Special Wednesday-Night, Pre-Thanksgiving NFL Week 12 Cheat Sheet
What a glorious week! Thanksgiving week is one of the best weeks of the year. You are basically encouraged to and lauded for taking four days off, in which you shovel homemade mashed potatoes drenched with store-bought gravy into your face while you watch football.
You not only have three Thanksgiving Day NFL games along with your regular Sunday schedule, but you also have a slew of college football rivalry games spread from Thursday through Saturday. I already gained some poundage between yesterday and today (Wednesday) from our office potluck. This could get ugly.
There will be a lot of family, food, and football to enjoy this weekend. If you go into this weekend blindly, you are going to miss out on a conversation with a favorite cousin, that little bit of real stuffing that came from inside the bird, or a key college football game. You have to scan your sports app scoreboards and schedules, Google the college lineup, or even pick up on old fashioned sports section to make sure you know what sort of holiday season joy will be offered to you via your television.
You don't want to wake up on Friday morning and ask your uncle, "Who is broadcasting the Egg Bowl today?" Good golly, don't be that guy. The Egg Bowl gets played Thanksgiving night, dumb ass!
I think we can all agree the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn is the biggest game of the week, but I put together a college football menu to help you allocate your time. There are good games that I will not watch. Remember, family and food are actually more important than football on TV. I know, it is hard to remember that sometimes.
Read on after the college football stuff. A special Wednesday night NFL Cheat Sheet for Thanksgiving follows it.
Thanksgiving, 23 November:
Ole Miss (5-6) at #14 Mississippi State (8-3) [7:30 p.m., ESPN]: This is in-state rivalry within the Southeastern Conference -- that's good stuff. I know the bigger ones come later, but this one really has an added spice to it this year, as described by Will Hobson in the Washington Post. [Psst...this is the Egg Bowl.]
Friday, 24 November:
#2 Miami (10-0) at Pittsburgh (4-7) [12 noon, ABC]: Miami is a national title contender is in this early starting game. Pittsburgh has an opportunity to make big news as a spoiler at home.
Iowa (6-5) at Nebraska (4-7) [4 p.m., FS1]: This is a fairly new rivalry, but Scott Dochterman of Landof10.com thinks this is a true rivalry now. Something about two teams in farm country smashing into each other under gray November skies feels perfect.
#25 Virginia Tech (8-3) at Virginia (6-5) [8 p.m.. ESPN]: Virginia Tech has one the Commonwealth Cup 13 straight times. I am still trying to figure out the feel for this rivalry in my now home commonwealth. It is not like the Outsiders -- Greasers vs. the Socs. Is it more VT STEM-students taking on the Poly-Sci Frat Boys from Charlottesville?
Saturday, 25 November:
#9 Ohio State at Michigan [12 noon, FOX]: National writers agree that Alabama/Auburn is the biggest game of the weekend, but this is probably the second most important. Urban Meyer is 5-0 versus Michigan since getting to Ohio State.
Indiana (5-6) at (5-6) Purdue [12 noon, ESPN2]: THIS is the most important game of the weekend for me. Hoosiers needs this one to secure a bowl bid. If they lose, the Boilermakers will be the ones going bowling. More on the line than just the Old Oaken Bucket this time.
#7 Georgia (10-1) at Georgia Tech (5-5) [12 noon, ABC]: Georgia is on the outside looking in with respect to the four-team mini-tourney for the national title, but a victory here keeps them alive and within striking distance. Title hopes might get smashed by an underdog in this one, however, each of the last four games have been decided by one score or less, and two have gone to overtime.
#5 Wisconsin (11-0) at Minnesota (5-6) [3:30 p.m., ABC]: Wisconsin is like Georgia -- not in that big money top four -- but they very much can control their own destiny. If the Badgers win against Minnesota to secure the Paul Bunyan Axe, they would almost be assured a spot at the big dance with a victory in the Big Ten Conference championship game Dec. 2.
#1 Alabama (11-0) at #6 Auburn (9-2) [3:30 p.m., CBS]: This is the big one, and it rarely disappoints. This is virtually an elimination game, kind of. It is best you just watch the broadcast, and get in straight from the professionals.
