Together, we've gone around the S.E.C. and examined the national games of interest, which means there is just one game left to be mentioned.
I do not characterize this as a game worthy of note, for, in fact, it is exactly the opposite; it is instead the least consequential of all the games slated to be played this weekend, so much so that it is the one game about which I steadfastly refuse to offer an opinion. This, my friends, is the national game of disinterest.
This week's national game of disinterest is . . .
That whole "Bowden Bowl" angle was getting rather tired, anyway; there's only so many times you can watch Ann Bowden sitting in the stands looking fretful in some half-orange, half-garnet ensemble that inspired a thousand "House Divided" license plates and that atrocious half-and-half jersey Brady Quinn's sister sported when Notre Dame played Ohio State that time.
This game became even less intriguing, though, when both Bobby and Tommy were relieved of their coaching responsibilities. Coach Bowden fils was the first to go, getting the axe at midseason in a way previously reserved for coaches unlucky enough to work for Frank Broyles but now, evidently, the new norm, if the weeklong succession of guillotinings to have gone on in Knoxville, Manhattan, and Seattle offers any indication. It's getting to where Bobby Petrino's fax machine can hardly keep up with all the available openings!
As for Coach Bowden pere, he stepped down as Florida State's head coach in . . . um . . . when was that, exactly? It had to have been . . . just a sec . . .
No way. Bobby's still coaching?
That can't be right, can it? I mean, they named the field after him and put up that statue from the insurance commercials and everything. I just assumed that we saw him at the games because his "golden parachute" included a permanent sideline pass as part of his perk package. Well, I'll be dadgummed.
O.K., so, in the strictest technical sense, Bobby is still coaching, but, come on, get real. This game lost its luster about 20 minutes into the season when Clemson got embarrassed by Alabama. It's been all downhill from there.
When this game pits Jimbo Fisher against Will Muschamp for A.C.C. supremacy, be sure to give me a call. Until then, though, this is a clash of Atlantic Coast Conference also-rans and it invokes only indifference.
Go 'Dawgs!