With the Missouri Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies leaving the Big 12 for the SEC and the West Virginia Mountaineers from the Big East to the Big 12, college football is losing a few annual games that date back to the late 19th century. Of course these teams had many rivalries within their old conferences but these are the highlights:

1. Border War (Kansas vs. Missouri) – Believe it or not, these two neighboring states still harbor some ill will between the two that dates back to the American Civil War. The schools’ mascots Jayhawks and Tigers were both derived from the Civil War but that story is another blog. The first meeting was in 1891 with Kansas coming out victorious 22-10. The series was the second-most-played rivalry in major-college football history behind Minnesota-Wisconsin (yawn). Mizzou leads the series 57-54-9.
2. Lone Star Showdown (Texas Longhorns vs. Texas A&M) Beginning in 1894, the state of Texas’ two oldest public universities have had a long history of good old-fashion hate. From 1910 to 1940 there was only one instance of a team winning the rivalry game in consecutive seasons. Texas holds an overall 76-37-5 lead with many wins coming from 1940 to 1974 when A&M only won thrice and one tie. Legendary coach Darrell Royal was at the helm for most of those wins. Since then it has been pretty even. Each team had won three of the last six meetings.
3. Backyard Brawl (Pitt Panthers vs. West Virginia Mountaineers) This game is so named because of the proximity of the two campuses. The two cities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown are linked by I-79 with around 75 miles between them. They have played 104 times since 1895 with Pitt hanging on to a 60-41-3 lead but WVU has won the last three meetings.

1. Alabama vs Michigan (Cowboys Stadium)
2. Notre Dame at Oklahoma
3. West Virginia at Florida State
4. Boise State at Michigan State
5. Auburn vs Clemson (Georgia Dome)

Alabama: A.J. McCarron may not be as smart as Rhodes Scholar finalist Greg McElroy but he has a better arm and doesn’t make mistakes (outside of the Kent State jitters). Sometimes, that’s all it takes.

Arkansas: I can’t help but wonder what this game might have been like if RB Knile Davis had played. I think Bama still wins but it would’ve been closer.

Auburn: They are playing just as bad as everyone thought they would but still getting W’s. 20 years from now, everyone will forget the ugly play but remember the record. Time for them to start losing.

Florida: Demps & Rainey both had 100+ yards the week before playing Bama. So did Arkansas’ Ronnie Wingo and Penn State’s Silas Redd.

Georgia: Delusional UGA fans think the Ole Miss game was a good win. Sad.

Kentucky: Speaking of sad… All Rich Brooks improvements slipping back to the norm in Lexington.

LSU: Nothing against LSU, but West Virginia is not as good as ABC/ESPN tries to convince you they are. Kudos to the Tigers for taking care of business but the Mountaineers had no shot at winning that game.

Ole Miss: The curse of the “Rebel Black Bear” and Colonel Reb’s excommunication continues.

Mississippi State: What the bleep? OT against La Tech?

South Carolina: Stephen Garcia will probably go down in history as the best and worst South Carolina quarterback of all-time. What a train wreck.

Tennessee: I could not believe I saw Derek Dooley doing CBS commentary on his week off. Do you know what Saban does during his bye weeks? He prepares for the next game.

Vanderbilt: We all know Vandy will never win the SEC East but they do have some good players (the ‘Dores lead the nation in interceptions with 14). The problem is, they just don’t have the 40+ good players it takes.

………………..

The Karma Bowl (aka: Independence Bowl) Last year the Georgia Tech (6-6) fans had a good laugh at Georgia for going to the Indy Bowl in Shreveport, La. The tables have turned, Nerds. Air Force (8-4) and GT are both running teams. So this game should be over by 7pm.    Dec. 27 ESPN 5pm

~~~~~~~~~~

Finally, some interesting games with worthier teams:

Champs Sports N.C. State (8-4) quarterback Russell Wilson had a breakout year throwing for 3,288 yards and 26 touchdowns. After three losing seasons, things finally seemed to be clicking for coach Tom O’Brien until the Terps lost the season finale to Maryland and the ACC Atlantic division title.  Despite being 9-3, West Virginia has been a bit of a disappointment. They were thought to be a lock for the conference champ in a weak Big East. But a 2-game hiccup in October dashed their hopes of a BCS game. The Mountaineers recently hired a coach-in-waiting, so who will the players listen to? Orlando, Fla. Dec. 28 6:30 p.m. ESPN

Insight I hope these two black & gold teams don’t get mixed up. Missouri (10-2) made some noise earlier in the season by upsetting #1 Oklahoma and going 7-0. Then reality set in with two straight Big XII losses (Nebraska, Texas Tech). Iowa (7-5) and QB Ricky Stanzi did not have the senior season they were hoping for. They hung the only loss on Michigan State this year but lost their last three (Northwestern, Ohio State, Minnesota). Tempe, Ariz. Dec. 28 10 p.m. ESPN

Hey, coach. Which team am I on again?

Notre Dame dominated by Navy in a game played in Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ 35-17. There’s nothing like a high-profile game to expose your weaknesses.

Hey! How did a Big Least team sneak their way into the rankings?! Shoo! SHOO! West Virginia goes down to Syracuse at home 19-14.

I am not sure if Texas deserves a HHAHA. A “WTF’’ might be more appropriate. Last years BCS runner-up loses its third game in four. This time it is to unranked Iowa State 28-21. The one victory in that span was against Nebraska who was #5 at the time.

Georgia Tech got all full of themselves after beating weenie teams Wake Forest, Virginia and Middle Tennessee. Clemson smacked them back down to earth 27-13.

This just in, Boise is still a joke.