Lovely October Nights – Saturday Open Thread

There are times when I wish October would last forever.  Driving with the car windows down.  Watching leaves change coloUr.  FITBAW getting more and more interesting.  No elections or fucking holidays to stress over.

Shit, I don’t even have an NC State or Everton fixture to trouble me this weekend.  I mean, sure, the Donks – but win two Superb Owls in one’s adult life, and the fan pressure is greatly reduced.  I’ve had my special moments, thanks.  Anything further would just be a bonus, and I’d feel greedy expecting/agitating for it.

Anyway, the night slate contains more channel-flippy options, but I wouldn’t call the slate affirmatively good.  Maybe next week?

TCU (-2) at Texas Tech (7:00, ESPN)

I assure you, Bloodeyes have done absolutely nothing to merit road-favoUrite status.  Guns Up!! may not be good, but they’re at least sentient.

Michigan (-3) at Nebraska (7:30, ABC)

Michigan, on the other hand, HAS done some work to date – but this spread would be waaaaayyyyyy higher except that everyone believes Harbs the Lesser will eventually stub his toe.  Cornfuckers might not be as bad as they looked in the Week Zero trip to Champaign-Urbana (hey, there’s a new nichkname idea for the former Illini – Rootless Cosmopiles), but I also wouldn’t call them good.  They have the look of that 6-6/7-5 team that litters the mid-week December exhibition schedule.

LSU (+2.5) at Kenfucky (7:30, SECN)

This line’s already a movin’ – it was at +3 when I moneyline bet the Tiggers – because (i) LSU is a desperate, cornered animal after flopping late against Auburn last week; and (ii) Blue Moons have zero experience with, not aptitude for, playing with affirmative expectations.  They’ll spit the bit, just you watch.

Alabama (-18) at Texas A&M (8:00, CBS)

Hey y’all, remember when Jimbo was gonna see all that assembled talent gel into a real contender to the Saban throne?  When the media types (who LOVE used car salesman-types who “win the offseason” – see Brown, Mack) insisted he was a real coach, not just some halfwit trying the “Rick Perry wearing glasses to look SMRT” trick?  Even Pepperidge Farm chuckles at that one.  ROLL DAMN TIDE!

Utah (+2.5) at Southern Cal (8:00, Fox)

Something tells me the teevee folk didn’t expect these to each have two losses, when setting this for national coverage.  Oh well, I still have “will be interesting” vibes.  You never know what you’ll get with either squadron.

UCLA (-16) at Arizona (10:30, ESPN)

When I mentioned “depth” earlier, that was the exclusive provenance of the 7-8 kickoff window.  The Tweaker slate is pathetic, much like the state of JV Bear Down FOAR Midterms’ athletics.  Westwood Klavern struggles when they have to do any MOAR than “rush 30 times for 250+ yards” – but the Mildcats will accommodate.  GET YOUR REST FOR MANDATORY WATCH MORNING.