Didn't get to this one yesterday, which means that today's will be a monster.

I'll start with the college football results.

Miami (FL) 17, Boston College 14 - Miami's win was enough to earn them bowl eligibility, but not enough to save Larry Coker's job. I suspect his replacement will be Schiano out of Rutgers. BC's loss took them out of ACC Atlantic Championship contention and meant that the division title would go to the winner of Saturday evening's Maryland/Wake Forest game.

Texas A&M 12, Texas 7 - The Aggies' stunning upset over the Horns opened up the door for Oklahoma to win the Big 12 South with a win over Oklahoma State in Saturday.

Louisiana State 31, Arkansas 26 - LSU stepped into this game and showed that they were probably the SEC West's best team, but with the worst schedule. It sets them up for a BCS Bowl appearance (Rose?), and gives them momentum heading into next season, where the stars appear aligned for a BCS Championship run.

Oregon State 30, Oregon 28 - Well, with wins over the Pac 10 Champion and likely BCS title game participant USC AND their in-state arch-rivals, the Beavers have to feel pretty good about the season they had.

Western Michigan 17, Akron 0 - No bowling this season for the Zips. Too bad.

Florida 21, Florida State 14 - It was an important game for Florida to win, but they still needed some help from USC's remaining opponents to storm the BCS title game.

North Carolina 45, Duke 44 - Duke's 0-12 season ends fittingly with a botched PAT against their arch-rival.

South Carolina 31, Clemson 28 - Spurrier's GameCocks continue to march. And the SEC continues to look good in their big three matches with the ACC this weekend.

Virginia Tech 17, Virginia 0 - Tech locks up a spot in the Gator Bowl, and locks their in-state rivals out of the postseason.

Rutgers 38, Syracuse 7 - Don't count Rutgers out of the race to the BCS just yet - they still control their own destiny and they still look like a damn fine team.

South Florida 24, West Virginia 19 - Watching USF's coach fight back tears while he praised his team after their spectacular upset over the Mountaineers reminded me why I love watching sports. As for the Mountaineers, this loss pretty much ends their Big East title (and BCS appearance) hopes.

Mississippi 20, Mississippi State 17 - Not a classic, but it meant everything in the world to these two teams.

New Mexico 41, San Diego State 14 - New Mexico is bowl eligible.

Oklahoma 27, Oklahoma State 21 - And with the victory, the Sooners get into the Big 12 Title game though the back door. Oklahoma has not played their opponent, Nebraska, this season.

Georgia 15, Georgia Tech 12 - The SEC makes it a 3-0 sweep over the ACC, and Georgia puts a happy ending on an otherwise lackluster ragular season.

Louisville 48, Pittsburgh 24 - Who would have thought, coming into this season, that Louisville would need West Virginia to WIN their upcoming game with Rutgers in order to grab the Big East title? Well, it's come true.

Brigham Young 33, Utah 31 - BYU narrowly escapes an upset over their in-state rival.

Troy 21, Middle Tennessee State 20 - And by a single point, Troy heads into the season finale knowing a win would wrap-up a Sun Belt Conference Title.

Boise State 38, Nevada 7 - BSU sent an undeniable message that they are deserving of the BCS Bowl bid they will now receive.

Arizona State 28, Arizona 14 - The Sun Devils can continue to claim the best football program in the state for at least one more season.

Southern Mississippi 42, Marshall 7 - The Golden Eagles emphatically lay claim to the C-USA East division, and the Thundering Herd lose their bid to become bowl eligible. The Golden Eagles beat their C-USA Championship Game opponent, Houston, 31-27 earlier this season.

Wake Forest 38, Maryland 24 - The Demon Deacons are your ACC Atlantic Champions, and they will face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the title game. The two teams have not met this season.

Southern California 44, Notre Dame 24 - An emphatic victory over the Golden Domers has USC on the verge of the BCS Title Game.

Memphis 38, Texas El Paso 19 - I would have thought UTEP would play with some modicum of pride with a possible bowl berth on the line. Instead, they looked like the team with nothing to play for.

NFL Power Rankings:

1. Colts (2) - Joseph Addai finally proved that he is more than capable as the replacement for Edgerrin James.
2. Bears (1) - How do you force 5 turnovers and still lose? Giving up 4 yourself is a good start.
3. Chargers (3) - You want to be beating Oakland a little more emphatically than that.
4. Cowboys (4) - Tony Romo has the Cowboys playing the most impressive ball in the NFC over the last few weeks. I think cutting Vanderjagt was short-sighted, though.
5. Ravens (7) - If Jamal Lewis keeps running like he has been recently and the defense keeps this up, the Ravens will be a tough team for ANYBODY to beat - the 4 teams listed above included.
6. Broncos (4) - Will the Jay Cutler Era rally the team for a late run, or will it send the once-promising season spiraling out of control? We'll find out, but something had to be done.
7. Patriots (8) - That game was so ugly, it had to tie a steak around it's chest to get the dog to play with it.
8. Bengals (11) - Carson Palmer's revival is coming just in time to save my fantasy team's (and the Bengals') season. Now he has to do keep it up against a Baltimore defense that looks like they could stop anybody.
9. Jaguars (6) - The fact that a team that has lost to the Bills and Redskins once and the Texans twice is still in the top 10 says a lot about the current state of affairs in the NFL.
10. Seahawks (13) - Well, with Hasselback and Alexander back in the line-up, Seattle is still a force to be reckoned with in the NFC.
11. Chiefs (14) - Kansas City scored a big win on Thanksgiving, and they get a prep match-up against Cleveland before the big showdown against the Ravens in two weeks.
12. Panthers (9) - Steve Smith's dissapearing act against a Redskins team that has given up big play after big play this season was one of Sunday's hidden storylines.
13. Giants (10) - Just a few short weeks ago, it looked like the Giants might challenge Chicago for the top spot in the NFC. Now, they look like a team that will struggle to make the postseason....
14. Eagles (12) - ...It could be worse for the Giants, however.
15. Dolphins (16) - Joey Harrington walking into Detroit, getting mocked by the PA announcer and booed by the crowd, then trouncing the Lions on Thanksgiving is a textbook definition of Poetic Justice. Seriously, I haven't felt so happy for somebody I have never met since Juan Dixon cut down the net after the Terps National Title in '02.
16. Steelers (15) - Well, that was about as badly as a team can preform. These guys are the reigning Super Bowl Champions?
17. Saints (17) - Just when you thought they were dead and buried, the Saints find themselves alone in first place again.
18. Jets (19) - 6-5, and 4 of their next 5 games are VERY winnable. This could very well be a playoff team.
19. Redskins (23) - The offense is still not ready for primetime, but the defense - and in particular, the secondary - took a giant step forward on Sunday.
20. Rams (20) - At 5-6, they are not out of the playoff hunt - not with the schedule they have left.
21. Bills (21) - That was a nice win over Jacksonville, but I wonder if I should even notice when a bad team beats the Jags anymore.
22. Vikings (21) - Minnesota is in do-or-die mode, and the very bad news for them is this week they are headed to Chicago.
23. Falcons (18) - Apparently Michael Vick thought that he was the one paying hundreds of dollars to sit in the stadium and he had to watch the fans as they fucked everything up, instead of the other way around.
24. 49ers (24) - I want to believe in the 49ers, I really do. But when you follow up an impressive 3 game win streak with a loss to St. Louis - that damages your credibility.
25. Titans (27) - Vince Young has everyone in Tennessee believing - not necessarily n the present, but certainly in the future.
26. Buccaneers (22) - Well, that was just plain embarassing. You'd think eventually they would cover Marion Barber. Or, well, anybody.
27. Browns (26) - The Bengals are still waiting for the Browns to show up.
28. Packers (28) - Well, they played well for a half, then the Seahawks decided to show up, and that was the end of that.
29. Cardinals (30) - It's frustrating to watch them lose, but Cardinals fans have to be encouraged by the play of Matt Leinart.
30. Texans (29) - Wali Lundy led the team with 11 yards rushing on Sunday. Do you need to know anything else?
31. Raiders (31) - Aaron Brooks passed for 187 yards and 2 picks. I'm surprised he did that well.
32. Lions (32) - Things could be worse, Lions fans. I'm just not sure how.