West Virginia (7-4) at #4 Oklahoma (10-1) [3:45 p.m., ESPN]: Oklahoma is on track to complete in the title tourney. They just need Heisman Trophy candidate, QB Baker Mayfield, to concentrate on throwing the football more than cupping his bozac.
#3 Clemson (10-1) at #24 South Carolina (8-3) [7:30 p.m., ESPN]: Both of these teams are in the top 25, but Clemson is a two-touchdown favorite. Clemson put a 56-7 thrashing on South Carolina last year, and that has been fueling the Gamecocks for a year.
#13 Washington State (9-2) at #17 Washington (9-2) [FOX, 8 p.m.]: Some are seeing Washington's season as mildly disappointing. Washington State, however, could secure their first ever Pac-12 North Division title with a victory.
And now, the NFL Cheat Sheet:
Minnesota Vikings vs. (+3.0) Detroit Lions: Detroit has won three straight games and their last four Thanksgiving Day games. They haven't been playing the stiffest competition, however, and their defense is ranked 23rd in the NFL. Minnesota hasn't lost since Oct. 1. Maybe they are due for a loss, but maybe they are due to keep rolling with their balanced roster -- 5th ranked in the league on both offense and defense. -- VIKINGS
Los Angeles Chargers vs. (+2.0) Dallas Cowboys: San Diego is team that seemingly invents new ways to lose every close game. Lately they have managed to win two of their last four, and those wins saw the Chargers winning by 21 and 30 points. Dallas will be without RB Ezekiel Elliott (suspension) and LB Sean Lee (injury), but it looks like LT Tyron Smith and LB Anthony Hitchens will return. That might be just enough to get the Cowboys back on track after losing two straight games. -- COWBOYS
New York Giants vs. (-7.0) Washington Redskins: This capsule is the only thing standing between me and the holiday weekend. We have relatives already in the house. I was drinking a beer, and watching NBA action with a nephew until I remembered I had to finish this post. Shitty game between to banged up teams; I will still give it a solid look, though. -- REDSKINS
Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday friends.
You not only have three Thanksgiving Day NFL games along with your regular Sunday schedule, but you also have a slew of college football rivalry games spread from Thursday through Saturday. I already gained some poundage between yesterday and today (Wednesday) from our office potluck. This could get ugly.
There will be a lot of family, food, and football to enjoy this weekend. If you go into this weekend blindly, you are going to miss out on a conversation with a favorite cousin, that little bit of real stuffing that came from inside the bird, or a key college football game. You have to scan your sports app scoreboards and schedules, Google the college lineup, or even pick up on old fashioned sports section to make sure you know what sort of holiday season joy will be offered to you via your television.
You don't want to wake up on Friday morning and ask your uncle, "Who is broadcasting the Egg Bowl today?" Good golly, don't be that guy. The Egg Bowl gets played Thanksgiving night, dumb ass!
I think we can all agree the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn is the biggest game of the week, but I put together a college football menu to help you allocate your time. There are good games that I will not watch. Remember, family and food are actually more important than football on TV. I know, it is hard to remember that sometimes.
Read on after the college football stuff. A special Wednesday night NFL Cheat Sheet for Thanksgiving follows it.
Thanksgiving, 23 November:
Ole Miss (5-6) at #14 Mississippi State (8-3) [7:30 p.m., ESPN]: This is in-state rivalry within the Southeastern Conference -- that's good stuff. I know the bigger ones come later, but this one really has an added spice to it this year, as described by Will Hobson in the Washington Post. [Psst...this is the Egg Bowl.]
Good read in the Washington Post on the Ole Miss/Mississippi State rivalry game, the Egg Bowl.
Friday, 24 November:
#2 Miami (10-0) at Pittsburgh (4-7) [12 noon, ABC]: Miami is a national title contender is in this early starting game. Pittsburgh has an opportunity to make big news as a spoiler at home.
