Conferences in college football are often defined by their signature rivalries from USC-UCLA to Ohio State-Michigan...these big games provide snapshots to each league and usually have animosity as an ingredient in its recipe. Well, then there's the SEC West, where just about every coach or school has a hate-wish against another school in the division. Outside of traditional foes Alabama-Auburn and Ole Miss-Mississippi State, there are these grudge matchups:
Auburn-Arkansas: Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville was nearly jettisoned a few years ago with then-Louisville and current Razorbacks mentor Bobby Petrino ready to stab him in the back to take his job... Arkansas-Ole Miss: Houston Nutt left the Razorbacks for the Rebels last winter in the aftermath of a text-message scandal and highly touted recruits transferring...LSU-Alabama: did we mention Nick Saban used to coach the Tigers before sneaking away for the NFL before sneaking to Tuscaloosa?...Mississippi State-Alabama: Sylvester Croom should have gotten the Crimson Tide job earlier this decade, only to have his impressive resume ignored in favor of flameout Mike Shula.
MARYLAND vs Wake Forest--these are not your father's Demon Deacons...not even your uncles Deacons for that matter. Coach Jim Grobe has led a resurgence in Winston-Salem behind a misdirection-based attack...Riley Skinner is yet another ACC star quarterback the Terps will have to contend with (and unlike Cullen Harper--appears to have the right stuff). Can Maryland bounce back from one of the toughest losses in the Ralph Friedgen era and avenge last year's collapse (led by 21 points in the second half before falling in overtime)? Terps tumble 31-20.
#17 VIRGINIA TECH at Boston College--the Eagles are holding up well in the first post-Matt Ryan season...until you realize that three of their wins have come against Kent State, Rhode Island and Central Florida (what-no Holy Cross?)...last year on Thursday Night Football Ryan led the Eagles to an improbable rally in Blacksburg--this fall they're led by Chris Crane (4 TD's and 6 INT) who's not enough to derail the little Va Tech engine that could...after another nail-biter...Hokies hold on, 22-17.
VIRGINIA vs 18th rated North Carolina--can the Cavaliers continue their improbable October run (there's only ONE OCTOBER!) with a game against the Tar Heels...who are just a second half-collapse against Virginia Tech away from being the ACC story this fall. This game is traditionally billed as "the South's oldest rivalry"--which might technically be true but doesn't hold a candle to even the 5th biggest matchup in the SEC (see above)...although this game will have the cutest combination of co-eds in the stands. Cavaliers come up short, 27-20.
ELSEWHERE: Navy keeps dreams alive for a DC bowl appearance with an upset of Pitt, Georgetown's beaten by Bucknell, Howard's humbled by Morgan State,
William & Mary defeats Delaware, Richmond rips Massachussetts.
LAST WEEK: 3-2
OVERALL: 34-14
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