Trav's Thoughts

This has been called the greatest rivalry in sport. The two schools meet today for the 103rd time. Michigan leads the series 57-40-6. This will be the 24th time the game has decided the Big 10 title. OSU has won the last three match ups. Last year the teams were both undefeated and met with a trip to the national championship game on the line. This season the prize should be a trip to the Rose Bowl. I have blogger friends in both states. My interest in the game is purely about sport, so I am basically neutral.



Here are the BCS standings for this week:

1 LSU (9-1) at Mississippi
2 Oregon (8-1) lost to Arizona
3 Kansas (10-0) vs Iowa State
4 Oklahoma (9-1) at Texas Tech
5 Missouri (9-1) at Kansas State
6 West Virginia (8-1) at #22 Cincinnati
7 Ohio State (10-1) at Michigan
8 Arizona State (9-1) idle
9 Georgia (8-2) vs #23 Kentucky
10 Virginia Tech (8-2) vs Miami

It's a shame that the arrogance of the "BCS schools" has Hawaii (9-0) buried at #16, but that's the way the "haves" have set up the system. We found out last year that mid-major conferences can produce nationally competitive teams when Boise State beat Oklahoma.

QB Dennis Dixon went down early in the game Thursday against Arizona. It turns out he will have season ending knee surgery. When he left the game, a gimpy Brady Leaf came in and was unable to rally the Ducks. They lost to Arizona and with that went any chance to represent the Pac 10 in the national championship game. Good luck to senior Dennis Dixon. I know something of having your career end with an injury. Dixon was a Heisman candidate prior to the injury and certainly looked to play on Sundays, if not as a QB then probably as a converted wide receiver. Hopefully his surgery goes well and he is still able to pursue that NFL future.

The worst season in Notre Dame football history is mercifully almost over. The Irish host Duke today. The two teams are 2-18 combined. Last week Navy ended 43 years of futility agains Notre Dame. If Irish fans thought that was rock bottom, think again. Losing today to Duke would be worse. The Blue Devils have only won 4 games in the last 4 seasons. The Irish need to come out and play with the pride that has been lacking all year. I'd like to see them finish out with a solid win at home and then a win on the road next week at Stanford. Let's leave this lousy season with a good taste, and a thought that it might just be an abberation. Well, hope springs eternal anyway.


The Huskies are trying to get out of last place in the Pac 10 as they host disappointing Cal. Since reaching #2 in the country, a host of injuries and bad breaks have derailed a promising season for the Golden Bears. UW QB Jake Locker suffered a neck injury last week against Oregon State on a helmet to helmet collision and will likely sit out today. Fortunately the injury was not more serious.

My girl Dixie's Vols host Vanderbilt in a rivalry game today. There's plenty at stake for UT. The Vols are trying to keep pace with Georgia to finish first in the SEC East division. UT beat Georgia earlier in the season, so they hold the tie break if the teams finish in a tie.

Now Hoochies always support fellow Hoochies. My gal Turn's Wildcats can give Dixie's Vols a huge boost by beating Georgia today down in Athens. Although the season derailed slightly with losses to Florida and Mississippi, UK will still go to a bowl game.

Shhhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell Dixie and Turn about next week when UT and UK play in Lexington. Today we focus on Hoochies helping Hoochies. We'll deal with Hoochie rivalry next week.

I'll probably be back with some observations.

Later babies!