Hatred flows through the veins of college football and its fans this week. The Egg Bowl, Iron Bowl, The Battle For Paul Bunyan’s Axe, Bedlam, Farmageddon, The Apple Cup, 100 Miles of Hate, and Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate are just a few of the matchups that draw us to the weekend. Not to mention a matchup that looms so large it is known simply as The Game. College football is wrapping up for the regular season but we aren’t done yet; not until we watch some fantastic teams bring the hatred.

Washington/Washington State under 64 – Here’s a Friday afternoon matchup to kick us off (no pun intended). Washington State’s high powered wide open offense tends to make this total always seem attractive to over players but Washington has a stout D and a ground game that can control clock and limit opponent opportunities. This game hasn’t reached this total in the last TEN years these two have played. Stick to the under and while everyone around you is wondering how they didn’t score more you can sit with a knowing grin and some extra cash in your pocket.

UNC -10 at NC State – The Wolfpack have packed it in for the season. They have lost five straight and six of the past seven. Somewhat unbelievable UNC needs this win to reach bowl eligibility in the first season under Mack Brown. This team won two games all of last season! These two teams are going in different directions and I’m ok laying a bit of a bigger number in a rivalry game with one of them just looking forward to calling it a season.

Ohio State -9 at Michigan – I want to take Michigan here. I really do. They are a team on the rise and I said they could still be a 10 win team after the Penn State loss. With all of that being true I’ve seen Ohio State all season and I’ve seen Jim Harbaugh in big games at Michigan. The Buckeyes are steamrolling teams this season. Their closest game has been 11 points and they had to turn the ball over four times to keep a game that close. The next closest; 24! Ohio State has the better quarterback, better all around weapons, and the best player not only on the field but in all of college football with Chase Young. I’ve heard a lot about Michigan this week but I’ve heard a lot about them for five years now. I’ll take the team that just keeps showing me something instead.

Auburn/Alabama under 50 – We need an old school, smash mouth, is that guy ok type of Iron Bowl and this game should do just that. The Tigers have a very good defense, especially the front seven, and will put plenty of pressure on an inexperienced quarterback. What they don’t have is a prolific offense because they also have an inexperienced quarterback. With both teams likely to have to rely on defense and running the ball this is set up for a great game with a low total giving us a nice easy under.

Florida State +18 at Florida – The Seminoles have won three of their last four and both games since firing Taggart. This is a monster number for a rivalry game with a team that seems rejuvenated since the change was made. Cam Akers is an explosive option and should be back in the lineup this week as well. Florida has had a tremendous season and I don’t expect them to lose this game but the Gators have had real trouble against the spread in this matchup losing five straight against the spread and seven of their last eight. Let’s make it six in a row and remember our theme here; good teams win, great teams cover.

If you want a bit more action to tail or fade here are a few other games of note that I will probably be on but am just not quite ready to pull the trigger of as of this writing on Wednesday night; TCU, Minnesota, Penn State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Michigan State, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame.

Thanks for reading and sharing as well as supporting all the great content The Tailgate Society has to offer. Get out there and get some Deadeye BBQ Sauce for that leftover turkey and enjoy the holiday weekend. We’ve all got plenty to be thankful for in one way or another, try to remember that each day and if you have a bit too much of something it’s ok to share with someone who may not; I’m sure they’ll be thankful for that too.