I won't be posting tomorrow, in all probability, so I'll do the college primer this evening. 24 games this week in the primer - it'll be the last massive primer as this is the last full slate of games on the college schedule. So, here we go...

Tomorrow, 7:30 - Boston College @ Miami (FL) - Plenty of storylines heading into this game, which takes place on the 22nd anniversary of Flutie's Hary Mary to beat Miami in the Orange Bowl. Heading into this game, BC is the favorite, and Miami, unbelievably, is fighting just for bowl eligibility (and, undoubtedly, for their coach's job, assuming he hasn't lost it already). BC is still in the running for the ACC Atlantic Division, which they would win if they win this game and Maryland beats Wake Forest on Saturday.

Friday, 12:00 - Texas A&M @ Texas - The Longhorns lost their BCS Championship hopes when Kansas State beat them two weeks ago, but they are still in the driver's seat when it comes to the Big 12 South. A win over the Aggies would clinch the division (they could also win the division even if they lost if Oklahoma State could upset Oklahoma, but they really oughtn't count on that), and set up a Big 12 Championship game with Nebraska.

2:30 - Louisiana State @ Arkansas - LSU has had a murderous road schedule this season - at Auburn, at Florida, at Tennessee, and now at Arkansas, the suprise winner of the SEC West. Arkansas, on the other hand, has had about the best SEC schedule they could ask for - their lone tough road game was at Auburn, while their other SEC road opponents were South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Mississippi State. LSU should believe that they are the most talented team in the division, and will seek to prove it on the field. This game could have implications for Florida, which will have to play Arkansas in the SEC Championship Game and thus would like to see them come into that game with only 1-loss so a win over them would be that much more impressive to the human pollsters, but since they played LSU also this season it won't matter any which way in the computer rankings.

3:30 - Oregon @ Oregon State - "The Civil War", as it's known in Oregon. Both teams are already bowl eligible, but which bowls will they go to? The winner of this game will get the nicer post-season bid, not to mention in-state bragging rights for 12 long months. Always a fun game.

Western Michigan @ Akron - Akron is fighting for bowl eligibility. It'll be tough going against a Western Michigan team that was in the fight for the MAC West title all season.

Saturday, 12:00 - Florida @ Florida State - True, this game has lost some luster in recent seasons, and especially this season, with FSU going right down the toilet. But there is still an awful lot of pride on the line, and FSU should be counted on to give their best effort here. The Gators, meanwhile, come in with BCS Title hopes that can only be realized if they win out (btw, it is my opinion that Florida is most deserving of the other BCS Title Game spot, but more on that in another post).

North Carolina @ Duke - Ok, so both of these teams are terrible, but they are still big rivals, which means it'll be a hard-fought game on both sides, even if the teams are limited.

South Carolina @ Clemson - Steve Spurrier is new to this rivalry, but he has been a part of one a lot like it with Florida/Florida State, although the stakes here aren't quite so high. But don't tell that to these two teams, who hate each other (remember the brawl in this game a couple seasons ago?) and will do anything to win this game. This is the most evenly matched these two teams have been in a long time, and it might be the most evenly matched in-state rivalry game of the week.

Virginia @ Virginia Tech - Al Groh's Cavaliers have had a rough go of it this season, but they find themselves playing for bowl eligiblity against their hated rivals. The Hokies can't let themselves be too sore about not winning the Coastal Division (and if last week's rout of Wake Forest is any indication, they are not) with their own post-season future to worry about.

Syracuse @ Rutgers - The Scarlet Knights really put themselves in a tough position by losing at Cincy last week, but they still control their own destiny. Now they have to win out to take the Big East title and the BCS Bowl bid that goes with it. And that means beating Syracuse this week and West Virginia next week.

South Florida @ West Virginia - As for WVU, they still have Big East Championship hopes, but they need to win out and get some help. And at 7-4, South Florida isn't the type of team to roll over for them, either.

2:00 - Mississippi @ Mississippi State - The Egg Bowl. Like Duke/UNC (although the teams here aren't quite THAT bad), this is more about a great rivalry than about great football. But whenever statewide bragging rights are on the line, the teams come to battle.

2:30 - San Diego State @ New Mexico - New Mexico is fighting to become bowl eligible, and they should prevail over 2-8 SDSU.

Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State - Oklahoma State has given Oklahoma fits in recent years, but the coach who did most of that damage - Les Miles - is currently in Baton Rogue. Nowadays the Cowboys have lost some of their bite, but Oklahoma would be foolish to take this game for granted. If the Aggies somehow upset Texas on Friday, this game could allow the Sooners to sneak in the back door to the Big 12 Title Game.

3:30 - Georgia Tech @ Georgia - Another great in-state ACC/SEC rivalry, the Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs always seem to put on a show. This time the Jackets come in the favored team, having won the ACC Coastal Division, but the Bulldogs could salvage an otherwise mediocre season by winning this game, and that makes them very dangerous.

Louisville @ Pittsburgh - Louisville comes into the final two weeks in excellent position to grab the Big East Championship, but they need to win out. Pittsburgh isn't a bad team, either - they gave WVU all they could handle for the first half of last week's game. That being said, the Cardinals should win here.

Brigham Young @ Utah - The Stormin' Mormons have already won the Mountain West Conference, but the game that really matters for both teams is this one. Once again, the in-state rivalry should make for 4 quarters of intense football.

Troy @ Middle Tennessee State - In all likelihood, the winner of this game will win the Sun Belt Conference. In fact, if MTSU wins, they'll clinch the title this week. Troy would still have to win their last game against Florida International.

4:00 - Boise State @ Nevada - Boise State is the strongest non-BCS conference team on a yearly basis, and they find themselves undefeated again heading into their final match-up. A win here, and they go to a BCS Bowl, simple as that.

6:00 - Arizona State @ Arizona - ASU had this match-up dominated until recently, but an up-year for the Wildcats and a down year for the Sun Devils has the two teams playing right about even this season, with Zona maybe even a little better. This could be really entertaining.

7:30 - Marshall @ Southern Mississippi - Southern Mississippi has found themselves in position to go through the backdoor and into the Conference USA Championship Game, but they have to beat Marshall, which is always a tough task but should be especially so this week, as the Thundering Herd are playing for bowl eligibility.

7:45 - Wake Forest @ Maryland - If Wake Forest wins this game, Wake wins the ACC Atlantic and goes to the ACC Championship Game. If Maryland wins here and Boston College beat Miami on Friday, then BC goes to the ACC Championship Game. If Maryland wins and Miami managed to win Friday, then it will be the Terps playing Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship Game.

8:00 - Notre Dame @ Southern California - Both teams come into this game with one-loss and National Title hopes (although Notre Dame will have trouble getting past a Michigan team that slaughtered them in South Bend earlier this season). This factors in to an already intense rivalry to make this what should be the most entertaining game of the week.

9:00 - Memphis @ Texas El-Paso - UTEP comes into this game needing a win to become bowl-eligible. Good thing their opponent is 1-10 this season, with their only win coming against 1-AA Tennessee Chattanooga.

This one is going to be a monster, since I have to wrap up all of this weekend's gridiron action, college and pro. We'll start with Saturday.

Ohio 17, Akron 7 - With the win, Frank Solich's Ohio squad wins the MAC East and will take on Central Michigan in the conference Championship game on the 30th. The two schools have not met this season.

