… solipsubmissive …

There are a great many things i should be writing right now.  And a couple things i really want to write right now.  But my head is still a little woozy from last night, and i’m trying to figure out how to worm my way out of attending an oyster roast with the lastest single guy with whom my well-meaning friends are trying to hook me up.  The problem here is this:  apparently, i actually agreed to attend said oyster roast with little to no regard for the fact that it is January 1st. (Update: the head is better, but i still haven’t written either the things i should have been writing, or the things i want to write – more on the date below.)

Bowl games.

Worse, the guy is supposed to be picking me up at 1pm, which is, coincidentally, precisely when the Texas Tech/Virginia game starts – the game i’d most anticipated watching of all the bowl games today.  i don’t get to see many games involving Texas teams because of the broadcast schedule where i live (SEC and ACC dominated, of course.)  Because of this, i’ve totally been looking forward to seeing Michael Crabtree in action, and now i have two hours to try to gracefully extricate myself from the date. (Update:  i managed to get out of the date by being honest about my reasons for doing so.  The guy was gracious, on the surface, but i wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t call me again.)

Anyhoo, here’s how i see today shaking out, football-wise:

• Tennessee over Wisconsin- this game holds the least interest for me, despite the fact that it’s an SEC/Big 10 matchup, and i’ve long held the view that, if you plunk any Big Ten team (yes, including Ohio State) down in the SEC, you have a barely lukewarm football team.  (Update:  Tennessee 21, Wisconsin 17.)
• Arkansas over Missouri- This game will, of course, depend on which team Arkansas brings.  If the team that beat LSU in three overtimes shows up, Mizzou’s in trouble.  And, as always, the game will hinge on McFadden.  (Update:  Missouri 38,  Arkansas 7.  Apparently, they left their game in Baton Rouge.)
• Florida over Michigan- this game is just lopsided.  Michigan has a lot to prove.  Florida has Tebow.  (Update:  Michigan 41, Florida 35.  Ouch.)
• Texas Tech over Virginia- two words:  Michael Crabtree.  (Update:  Texas Tech 31, Virginia 28.  i’m glad i wiggled out of the date.  This turned out to the be the best game of the day.  From a wild snap on a punt that Tech’s Jonathan LaCour managed to save and garner enough yards to keep Virginia from trying for the three points that might have put this game into OT, to Crabtree’s late TD reception on the very edge of the endzone, it was the sort of game i love to watch.  And keep your eye on this team next year.  They’re losing nobody from their starting lineup, except maybe the offensive lineman who fractured his ankle.  Graham Harrell can throw the ball – he came into the game with a completion average around 79% – and he has an arsenal of targets.)
• Illinois over USC- i’m conflicted about this one.  i don’t like the Big Ten.  i just don’t.  But i can’t shake the feeling that USC is going to choke, as they have a few times this season.  So i’m grudgingly picking the Illini.  Why couldn’t this game have been on during the effin’ oyster roast?  (Update:  USC 49, Illinois 17.  i should have known better.  i’m far too emotion-driven…ha!)
• Georgia over Hawaii- Hawaii, to me, is like The Little Undefeated Team Who Could.  i’m seriously so happy for them.  And, i suppose they could pull an App State and beat Georgia.  (But i don’t think so.)  But i’d like the record to show that i think it was mean of whomever decided they need to play an SEC team.  Big meanieheads.  (Update:  Georgia 41, Hawaii 10.)