It’s hate week. Nothing gets the blood as angry as the rivalry games that are in full gear Saturday. Buckle your chin straps.
No. 18 Clemson (8-3) at South Carolina (6-5), noon, ESPN: The Tigers have won 10 of the past 12 in the "Battle of the Palmetto State," and they meet a Steve Spurrier team that has scored more than 16 points only four times this season. Spurrier, when he arrived at USC, took down the "Beat Clemson" signs in the locker room, saying the goal was to win the SEC not just beat the rival. At this point, he isn't doing either. And he might be one of the few coaches who can get away with being a rivalry runner-up this often. Dabo Swinney, meanwhile, might get a contract extension as well as a raise given how little he originally signed for to coach the Tigers.
No. 24 North Carolina (8-3) at North Carolina State (4-7), Noon, ESPN2: The Tar Heels are on the verge of something big, a turnaround that took some time for Butch Davis, but a turnaround nonetheless. At 9-3, the Tar Heels would be a great candidate for the Chick-fil-A Bowl in the Georgia Dome. "We're trying to grow this program. We're still not where we would like to be or where we hope that we'll be in the next couple of years," Davis said.
No. 25 Mississippi (8-3) at Mississippi State (4-7), 12:21 p.m., WPCH: Rebels coach Houston Nutt has a 10-1 career record against Mississippi State, and the "Egg Bowl" matchup isn't likely to go the Bulldogs' way. Nevertheless, new coach Dan Mullen has embraced the hate. He refers to Ole Miss as "the team up north" and has since his introductory news conference. He first said it was because he didn't want to use a curse word, then explained he's mimicking legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes, who refused to acknowledge Michigan and referred to the Wolverines with the same phrase.
Florida State (6-5) at No. 1 Florida (11-0), 3:30 p.m., CBS: Gators safety Ahmad Black on the "Battle for the Governor's Cup": "There's a lot of hatred. It started before us. ... We're just going to try to keep it going. We've won five straight, so we don't want to be the team that loses the streak." Other streaks that UF holds: 21 victories in a row overall, 15 in a row vs. the SEC, 10 in a row at the Swamp, and eight in a row vs. non-conference teams. FSU coach Bobby Bowden didn't sound exactly secure that this could change today: "It'll eventually change," he said. "Nothing will last forever."
No. 14 Virginia Tech (8-3) at Virginia (3-8), 3:30 p.m., ABC: The Hokies have won nine of the past 10 in the series, are expected to add another victory and probably will be the final kick in the pants for Al Groh as Cavaliers coach. There are 96 Virginians on the two rosters who will fight for the "Commonwealth Cup." The Cavaliers want to win one for Al: "We know how big of a win this would be, not only for us as players but for the coaches," linebacker Denzell Burrell said.
No. 21 Utah (9-2) at No. 19 Brigham Young (9-2), 5 p.m., CBS College: Of all the rivalry games, this might be as good as any. The only one today between two ranked teams, and the winner walks away with a top-level bowl game and at least a 10-win season. The "Holy War" rivalry has been decided by a touchdown or less in 10 of the past 12 meetings. These two dislike so much they can't even agree on the series record -- BYU doesn't recognize six games when the school was known as BY Academy.
Notre Dame (6-5) at Stanford (7-4), 8 p.m., ABC: Tear yourself away from UGA at Tech at least near the end to see what might well be the final moments of Charlie Weis' college coaching career in the "Legends Trophy" game. The Irish can't afford to keep him and keep missing out on an easy BCS berth and the money that awaits a BCS team. A Cardinal victory will help cement the view of Jim Harbaugh, who professes to be a Stanford man, awaiting a contract extension so that he's no longer the hot commodity among young coaches.
UCLA (6-5) at No. 20 USC (7-3), 10 p.m., FSSO: Trojans coach Pete Carroll is looking for an edge in the "Crosstown Rivalry." Worried that his team won't be ready for the rival Bruins, he has shown inspirational videos to the Trojans all week. They won't win the Pac-10 for the first time in eight seasons, so it's understandable. "The fact that some guy may be looking forward to hitting one of his old buddies instead of doing what he's supposed to do, that can happen," Carroll said.
No. 16 Oregon State (8-3) at No. 8 Oregon (9-2), 9 p.m. Thursday, ESPN: Of all the rivalry games, the 113th "Civil War" has to wait a week, and folks in the state can't. Counterfeit ticket warnings are flying. One fan listed his seats for $1,000 on Craigslist.com, and Oregon State fans paid to have Portland's Morrison Bridge lit by orange lights. At stake: The Rose Bowl berth for the Pac-10 and a date against Ohio State. For the first time in history, the winner of the game gets the Rose Bowl. The host Ducks haven't been to Pasadena since 1995; the Beavers last played in the Rose Bowl in 1965.
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