As everyone knows, the college football season is starting to head down the home stretch.
We are approaching—starting this Saturday—my absolute favorite time of the year on the intercollegiate gridiron.
This is the time of the year when ancient grudges are renewed. When hatreds are reborn at the level of the Montagues and the Capulets. Or the Hatfields and the McCoys.
These are the games where obscene banners, gestures, and jokes insulting the other team are commonplace. Where it's truly a miracle that fisticuffs and riots among the students, fans, and even the players don't break out on a more regular basis than they already do.
I think I have described rivalry games pretty well.
College football rivalries take the cake over anything at the professional level. I believe that is safe to say.
Put it this way: The Yankees and the Red Sox meet almost twenty times during the baseball season. If A-Rod hits a walk-off home run off of Jonathan Papelbon to win the game for New York, the Red Sox can just try again the next day.
In college football, however, teams only meet ONCE. If UCLA intercepts a Mark Sanchez pass in the end zone with five seconds left to beat USC, the Trojans can't try again until next December.
You see where I'm getting at?
Among the dozens of civil brawls scheduled over the next three weeks are five that I feel are the most intriguing.
I'm sure I will get some disagreements, but here are the handful of mini-Civil Wars - which will be played this Saturday - that have gotten my particular interest:
BIG GAME: STANFORD (5-6) vs. CALIFORNIA (6-4)
This Bay Area grudge match, having been played since the 1890s, holds a particular interest this year because of the Stanford Cardinal's situation.
With a team needing six wins to become bowl eligible, Stanford has been trying to get that 6th win for the past few weeks. It would be their first bowl since 2000.
Having lost to Oregon and USC, now the Cardinal has to try and get win number six in Berkeley, against a solid Golden Bear enemy that wants payback—big payback—for losing the Axe to them last year.
MY PICK: CALIFORNIA
It's a close matchup and will be a tough game. Both teams have good weapons, such as Jarvid Best of Cal and Toby Gerhard of Stanford, but the home field advantage that the Bears will enjoy will ultimately prevail.
Among the bands, Stanford would win in an absolute cakewalk, but unfortunately it's not a band competition.
OLD OAKEN BUCKET, INDIANA (3-8) vs. PURDUE (3-8)
These two Big Ten schools have had a long history together.
Neither team has had a good season, which is what makes this game intriguing. This contest is the season for these Hoosiers and Boilermakers.
There's no bowl game at stake, and nothing on the line for either of these institutions from Indiana. Nothing but pride and that old bucket. These people from Bloomington and West Lafayette have absolutely nothing to lose.
Oftentimes that makes for the most exciting games.
MY PICK: PURDUE.
Their athletes seem slightly better, plus it's a home game for them.
TRAP GAME ALERT:
IRON BOWL, AUBURN (5-6) vs. No. 1 ALABAMA (11-0)
"Roll Tide!" versus "War Eagle!"
"Clean, Good Ol' Fashioned Hate"—That's what this rivalry is called. So much so that at one time these two schools didn't play each other for a forty-year period.
Both teams have much to play for. For Auburn, this is the Tigers' last shot to earn bowl eligibility, while the Crimson Tide is trying to stay on track for the BCS championship.
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about 1 month ago
No Civil War? Oregon and Oregon State will be playing for second place in the Pac-10 and possibly a Rose Bowl birth if OSU gets by Arizona this week
from about 1 month ago
Hey Brett, Don't get ahead of yourself, dude. Oregon State getting by Arizona is a BIG, FAT IF this Saturday.
Now while OSU has had a great season, it's gonna be tough for them aginst those Wildcats in Tuscon. REAL tough. Put it this way: 'SC only put up 17 points down there and barely beat them (I know you guys beat 'SC, and as a UCLA Bruin, I thank you, but that's beside the point)...if the #6 team in the country can only do that, how do you think those Beavers will do?
Face it man, those 'Cats are tough in the desert. And your toughest games to date have been in Corvallis; If that 'SC game was at the L.A. Coliseum, I really don't think OSU would have won. Just being honest here.
It will be a difficult task for your Beavers to win down there. VERY difficult.
If you guys can beat U of A, I'll be happy to add your Civil War to my list of intriguing rivalry games.
Having said all that, I DO hope you win out. It would be REALLY nice to see someone besides those Trojans in the Rose Bowl on January 1st.
But let's just see how you guys do in Tuscon this Saturday, OK?
from about 1 month ago
I'm actually a Duck fan and am fairly certain the little brothers will lose to Arizona,(although I will be rooting for them as I want the Ducks to spoil the roses) but the Civil War will still be for the Holliday Bowl and 2nd place in the Pac-10 if Arizona looses
about 1 month ago
I agree with Brett. The Civil War is a big one this season. Oregon State controls it's own destiny by winning out while Oregon has the smallest of chances with some big who loses to who scenario in order to get to the Rose Bowl. I doubt all that they need to happen will but if nothing else playing for second is bigger than watching The Rotten Apple Cup or the Not All That Big Game.
from about 1 month ago
Hey David, if you notice what I've written to Brett...
The same goes for you too, man. You guys have had a great season, but let's see how your Beavers do down in Tuscon this Saturday, OK?
If you guys lose down there, your Civil War will be irrevelant. If you win, I'll be glad to add your game with the Ducks on my intriguing rivalry list.
Let's see how things unfold...
from about 1 month ago
So not a beaver fan.
about 1 month ago
Even if OSU loses to Arizona, the CW will still be for 2nd place (or a share of it) in the Pac-10 and a Holiday Bowl. How that isn't big or is less important than Stanford vs. Cal is impossible to try and explain.
Unless you're just going off of next weeks games, where UofA and OSU are not rivals...obviously.
from about 1 month ago
well it really depends on how USC finishes too. Oregon and Oreon State would still be in the running even if Oregon State loses to Arizona just a matter of USC losing as well.
from about 1 month ago
You're right, the Civil War will be for 2nd place and a Holiday Bowl bid if the Beavers lose to the Wildcats in Tuscon.
One thing, though - THE HOLIDAY BOWL IS NOT THE ROSE BOWL!!
The Holiday Bowl is nothing but a consolation prize. Oregon State doesn't want that bowl in San Diego. They want Pasadena, and it'll be that much harder for them to get motivated if the Civil War is not for the Roses.
Perfect case in point: Cal in 2004 - Those Bears had a 10-2 record, second to usc, and were all set to go to their 1st Rose Bowl in almost 50 years ('cause 'sc was in the NC game) when the BCS picked Texas instead, totally screwing them over. It took so much wind out of their sails, they laid an egg against Texas Tech in you got it, the Holiday Bowl.
I'm sure OSU will feel the same way if they lose to U of A & have to settle for a possible Holiday Bowl bid instead of a Rose Bowl bid.
about 1 month ago
David, Travis & Brett,
OK, Oregon State beat Arizona. A good, hard fought, well earned win by those Beavers.
Now I can add the Civil War game intriguing rivalries for 2008 list!
As to how I think the game will go?
It will be a good match, both teams are fairly even talent-wise.
However, my pick: OREGON STATE. The game's in Corvallis, the Beavers win this & they go to their first Rose Bowl since 1965, and they won't be denied. The home field and the home crowd will prevail.
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