One last week in the regular season and only the Atlantic (such creative division names the ACC has) title is still up for grabs. In both the ACC and SEC a lot of pride and a few bowl destinations will be on the line.
N. C. State’s task is simple. Win and they’re in, and even UNC-grad John Swofford will be pulling for them to help sell out the ACC Championship, for once. In their way are the Terrapins of Maryland. The Terps are a remarkable turnaround story this year, and they are not ready to roll over. The Raleigh Ravin’ Wolves will bring plenty of bark, but not enough bite to get through the Hard Shellers. Van’s Vanquished, N. C. State.
The marquis game in the SEC this week is of course the Iron Bowl (that name made sense when the game was played in Birmingham, home of a lot of iron works). Auburn ventures into Bryant-Denny Stadium hoping to complete yet another perfect regular season with yet another controversy. The Houndstooth Checkers will be looking to put a Crimson stain on unblemished (on the field) Tiger record. Unfortunately for Tuscaloosa faithful, Cam Newton so far has been like Superman, and even Nick Saban doesn’t have access to Kryptonite. Van’s Vanquished, Alabama.
Of course Auburn-Alabama is not the only rivalry game at the end of what has seemed like a long season. The SEC and ACC have several interconference games, most that are for bragging rights, some for bowl seeding (or even eligibility) and one just because.
In the Sunshine State, Florida State, hosts Urban Meyer and the Gators. The Seminoles have not been exactly dominating in Jimbo Fisher’s first year at the helm. And Florida has not exactly been Florida in Year 1 A. T. (After Teboe). If this game comes down to a field goal, it’ll be a happy ride back to Gainesville. But if the Tommyhawkers can hold on to the ball, they shouldn’t have to worry about Wide Anything. Van’s Vanquished, Florida.
In the Palmetto State, the Ol’ Ball Coach will try to keep his men from looking past Clemson before their first trip (and probably last) to Atlanta. The Karolina Kitties of Dabo Swinney have been a fickle bunch this year, alternating good and bad games. By the calendar this should be a bad week for them, and the normally feline-averse Black and Garnet Birds have their talons sharpened. Van’s Vanquished, Clemson.
In the Peach State the game is between Georgia Tech and Georgia in that city of learning, Athens. You could hear the exhaled sigh of relief leave Bobby Dodd Stadium last week as the Jackets became bowl eligible for the 14th straight year. The Dawgs need to beat the North Avenue Traders to keep their own bowl streak at the same number. Clean Old Fashioned Hate may be exchanged between the two schools, but over the years there hasn’t been a great exchange of victories on the playing field. Losing record or not, the Slobbering Red Clay Hounds beat the Buzzers, it’s what they do. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia Tech.
The last interconference game has those two powerhouses, Wake Forest and Vanderbilt, facing each other in Nashville. While their records may be abysmal, their IQs are not. Van’s Vanquished, Weak Forest.
In the SEC two games will determine the winner of Golden trophies. The far bigger game is in Little Rock as LSU and Arkansas vie for the Golden Boot. LSU has dreams of a BCS berth and Bobby Petrino would love to play spoiler. Ryan Mallette and his Razorback receiving corps will be licking their chops to get into the pretty porous secondary of the Bayou Bengals. The Louisianans and their coach Lucky Les will need to find a way to stop the Hogs, or else the War Memorial Stadium grass will have to be resodded. Van’s Vanquished, LSU.
The other Golden trophy quest has Ole Miss traveling to Nashvegas where they will battle Mississippi State for the Golden Egg. The Black Bear Rebels have made their share of contests interesting this year, but dramas don’t play will under the din of cowbells and barking Bulldogs. Van’s Vanquished, Ole Miss.
In Knoxville, Kentucky (bowl-eligible) and Tennessee (not) square off. Unfortunately for the Volunteers, there is no Beer Barrel trophy to play for any more in this series, and the UK Mildcats are rested, having not played a real game in the month of November. Van’s Vanquished, Tennessee.
In the other ACC games,
Another first year coach, Virginia’s Mike London, sees a season mercifully end in Blacksburg, as Virginia Tech vanquishes UVA.
A possibly final year coach, Miami’s Randy Shannon, leads the Canes against South Florida (which isn’t really in South Florida). Van’s Vanquished. USF.
And for two schools where basketball season can’t start soon enough, UNC and Duke finish their slates in Durham. Butch Davis survives to coach another year and David Cutcliffe also continues to draw a paycheck. To quote Bobby Cremins, Duke is Duke. Van’s Vanquished, Duke.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Vanquished - Week 12
Two weeks left in the regular season and almost all the puzzle pieces are in place for both the SEC and ACC. Both halves of the Atlanta game are set, with one first time contestant, while the ACC Championship may soon be known as the Virginia Tech Invitational.
