ESPN is calling college games this weekend “Separation Saturday”.  As fate would have it, a lot of nationally-ranked teams are facing each other this weekend, and…well…it’s “separate the men from the boys” time – hence, “Separation Saturday”.
In the Realm™, it’s more of a “Rivalry Saturday”.  Three old rivalries heat up again, and I’m gonna try and make it to two of ’em.
Tonight, my Arlington Heights Yellow Jackets take on their longtime arch-nemesis, the Paschal Panthers.  Back in the day, Heights & Paschal positively hated  each other.  In fact, it’s been nearly 30 years since the son of a former Tarrant County commissioner (and a former Paschal student) appropriated a bulldozer and blew a hole in the Heights field house.  (Heights would later blow a hole through the Panther football team, which kinda made up for it.)
Anyway, if Heights is going to get a move-on, it has to start here.  Paschal hasn’t been good for several years; they went 2-8 last year.  If Heights doesn’t win this game, there’s a better-than-zero chance it’ll pull an 0-fer.  Nevertheless, I’m taking Heights and giving you 10.
Saturday, Turner Gill’s UBuffalo Bulls travel to Northern Illinois to take on the Huskies.  NIU’s not too long removed with a massive flirtation with the top 25, so I want the Buffs and…say…30.
(Vegas, FWIW, has ’em at +23.)
Also Saturday, sixth-ranked LSU travels to Alabama to take on third-ranked Auburn.  I hate games like this, because I like both schools – you almost wish for a tie.  Auburn is a three-point favorite, which is the value of home field, so it’s basically a pick ’em.  Give me LSU, straight up, just because of Bo Pelini’s suffocating defense.
The 15th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners travel to Eugene Saturday to take on the 18th-ranked Oregon Ducks and the World’s Ugliest College Football Uniforms™.  If Oregon wears those butt-ugly yellow unis, give me Oklahoma and about 50 pair of UV 5000 sun shades.
All for me.
22nd-ranked Texas Tech comes into Fort Worth on Saturday to take on 20th-ranked TCU.  The Horned Frogs are looking to avenge 35-70 from two years ago in Lubbock.
Two things work in the Tadpoles’ favor:  1) Tech isn’t the world’s greatest road team, and 2) UTEP shredded their secondary last week.
Tech, on the other hand…well…is Tech.  And Vegas has ’em at -2, so I want TCU and 28.
Sunday evening, the Dallas Cowgirls have their home opener versus the hated Washington Foreskins Redskins.  The experts keep saying Dallas is going to kick ass, but they said that last  year, and Washington swept ’em.  I’ll take Dallas and 17 if Bledsoe plays the whole game, but I’ll give you all of that back, plus 14, if Romo plays.
Should be a fun weekend.  We’re back Monday with the recap.
Therefore, let the tailgating/smack talk begin!