West Virginia 45, Pittsburgh 27 - The Mountaineers kept their Big East Championship hopes alive with a big win in the Backyard Brawl, but they need Louisville to lose one more time between now and the end of the season. Pittsburgh lost their slim Big East title hopes with the loss.

Boston College 38, Maryland 16 - 3 defensive scores helped BC rout the Terps, but both schools remain alive in the running for the ACC Atlantic Division title. Neither controls their own destiny, however.

Oklahoma 36, Baylor 10 - The Sooners forced the Longhorns to clinch the division themselves this coming Friday afternoon. If the Longhorns fail to beat the Aggies, the door opens up for Oklahoma.

Arkansas 28, Mississippi State 14 - The Razorbacks have clinched the SEC West, and will meet the Florida Gators in the SEC Championship Game. The two schools have not played this season.

Boise State 49, Utah State 10 - With the win, Boise State has clinched the WAC Championship to become the first (but not the weekend's only) outright conference winner.

Rice 18, East Carolina 17 - By losing to Rice, East Carolina has left the door wide open for Southern Mississippi.

Ohio State 42, Michigan 39 - The Buckeyes clinched both the Big Ten Championship and a spot in the BCS Title game. Michigan is pretty much guaranteed another spot in a BCS Bowl, and the National Championship could still be a rematch of this contest. In case you are wondering, I am completely against this scenario, unless Florida and USC lose between now and then.

Brigham Young 42, New Mexico 17 - The Stormin' Mormons are your 2006 Mountain West Conference Champions, and they are headed to the Las Vegas Bowl.

Virginia Tech 27, Wake Forest 6 - While the Demon Deacons didn't WANT to get blown out by the Hokies on Saturday, they do remain the only team in the ACC Atlantic which controls its own destiny. What this game does do is ensure no three-way tie at the top of the Atlantic divsion standings, so the tie-braking procedure will be relatively simple.

Arkansas State 33, Troy 26 - Troy, like Wake Forest, remains in control of its own destiny in their conference despite the loss to Arkansas State.

Louisville 31, South Florida 8 - With the win, Louisville is still right in the middle of the Big East title picture, and the Rutgers/Cincinnati result below means they are in excellent position. South Florida's slim conference championship dreams were extinguished by this loss.

Cincinnati 30, Rutgers 11 - The Scarlet Knights have to say goodbye to dreams of an undefeated season and a shot at the BCS title, but they still control their own destiny in the Big East. Cincinnati, along with UCONN, lost their Big East Championship hopes when WVU beat Pitt Friday night.

Southern California 23, California 9 - USC clinched their 5th straight Pac 10 Title and earned at least a spot in the Rose Bowl. Their BCS title hopes are still alive, though, and so California still could be headed for Pasadena, after all.

Southern Mississippi 25, Alabama Birmingham 20 - With the win coupled with ECU's loss, the Golden Eagles suddenly find themselves in control of their own destiny in Conference USA's Eastern Division.

Several games I previewed last week were made irrelevant by one (or more) of the results above. The results of tose games are as follows: Miami (OH) defeated Bowling Green in a muddy mess of a game Wednesday night, 9-7; Kent State secured bowl eligibility by beating Eastern Michigan, 14-6; Syracuse got their first Big East Conference win, 20-14 over Connecticut; Auburn beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl for the 5th straight time, 22-15; Utah won a thriller over Air Force, 17-14, on a last-second figgie; Louisiana State squeaked by a surprisingly game Mississippi squad, 23-20 in overtime, to complete the first 8-0 home season in school history; Nevada trounced Louisiana Tech, 42-0; and Hawaii pantsed San Jose State, 54-17.

Ok, onto the NFL Power Rankings...

1. Bears (2) - The Bears return to the top spot with a shut-out win over the Jets.
2. Colts (1) - The Colts are still the AFC's top team - for now - but they are no longer "unbeatable"...
3. Chargers (3) - ...and the Chargers are right there with them.
4. Broncos (4) - It's back to the drawing board for Denver after a crushing divisional loss at home.
5. Cowboys (5) - I told you the Cowboys deserved this ranking!
6. Jaguars (8) - This has to be the wierdest team in the NFL; 2-1 against teams with winning records, and 2-3 against teams with losing records (they are, fittingly, 1-1 against .500 teams).
7. Ravens (9) - Don't look now, but if the playoffs started today, Baltimore would have a first-round bye.
8. Patriots (10) - The Pats seemed to put whatever it was that was going on against the Jets behind them.
9. Panthers (12) - It's (almost) never too late to turn the season around, especially in the NFC.
10. Giants (6) - This team might just be too beaten up, when all is said and done.
11. Bengals (13) - Somebody has re-introduced Chad Johnson to Carson Palmer, which is capital-T Trouble for the teams left on the Bengals' schedule.
12. Eagles (7) - Oh, boy, here we go again.
13. Seahawks (11) - Their loss to San Francisco was probably the upset of the week, when you factor Donovan mcNabb's knee injury to the Philly loss, but the Seahawks didn't have their QB, either, and Shaun Alexander hadn't played in a while; that said, you want to beat the 49ers.
14. Chiefs (14) - A four-point win over any Aaron Brooks-led team is not exactly inspiring, but it beats a loss.
15. Steelers (15) - Survived the Hail Mary, and their slim playoff hopes will carry over another week.
16. Dolphins (19) - The Dolphins are also still in the playoff hunt, believe it or not.
17. Saints (16) - They're still tied for first in the NFC North, but you have the feeling midnight is coming for this Cinderella.
18. Falcons (17) - It's worth noting that the Panthers team the Falcons are chasing went into Baltimore and won soundly earlier this season.
19. Jets (18) - A lot of bad teams have been beaten a lot worse by Chicago this season, but at 5-5 the Jets don't consider themselves a bad team.
20. Rams (20) - Now at 4-6, the Rams would need a miracle run to wind up in the post-season.
21. Vikings (21) - A hot start has fizzled out quickly in the cold Minnesota autumn.
22. Buccaneers (22) - The Bucs don't have much time to savor their rare win - they have a Thanksgiving date at Dallas.
23. Redskins (23) - Considering he was making his first career start without Santana Moss or Clinton Portis, and the offensive line was back to their "ole" style of pass blocking, Jason Campbell looked pretty damn decent despite the loss.
24. 49ers (26) - Whoa, wait a minute - the 49ers are at .500????
25. Bills (25) - If the Bills had won their near-upsets this season, they'd be in the hunt for a playoff spot.
26. Browns (24) - Much like the Bills, the Browns have been plagued by missed opportunities this season, this latest loss being a fine example.
27. Titans (28) - A rookie QB with Vince Young's talent makes for a roller-coaster season, and Sunday was a fine peak for Tennessee.
28. Packers (27) - That was Ugly with a capital U.
29. Texans (29) - It appears as if sweeping the Jags will be the lone highlight of Houston's season.
30. Cardinals (32) - Matt Leinart finally gets his first NFL victory.
31. Raiders (30) - Unbelievably, Aaron Brooks has a job again.
32. Lions (31) - If you're behind Aaron Brooks' team, then you are in bg trouble.

I'm going to do the college primer this morning, although I'm not sure how much of it I will get finished. I'm only giving myself 10 minutes.

Anyway, as I noted last week we are in the part of the season where the Divisional and Conference Championship races are coming to an end. This week is rivalry week, and that marks the end of the season for life in the Big Ten and the beginning of the end for all of the other conferences. Last week Georgia Tech (ACC Atlantic), Nebraska (Big 12 North), Houston (C-USA West), and Central Michigan (MAC West), clinched their respective divisions, joining Florida (SEC East), who clinched two weeks ago. 23 games are on tap this week that involve at least one team from one of these races, and there are several possible clinchers, as well as two de facto conference championship games in major conferences. Without further ado...