All Virginia Tech has to do to go to Charlotte is beat its old Big East rival Miami. That game this week is in South Florida, where the Canes are really drawin’ in the big crowds these days. The Coral Gables crew trotted out a new QB last week to great success, but that new gunslinger hasn’t seen the likes of Frank Beamer’s posse. The Hokies themselves have found their stride and it’ll take more than a gentle breeze to blow them off course. Van’s Vanquished, Miami.
The other division race in the ACC this week features 2 teams that control their own destinies. If Florida State wins at Maryland, they are bound for the Queen City. That’d be quite the feather in the war bonnet for Jimbo Fisher, first year out of the gate. Meanwhile, Ralph Friedgen has done the difficult and turned a set of usually slow Turtles around and made them contenders. Terrapin shells should be hard enough to deflect Seminole arrows. Van’s Vanquished, FSU.
North Carolina State puts its slim (and near none) chances of a division title on the line when the Howlers travel 15 miles down I-40 to Chapel Hill. The boys in baby blue have made the best of a bad situation and would love to spoil the ag schoolers title hopes. Wolves though do love the taste of mutton and will be licking their chops when they hit the field, sending Carolina to the Southern Part of Heaven a little before they’re ready. Van’s Vanquished, UNC.
Georgia Tech tries to make itself bowl-eligible by beating the Duke Blue Devils. First they have to actually beat the Durham denizens. The gridironers of the State University of New Jersey-South have had an up and mostly down season. The Empire State of the South’s finest meanwhile have been more Wrecked than Ramblin’. Week Two of a backup quarterback will hopefully be better then Week One, but the odds are not good for the Atlantans. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia Tech.
In the remaining ACC contests, Boston College will vanquish Virginia, and Clemson will vanquish Wake Forest.
The SEC schedule is pretty light (marshmallow light even) this week, with just 2 games of note.
LSU gets to host the CBS game of the week again this week as Ole Miss comes to town. With the division race settled, now the Bayou Bengals are just playing for the best bowl they can get. The Black Bear Rebels are just hoping for a bowl of any sort but to get there they’ll have to avoid getting bit by any Tigers. Unfortunately for the Oxfordians, Louisiana Cats are quick on a field kept short by a coach that grazes on grass. Van’s Vanquished, Mississippi.
Speaking of the post season, Arkansas and Mississippi State will be jockeying for the attention and affection of bowl reps this week in Starkvegas. The Petrino Pigskinners have the second longest win streak in the conference and will bring plenty of Sooie Pig shouters to the Magnolia State. The home crowd will do their best to drown out the Hog Callers with their cowbells. Unfortunately nothing will drown out the Cam Newton chatter. Van’s Vanquished, MSU.
In the only other conference “battle” of the week, Tennessee and Vanderbilt duke it out for “bragging rights” in the Volunteer State. This backyard brawl is more a race to the bottom, a race the Commodores will sail on to win, as the season will soon end mercifully for both teams. Van’s Vanquished, Vandy.
Elsewhere in the SEC, South Carolina will vanquish Troy, Florida will vanquish Appalachian, and Alabama vanquished Georgia State the day the contract for that game was signed.
All Virginia Tech has to do to go to Charlotte is beat its old Big East rival Miami. That game this week is in South Florida, where the Canes are really drawin’ in the big crowds these days. The Coral Gables crew trotted out a new QB last week to great success, but that new gunslinger hasn’t seen the likes of Frank Beamer’s posse. The Hokies themselves have found their stride and it’ll take more than a gentle breeze to blow them off course. Van’s Vanquished, Miami.
The other division race in the ACC this week features 2 teams that control their own destinies. If Florida State wins at Maryland, they are bound for the Queen City. That’d be quite the feather in the war bonnet for Jimbo Fisher, first year out of the gate. Meanwhile, Ralph Friedgen has done the difficult and turned a set of usually slow Turtles around and made them contenders. Terrapin shells should be hard enough to deflect Seminole arrows. Van’s Vanquished, FSU.
North Carolina State puts its slim (and near none) chances of a division title on the line when the Howlers travel 15 miles down I-40 to Chapel Hill. The boys in baby blue have made the best of a bad situation and would love to spoil the ag schoolers title hopes. Wolves though do love the taste of mutton and will be licking their chops when they hit the field, sending Carolina to the Southern Part of Heaven a little before they’re ready. Van’s Vanquished, UNC.
