages 6.6 yards after the catch. I’ll go with a Virginia Cavs upset.
Prediction: 28-27 Virginia (+3 Virginia & Over 51)
This is the 67th edition of the “Sunshine Showdown” between Florida State and Florida. I would’ve thought they had a longer history but they only started playing this game in 1958 because the Seminoles football program had only just started a decade earlier. Florida holds a 37-27-2 advantage over FSU, but the state college has won 8 of the last 12 meetings. This game will feature both schools’ backup QBs as unfortunately, both teams’ QB1s went down with injuries just last week. This rivalry game has big College Football Playoff implications as the Seminoles are ranked #5 and 11-0 while the Gators are 5-6 in the middle of a miserable year.
Entering the Seminoles season, 6’7” WR Johnny Wilson would’ve been my pick for WR1 on this team. It turns out that junior transfer WR Keon Coleman might be the top dog as Coleman leads FSU in catches, receiving yards, and TDs with 11. Sadly last week their 6th year senior QB Jordan Travis was carted off with a gruesome leg injury, so in steps junior QB Tate Rodemaker. Saturday will be Rodemaker’s first collegiate start as last week his 23 attempts were the most he’s thrown in a game. Aside from Wilson and Coleman, Rodemaker will also have TE Jaheim Bell whom he connected with on a 49-yard catch-n-run. While the loss of Travis may lead to less offense from the 7th highest-scoring team in the nation (40.1 points per game), their elite defense only allows 16.9 points per game (12th best). Linebacker Kalen DeLoach leads their defense in both tackles (59) and sacks (7).
This week in the wake of the Gators’ QB1 Graham Mertz breaking his collarbone, redshirt freshman Max Browne’s phone has likely been blowing up. One of the culprits to Browne’s newfound popularity is his WR1 Ricky Pearsall who texted him saying “1 (his football #) is always open.” Pearsall has been great this season as he leads the Gators in catches (64) and receiving yards (948). The Gators will also lean on their RB duo of Montell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne, who both enter the game with exactly 710 rushing yards a piece. On defense, pass rusher Princely Umanmielen, leads the team with 6.5 sacks. The Gators have lost 4 games in a row and even though this game is in the Swamp, I think they lose another.
Prediction: 33-26 FSU (-6.5 FSU & Over 50)
The Georgia Bulldogs and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have one of the best rivalry nicknames in the sport: Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. These two universities down South are only 70 miles apart from each other and have been playing each other in football since 1893. This will be the 117th rendition of some Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate as the Bulldogs have won 70 of the meetings. It is disputed whether Georgia Tech has won 39 or 41 games because in 1943 & 1944 during WWII, the Yellow Jackets won with players training in the naval officer’s training program. The Bulldogs have won 5 straight contests and 18 of the last 21 times they’ve played each other. While Georgia Tech is 6-5, the Georgia Bulldogs are ranked #1 in the College Football Playoff.
Entering Saturday night, the Bulldogs have won 28 straight games. Their current class has a total record of 48-3 and with a win would tie the ‘22 Bulldog seniors who set a program record of 49 career wins. This team is balanced offensively and defensively as they are ranked #5 in the country in both points scored and points allowed. Last week a key contributor for the Bulldogs was WR Dillon Bell who threw a TD pass on a trick play and then caught the Bulldogs’ next TD in their win over the Volunteers. One thing to monitor is their star TE Brock Bowers may have reinjured his surgically repaired ankle. NFL agents have already tried to tell Bowers he should sit out the rest of the season but his response to the media is that his main concern is to "Try to help the team win."
Georgia Tech’s offense has been feast or famine in large part due to the up-and-down play of their QB Haynes King. The dual-threat QB has thrown 26 passing TDs and also has 7 rushing TDs on 624 yards. Those are the positives, the negatives for King’s game are turnovers as he is tied for all of College Football with 15 interceptions thrown. The only way the Yellow Jackets have a shot on Saturday night is if King can do damage through the air and on the ground while limiting his turnovers. Unfortunately for Haynes King, the Bulldogs are something he hasn’t seen before.
Prediction: 42-14 Georgia (-24 Georgia & Under 60)