Don't Bet On It!: National Game of Disinterest

We’ve gone around the SEC and taken a tour through the national games of interest, which leaves us with one game to go in this week’s rundown. Tradition requires us to pay attention---as briefly as possible, lest the sight of so putrid a football game be forever burned into our collective consciousness---to that one contest so lacking in intrigue, significance, or compelling reasons to root one way or the other that I refuse to pick it.

We call this the national game of disinterest, and, this week, that dubious designation goes to . . .

All right, why am I picking on these poor Conference USA teams? They’re both above .500 overall and this weekend’s outcome determines which one remains in contention for the East Division title. It’s not the SEC, but it’s decent enough football at its level of competition. Hey, I picked the Houston-Southern Miss tilt, didn’t I?

Yes, I did, but here’s the difference: Marshall and UCF are throwing down on Sunday night.

What’s up with that? They’re giving us special Sunday night college football, rewarding our loyalty by offering us a special bonus game in prime time, and, when America sits down at the end of the weekend, turns on the TV at 8:15 ready to watch the greatest sport in the world, we’re going to get . . . Marshall at Central Florida?

Look, if you just don’t want to give me Sunday night college football, that’s fine. I’m an adult; I can take it. If you don’t want to give me Sunday night college football, just don’t give me Sunday night college football . . . but don’t tell me you’re giving me Sunday night college football, get my hopes up, and then give me the Thundering Herd traveling to take on the Golden Knights.

This isn’t a football game, it’s a bait and switch scheme. I’m not picking it because it represents an unfair business practice for ESPN to air it in the first place.

Coming Soon: Too Much Information.

Go ‘Dawgs!