Curator & Coach - Week 12

Curator Sam Burnham

Game of the Week
Georgia @ Auburn

This is one of those rivalries that make college football great. “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” dates back to 1892 to this first game in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. That game is, according to legend, where Auburn’s “War Eagle” cry first appeared. The first game was the brainchild of Charles Herty and George Petrie, founders of the Dawg and Tiger programs, respectively. The two were college friends and arranged for their two teams to play.

​And what a tradition they started. Wally Butts, Shug Jordan, Pat Dye, Vince Dooley, Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson, the list goes on and on. This game is truly one of the hallmarks of life in the Deep South. Will the Tigers roll Toomer’s Corner or will the Dawgs be up late ringing the old Chapel Bell?

These two teams have not only been playing forever, they also have one of the closest rivalries with Georgia holding only a 2 game edge over 123 meetings. It hasn’t been that many years since the series was tied, not only in all time games but also in all time points. The real history of this game is hard nosed, gritty football. Auburn knows to expect Georgia to play “grown man football.” Georgia knows they have to be “man enough to beat Auburn.”

This season Georgia’s stingy defense has allowed exactly 0 rushing touchdowns. Auburn, on the other hand, has scored 23 rushing touchdowns. This is the proverbial irresistible force and immovable object. Something has to give. Saturday afternoon we find out what that’s going to be.

Upset Alert
Texas @ Iowa State

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again now. Iowa State is the best coached team in the nation. Matt Campbell gets more out of the Cyclones than anyone else would. In a hard place to recruit he’s on the verge of bowl eligibility again.

​Not taking anything away from Tom Herman but Texas is not completely put together. The Longhorns have all the pieces but the puzzle is incomplete. When they show up in Ames they can expect to be bigger, faster, and stronger than their opponents. But will they be better prepared and when they be in the right mindset to win this game? If they overlook the Cyclones, Matt Campbell will embarrass them.

Coach Drew Burnham

​GAME OF THE WEEK
APPALACHAIN STATE @ GEORGIA STATE

Coach is finally off his rocker! He’s picking the battle for Sun Belt East supremacy for his game of the week. Allow me to get you the back story on this one. Once upon a time in the Mountains of North Carolina, an FCS power known as Appalachian State became the most notable David in the history of college football Goliaths by defeating #5 Michigan in Ann Arbor on opening weekend. The game instantly ascended to folklore and true college football junkies (at least for a small time) knew the names of Armani Edwards and Jerry Moore. They were the talk of the country for weeks and to this day any time a FCS program pulls an early season upset that game is mentioned. On that staff for App State were 2 young coaches named Shawn Elliott, the offensive line coach, and Brad Glenn, the Wide Receivers coach. Fast forward 12 years and those two are back at it together again at Georgia State with Elliott as the Head Coach and Glenn his Offensive coordinator. Just this week Glenn was named to the Broyles award watch list which is given yearly to the top assistant coach in the country. Now, I know a thing or two about the 1st time you get to play against a program that you spent a considerable time in or that had a significant impact on your life. That feeling and that game is strange and awkward no matter how you try to mentally prepare for it. So, while the average fan sees a game for the top of the Sun Belt East, this coach sees the Historical significance in the interworking’s of this game that may go unnoticed by the masses. It will be a big game in Atlanta. Here’s to pulling for the Panthers!

​UPSET ALERT
​INDIANA @ PENN STATE

​“Man coach, 2 weeks in a row?” Yea. Sometimes life’s tough like that. Here’s the psychology of the situation. Penn State was on a magical ride and had their magic carpet snatched out from under them last weekend. Is there a bit of a sobering feeling that occurs with that? Absolutely. However, in many cases there is also a relaxation that comes with it also as not having a goose egg in the right column. There’s no pressure anymore to defend perfection. Add to that a clash with Ohio State looming and those two combine for a deadly concoction. Indiana is not without fault adding to this situation. They’re on a run that hasn’t been seen in Bloomington in years and the offense is led by rebuild MASTER Kalen Deboer. If you’re not sure who he is, see week 1 C&C. I like this one. Go Hoosiers!

Curator’ Picks

MICHIGAN over MICHIGAN STATE
​NOTRE DAME over NAVY
CLEMSON over WAKE FOREST
IOWA ST over TEXAS
MEMPHIS over HOUSTON
GEORGIA over AUBURN
MINNESOTA over IOWA
WASHINGTON ST over STANFORD
OKLAHOMA over BAYLOR
SOUTHERN CAL over CAL

Coach’s Picks
​
MICHIGAN over MICHIGAN STATE
NOTRE DAME over NAVY
CLEMSON over WAKE FOREST
TEXAS over IOWA ST
MEMPHIS over HOUSTON
AUBURN over GEORGIA
MINNESOTA over IOWA
WASHINGTON ST over STANFORD
OKLAHOMA over BAYLOR
USC over CAL