Tonight, 7:30 - Miami (OH) @ Bowling Green - Bowling Green is already hanging by its fingertips to being mathametically "in the race" for the MAC East. Every game is a must-win, and they have to hope Ohio loses from here on out. Miami (OH) is already out of the race, and they'd love nothing more than to end Bowling Green's season one night early.

Tomorrow (Thursday), 7:30 - Akron @ Ohio - And it probably would only be one night early, because the odds are Ohio wins tomorrow night and renders tonight's game meaningless. Akron is another team that is "mathematically" still alive, and obviously needs to win here to remain so. If Ohio wins, in fact, they clinch the MAC East.

West Virginia @ Pittsburgh - Perhaps the most nationally undercelebrated rivalry is the Backyard Brawl. Coming into this one, West Virginia sees that they can still grab the BCS Bowl bid that comes with a conference title thanks to Rutgers beating Louisville, and with one loss could finish the year where they started - in the top 5, which would be huge for their recruiting. But Pittsburgh doesn't want to see that, and they'll do whatever they can to take their rivals down.

Friday, 6:00 - Eastern Michigan @ Kent State - Like the Bowling Green game tonight, this game only matters if Ohio doesn't clinch the MAC East Thursday with a win over Akron, which they probably will. If they don't, then Kent State could pull into a tie (although Ohio would have the tiebraker with one game to go, thanks to their earlier defeat of Kent State) for first with a win here.

Saturday, 12:00 - Maryland @ Boston College - The ACC Atlantic division is down to three teams, the two in this game and Wake Forest. If Maryland wins here, then it's down to two teams. If BC wins, they stay alive in the hunt for another week.

Connecticut @ Syracuse - Connecticut is only scarecely mathametically alive in the Big East. They need to win this week and they need Rutgers to lose later on to stay that way.

12:10 - Oklahoma @ Baylor - Oklahoma should win this game easily, but should Baylor pull off the upset, the Texas Longhorns would clinch the Big 12 South on their week off.

2:30 - Arkansas @ Mississippi State - The Razorbacks need only win this game and they are SEC West Champions. If they lose, the door stays open for LSU and Auburn, who would be too happy to take advantage of the opportunity.

3:00 - Utah State @ Boise State - If Boise State wins, and they should, they would clinch the WAC title. Even if they lost, they would still be in the driver's seat. However, Boise State's real goal - a BCS Bowl bid, would be pretty much out the window if they lost now.

East Carolina @ Rice - ECU has been a doormat in recent seasons, but this year they find themselves in position to clinch the C-USA East division with a win over Rice. Sould Rice pull off the upset, then Southern Mississippi would suddenly find the door to the Conference title game wide open.

3:30 - Michigan @ Ohio State - College ball's most celebrated rivalry. 1 vs. 2. De facto Big Ten title game. The winner of this game will be #1 going into the BCS Title game. If all that doesn't interest you, then I don't know what I can do for you.

Auburn @ Alabama - Unfortunately, the Iron Bowl finds itself on at the same Bat Time as the Game Of The Year. Also unfortunately, with Arkansas needing only a win over Mississippi State to clinch the SEC West, this game will probably be meaningless, in the grand scheme of things. But, the Iron Bowl is never meaningless to the players involved, and should make for good TV when Michigan vs. Ohio State is in commercial break.

4:00 - New Mexico @ Brigham Young - If BYU wins, they clinch the Mountain West Conference. If New Mexico can upset them, then Utah suddenly has a chance to sneak in and nab the conference title.

7:00 - Virginia Tech @ Wake Forest - Trust Florida State on this - Wake Forest is very for real. The Hokies come in having to play spoiler, with their division already clinched by Georgia Tech. Wake can afford a loss this game, since they play Maryland to close out the season, but why settle for being 9-2 when you could be 10-1?

Arkansas State @ Troy - Troy will play Middle Tennessee State in what will likely be the de facto Sun Belt Championship game next week, so this game isn't crucial for them. If they do win, though, then it would mean that next week's winner would clinch the conference.

7:30 - South Florida @ Louisville - Their BCS title dreams shot, Louisville comes into this game needing a win to stay near the top of the Big East. South Florida also has an outside shot at the Big East Championship, but even that could be mathematically eliminated if they lose.

Utah @ Air Force - This game is only important if New Mexico can upset BYU. If that does happen, then Utah, with a win here, would set up a de facto Mountain West Conference championship game with BYU next week. An Air Force win here would clinch the conference for BYU, assuming they hadn't clinched it already by beating New Mexico.

7:45 - Rutgers @ Cincinnati - The Scarlet Knights are now in the driver's seat to win the Big East, and they are all the rage in the media, but all they need is a slip-up against Cincinnati and they will be yesterday's news. If Rutgers, Louisville, and West Virginia all win, then that would officially make the Big East what it has been unofficially for weeks: a three-team race.

8:00 - California @ Southern California - This is the de facto Pac 10 Championship game, and for Southern California, a win here could have them playing for the BCS title for the third year in a row, and it would be the 4th year in a row that they played for a share of the "National Championship".

Mississippi @ Louisiana State - LSU needs Southern Mississippi to upset Arkansas to hold on to their SEC Championship dreams, and then they need to win this game. If Arkansas can put away the Bulldogs, though, LSU still has their bowl picture to consider. Not to mention that potentially running off 7 straight wins to end the season would be a good way to build momentum for a BCS Championship campaign next year.

Nevada @ Louisiana Tech - Nevada is one of three teams clinging to mathematical relevance in the WAC. By the time this game kicks off, they probably won't be, with Boise State having a very good opportunity to clinch the WAC by beating Utah State earlier in the day. But if Utah State could do the unimaginable and knock off Boise State, then Nevada could keep the dream alive one more week by winning here.

Alabama Birmingham @ Southern Mississippi - Remember how I told you that Southern Miss could sneak in the backdoor and win the C-USA East if ECU faltered? Well, they'd need a win here to take advantage of that opportunity, should it present itself, then they would need a win next week against Marshall.

11:05 - San Jose State @ Hawaii - The other two teams clinging to mathematical relevance in the WAC are conveniently playing each other in the last game of the night. Hawaii has the slightly better chance of winning the conference of the three coming into this week's action, but even their chances are extremely slim with Boise State having to drop both of their last two games to give anyone else a chance.

I'm going to change my Power Rankings formula up a bit next season, but for now I'll stick with what I have been doing. Anyway, here is this week's version:

