Preview week 5

Some Top-25 match-ups this weekend on the schedule but the most important schedule to any team at this point is the one the Gators have. The #1 team in the country will have the weekend off and time to get Tim Tebow healthier. Back-up John Brantley is getting almost all the reps this week in practice just in case Superman can't go next week.

While not the match-up it was before last weekend the #8 Okloahoma Sooners come to town to tangle with the #17 Miami Hurricanes. It's looking like Sam Bradford may be in the line-up this weekend so it will interesting to see if there is any rust. Sooner coach Bob Stoops will not be slow to put the hook out for Bradford and slide Landry Jones back on the field if the rust does show. Miami must bounce back from the thumping put on them by Virginia Tech. Neither one of these teams can afford a second loss as that will eliminate them from any talk of a national championship.

In a SEC match-up #4 LSU plays between the hedges Saturday against the #18 Georgia Bulldogs. After a squeaker against Mississippi State the Tigers will be out prove they deserve that #4 ranking. The Bulldogs on the other hand are riding the hot hand of QB Joe Cox and are looking to get back into the hunt. I think though LSU becomes another top five team to fall from the graces of the top five. Georgia wins at home.

#7 USC heads visits the #24 University of California. This game as all kinds of subplots. Can the Bears recover after the old fashion butt whooping laid down by Oregon. Trojan QB Matt Barkley is still nursing a sore shoulder. The Trojans will also be looking to rally around injured running back Stafon Johnson. On the other side of the ball Cal running back Jahvid Best will be trying to prove that he is still in the running for the Heisman after the 55 yard performance against Oregon.

A rivalry game is always interesting to watch and #22 Michigan will be facing Michigan State. Wolverine QB Tate Forcier is nursing a sore shoulder and the Spartans are coming off a tough loss to Wisconsin. State may be only 1-3 but their three losses have come by a combined 13 points. The Spartans will be tough for the Wolverines especially at home. As in any rivalry game anything can happen.

Other games to keep an eye on Washington at Notre Dame both teams will be trying to get back into the Top-25. Florida State and Boston College, which FSU team will show up or will the very disciplined Eagles end any hope of the Seminoles having a good season. #9 Ohio State gets an Indiana squad that is still smarting from a tough loss to Michigan. Auburn gets a test traveling to Knoxville to take on the Volunteers.

A game no one is talking about, but it is always special when any of our Armed Forces Academies play each other, Air Force tangles with Navy.

Last but not least I'll mention the Lenior-Rhyne University Bears out of Hickory, North Carolina. The 3-2 Bears travel to Greenville, TN to take on the Tusculum Pioneers Saturday night. The Bears are coached by Fred Goldsmith who won coach of the year awards at Duke and Rice. The Bears are sporting the #2 ranked rushing offense in the South Atlantic Conference. I added this because many times all we talk about are the big time college programs and I think it is very important to see some local small college football games. I know most of us have a smaller college that plays football within an hour of where you live. Go out and catch a game you will enjoy it.