04/20/24
November 23, 2012
SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
I get two this week:
USC/ND (I went to USC for my undergrad) -- I desperately want USC to rise up and redeem this season, but I don't see it happening.
Michigan/Ohio (grad degree from UM, and married into a UM family) -- ditto, minus the need for redemption.
posted by Etrigan at 10:44 AM on November 23, 2012
I have a fake rivalry game this week. Northwestern vs. Illinois. The game almost never matters and Illinois just isn't much of a rival. It's a trophy game, but no one cares about winning the LOL Hat. And with the year they're having, NU should win comfortably. Our real rivals are Iowa and Wisky. Any year we beat either of them is a good year. We've had a string of good years lately thanks to Iowa.
posted by ursus_comiter at 10:55 AM on November 23, 2012
Virginia-Virginia Tech. A powerhouse battle between the 4-7 Cavaliers and the 5-6 Hokies. Since it's in Blacksburg and they might actually have something to play for, I'd guess the Hokies will win. Virginia has been pretty putrid this year.
posted by LionIndex at 11:32 AM on November 23, 2012
Like Etrigan I'm a USC alum and so desperate for a win over ND to salvage some pride for a season that started with so much promise.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:46 AM on November 23, 2012
Michigan/Ohio State here. A few weeks ago I didn't think Michigan would have much of a chance. But with Devin Gardner under center I think it will be a really good game.
What would really make my weekend is if Michigan wins and Nebraska loses. But Iowa, well, isn't very good.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 11:47 AM on November 23, 2012
UGA/GT - 52-42. UGA will smash GT's defense, but sometimes the D forgets to show up and will let GT hang around. Plus there's looking ahead to the SEC Championship Game.
Also one of the most important games of Mark Richt's tenure: It gives UGA the chance to play for the NCG and it's a game they should win against a hated rival. If UGA looses to GT, it's an epic failure. If UGA looses to 'Bama, it's business as usual.
posted by jmd82 at 11:55 AM on November 23, 2012
Heh. USC vs. ND is the ONLY time I ever root for USC. It's a shame they can't both lose.
posted by ursus_comiter at 01:22 PM on November 23, 2012
My favorite rivalry was played in October. The Carleton Knights kept the Book of Knowledge from the Macalester Scots for the tenth straight year.
posted by Hugh Janus at 02:39 PM on November 23, 2012
Heh. USC vs. ND is the ONLY time I ever root for USC. It's a shame they can't both lose.
ND defeats USCw then draws the Crimson Tide for the NCgame and loose.
Hence both USCw and ND loose in the end.
posted by Folkways at 03:01 PM on November 23, 2012
NHL cancels games through first half of December, including All-Star Game. Sorry Columbus, looks like no All Star Game this season (or next season, since the Winter Olympics will be happening in 2014).
posted by insomnyuk at 09:06 PM on November 23, 2012
There is still one thing missing, though, and that is The Hat. Each win has been gratifying this season, but none has come with a ridiculous trophy and bragging rights in a comically tepid rivalry. Nothing is more gratifying than an Illini coach who seems determined to imbue this rivalry with an actual amount of football hate and so BYCTOM salutes you, Tim Beckman, for burning your purple clothes with the zeal of Professor Plum hastily destroying the evidence, for denigrating Northwestern by replacing its name with a ludicrous directional euphemism, for hanging a "No Northwestern" sign in the Illini locker room, for desperately trying to make something out of this game other than a precious hat mounted to a base.
posted by ursus_comiter at 10:20 AM on November 24, 2012
Strangely, as a USF fan, we really don't have any rivals. Theoretically, UCF, but we don't play them that much (and we always destroyed them when we did, so it wasn't too much fun when we did anyway). It's a natural rivalry that was never competitive enough to matter. Nor did it have any larger impact (plus, USF thinks it's going to start challenging the FSUs/UMs of the state, so why bother with lowly UCF?). So...nobody?
But I got to see them get slaughtered by UC last night, which hopefully ends the Skip Holtz era.
posted by Bonkers at 02:43 PM on November 24, 2012
Your College Football rivalries. Mine is the Iron Bowl, Alabama v Auburn game. This year shouldn't even be close. My prediction, Alabama 31 Auburn 10.
What is your CFB rivalry game, and who wins this year?
Just another of my silly lil SpoFi member polls.