As conference races tighten and bowl picture start to come in focus, these last couple of weeks of college football will offer up a lot of drama. This week is headlined by three huge games between top 25 teams: #15 Michigan State – #8 Penn State, #14 BYU – #7 Utah, and #5 Oklahoma – #2 Texas Tech. Hopefully you can push your weekend chores off or get them done early because you won’t want to miss this weekend’s action. Here are a few headlines you shouldn’t be surprised to see in your Sunday sports section:

Gators Slowing Inching Out of Corner

Florida speedster Percy Harvin has the Gators rolling.

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer has been a long standing critic of the BCS and how unfair it is. This coming from a coach who in 2006 was given the gift of playing in a National Championship Game over much more deserving teams. They took advantage and won, but that still doesn’t mean they deserved to be there. The Gators have done a lot that past few weeks to work out of the corner they found themselves in after losing to an unranked Mississippi team at home. Since losing to the Rebels they have torn through their competition, leaving little room for doubt that they are one of the nation’s elite teams. Right when we start giving them the benefit of the doubt, here comes another patsy team to flirt with the Gators and ultimately get devoured. If the Gators are looking to pick up points with their strength of schedule, they aren’t going to get them this week when they play the Citadel Bulldogs (Military College of South Carolina). Luckily the Gators will play #1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, which may very well provide us the winner of the National Championship.

Rivals Collide

Rivalry week has been turned into rivalry weeks lately, kind of like how after Thanksgiving day sales have turned from a fun outing into utter madness and pure hell. This week will showcase two huge rivalries, with one uncharacteristically having more on the line than the other. It’s crazy to think that the BYU-Utah rivalry game this week will trump Ohio State-Michigan in importance, but it is. BYU comes into this year’s game boasting a 10-1 record and a #14 ranking in the BCS. Utah comes with a 11-0 record and a #7 BCS ranking, with BYU being the last hurdle toward an apparent BCS Bowl invitation. With a win by BYU, the Cougars could very well jump into the top 10 of the BCS and make an argument for themselves. Their only loss of the year came against #16 TCU on the road, who Utah beat in Salt Lake City. The Utes, with senior quarterback Brian Johnson, are looking to crash the BCS for a second time. This year’s “Battle for the Beehive Boot” promises to be a huge game. On the other hand, Ohio State-Michigan couldn’t be less meaningful than it already is. Michigan has it’s most losses ever. With every Michigan loss, teams like Utah (who defeated Michigan) are being hurt in their strength of schedule column. I bet the Buckeyes are trying to get this game canceled, there is no way this win in a rivalry game can help them leap frog a couple teams into the National Championship.

Big East and ACC Continue Slugfest

If there ever was two conferences that should have their “BCS” tag revoked, they would be the Big East and the ACC. At one time dominant, these conferences are hoping their recent slides are cyclical. The only problem is that this current cyclical slide has been a long one. Heading into this week the leaders in both conferences each have a 7-3 record and are heading into tough road games. ACC division leader Miami will visit the jittery Georgia Tech and their triple-option offense. Meanwhile in the Big East, Cincinnati will play host to Pittsburgh. It’s hard to picture a couple of 4 loss teams in BCS Bowls, but so is a couple of non-BCS teams in BCS Bowls. This year hasn’t been as crazy as 2007, but it has had it’s fair share of idiosyncrasies. In what has been an unprecedented year for the Mountain West, with 3 teams (BYU, Utah, TCU) having a combined record of 30-3, there’s a chance none will get to go to a BCS Bowl. Word is President-elect Barack Obama would like to overthrow the BCS, that might make conventional Republican states within the Mountain West Conference change their minds. Utah voting majority Democrat? That’s just straight up crazy!!

Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford looks to lead the Sooners over #2 Texas Tech.

JIB Picks

Week 12: 14-5 / Overall: 183-40

Week 13: #1 Alabama (Bye) / #2 Texas Tech – #5 Oklahoma / #3 Texas - Arkansas / #4 Florida - Citadel / #6 USC (Bye) / #7 Utah – #14 BYU / #8 Penn State – #15 Michigan State / #9 Boise State – Neveda / #10 Ohio State – Michigan / #11 Georgia (Bye) / #12 Oklahoma State (Bye) / #13 Missouri (Bye) / #16 TCU – Air Force / #17 Ball State – Central Michigan / #18 LSU – ‘Ole Miss / #19 Cincinnati – #20 Pittsburgh / #21 Oregon State - Arizona / #22 North Carolina – NC State / #23 Miami – Georgia Tech / #24 Oregon (Bye) / #25 Maryland – Florida State

Tags: College Football

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