Heading into this season, with the realignment mess that took place in May and June, three rivalry games coming up in 2010 are going to be worth taking a look at. Because depending on how things shake out, outside of a bowl game, this might be the last time these three matchups will be scheduled.
Texas at Nebraska (October 16): As the Big 12 teetered on the brink of collapse, Nebraska was able to find a lifeline and will be departing for the Big Ten starting next season. Texas (depending on your perspective) either saved the Big 12 or used their position as a potential cash cow to elevate themselves over their peers.
Tom Osborne, Nebraska Athletic Director and Icon, would take the second position, methinks. And all of this conference maneuvering came on the heels of what might go down in Nebraska lore as “:01,” referring to the second that was added back to the clock at the end of the Big 12 title game last December.
Of course, there is a chance that the October 16 meeting in Lincoln won’t be the only matchup between the two. If things play out as both fan bases would like them to, they would rematch for the conference title in December.
But that October 16 meeting will be a doozy.
BYU at Utah (November 27): One of the issues that was brought up time and time again during the realignment fiasco was BYU and their Mormon heritage, and how that would have potentially been an impediment to the Cougars finding a home in a new conference if the massive dominoes had fallen.
When the dust settled, though, it was Utah that was moving on up to the Pac-10 (soon to be 12) and BYU is left behind in the Mountain West Conference. Since these two have been battling for supremacy (along with TCU) in the Mountain West for the last few years, the questions about the continuation of this series when Utah leaves has yet to be resolved. It would be a shame if the “Holy War” ended after this season, but you have to believe that BYU would love nothing more than to ruin Utah’s chances at a third undefeated season in six years.
Boise State at Idaho (November 12): This one is going to be a barnburner. I thought a few weeks ago that it was one of the trap games that Boise State was going to have to avoid if they were to run the table yet again. That was before Boise State president Bob Kustra called Vandals fans, for lack of a better term, classless. According to the Idaho Statesman, Kustra was referencing an article in the Idaho student newspaper that was titled “Who do we hate?”:
“This is a great example of why my wife and I no longer travel to Moscow
games,'' Kustra said. "It's a culture that is nasty, inebriated and civilly
doesn't give our fans the respect that any fan should expect when visiting an
away team. ... I don't think at Boise State you're going to find that, so for me
personally, when I read what Pete said I knew, I knew.
"For me, this is not about football. For me, this is a cultural issue. It's
about fans having to learn how to treat other fans and universities. What
bothers me more than anything else, is that the fans are not about denigrating
our athletic program. ... What bothers me personally is the denigration of our
academic programming. That's what I simply can't tolerate.
"I've seen rivalries all over America…but I've never seen the nastiness
aimed at the quality of our academic program that I find here in Idaho from the
University of Idaho Vandals and as long as that goes on, why would I want to
encourage a game where people don't know how to act like grownups?”
Well, okay then. Kustra has not backed down from the comments, but I can guarantee you that the game at the Kibbie Dome will be an extremely difficult ticket to acquire, and that it will be a raucous atmosphere at kickoff. And if the Broncos are still undefeated and in position to make a run at a BCS title game appearance, I think the Vandals would cherish a win in that game more than any other.
I will watch a lot of college football, but these games will be must see television for me.