1. Colts (1) - I can understand them having a angover game after that big win over New England, but they won't be able to get away with playing like that next week at Dallas.
2. Bears (2) - That was quite a bounceback. Suddenly, the Bears reestablish themselves as the team to beat in the NFC.
3. Chargers (4) - We all know that Marty Schottenheimer's teams struggle in the postseason. However, we also thought we knew that Schotty's teams couldn't erase a 28-7 halftime defecit.
4. Broncos (3) - Who can wait for the Broncos/Chargers game Sunday night?
5. Cowboys (8) - Umm, perhaps you see why my system needs tweaking. However, the Cowboys can prove they deserve this rating with a win over Indianapolis Sunday.
6. Giants (5) - The Bears looked by far the superior team on Sunday, and if that weren't enough, suddenly the Giants find themselves merely a game ahead of the Cowboys and Eagles in the standings.
7. Eagles (13) - Suddenly, the NFC East appears as though it may be, in fact, all it was cracked up to be.
8. Jaguars (6) - Ok, so maybe all of us owe Leftwich an apology.
9. Ravens (10) - With the Ravens fantastic comeback coupled with the Bengals fantastic collapse, suddenly Baltimore finds itself in position to run away with the division.
10. Patriots (7) - I expected a hangover game from the Colts, but I thought the Patriots were going to come out fired up about their loss to Indy. Instead, they came out and felt sorry for themselves. The result is the Pats are now only one game ahead of the Jets.
11. Seahawks (9) - Well, they didn't exactly dominate the Rams this season, but they did enough to earn the sweep and virtually assure themselves the NFC West.
12. Panthers (14) - A big win over Tampa Bay was a good start, now Carolina hosts St. Louis in a game that is colossal for both teams.
13. Bengals (12) - If the Bengals have truley fixed their offense, they may still be a playoff team. They should be able to beat most teams in a shoot-out, just not the very good ones. You know, like the ones they would play in the postseason.
14. Chiefs (11) - Does that Miami game say more about Kansas City or more about Miami? We'll see, I guess.
15. Steelers (18) - That was a very nice win over the Saints, but at 3-6 and with the schedule they have coming up, the Steelers are pretty much out of the playoff picture right now.
16. Saints (15) - That Copper guy may be taking the heat for Sunday's loss, but he didn't give up 38 points.
17. Falcons (16) - The Falcons should lose to Baltimore on Sunday, but then again, the Falcons haven't done anything they should have done all season.
18. Jets (22) - At what point do we have to stop saying the Jets success isn't a fluke? I don't think we're quite there, yet. But we are approaching it.
19. Dolphins (23) - All of us definately owe Joey Harrington an apology.
20. Rams (20) - The Rams can pretty much forget about winning the West, but at 4-5 and with a big game against Carolina upcoming, a playoff spot is still within reach.
21. Vikings (17) - The Vikings travel to Miami in a match-up of two teams heading in opposite directions.
22. Buccaneers (21) - The difference between the old Bucs defense and the OLD Bucs defense, if you get my drift, is the difference between two solid quarters of football and four.
23. Redskins (19) - They finally made the move to Campbell, but with Portis out 3 weeks, things are going to get worse before they get better.
24. Browns (25) - They get to host the Steelers, who are 0-4 on the road, but the Browns aren't much better (1-3) at home.
25. Bills (24) - Another game they could have won - it's becoming a theme this season in Buffalo.
26. 49ers (26) - You know, at 4-5 the 49ers level of success has actually been a little startling. They could startle everyone with a win over Seattle this week.
27. Packers (27) - The Packers are 3-1 in their last four games, and the Pats are on a two-game losing streak, with both losses coming at home. If their was ever a time for Brett Favre to make his Statement, this is it. And the opportunity comes against the team he beat in the Super Bowl, no less.
28. Titans (28) - They had the opportunity to win, and good teams cash in on that opportunity.
29. Texans (30) - Do the Texans merely have the Jaguars number, or are they ready to make a run at .500?
30. Raiders (32) - Rumors abound that Art Shell may make the move back to Aaron Brooks. If that happens, then this ranking is way too high.
31. Lions (29) - And back down towards the basement they go.
32. Cardinals (31) - If you love bad football, the #31 Lions are traveling to play #32 Arizona in the pillowfight of the season!

Well, folks, it's that time of the college ball season again. And by, "that time" I mean, the end. If I had but one complaint about college ball (and believe me, that is not the case), it would be that the season is too short. September, October, and November, that's all we get. Then Bowl games for a month, but each bowl game you're seeing the team for the last time. 3 months and one game. Fourteen games, max.

Anyway, now that we're nearing the end, the races are going to be wrapping up in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, there are still too many games (41) with some sort of implication for one of the races, so we won't be doing TOTAL COVERAGE just yet. But every preview will include what the game could do for it's race. So, with all of that out of the way...

Tonight, 7:30 - Louisville @ Rutgers - Well, the Scarlet Knights have been media darlings ever since their undefeated streak hit, oh, I don't know, three games. The perennia Big East doormats have turned into a minor powerhouse this season. The crzy thing is, though, the Big East is already in the extremely rare position of having two top ten teams presently. If Rutgers could catapualt them both, they could be in National Title Contention. Louisville is already in National Title contention. But playing the schedules they do, 1 loss will do them in. As far as the Big East goes, both of these teams are 3-0 in conference. Whoever wins this week will be in solid position to win the Conference Title and go on to A BCS game, if not The Big One. Louisville would have it virtually sewn up, by virtue of their win over West Virginia (Rutgers has not played the Mountaineers yet).

8:00 - Wyoming @ Brigham Young - The Mountain West Conference game of the week has the Stormin' Mormons of BYU (ok, so they're actually called the Cougars; ya, right, like I'm ever going to call them that!) host the Wyoming Cowboys, and the ugliest uniform this side of the Oregon Ducks' Banana Man Alternate Uniform. The Stormin' Mormons are undefeated and already lead the rest of the Conferrence by two games in the loss column. It would take a collapse of Biblical Proportions to bring them down at this point, and if they win this week, I'm not even sure a collapse of WhateverbookitisthatMormonsreadical Proportions could do it. If Wyoming wins, they climb back into the race to the top but they still need help. Remember, BYU has to lose twice before anyone else can catch them.

Friday, 7:00 - Western Michigan @ Central Michigan - No, this isn't a Wolverines intrasquad scrimmage. Western and Central Michigan are two of the three "directional" Michigan Universities that play in the MAC (guess what the other one is called...). Unlike the third school, though, CMU and WMU are having great seasons on the gridiron, and find themselves in a battle for first place in the MAC West. Whoever wins this game, coupled with Northern Illinois' loss Wednesday Night, will pretty much have the division locked up. In fact, if Central Michigan wins, they will have the division locked up.

Saturday, 12:00 - Georgia Tech @ North Carolina - I expect this game to be a blowout, I mention it for one reason and one reason only. Should Georgia tech win (and they fucking should), they clinch the ACC Coastal Division. Should that happen, the ACC would be on its way to a Championship Game featuring two old-school ACC teams (Tech vs. Wake Forest, Maryland, or Clemson, with BC the only school that could get in the way of that).

12:30 - Georgia vs. Auburn - Ok, Georgia sucks this year. But the Bulldogs play with pride, and they'll give Auburn a game this week. I hope.

1:00 - Marshall @ East Carolina - There is a logjam of three two-loss teams atop the C-USA East. After this game, there will be but two. EU has the tiebraker on the other 2-loss team (Southern Mississippi, who play Tulane this week), so if they win they will be in very good shape. If Marshall wins, they'll be looking good, too, but they'd have to get by the Eagles, as well.

3:00 - Rice @ Tulsa - The C-USA West has an interesting race, as well, with two-one loss teams in front (Tulsa and Houston; Houston has beaten Tulsa, giving it the edge in that very important tiebraker), and two two-loss teams (Rice and Southern Methodist - both of which have been terrible programs recently but are putting together solid seasons this year) waiting to get back into the mix should the top two fall again. Rice has the opportunity here to knock one of those two back into the mix with it and SMU (?), but even if they win, they need Houston to lose. In fact, that is the same case with Tulsa, even if they win, somone has to knock off Houston in order for them to get the prize.

Houston vs. Southern Methodist - That's right kids, same bat time, different bat channel. Houston vs. SMU is the other half of the C-USA West race. There are four possible outcomes after these games have ended. Either 1) both 1-loss teams will win, making it a 2-horse race, 2) Houston will win and Tulsa will lose, which will give Houston the division, 3) Tulsa will win and Houston will lose, which will put Tulsa in very good position but not rock-solid just yet, or 4) both 1-loss teams will lose, and that would create an orgy of 2-loss team vying for the prize.

3:30 - South Carolina @ Florida - Yes, the Gators already have the SEC East. But did you honestly think I wouldn't put Spurrier's return to the Swamp on my list?

