It isn’t officially rivalry week until Grambling and Southern duel it out in the Battle of the Bands, but many big-time rivalries are this week, including Florida vs. Florida State. Vanilla Rice and Racy Lacy have tied the last couple of weeks, so Rice still trails by a game with a 28-21 record. Lacy is 29-20.
MSU (5-3 overall, 3-3 Big Ten) at Purdue (5-3, 5-3)
This game will make or break the season for both these teams as they are tied for third place in the Big Ten. Both teams are coming off losses - MSU fell to Indiana 37-28, and Purdue lost to Ohio State 35-9.
Vanilla Rice: I really want MSU to make a bowl game, so I’m going to keep picking them until they get that sixth win. Maybe if they lose again this week, I’ll try my hand at reverse psychology and pick against them.
MSU 35, Purdue 34
Racy Lacy: Purdue head coach Joe Tiller joked to reporters Tuesday that his team will have to play Canadian rules - 12 men on the field - against the Spartans’ tandem of wide receivers Herb Haygood and Charles Rogers.
While he’s at it, Tiller might want to go find a slew of bulldozers and cement barricades to fight off one-man wrecking ball T.J. Duckett, since he’s bound to have a big day against a defense that has been outscored 73-22 in the past two games.
MSU 28, Purdue 24
No. 4 Florida (8-1) vs. No. 21 Florida State (6-3)
Florida State only needs one more loss this season to tie the number its had the last three seasons combined. But that doesn’t dull the magnitude of this rivalry. Florida beat South Carolina 54-17 Saturday, and Florida State continued its downward spiral with a 34-28 loss to N.C. State.
Vanilla Rice: I think a few MSU players might have some interest in this one since 10 Spartans call Florida home. Florida State may be having one of those once-in-a-decade off seasons, but stranger things have happened - like MSU beating Michigan. MSU’s win over U-M proves that records are thrown out during any intrastate rivalry.
Florida State 28, Florida 21
Racy Lacy: The only question in this game will be which dirty program has the most criminal convictions. Gators quarterback Rex Grossman has been putting up some Nintendo-esqe stats this year, and there’s no reason to believe that it will cease against the Semi-blows.
Florida 38, Florida State 24
No. 12 Illinois (8-1, 5-1) at No. 25 Ohio State (6-3, 4-2)
After a slow start, Ohio State could take part of the Big Ten title with a win this week and a win over Michigan next week. The Buckeyes beat Purdue 35-9 on Saturday and Illinois stayed atop of the Big Ten by beating Penn State 33-28
Vanilla Rice: Go Bucks!
Ohio State 38, Illinois 34
Racy Lacy: Like I have said before, Illinois’ Kurt Kittner is a flat-out stud, he was even on the cover of ESPN The Magazine! The fact is, the Buckeyes can’t win the big games or many conference championships. They have been the Fab Five of college football in recent years - lots of wins, but no championships.
Illinois 31, Ohio State 24
No. 11 Michigan (7-2, 5-1) at Wisconsin (5-5, 3-3)
Despite its debacle against MSU two weeks ago, Michigan is still holding strong at the top of the Big Ten as it beat Minnesota 31-10 Saturday. Wisconsin took a break from its fall from grace with a 34-28 win over Iowa.
Vanilla Rice: Man, I feel like we say the same things about the Wolverines every week. First we make fun of Lloyd Carr and than we call them weenies before picking them to win. It’s not always in that order sometimes - we call them weenies before making fun of good ol’ Lloyd. Well, this week I’m sick of it and am going to take a stand by just picking them to win.
Michigan 42, Wisconsin 23
Racy Lacy: Lloyd “Mr. Burns” Carr won’t have anything to complain about this week other than his lopsided ears and bad haircut. His Wolverweenies, especially running back B.J. Askew and wide receiver Marquise Walker, will slice holes through the Badgers’ defense like a fresh slice of Wisconsin Swiss cheese.
Michigan 31, Wisconsin 17
Central Michigan (3-6) at Western Michigan (4-5)
Neither one of these teams are in the running for the Mid-American Conference title, but this is still a good one and always provides a great tailgate environment. Western Michigan lost to Toledo 41-35 and Central Michigan beat another intrastate rival, Eastern Michigan 35-30.
Vanilla Rice: To bad I’m going to be in West Lafayette, because it’s going to be a crazy weekend in Kalamazoo. I pretend like I’ve put a lot of thought into this pick and have a vast knowledge of MAC football. Really, I can’t name a player on either team. I just picked Western because my buddy goes there, and I think the Bronco logo looks cool.
WMU 21, CMU 14
Racy Lacy: Fire up the Chips and the Broncos and the alcohol flow! Are you telling me that there’s actually a football game this weekend?
C’mon, people just head to K-Zoo for the parties. Well, in the spirit of this storied rivalry I’ll have to go with the team who has the most sober fans... uh... OK... I mean the team that has historically been better... uh... OK... screw it. I’ll flip a coin.
CMU 20, WMU 17
Harvard (8-0) at Yale (3-5)
Harvard is in the company of Miami, Nebraska and BYU with its perfect record. It kept its unbeaten streak alive last week with a 28-21 win over Pennsylvania, and Princeton outsmarted Yale 34-14.
Vanilla Rice: Just like the Florida vs. FSU matchup, throw out the records in this one. It’s going to be a barnburner. Well, maybe more like a cheery old time. But apparently Harvard is as good at football this year as it is at calculus.
Harvard 21, Yale 9
Racy Lacy: Whoa, I’m shaking in my boots, Harvard is undefeated. C’mon NCAA, give these guys some love in the BCS rankings - yeah right.
Once the Crimson stops playing the likes of Mrs. Smith’s second-period gym class and Shady Acres Retirement Home, then I’ll actually pay attention. Regardless, expect them to beat some high-class, cocky, Ivy League booty.
Harvard 34, Yale 7
