Afternoon Open Thread: We’ve got rooting interests, even when it ain’t interesting.

It’s a fine fall day in Athens, with sunshine and temperatures peaking out in the mid-50s this afternoon before shifting to classic Georgia/Auburn weather for kickoff: mid-40’s with a 99% chance of malice.

As a prelude, the college football powers that be are serving up some choice late season matchups in the 3:30 slot. #8 Washington State travels to Colorado for a 3:30 start on ESPN. I still can’t quite buy into the notion of “eighth-ranked Washington State” but hey, here we are. And while I wouldn’t want it to come at the expense of the Red and Black’s chances, the thought of Mike Leach participating in the College Football Playoff makes me chortle like Uncle Verne watching Knowshon Marinovich break for daylight. Go Cougs.

SEC Network has #11 Kentucky traveling to Tennessee to take on the Tennessee Volunteers. As a reminder, the Wildcats won this one last year for only the second time since 1984, in a game that surely could have gotten Butch Jones fired. Actually, Jones was fired two weeks later, but that L probably didn’t help his case. What you need to know is that short of losing to Vandy nothing is more embarrassing to the Vawls than losing to Kentucky. And man do we love seeing the Creamsicle Crew embarrassed. Go Wildcats.

On ABC Oklahoma State is at Oklahoma for the annual “Bedlam” game, easily one of the most unpredictable rivalries in college football. Apparently Cowboys coach Mike Gundy took some heat last night from the local press for staying in town to watch his son play quarterback in a state playoff game rather than traveling with the team last night. This is honestly the dumbest take ever, especially given the number of college coaches on any given Friday night who are on the sidelines of high school games recruiting. Look, you only get to see your kids grow up once. He’s a man. He’s almost fifty. And I hope he wins this one to shut up the haters. Go Pokes.

And finally on CBS #16 Mississippi State takes on Alabama in a game that some people believe may be close. Spoiler.....it won’t be close. At this point as a Georgia fan you should be hoping for Alabama to arrive in Atlanta in a little less than a month undefeated but fully tenderized by physical games against the likes of the Bizarro Bulldogs and Auburn. So (oh this feels sort of horrible) roll Tide.

This will be the thread of choice in the lead up to the UGA/Auburn first quarter thread going live around 6:45. Until then....

Go ‘Dawgs!!!