9:23 AM ET The Thanksgiving weekend of 1971 is considered the gold standard of epic rivalry games: No. 1 Nebraska defeated No. 2 Oklahoma 35-31 in one of the earliest showdowns tagged as the Game of the Century, and No. 3 Alabama defeated No. 5 Auburn 31-7. Two weekends remain before we get to Thanksgiving, but already it appears as if the Ohio State-Michigan and Alabama-Auburn rivalry games this season will be important beyond their large and passionate fan bases. All four teams are in the top 10, and these two upcoming contests look like the only top-10 matchups remaining before Championship Saturday. Those of us who remember Thanksgiving 1971 are very excited. 1. To recap just how well the Ohio State offense played on Saturday night in the Buckeyes’ 62-3 rout of Nebraska, consider: Eight touchdowns, two field goals and the final possession running the clock out. No punts (but one fumble on special teams). The Buckeyes gained 590 yards of total offense. Converted 11 of 15 third downs. No sacks. Head coach Urban Meyer, as amazed Sunday as he was immediately after the game, said J.T. Barrett threw to his third receiver 12 times on Saturday night. The…
Continue Reading: Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes could rival epic matchups