Miami (FL) @ Maryland - Well, Jesus. God only knows how this game will turn out. Will the Terps get an energized, enthusiastic Miami playing for their fallen comrade, or a lethargic, disinterested Miami, mourning a horrible end to a horrible season. And will it matter, either way? If Maryland does win, they stay atop the ACC COastal with one-loss, perhaps tied with Wake. If they lose, they still have the opportunity to make it up, with remaining games against BC and Wake, and a game in hand over Clemson.

Nebraska @ Texas A&M - Two teams that have been trying to get things back together this season - but I can't see either one of these competing with the Big 12's Big 2 anytime soon. Well, Nebraska should literally be competing with one of them sometime soon - they are likely headed to the Big 12 Championship Game, win or lose; in fact, if they win, they lock it up this week. As for Texas A&M - well, this game is more about bowl position than their position relative to catching the Longhorns.

California @ Arizona - Cal should win handily, and if they do, and Oregon beats USC later on, then California is your 2006 Pac-10 football champion.

4:00 - Troy @ Florida Atlantic - The Sun Belt Conference has two unbeatens - Troy and Middle Tennessee State - in conference play. Arkansas State has one-loss, and Florida Atlantic and Louisiana-Lafayette have 2....

5:00 - Middle Tennessee State @ Arkansas State - ...So, we one-again have four possible outcomes. 1) MTSU and Troy remain undefeated, putting themselves 2-up in the loss column over anyone else and setting up a virtual Big Sun Conference Title Game when the two play later on. 2) MTSU wins but Troy loses, meaning MTSU sits atop the Conference, but hardly in sturdy poisiton as they have to play Troy, who would be the sole 1-loss team in the aforementioned later meeting between the two, which I guess would still be a virtual title game, assuming neither loses again before that. 3) Troy and Arkansas State win, which would put Troy in first but in an even more tenuous position, because they would have to play the TWO remaining 1-loss teams (MTSU and Arkansas State, in this case), as opposed to just having to play one. 4) MTSU and Troy both lose, and now you have 3 1-loss teams, and at least 1 two-loss team waiting in the wings.

6:00 - Boise State @ San Jose State - Boise State is one of the remaining National unbeatens (not in conference play, but overall) and they enjoy a 1-game lead in the WAC over Hawaii (they also have the tiebraker vs. the Warriors) and San Jose State, who could erase that defecit Saturday. If Boise State wins, then they have all but sealed up the conference title. If SJSU wins, then the WAC will go into a bit of chaos at the top (SJSU and Hawaii have yet to meet each other).

7:00 - Tennessee @ Arkansas - Tennessee is a two-loss team, but they're already out of the race in their division. Arkansas has been the suprise team of the year in the SEC, leaping out to a divisional lead. But pulling off the underdog routine in the SEC is very hard, and Arkansas still has a lot to prove before they find themselves marching into the Georgia Dome in December.

7:45 - Alabama @ Louisiana State - The Bayou Bengals still have SEC Title aspirations, despite their two losses. This may be the most athletically gifted team in the country, and they are playing better every week. Alabama is relling after losing to Sylvester Croom's Mississippi State Bulldogs, but don't expect Alabama to Roll, Tide, Roll over with this much pride at stake.

8:00 - Wake Forest @ Florida State - Every week, it seems, Wake has to prove themselves all over again. Now, they face a huge psychological hurdle - traveling to Doak Walker. At least Maryland got to play the Noles - and the Canes, for that matter - at home. If they win, they stay at the top. If they lose, they fall back and maybe the doubt begins to creep in...

Texas @ Kansas State - The only reason I mention his should-be laugher is because when - excuse me, I mean if - Texas wins, they clinch the Big 12 North officially.

10:15 - Oregon @ Southern California - The good football goes on into the night with this key Pac 10 contest. If USC wins, then Oregon drops out of the race and the USC/Cal match-up would serve as the de facto title game. If Oregon wins, then California could clinch the conference title with the win they should have gotten over Arizona by now. I guess Oregon is pretty much cooked either way. Unless Zona has a miracle inside of them.

Damn, I got 20 games on this list. And I'm going to be missing nearly all of them because of weddings. This is why you don't schedule weddings in November, folks! That, and it's too fucking cold.

I've been doing some thinking on the way the NFL makes its schedule.

The process for assigning teams opponents is fantastic. As you may or may not know, ever since the League expanded to 32 teams, there has been a rotation system in place that has every NFL team playing every other NFL team at least once every four years and playing in every other NFL Stadium at least once every 8. In fact, right now I know 14 of the 16 opponents the Redskins will be facing next season: the Cowboys, Giants, and Eagles twice, and the Bears, Packers, Lions, Vikings, Patriots, Jets, Bills, and Dolphins. The other two opponents will be whoever finishes in the same place as the Redskins in the NFC South and the NFC West - if the season ended today, that would be the Cardinals and Buccaneers.

What isn't known until the schedule is released in April, though, is what order the Redskins will play them in, when their bye is, and how many opponents they are playing coming off a bye.

As you probably remember, the Redskins stood at 5-6 after 11 games last season before sweeping their way through the final 5 weeks to finish at 10-6 and clinch the last playoff spot. What you probably do not remember if you are not a Redskins fan but definately DO remember if you are one, is that the final 3 games that season were against the Cowboys, Giants, and Eagles, in that order. That the Redskins had to finish the season by sweeping their divisional rivals to get into the playoffs made the berth all the sweeter, and is one reason that that season will go down in Redskins' lore even though it ended in the Divisional Round of the post-season.

The point is, there is no reason there couldn't be similar stories every season. Why not make it universal that the last three weeks of the NFL season be against divisional opponents? Baseball does this as much as it can - take a look at who your team has played in the last few serieses of the recent seasons past. I think you'll find, more often than not, they play teams that are in their own division - the very teams they are trying to beat out for a playoff spot. And if you'll remember, in the 2005 season, the Chicago White Sox had to beat the Cleveland Indians to hold off the Tribe and clinch the division. How much less satisfying an ending would that have been if the White Sox won the division by beating, say, the Devil Rays in a three-game set, while the Indians could only scoreboard watch during their session with, say, the A's?

And that's not all. The Redskins last season had their bye week in week 3. By the time the playoffs rolled around, the Redskins had been playing for 14 straight weeks. This season, the Cowboys had their bye week in week 3. What of they have to play Philadelphia or Carolina in the playoffs, two teams who had their bye weeks last week? It's an unfair advantage, and it's due entirely to the scheduling process.

And speaking of unfair advantages, the Redskins have played two games against teams coming off a bye this season, with a third game against one (the aforementioned Eagles) coming this week. That's three teams who have had an extra week to prepare for the game plan the Redskins will offer. Since there can only be an average of one such game per team, that means at least two teams won't have ANY such games this season - quite a disadvantage in a League where playoff spots often come down to tiebrakers.

My idea is a complete compartmentilization of the schedule. Stay with me, as I run you through my idea:

The first two weeks of the season should be against the "unknowns" - those teams who finish in their division where you finished in yours. Because these are the only two games where the schedules for each team in a division differ, after the first two weeks all 4 teams in every division will have differing versions of the exact same schedule ahead of them.

The next 4 weeks should be the interconference games. In other words, this is where the Redskins would play the Pats, Jets, Bills, and Phins next season. This way, by the time the Super Bowl rolled around, it will have been almost 4 months since an AFC team played an NFC team, putting more drama into the game. Baseball does this, as well - all the interleague games take place before the All-Star Break, save for rescheduled rainouts - and even then they try their damndest to get them in before the Midsummer Classic.

The next 4 weeks are the weeks where every team gets their bye week - in 4 8-team chunks, two divisions at a time. It would also be the time where each division goes through its first round of intradivisional games. That way, all the bye weeks are taking place in a short span, and no team in any division is playing more teams coming off of bye weeks than their divisional opponents.