Georgia Tech tries to make itself bowl-eligible by beating the Duke Blue Devils. First they have to actually beat the Durham denizens. The gridironers of the State University of New Jersey-South have had an up and mostly down season. The Empire State of the South’s finest meanwhile have been more Wrecked than Ramblin’. Week Two of a backup quarterback will hopefully be better then Week One, but the odds are not good for the Atlantans. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia Tech.
In the remaining ACC contests, Boston College will vanquish Virginia, and Clemson will vanquish Wake Forest.
The SEC schedule is pretty light (marshmallow light even) this week, with just 2 games of note.
LSU gets to host the CBS game of the week again this week as Ole Miss comes to town. With the division race settled, now the Bayou Bengals are just playing for the best bowl they can get. The Black Bear Rebels are just hoping for a bowl of any sort but to get there they’ll have to avoid getting bit by any Tigers. Unfortunately for the Oxfordians, Louisiana Cats are quick on a field kept short by a coach that grazes on grass. Van’s Vanquished, Mississippi.
Speaking of the post season, Arkansas and Mississippi State will be jockeying for the attention and affection of bowl reps this week in Starkvegas. The Petrino Pigskinners have the second longest win streak in the conference and will bring plenty of Sooie Pig shouters to the Magnolia State. The home crowd will do their best to drown out the Hog Callers with their cowbells. Unfortunately nothing will drown out the Cam Newton chatter. Van’s Vanquished, MSU.
In the only other conference “battle” of the week, Tennessee and Vanderbilt duke it out for “bragging rights” in the Volunteer State. This backyard brawl is more a race to the bottom, a race the Commodores will sail on to win, as the season will soon end mercifully for both teams. Van’s Vanquished, Vandy.
Elsewhere in the SEC, South Carolina will vanquish Troy, Florida will vanquish Appalachian, and Alabama vanquished Georgia State the day the contract for that game was signed.
Friday, November 12, 2010
The Vanquished - Week 11
Whew! The old soothsayer Van pretty much whiffed last week, at least on the bigger games. Maybe an extra dose of Smart Pills is in order for this week. The coaches involved are certainly gonna need more smarts than many of them demonstrated. On to the Week 11 picks.
South Carolina is on the brink of going to its first SEC Championship ever, evah! Only the Gators of Florida stand in their way. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, the wetlands denizens are more than happy to get out of that way because … for South Carolina the brink is really the edge of the cliff they are about to fall over. The Ol’ Ball Coach will not seem so Superior in his own stomping grounds as the Orange reptiles chomp on some Garnet drumsticks. Van’s Vanquished, South Carolina.
Auburn’s perfect season continues on the field as it welcomes its oldest rival Georgia to town. Sadly for the Plainsmen, “perfect” is not a word that can be used for them off the field. The Bulldogs would love to take advantage of that controversy as their saintly coach brings them down I-85. The Red Clay Hounds will find though, that once the Tigers get their helmets on, payola will be forgotten, temporarily at least. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia.
Alabama hosts the other Bulldogs of the SEC, Mississippi State, in its first home game in several weeks. MSU is rested and ready to put its part in the Cam Newton saga on the back burner for 60 minutes. The Crimson Pachyderms will look to regain their footing as after last week’s stumble and little Maroon dogs make good dance step maps. That and a little home cooking will do the Tide wonders. Van’s Vanquished, Mississippi State.
In other SEC games, Kentucky will vanquish Vanderbilt, Arkansas will vanquish UTEP and LSU will vanquish Louisiana-Monroe.
In the ACC Virginia Tech looks to move one step closer to its usual division championship as it goes to Chapel Hill. The boys in baby blue surprised FSU and probably can’t sneak on the Gobblers from Blacksburg. For Butch Davis, the off-field issues seem to have subsided, just as Beamer Ball has gotten itself into gear. The Hokies might find a little Tar slowin’ them down, but not much. Van’s Vanquished, UNC.
Clemson got back on the winning track last week but this is another week and the opponent tougher. The Seminoles are still smarting from getting the horn last week and will have their tomahawks sharp and ready. Dabo’s darlings can be elusive Cats, but Oseola and his whole tribe will be after them this time. FSU will come out of this scrap with just a few scratches. Van’s Vanquished, Clemson.
Georgia Tech commemorates its 1990 National Championship season this week and Miami is the guest. The Yellow Jackets would love to borrow some of that magic from 20 years ago against a Hurricane team, while not blowing at full strength, will still bring the rain. The QB for the Coral Gables crowd isn’t decided yet, but Tech’s is. Starting a backup quarterback is not generally a recipe for success and the North Avenue Trade Schoolers haven’t been very good cooks this year. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia Tech.