Iowa (6-5) at Nebraska (4-7) [4 p.m., FS1]: This is a fairly new rivalry, but Scott Dochterman of Landof10.com thinks this is a true rivalry now. Something about two teams in farm country smashing into each other under gray November skies feels perfect.
#25 Virginia Tech (8-3) at Virginia (6-5) [8 p.m.. ESPN]: Virginia Tech has one the Commonwealth Cup 13 straight times. I am still trying to figure out the feel for this rivalry in my now home commonwealth. It is not like the Outsiders -- Greasers vs. the Socs. Is it more VT STEM-students taking on the Poly-Sci Frat Boys from Charlottesville?
Saturday, 25 November:
#9 Ohio State at Michigan [12 noon, FOX]: National writers agree that Alabama/Auburn is the biggest game of the weekend, but this is probably the second most important. Urban Meyer is 5-0 versus Michigan since getting to Ohio State.
Indiana (5-6) at (5-6) Purdue [12 noon, ESPN2]: THIS is the most important game of the weekend for me. Hoosiers needs this one to secure a bowl bid. If they lose, the Boilermakers will be the ones going bowling. More on the line than just the Old Oaken Bucket this time.
#7 Georgia (10-1) at Georgia Tech (5-5) [12 noon, ABC]: Georgia is on the outside looking in with respect to the four-team mini-tourney for the national title, but a victory here keeps them alive and within striking distance. Title hopes might get smashed by an underdog in this one, however, each of the last four games have been decided by one score or less, and two have gone to overtime.
#5 Wisconsin (11-0) at Minnesota (5-6) [3:30 p.m., ABC]: Wisconsin is like Georgia -- not in that big money top four -- but they very much can control their own destiny. If the Badgers win against Minnesota to secure the Paul Bunyan Axe, they would almost be assured a spot at the big dance with a victory in the Big Ten Conference championship game Dec. 2.
#1 Alabama (11-0) at #6 Auburn (9-2) [3:30 p.m., CBS]: This is the big one, and it rarely disappoints. This is virtually an elimination game, kind of. It is best you just watch the broadcast, and get in straight from the professionals.
West Virginia (7-4) at #4 Oklahoma (10-1) [3:45 p.m., ESPN]: Oklahoma is on track to complete in the title tourney. They just need Heisman Trophy candidate, QB Baker Mayfield, to concentrate on throwing the football more than cupping his bozac.
#3 Clemson (10-1) at #24 South Carolina (8-3) [7:30 p.m., ESPN]: Both of these teams are in the top 25, but Clemson is a two-touchdown favorite. Clemson put a 56-7 thrashing on South Carolina last year, and that has been fueling the Gamecocks for a year.
#13 Washington State (9-2) at #17 Washington (9-2) [FOX, 8 p.m.]: Some are seeing Washington's season as mildly disappointing. Washington State, however, could secure their first ever Pac-12 North Division title with a victory.
And now, the NFL Cheat Sheet:
Minnesota Vikings vs. (+3.0) Detroit Lions: Detroit has won three straight games and their last four Thanksgiving Day games. They haven't been playing the stiffest competition, however, and their defense is ranked 23rd in the NFL. Minnesota hasn't lost since Oct. 1. Maybe they are due for a loss, but maybe they are due to keep rolling with their balanced roster -- 5th ranked in the league on both offense and defense. -- VIKINGS
Los Angeles Chargers vs. (+2.0) Dallas Cowboys: San Diego is team that seemingly invents new ways to lose every close game. Lately they have managed to win two of their last four, and those wins saw the Chargers winning by 21 and 30 points. Dallas will be without RB Ezekiel Elliott (suspension) and LB Sean Lee (injury), but it looks like LT Tyron Smith and LB Anthony Hitchens will return. That might be just enough to get the Cowboys back on track after losing two straight games. -- COWBOYS
New York Giants vs. (-7.0) Washington Redskins: This capsule is the only thing standing between me and the holiday weekend. We have relatives already in the house. I was drinking a beer, and watching NBA action with a nephew until I remembered I had to finish this post. Shitty game between to banged up teams; I will still give it a solid look, though. -- REDSKINS
Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday friends.
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