Weeks 11-14 would be the weeks where each team plays the 4 teams in the slated division within their conference. That leaves weeks 15-17 as the 3 weeks where you would play the second round of divisional games.

That's my entry for today. Tomorrow look for this week's college ball primer - it'll be flippin' sweet!

What a crazy week it was in the NFL. Some teams made statements, other teams crapped the bed, and still a wide host of others fell somewhere in between. But no one, it seemed, did exactly what you'd expect them to.

1. Colts (2) - And just like that, the Colts find themselves perhaps where they have belonged all season. There is no longer any team that Indianapolis must fear - only those they must respect. And if that weren't enough, the only team with a winning record on their remaining schedule is Jacksonville...everyone else is 4-4 or lower at his point. Now, that may change, but right now they look like a candidate to run the table....
2. Bears (1) - ...That being said, however, so did the Bears.
3. Broncos (3) - As the Colts take away the top spot in everyone's Power Rankings, the Broncos take over the top spot in "Fewest Points Allowed" with 98. Time will tell which is more important...
4. Chargers (4) - The Chargers are a team, obviously, that could be a potential trouble date for the Colts in the playoffs. However, the Chargers have a problem, and his name is Marty Schottenheimer.
5. Giants (6) - The Giants Super Bowl chances now look really good, with the Bears being proven beatable. The only problem is, this is also the year they seem to be losing defensive players left and right, and, if that weren't enough, Tiki Barber may just be gone after this season. In other words, the timing couldn't be any worse.
6. Jaguars (8) - I'm starting to believe I may have been wrong about Byron Leftwich all this time. I wonder if the problem is that he always seems to be battling some nagging injury or another.
7. Patriots (5) - True, Tom Brady threw 4 picks, but at least two of those were crazy deflections. The fact is, Brady played well. But the other fact is, Manning played better. Which is what the better quarterback usually does.
8. Cowboys (9) - Yeah, that was a flukey loss, but when you are playing a struggling team missing it's superstar WR, you want to win those games. Oh, and the games where you are lined up for the game-winning 35-yard field goal with 6 seconds to go...yeah, you want to win those, too.
9. Seahawks (12) - Man, that is the way you want to take care of a struggling team. Critics may point to the modest 16 point total for the Hawks, but remember they were playing without their Pro-Bowl QB OR their MVP running back.
10. Ravens (13) - Ok, ok - the Ravens are really good (in contrast with the rest of the NFL, anyway). But they are not Super Bowl caliber, not with that offense. There are two teams with superior defenses AND, by far, superior offenses (Denver and Chicago).
11. Chiefs (15) - As long as I'm admitting things, Herman Edwards is doing a fantastic job in Kansas City.
12. Bengals (7) - And I'll keep going - no way this is a Super Bowl team. Not unless Carson Palmer can figure something very important out in a hurry (and no, I don't even know what it is).
13. Eagles (10) - If Philly wants to hang with the Giants, they have to do what Dallas failed to do Sunday - beat Washington - who will be coming sporting a brand new attitude.
14. Panthers (11) - A dissapointing season but they are still right in the thick of things. They can start the turnaround Monday Night in plenty of time to secure a playoff berth or even more. But they have to start winning again.
15. Saints (18) - Hold off on that, "the miracle season is over" for a little while, the Saints said to me on Sunday. Message noted.
16. Falcons (14) - And while I'm at it, I won't be comparing Michael Vick to Steve Young again any time soon.
17. Vikings (16) - Suddenly the Vikes are in free fall. Fortunately for them, the next three opponents (Green Bay, Arizona, and Miami) provide them with plenty of time to get healthy before the Bears come to town. Unfortunately, they also have plenty of opportunity to prove definitively that they don't deserve to be conisdered a threat for the postseason.
18. Steelers (17) - When is the last time a defending Super Bowl Champion looked this bad 8 games into the defending season?
19. Redskins (21) - It was a lucky win, but the offensive line finally looked like it was making progress and the team managed to pull off the win without their most explosive playmaker even in the line-up to serve as a decoy.
20. Rams (19) - What's that sound? Why, it's the Rams' chances of passing the Seahawks this season sputtering away, even as the Hawks are missing the two biggest pieces on their offense.
21. Buccaneers (20) - The worst part is, you can see their window of opportunity slamming shut as their defenders age. Don't feel too sorry for them - they did just win a Super Bowl.
22. Jets (22) - Ummmm, how would you like to play the Patriots at Gillette the week after they lost there to Manning and the Colts? Hey, at least they're coming off a bye! (I'd lay the points, however many there are.)
23. Dolphins (24) - From the, You'd Know There Are Football Gods Department: The Dolphins have a chance to suck all season, knock off the second to last undefeated team, then stink for the rest of the season, and knock off the last undefeated team in the season finale. I'm not sure whether or not I'm rooting for this to happen.
24. Bills (25) - Although if the Jets think they have it tough, the Bills - who get to travel to face the team that beat Brady's Patriots - would be glad to swap places with them.
25. Browns (23) - Cleveland's next three opponents are Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. What would you say at the beginning of the season if I had told you that, by this point, Atlanta would look like the hardest opponent in that stretch?
26. 49ers (28) - The Vikings wish they got the same 49ers the Bears got the previous week.
27. Packers (25) - So much for the kings of the garbage heap.
28. Titans (26) - Whoa...hold off on the "Vince Young is ready to contribute" talk, asshole! Ok, you got me.
29. Lions (32) - They busted out of the basement in a big way.
30. Texans (30) - Maybe they should get mroe credit for almost beating the Giants, but at the end of the day, almost don't buy you nothin'.
31. Cardinals (31) - Will the Cowboys be in complete disarray when they show up in Arizona, or will they just be angry? The Cardinals are praying for the former. And if they aren't, they fucking should be.
32. Raiders (29) - And just like that, the Raiders find themselves where they have belonged all season.

Another weekend in the books. There is still one game left on the professional slate, so I turn the attention to Saturday's action...

Louisville 44, West Virginia 34 - Well, well, well...looks like the dream season for WVU has hit the skids after all. But look at what this has done for Louisville - #3 in the AP and in the BCS, Louisville appears to control its own destiny in the National Championship Race. Could a 1-loss team jump over the Cardinals and snatch the other spot? Maybe, maybe not. Let's not forget, though, that we can't all just assume Louisville will run the table. That was the widely-held assumption about West Virginia, and look what happened to them. A date with quitely-undefeated Rutgers still looms on Louisville's schedule.

Air Force 43, Army 7 - Well, the score pretty much says it all. The Commander-in-Chief's Trophy will remain with Navy (who have already beaten Air Force), again.

Nebraska 34, Missouri 20 - The Cornhuskers take control of the Big 12 North with the win. It would take a monumental collapse for them to not make the Big 12 Championship Game, now - where they will likely get another shot at the Longhorns.

Maryland 13, Clemson 12 - Suddenly the Terps are the latest team that nobody is talking about, but could have a BCS game in their future. Clemson is now completely done in the race for the Atlantic Division, whereas the Terrapins find themselves tied for first.

Wisconsin 13, Penn State 3 - Wisconsin has now locked up third place. They might as well just go ahead and accept the invitation to the Citrus Bowl now.

Texas Tech 55, Baylor 21 - So much for Baylor's Bowl bid. Try again next year, guys!

Florida 25, Vanderbilt 19 - Once again, Vandy hangs around but can't put the game away. With Tennesse's loss later on in the evening, Florida locked up the SEC East.

Louisiana State 28, Tennessee 24 - I told you this was the Game of the Week. LSU wins on a last second TD pass - amazing football game. Tennessee is out of the running in the SEC East now. LSU is still mathematically in the race for the SEC West, but this was about getting to a decent bowl game and building for next year - JaMarcus Russell's senior season, when the Tigers get Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas at home.