In the remaining ACC matchups, Duke will vanquish Boston College, Maryland will vanquish Virginia, and N. C. State will vanquish Wake Forest.
South Carolina is on the brink of going to its first SEC Championship ever, evah! Only the Gators of Florida stand in their way. Unfortunately for the Gamecocks, the wetlands denizens are more than happy to get out of that way because … for South Carolina the brink is really the edge of the cliff they are about to fall over. The Ol’ Ball Coach will not seem so Superior in his own stomping grounds as the Orange reptiles chomp on some Garnet drumsticks. Van’s Vanquished, South Carolina.
Auburn’s perfect season continues on the field as it welcomes its oldest rival Georgia to town. Sadly for the Plainsmen, “perfect” is not a word that can be used for them off the field. The Bulldogs would love to take advantage of that controversy as their saintly coach brings them down I-85. The Red Clay Hounds will find though, that once the Tigers get their helmets on, payola will be forgotten, temporarily at least. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia.
Alabama hosts the other Bulldogs of the SEC, Mississippi State, in its first home game in several weeks. MSU is rested and ready to put its part in the Cam Newton saga on the back burner for 60 minutes. The Crimson Pachyderms will look to regain their footing as after last week’s stumble and little Maroon dogs make good dance step maps. That and a little home cooking will do the Tide wonders. Van’s Vanquished, Mississippi State.
In other SEC games, Kentucky will vanquish Vanderbilt, Arkansas will vanquish UTEP and LSU will vanquish Louisiana-Monroe.
In the ACC Virginia Tech looks to move one step closer to its usual division championship as it goes to Chapel Hill. The boys in baby blue surprised FSU and probably can’t sneak on the Gobblers from Blacksburg. For Butch Davis, the off-field issues seem to have subsided, just as Beamer Ball has gotten itself into gear. The Hokies might find a little Tar slowin’ them down, but not much. Van’s Vanquished, UNC.
Clemson got back on the winning track last week but this is another week and the opponent tougher. The Seminoles are still smarting from getting the horn last week and will have their tomahawks sharp and ready. Dabo’s darlings can be elusive Cats, but Oseola and his whole tribe will be after them this time. FSU will come out of this scrap with just a few scratches. Van’s Vanquished, Clemson.
Georgia Tech commemorates its 1990 National Championship season this week and Miami is the guest. The Yellow Jackets would love to borrow some of that magic from 20 years ago against a Hurricane team, while not blowing at full strength, will still bring the rain. The QB for the Coral Gables crowd isn’t decided yet, but Tech’s is. Starting a backup quarterback is not generally a recipe for success and the North Avenue Trade Schoolers haven’t been very good cooks this year. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia Tech.
In the remaining ACC matchups, Duke will vanquish Boston College, Maryland will vanquish Virginia, and N. C. State will vanquish Wake Forest.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
The Vanquished - Week 10
The SEC and the ACC continue along their diverging paths in week 10 of the season, as the big boys take a mini-break from intraleague competition, and the junior varsity plays a full slate of conference games.
The standard bearers of the ACC, Virginia Tech hosts perennial Thursday night contestant Georgia Tech. Both teams had last week off, the Ramblin’ Wreck needing it much more. Unfortunately this late in the year Paul Johnson’s mechanics can only hope to tune up a team in need of an overhaul. The dirt road to Blacksburg won’t be kind to a Model A’s suspension and neither will the Beamer Ballers waiting. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia Tech.
The Textile Bowl takes place this year in the Upstate of South Carolina when N. C. State goes to Clemson. Dabo’s cast of orange-clad kittens will try to get back on track against crop of canines coming off an upset of FSU. The felines will need to be a lot more ferocious this week than last and not run at the first howl from the Red Packers. Fraidy cats after all, Van’s Vanquished, Clemson.
North Carolina took on one Tribe last week and barely beat both of them. This week’s Native Americans will be bringing a lot more firesticks to the powwow in Tallahassee. The Tar Heels will soon be looking for wagons to circle but won’t find any, and the plane ride back to the Triangle will be filled with some black and Carolina blue passengers. Van’s Vanquished, UNC.
Maryland returns to the scene, sorta, of one of its greatest comebacks when the Terps go to Miami. These two teams look like they’re moving in the opposite direction though, as the Shellbacks set a new land speed record last week, and the Hurricanes were not as a strong as a gentle breeze. Down a starting quarterback, the Coral Gables crowd will soon be down another rung in the standings. Van’s Vanquished, Miami.
In other thrilling ACC action, Boston College will vanquish Wake Forest, and Duke will vanquish Virginia.
Meanwhile, over in the SEC, the conference takes a break from league play to pad their win totals for bowl consideration.
