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We've arrived at the best football week of the year. Thanksgiving Day had three NFL games, (4 former Gamecocks could see the field), and was capped off by the Egg Bowl, (Kiffin's finale in Oxford?). Today is also loaded with quality games. We'll reserve judgment on just how great the week was until about 3:30 Saturday afternoon. For the first time in a long time, Gamecocks fans feel like they have a chance in the Palmetto Bowl. At least more of a chance than the rest of the Gamecock Scoop staff has against Beat Writer Alan Cole in the weekly picks totals. Alan continues to expand his lead with two weeks to go.

This week we've seven rivalry games on the list, eight if you count NC State and North Carolina. For the rivalry games we are going to give you a brief look at the series history.

We locked the lines Wednesday morning so they may be slightly different on the day of the game.

It was really simple in the American Athletic Conference, the winner of this game was set to play UCF next week in the conference championship game. Then Navy pulled an upset of UCF, (Carolina feels your pain Knights). Now one thing is still simple, the winner of this game is in the conference title game and the American is going to produce the NY6 Group of Five team. If UCF beats hapless USF then UCF holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over both Cincinnati and Tulane.

If Houston wins and UCF wins, there are three teams at 6-2, but Houston did not play Cincinnati or UCF this season. It gets a little murky at that point, but UCF is probably still getting in.

First Meeting: 1894 UNC 44-0

Last Meeting: 2021 NC State 34-30

Trophy: None (What do you expect from basketball schools)

All-Time Series: UNC leads 68-37-6 (111 meetings)

Best Game: 2021 NC State 34-30. It's fresh in our minds from last season. State trailed 30-21 with 1:33 left and then scored two touchdowns in 26 seconds with an onside kick recovery in between.

First Meeting: 1958 Florida 21-7

Last Meeting: 2021 Florida 24-21

Trophy: The Makala Trophy. I'd never heard of this one. Cool trophy.

All-Time Series: Florida leads 37-26-2 (65 meetings)

Best Game: 1997 Florida 32-29. This was a rotating quarterback game that could only have been devised by Steve Spurrier.

Gamecock Scoop is going to give you all the Carolina/Clemson coverage anyone could ask for over this holiday weekend. From past recruiting battles to predictions, to players to keep an eye on, and a look back at Carolina's best wins in this rivalries history. Discuss the 119th Palmetto Bowl or anything else you want to talk about on The Insiders Forum.

First Meeting: 1897 Michigan 34-0

Last Meeting: 2021 Michigan 42-27

Trophy: Surprisingly not one. One isn't needed for this game.

All-Time Series: Michigan leads 59-51-6 (117 meetings)

Best Game: This would be debate amongst the two fan bases, we are going with the most important, Ohio State 42-39 win over Michigan in 2006 when the schools entered #1 and #2. Ohio State would go onto get destroyed by Florida in the National Championship game, starting the SEC's era of dominating college football.

James Madison is still in their transitional year to FBS football. They aren’t eligible for a bowl this season. Coastal has already clinched a spot in the Sun Belt Championship Game. One team has an entire season to play for, the other has nothing. Don’t surprised if Coastal pulls their starters in the first half and treats this game like an NFL preseason game.

GamecockScoop’s “Which Way Is Up?” GOTW

Former Mississippi State head coach, and most recently Oregon offensive coordinator, Joe Moorhead took over an Akron program that probably had the worst roster in the FBS at the end of 2021. Moorhead flipped the roster by nearly 50 players and the roster is still not where it needs to be. The Zips have only won one game this year, but have been competitive in nearly every conference game, losing four of them by 7 points or less. On the bright side, Akron boasts the 2nd best passing offense in the MAC and finally got the run game going against Eastern Michigan. On the down side, the defense has given up too many explosive plays and has struggled to produce much of a pass rush. While the defense has gotten progressively better throughout the year, cornerback is a glaring position of need.

DJ Irons has shined throwing for 2,605 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has also rushed for over 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. If Irons is unable to go, he will be replaced by FCS transfer Jeff Undercuffler. Pittsburgh transfer Shockey Jacques-Louis has been the top target, but LSU transfer Alex Adams has been the most explosive player on offense. Defensively, 6th year senior Bubba Arslanian is one of the nation’s leader in tackles with 109 total.

Northern Illinois struggled with consistency and underperformed expectations in 2022. They enter their final game of the season with a 3-8 record and have little to play for outside of pride. Multiple quarterbacks have spent time under center for the Huskies and it remains to be seen who will be the starter against the Zips. Sophomores Harrison Waylee and Antario Brown lead the rushing attack, while Illinois native Cole Tucker has been the leading receiver in 2022. Defensively, sophomores CJ Brown and Daveren Rayner lead the team in tackles.

First Meeting: 1912 Kentucky 41-0

Last Meeting: 2021 Kentucky 52-21

Trophy: The Governor's Cup

All-Time Series: Kentucky leads 18-15 (33 meetings- this rivalry took a 70-year break)

Best Game: 2007 Kentucky 40-34.

First Meeting: 1894 OAC (Now Oregon State) 16-0

Last Meeting: 2021 Oregon 38-29

Trophy: The Platypus Trophy was awarded to the winner; it was lost for over forty years and finally found in 2005. Beginning with the 2007 game, it is awarded to the winning school's alumni association.

All-Time Series: Oregon leads 67-48-10 (125 meetings)

Best Game: 1998 Oregon State 44-41 in Double OT

Bonus: Per Wikipedia the 1983 game has been dubbed the "Toilet Bowl." Due to the very poor standard of play, including eleven turnovers and four missed field goals, as well as the miserable weather conditions in which it was played, the game is often referred to as the Toilet Bowl

First Meeting: 1926 Notre Dame 13-12

Last Meeting: 2021 Notre Dame 31-16

Trophy: Jeweled Shillelagh

All-Time Series: Notre Dame leads 48-36-5 (92 meetings)

Best Game: 2005 USC 34-31

First Meeting: 1900 5-5 Tie

Last Meeting: 2021 Washington State 40-13

Trophy: The Apple Cup

All-Time Series: Washington leads 74-33-6 (113 meetings)

Best Game: 2002: Washington over #3 Washington State 29-26 in OT