Wake Forest 21, Boston College 14 - Earlier this season, I wrote that Florida State, Boston College, and Clemson were the three powerhouses of the Atlantic Division. With but a few weeks remaining in the season, the two teams tied for first place in the division are: Wake Forest and Maryland. Don't believe everything that you read, kids.

Texas 36, Oklahoma State 10 - In his freshman season, QB Colt McCoy has broken the Texas single season TD passing record. Not the freshman record, mind you, but the single-season record. And this isn't Southwest Alabama Tech - this is freakin' Texas. And he still has two more regular season games, plus the Big 12 Championship and his bowl game. We might have the second coming of Dan Marino, here, kids.

Arkansas 26, South Carolina 20 - When he is able to recruit a higher class of athletes, Spurrier will start to win these games. Might be a few years down the road, but building a winner at South Carolina seems to be a matter of time. If he does that, is he the greatest college coach ever? Meanwhile, Arkansas remains firmly in control in the SEC West, but two tough tests remain. Fortunately for the Razorbacks, both of those games (vs. Tennessee and vs. LSU) are at home.

Oklahoma 17, Texas A&M 16 - Another good one. This game virtually assured Texas the Big 12 South - now they would have to lose to Kansas State as well as to the Aggies to not appear in the Big 12 title game.

Virginia Tech 17, Miami (FL) 10 - And a nightmare season gets worse for the Hurricanes.

The Louisville/West Virginia game is tonight, and I am excited. With that in mind, here is this week's college ball primer...

Tonight, 7:30 - West Virginia @ Louisville - High in the running for game of the week is this Big East match-up which, unless Rutgers turns out to be even better than we all think they are even now, should determine the Big East Championship and a spot in the BCS. In fact, it could be for a spot in the National Title Game, depending on how things break out. Either way it is going to be a great match-up between two great teams, and when two undefeateds are playing this late in the schedule, you ought to make it a point to tune in.

Tomorrow, 8:00 - Air Force @ Army - The teams might not be that great, but whenever two of the acadamies get together, a lot of pride is always on the line, making for some great TV.

Saturday, 12:00 - Missouri @ Nebraska - This is probably going to determine the Big 12 North Champion, and crazy things can happen in those conference championship games. Just ask the '03 Sooners.

Maryland @ Clemson - Fresh off their victory over Florida State, the Terrapins look like a legitimate force in the ACC's Atlantic Division. If they win, they'll find themselves tied atop the standings with the BC/Wake Forest winner (More on that game later). Meanwhile, for Clemson to get back into the race, they HAVE to win here.

Penn State @ Wisconsin - Wisconsin looks to be clearly the third best team in the Big 10, and they're also in nice position to coast to a 1-loss season and a really nice Bowl bid, probably the Citrus (I refuse to call it the Capital One Bowl; in fact, that is the last time you'll see that phrase on this blog). Paterno's Nittany Lions shouldn't be a walk-over, though.

Baylor @ Texas Tech - At 4-5 and 3-2 in conference, Baylor is making a rare run at a Bowl game. They'll need to beat out the Red Raiders and the Cowboys of Oklahoma State to get there, and they probably won't be able to pull off either, but they have already done some improbable things this season, so we'll have to see what they've got in them.

12:30 - Florida @ Vanderbilt - The Gators have all but wrapped up the SEC East, and look ready to vulture a spot in the BCS Title Game should the Big East fail to provide an undefeated champion, but Vandy has been a frisky team all season. Should be an easy win for Florida, but keep your eyes on the scoreboard.

3:30 - Louisiana State @ Tennessee - My pick for Game of the Week. LSU has had to go on a murderous schedule this year, including trips to Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, and, later, at Arkansas. They've lost their first two, so they're looking for a different result as they try to build momentum for what should be a national championship run next season. As for the Vols, they need two things to happen - they need to win out (this is probably their toughest remaining game, although they have a trip to Arkansas next week), and they need Florida to lose between now and the end of the SEC season - and Florida has all games left that they should win handily, like the one I just wrote about.

7:00 - Boston College @ Wake Forest - Wake Forest has put together a hell of a season, but now things are going to get dicey. The end of their schedule features games against BC, Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Maryland - so if they're going to get to the ACC Title game, they'll have earned it. The winner of this game will either stand alone in first place in the division, or be tied with Maryland, depending on how the Maryland/Clemson game goes (see above).

Oklahoma State @ Texas - The Longhorns shouldn't lose this one, but the Cowboys are a frisky team, so you never know.

7:45 - Arkansas @ South Carolina - Almost as quietly as Wake Forest and Rutgers, Arkansas is putting together a monster season. Of course, they got blown out in week 1 against USC (again), but they haven't lost cince, not even to then #2 Auburn. Now they travel to play Spurrier's GameCocks, who are always a threat to throw a wrench into somebody's magical season.

8:00 - Oklahoma @ Texas A&M - The Aggies are another team you might be suprised to learn have but a single defeat. And, of course, College Station is one of college ball's toughest environs. But the Sooners are a high-quality team, who should be a 1-loss team, themselves. Little known fact: because the Aggies play Texas in the last game of the season, at this point they still control their own destiny in the Big 12 South.

Virginia Tech @ Miami - When the schedule came out, everyone looked for this game as the probable ACC Coastal Division Championship Game, but Georgia Tech has run roughsod over the division and turned this into a curiosity game. But it's still a huge rivalry, and so the game will make for great TV, even if the outcome only determines for which minor bowls these two teams are headed.

Should be a great weekend. Grab a couch and enjoy!

Well, the NBA season kicked off last night, with the defending champion Miami Heat getting crushed by the Bulls 106-66. They'll be freaking out over that game all day today, even though it means less than nothing. The first game of the season is never indicative of the way the year will play out, in any sport. Coming into this season, for instance, my Redskins had a 4 year winning streak on kickoff weekend, the longest such streak in the NFL. Their records over that span? 5-11, 5-11, 6-10, 10-6. The Orioles also have a ridiculous opening day winning streak, to match their 9-year losing streak. The year the Patriots won their second Super Bowl, following a 14-2 season, they lost the opener in Buffalo 41-0. That was when Tom Jackson famously said the Patriots players "hate their coach."

But anyway, the NBA isn't really a good spectator sport, IMO. Most offenses have basically adopted the isolation play as the base of their offense, so if you like to watch a lot of one-on-one, the League is all about you. There are a lot of really cool athletic plays, but you don't know when they are going to come, and they almost never happen during crunch time. Why not? Because crunch time is about 99% free throw shooting, which is about as exciting as watching somebody play Duck Hunt. There are way too many timeouts in basketball. They should adopt the football rule of 3 per half, but it seems like every other play the coach is calling timeout. Especially when the game is getting exciting and the last thing you want is something breaking up the momentum.

So, I don't watch much NBA. I can see the cool dunks and stuff on SportsCenter, so watching the game doesn't really mean much to me. However, I think the League could be trending in the right direction with the recent success of two teams running a run-and-shoot offense - Phoenix and Dallas - having a lot of success in the playoffs last year. But there still is a ways to go for me before the sport is totally watchable. A couple of rule changes to keep the game flowing at the end, and you might have a decent sport.

In another NBA-related note, Red Auerbach died recently. I'm not going to say too much about it, since his death has basically has dominated ESPN since it happened. I will say this, though, Auerbach was the difference between the Celtics and every other NBA franchise. The Celtics were the Yankees of the NBA because of Red Auerbach, and even after he ceeded control of the team and they started to founder, you could still see him in the stands and know that the Celtics were the gold standard of basketball franchises at one point, and in a way they still were. Now, the Celtics are just like any other team. See the Sports Guy's column on his death for a better obit than I could ever give him.