We’ll kick off our quest for a third straight Perfect Football Weekend™ by announcing a change in the lineup.
Since my Arlington Heights Yellow Jackets are once again rendered spectators for the rest of the playoffs, we’ll plug in the Royse City Bulldogs for my high-school team, as one of their coaches is an acquaintance of mine.  They’ll be playing Kennedale Friday evening, hoping to advance to the regional round.  They have a good shot – RC seems to be playing very well this year.
But the reason we’re so early with this PFW is the same reason it’s early every year at this time – Thanksgiving Day f’ball, you bet! (grin)
Tomorrow, the Dallas Cowboys have their annual TD game at Texas Stadium against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  TB’s starting quarterback, a fellow by the name of Simms, suffered a ruptured spleen early in the season and was replaced by rookie Bruce Gradkowski.  He’s the third rookie QB the ‘Boys have faced this year, having already destroyed Widdle Vinnie “Damn, the other  guys get paid now?!?!?!” Young and Matt “And I thought Carroll was an idiot for leaving Reggie out on 4th-and-2” Leinart.  The safe bet is that, as long as they don’t play down to TB’s level, Gradkowski will make it three for three.
Friday, we have one of those “double-whammy” games I keep telling you guys about:  one of my teams playing one of my anti-teams.  Ninth-ranked LSU will hold its nose as it goes to the pig farm to play fifth-ranked Arkansas.  (Just so you guys know, Arkansas is the only team for whom I’ll pull to lose to Texas U.  Should give you an idea how much I hate ’em.)  Vegas has the game as a pick’m, but that means they consider LSU to be three points better straight-up. I’ll take those odds.
Also Friday, Turner Gill’s UBuffalo Bulls are at home versus Central Michigan.  Vegas can’t seem to make up its mind on this one, but the slight consenses is UB plus 16.
Saturday, the 13th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners will travel to Stillwater to take on in-state rival Oklahoma State.  The line is OU minus six, but if they’re running the ball like they did against Baylor, you can have 17.
Lastly, TCU will travel to Fort Collins, Colorado for an evening tilt with the Colorado State Rams.  TCU embarrassed CSU 33-6 last year in Fort Worth, and the Rams are good at home, so this game worries me a bit – although TCU is favored by 10.
We’ll be back Sunday for the recap, assuming I’ve recovered from the overdose of L-tryptophan from all the turkey I’m scarfing that day.