Pigskin Prophet: Pigsty Edition

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My time in Columbia might be growing short.

Both Clemson and South Carolina were off last week, making things around here rather boring. The people who run college football forgot about both teams and now both need to make a statement during home games this week.

However, I was called into a meeting with several trustees and some architects, where I learned that approval has been given to upgrade the suites area of Williams-Sonoma Stadium. They’ve spent a lot of money on that place in recent seasons in an endeavor to make it more attractive, and I’ve said that it’s wasted money because it isn’t even on campus. Students have to walk down the railroad tracks and cross major highways in their short skirts and cowboy boots, trespassing through beverage and refrigeration companies and machine shops. It kinda is what it is – an unattractive stadium in an industrial area.

I do like the fact that the current capacity – which has dropped to a little over 77,000 fans – will drop even further. The stadium is a ghost town by early in the third quarter, so adding seats where the TV cameras can’t reach makes sense. Those people can be at their cars without making the walk of shame on national television.

But I guess I had a frown on my face, and someone asked me what was the matter. I said, “I visited my Aunt Irma on her farm last week, and she was proud of the fact that she hung Halloween decorations in her pig pen. She thought it gave the place a certain ‘charm.’ But I said Auntie, no matter how many pumpkins you hang on the fence post, it’s still a pigsty and smells like pig crap.”

I am not invited to any other meetings.

OHIO ST. AT PENN ST.

This one should be fun. We aren’t sure just how good the Buckeyes are because that offensive line is struggling, and Penn St. is still coached by James Franklin, which means they will implode at any moment and finish with three or four losses. But maybe, just maybe, they pull off the upset. PENN ST. 24, OHIO ST. 21

DUKE AT MIAMI

The Duke offense is really bad, sitting just ahead of Stanford and FSU in the ACC. Last week, the Duke defense forced six turnovers and the Blue Devils couldn’t beat SMU. Duke’s quarterback couldn’t hit the floor if he fell down, and while Miami’s defense is just average, the offense will make the Blue Devils pay. Hugely. MIAMI 34, DUKE 13

VIRGINIA TECH AT SYRACUSE

Talk about giving games away. Cuse went on the road at Pitt last week and gave three touchdowns to the host Panthers via interceptions. But now they’re back in the friendly confines of the JMA MMA Wireless Carrier Lacrosse Basketball Field Hockey Dome, where it’s hot and the fans are right on top of you (mainly because it’s hot and they are trying to get out and salt the roads). Tech is playing better each week, and they are favored in this one. But this is the ACC, and being at home in front of dozens of rowdy fans counts for something. And because Miami isn’t involved, ACC officials shouldn’t be a big deal. SYRACUSE 28, VIRGINIA TECH 27

OREGON AT MICHIGAN

Everybody gets to play quarterback at Michigan these days. And that’s not a good thing. Meanwhile, the man who created the mess in Ann Arbor, is spending his millions in sunny California acting like a head coach. This one should get ugly. OREGON 31, MICHIGAN 16

TEXAS A&M AT SOUTH CAROLINA

Into the pigsty we go. The Aggies pulled off a nice comeback last week, inserting a running quarterback in the game against LSU and a defense that has obviously never defended the run. That’s great. But these Gamecocks are pretty good against the run, and their fans will be liquored up and rowdy. Not sure which Aggie QB gets the nod, but it will be enough. Right? RIGHT?? AGGIES 21, CALKS 19

LOUISVILLE AT CLEMSON

The Gamecocks of Kentucky – that is what I call them – make their way south for yet another attempt against the Tigers. This series has been one-sided, and while Louisville is good on offense the defense is just average. That won’t cut it against a rested Tiger squad that has bigger goals in mind, and the series dominance continues. CLEMSON 41, LOUISVILLE 28

FLORIDA VS. GEORGIA

This game was once fun. No longer. You take away the cocktail party part and just make it another game and it loses all of its luster. GEORGIA 37, FLORIDA 20

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