With several games over the Thanksgiving holiday and even more on Saturday and Sunday, I am about footballed out. I must regroup and get ready for the Monday Night game. It’s gonna be tough, but I think I can make it.

Besides, it’s good practice for the bowl season that starts on December 18.

LOCAL:

There are still a couple of Montana college teams playing football into December: The Carroll College Fighting Saints and the Montana State Bobcats. Both play next Saturday at noon.

The Carroll College Fighting Saints (Five-time NAIA National Champions) won another playoff game on Saturday, beating Marian 38-6. They host Saint Xaiver of Illinois in a semi-final game next Saturday in Helena. Saint Xaiver beat Saint Francis 40-21 on Saturday and, in 2006, beat Carroll in Helena. The other two teams in the semifinals are MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) and defending National Champion Sioux Falls (SD).

The Montana State Bobcats (9-2) will host North Dakota State (8-4) in the second round of the FBS playoffs on Saturday in Bozeman. The Bobcats received a first round bye while North Dakota State beat Robert Morris 42-17.

Both games are scheduled to be broadcast across Montana.

Bowl Championship Series (BCS):

Every year I call for a playoff system in major college football. This year is the same. The BCS is completely screwed up again this year. There could be three undefeated teams going into the bowl season (Auburn, Oregon and TCU).

But that’s not the worst part. Stanford is ranked #4 and they have one loss and that was against #2 Oregon. I have no problem with Stanford coming in at #4.

#5 Wisconsin has one loss against Michigan State. Michigan State has one loss and is ranked #8. Ohio State has one loss (Wisconsin) and is ranked #6.

Arkansas is the highest ranked two loss team coming in at #7. Arkansas lost to Alabama (16) and Auburn (1).

The highest ranked Big 12 School is Oklahoma and they are #9. They lost to Missouri (#12). They also lost to Texas A&M (18).

Another Big 12 School (Nebraska) comes in at #13. They beat Missouri (12) and Oklahoma State (14).

If there are more than two undefeated teams going into the Bowl season, then we have a problem. That is why the top 16 teams should be in a playoff, using the Bowl games as playoff games and having the playoffs over a five week period starting the second week of December.

Although we will see #1 versus #2 in the BCS championship, we probably won’t see the number three team take on the number four team or five take on six, and so on. There are five BCS Bowl games and since we are doing it this way, it would be nice to see the top ten ranked BCS teams play in them. The simple answer to this is the Bowls have deals with conferences. The second simple answer is it is the money.

There are 35 Bowl Games this season. 70 teams get one more game. The first bowl game is December 18 and the last one is January 10. Check out the schedule HERE.

Pro Football

AFC West:

It seems many football commentators, especially the NBC Sunday night crew, are anointing the San Diego Chargers as a playoff team. They are 6-5 and in second place in the AFC West. They lost to the AFC West leading Chiefs earlier this year and have to play them one more time in San Diego.

The Chargers final two games are on the road. The Chiefs final two games are at home. I predicted the Chiefs would finish 8-8 or 9-7 this season. They need one more win to get to number eight.

The Chiefs played their most complete games in the last two weeks, beating Arizona at home and Seattle on the road. Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe and QB Matt Cassell are a thing now. Bowe has 7 TDs in the last three games. RB Jamaal Charles went over 1000 yards rushing for the season on Sunday and RB Thomas Jones has over 700 yards rushing.

The Chiefs held the Seahawks to just 20 yards rushing on Sunday.

The Chiefs host the Broncos on Sunday at Arrowhead. It is payback time for the Chiefs. Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels may need to review the video tape since he played the Chiefs last. The key thing for the Chiefs in this game is to get ahead early and run the ball. Broncos are second to last in rush defense.

For the Chiefs, one word sticks out when they are on defense: PASS. The Broncos are number four in the league in passing offense.

It appears with the Broncos loss on Sunday and being 3-8, it will be a miracle if McDaniels lasts to next Sunday to visit Kansas City. When the Broncos are beaten by the Chiefs, McDaniels may not make it back to Denver. I suggest Chiefs coach Todd Haley shake McDaniels’ hand after the game Sunday because McDaniels won’t be around too much longer.

The Fight:

In case you missed one of the better fights in the NFL Sunday, here’s the video of Houston WR Andre Johnson and Tennessee CB Cortland Finnegan getting it on.

The Picks:

I am 10 for 15 so far this week. Sad showing. It’s time for more research. I gotta win some pizza from Papa Johns or something from Sirius.