After a flu-stricken Week 12 my Purell stained hands have returned from behind the mountain of Kleenex for the final installment of 2009’s College Football Fantasy Match Ups.
This holiday week provided alternative forms of entertainment; I’ve traded couch ridden days watching soap operas and attempting to remove my lungs via my throat for congested interstates lined with blue lights, trips to the grocery store with my parents which is apparently the congregational hot spot of my entire hometown, and the torturous smell of food being prepared that I cannot eat until tomorrow.
As disgruntled as I may sound I actually do have quite a bit to be thankful for this due to this College Football season (I won’t bore you with all the other mushy stuff I’m thankful for). I would have never thought after losing my first round pick running back to the Punch Heard Round the College Football World that my fantasy team would wind up 11-1 and be in the league championship against my college roommate. As fate would have it here I sit thankful for a 235lb running back from Stanford, a senior Tennessee Volunteer running back with an unmatched work ethic that would not yield to the new young superstar, backup Ducks (LaMichael that is), and a Cincinnati Bearcat quarterback who had a monster first half of the season but still hasn’t learned to fall properly and for the fact his incredibly talented backup was on waivers.
I haven’t quite convinced my mother to replace the traditional Thanksgiving Day turkey with John Madden’s famous Turducken, but I will be celebrating many of my other favorite Thanksgiving traditions such as a tryptophan-laced nap, the annual Turkey Bowl Flag Football game with all my buddies from back home, and College Football Black Friday.
Since I’m sure many of you still left standing in the College Fantasy Football world will have many traditions of your own to partake in this Thanksgiving Day, I’ll give you the rapid fire version of Week 13 and 14 fantasy games you should be thankful for. Enjoy the turkey, enjoy your nap, and if you’re lucky enjoy your new mantle decoration and place in College Fantasy Football Immortality… at least until next year.
“Love to Eat Turkey” and Love These Fantasy Match Ups for Week 13
Northern Illinois @ Central Michigan
The Huskies and Chippewas are combining for 63 points per game, and this is the last home game for senior quarterback Dan LeFevour.
Toledo @ Bowling Green
The Rockets are putting up 433 yards of offense per game, and Falcon receiver Freddie Barnes has been unstoppable putting up eight 100 yard plus games en route to a 1,482 yard, 14 touchdown season.
Nevada @ Boise State
Two top 10 offenses face off on the Blue Grass; Nevada (2nd, 534 ypg) will look to put the first blemish on the Broncos (9th, 455ypg) magical season.
Wake Forest @ Duke
Wake Forest senior quarterback Riley Skinner will look to go out with a bang and post his fifth 300-yard plus passing game of the season, but David Cutcliffe’s Blue Devils are gunning to finish the season .500 (6-6) which wouldn’t make them bowl eligible, but would give them their first “non-losing” season since 1994.
North Carolina @ North Carolina State
Russell Wilson and the North Carolina State Wolfpack have seen their share of shootouts with their games against Pittsburgh, Maryland, and Florida State being decided by 7 points or less and Wilson throwing at least three or as many as five touchdowns in each of these, and the Tarheels have posted an average of 32 points in their last two games against Miami and Boston College.
UCF @ UAB
UCF running back Brynn Harvey has racked up 268 yards and six touchdowns in just the last two games, and the UAB Blazers have allowed 19 rushing scores on the season. UAB has averaged 36 points per game over the last four, due in large part to quarterback Joe Webb, who has accounted for 15 touchdowns over that same period.
Notre Dame @ Stanford
Does Charlie Weis want to keep his job more, or does Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh want the Heisman Trophy to don the Cardinal trophy case a la running back Toby Gerhart. Despite the record and Irish disappointment Notre Dame is managing 452 yards per game (11th), but can they slow down “Touchdown” Toby, who has nine 100-yard performances on the season and is in the middle of a three game stretch against the Pac-10’s best in which he’s accounted for 536 yards and 10 touchdowns?
Games to Be Thankful For in Week 14
Oregon @ Oregon State
There has quite possibly never been a “Civil War” match between Oregon and Oregon State with more on the line; the Pac-10 title in this case, and with these two teams averaging right at 70 points per game combined you can bet there will be plenty of shots fired at the end zone.
California @ Washington
Just your typical end-of-the-year Pac-10 barn-burner here. The last seven times these two teams have met they’ve scored 55 or more points combined, with four of those north of the 60 point mark.