Rivalry Weekend 2012

If there's one thing we know about here at 365SIO, it's rivalry games. That's what started this blog in the first place. Of course, the rivalry that berthed this site hasn't been much more than a one-sided slaughter for the past few years, but I digress.

This week is full of interesting matchups and storylines, but I think it’s safe to assume that there are three or four games that will be getting the majority of the attention. Let’s start at the bottom and work our way up.

Florida –Florida St.

No. 5 Florida will travel to Tallahassee to take on No. 10 Florida St. in a game that could have BCS Championship implications should chaos rear its ugly head at any point in the remainder of the season. The Seminoles don’t have a shot at getting to the big game, but a win for the Gators is essential to putting them in prime position to play for it all should a couple of other teams go down in the coming weeks. A loss by top-ranked Notre Dame this weekend would move No. 2 Alabama up a spot, followed by Georgia, and leave the Gators sitting pretty at No. 3. From there, Florida would be poised to slip into the second BCS title game slot after the SEC Championship, when either the Crimson Tide or the Bulldogs go down. Another all-SEC BCS title game probably isn’t what the rest of the country wants to see, but at this point, it is a possibility. However, the Gators already weak offense will continue to stall this weekend, when quarterback issues become a factor. I like the Seminoles to pull off the victory, thereby eliminating the chance of another SEC monopoly in the title game.

Alabama- Auburn

The Iron Bowl returns to Tuscaloosa this week, but the game won’t be what everyone is talking about come Monday morning. The Tide will be too much for the Tigers, and the latter will finish the season out with no conference wins. I don’t expect coach Gene Chizik to be retained after this season, and a blowout in Tuscaloosa could speed the process up significantly.

Georgia-Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech’s quirky offense makes it an unusual game to prepare for, but the Bulldogs are two victories away from the BCS Championship game. This one might seem close for the first half, but Georgia will adjust and end up cruising to victory.

That leaves one more game to talk about.

Notre Dame – USC

The Fighting Irish will travel to sunny California to take on the pre-season No.1 USC Trojans. After several disappointing losses, can USC have gotten any further away from competing for the championship? While a victory here would do little to make up for what has become an incredibly disappointing season, an upset of No. 1 Notre Dame this weekend would go a long way in cooling the ever intensifying heat of Lane Kiffin’s coaching seat. Last week I would have picked USC to get the win, but since QB Matt Barkley went down with a shoulder injury against UCLA, I've flipped my pick to the Irish. USC will make it a competitive venture, but inexperience at the QB position will eventually be the deciding factor.

That’s all for now folks.

Until next time, Roll Tide.