The highlight game of the week has Nick Saban returning to his old stomping grounds, but on the opposite sideline. The game features one conniving coach versus one clueless coach, and it don’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which boss has more gray matter. The Tide has plenty of Gray Pachyderms too, and them, plus coachin’ smarts, oughta be enough to compensate for the lucky Louisianans. Van’s Vanquished, LSU.
The Ryan Mallett show makes its tour stop in Columbia this week, short a band member or two. The Ol’ Ball Coach has the Gamecocks on the edge of its first ever division title and look to move one step closer to Atlanta by bushwacking some Hogs. Arkansas would like nothing better than to spoil those Georgia Dome dreams of USC, and will show some fight. Just not enough fight though, as Steve Superior and his Garnet clad cohorts find a way. Van’s Vanquished, Arkansas.
Florida benefitted last week from a Georgia QB who seemed to have had too many cocktails, even if he is underage, and collected an inordinate amount of turnovers. This week’s opponent’s Vanderbilt, probably won’t be so giving, even if their beverage of choice is more potent. Despite not playing like it most of this year, the Gators have just too much talent to lay an egg in Nashville. Van’s Vanquished, Vanderbilt.
In the non-conference tilts, such that they are,
Auburn will vanquish UT-Chattanooga,
Mississippi will vanquish Louisiana-Lafayette,
Kentucky will vanquish Charleston Southern,
Georgia will vanquish Idaho State, and
Tennessee will vanquish Memphis.
The standard bearers of the ACC, Virginia Tech hosts perennial Thursday night contestant Georgia Tech. Both teams had last week off, the Ramblin’ Wreck needing it much more. Unfortunately this late in the year Paul Johnson’s mechanics can only hope to tune up a team in need of an overhaul. The dirt road to Blacksburg won’t be kind to a Model A’s suspension and neither will the Beamer Ballers waiting. Van’s Vanquished, Georgia Tech.
The Textile Bowl takes place this year in the Upstate of South Carolina when N. C. State goes to Clemson. Dabo’s cast of orange-clad kittens will try to get back on track against crop of canines coming off an upset of FSU. The felines will need to be a lot more ferocious this week than last and not run at the first howl from the Red Packers. Fraidy cats after all, Van’s Vanquished, Clemson.
North Carolina took on one Tribe last week and barely beat both of them. This week’s Native Americans will be bringing a lot more firesticks to the powwow in Tallahassee. The Tar Heels will soon be looking for wagons to circle but won’t find any, and the plane ride back to the Triangle will be filled with some black and Carolina blue passengers. Van’s Vanquished, UNC.
Maryland returns to the scene, sorta, of one of its greatest comebacks when the Terps go to Miami. These two teams look like they’re moving in the opposite direction though, as the Shellbacks set a new land speed record last week, and the Hurricanes were not as a strong as a gentle breeze. Down a starting quarterback, the Coral Gables crowd will soon be down another rung in the standings. Van’s Vanquished, Miami.
In other thrilling ACC action, Boston College will vanquish Wake Forest, and Duke will vanquish Virginia.
Meanwhile, over in the SEC, the conference takes a break from league play to pad their win totals for bowl consideration.
The highlight game of the week has Nick Saban returning to his old stomping grounds, but on the opposite sideline. The game features one conniving coach versus one clueless coach, and it don’t take a rocket scientist to figure out which boss has more gray matter. The Tide has plenty of Gray Pachyderms too, and them, plus coachin’ smarts, oughta be enough to compensate for the lucky Louisianans. Van’s Vanquished, LSU.
The Ryan Mallett show makes its tour stop in Columbia this week, short a band member or two. The Ol’ Ball Coach has the Gamecocks on the edge of its first ever division title and look to move one step closer to Atlanta by bushwacking some Hogs. Arkansas would like nothing better than to spoil those Georgia Dome dreams of USC, and will show some fight. Just not enough fight though, as Steve Superior and his Garnet clad cohorts find a way. Van’s Vanquished, Arkansas.
Florida benefitted last week from a Georgia QB who seemed to have had too many cocktails, even if he is underage, and collected an inordinate amount of turnovers. This week’s opponent’s Vanderbilt, probably won’t be so giving, even if their beverage of choice is more potent. Despite not playing like it most of this year, the Gators have just too much talent to lay an egg in Nashville. Van’s Vanquished, Vanderbilt.
In the non-conference tilts, such that they are,
Auburn will vanquish UT-Chattanooga,
Mississippi will vanquish Louisiana-Lafayette,
Kentucky will vanquish Charleston Southern,
Georgia will vanquish Idaho State, and
Tennessee will vanquish Memphis.
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