Even though Halloween doesn’t arrive until next Thursday, this weekend serves as a chance to throw parties and dress up as everything from the trendy (Barbie and Ken being replaced by Beetlejuice characters) to the topical (if you bought a Donald Trump costume in 2016 it’s actually paid for itself) to the timeless (I have a co-worker who with his wife are going as Danny and Sandy from “Grease”).
But make no mistake, choosing the correct get-up is pivotal to successful party participation (I’ll never live down going as Jim West 30 years after “The Wild, Wild West” left the air) or candy collecting (Charlie Brown had those rocks coming with that hole-filled ghost costume).
The local FBS schools each play one more time in “Moving Month” and each have potential narrative-changing games: Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech fight to stay over .500 as all three schools face challenging November slates. James Madison can clinch bowl eligibility while proving its recent slide was just a bend in the road. And even though Navy’s ticket to the postseason is secure, the Mids try to transform what’s been a special season into a magical one.
Here’s hoping your team experiences more treats than tricks this weekend.
Saturday’s Games:
No. 24 Navy (6-0) vs. No. 12 Notre Dame (6-1), noon, ESPN/ABC
MetLife Stadium hosts this matchup for the first time since 2010, a span that’s seen this series take place everywhere from Jacksonville to San Diego to Dublin, Ireland — practically everywhere but Annapolis, which amazingly has yet to host a game in a series that began in 1927.
Five times this century they’ve met in Maryland (four times in Baltimore and once in Landover), but here’s hoping they celebrate the 100th anniversary of the series by playing one token game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium later this decade, if only to stop me from writing “they’ve never played this game in Annapolis” every autumn.
The Mids could use home field advantage this year, as they have the better record but the Fighting Irish have the better ranking and, as usual, tons of talent. Blake Horvath may be turning defenses inside-out as dual-threat quarterback, but the Notre Dame defense has held six of its seven opponents to under 17 points. And as long as we’re talking about quarterbacks with wheels, do not sleep on Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, who’s run for a TD in six straight games while posting a pair of 100-yard rushing efforts this season.
Presto’s Pick: Midshipmen make this one close before coming up short, 37-28.
Virginia Tech (4-3, 2-1 ACC) vs Georgia Tech (5-3, 3-2 ACC), noon, ACCN
The two “Techs” tangle in a series where home field has not been helpful lately as the road team has won eight of the last nine matchups. The matchup to keep one’s eye on: can the second-best pass rush in the ACC (Hokies have 24 sacks) get to Haynes King (Yellow Jackets have allowed conference-low three sacks on the season)?
The second matchup to watch for: how will Georgia Tech’s defense (fifth against the run in the ACC) contain Bhayshul Tuten (a school-record 266 yards against Boston College) and the conference’s most productive ground game?
Presto’s Pick: Hokies handle things in a 35-20 victory.
Virginia (4-3, 2-2 ACC) vs North Carolina (3-4, 0-3), noon, CW
Despite what many may say in Blacksburg, U.Va.’s “true rival,” according to more than a few traditionalists, is that school in Chapel Hill. And despite what they might say in Chapel Hill, UNC is in danger of missing a bowl for the first time since 2018 thanks to a defense that infamously coughed up 70 points at home to James Madison and continued its downward spiral by allowing 96 points in its first three league games.
An offensive extravaganza won’t be completely unexpected as “the over” has been cashed in five of the last six meetings in the series.
Kippy and Buffy know that when they tailgate with their UNC friends Meredith and Peyton (truth be told I don’t know which one is which, as they’re both family names), they expect the Navy-turtleneck- and argyle-sweater-wearing tandem to bring beef brisket. And that means pouring a bottle of 2021 Shatter Grenache.
“Dense and big with dark berries, chocolate, stones and baking spices,” former Wine Spectator Editor James Suckling writes. “Full body with fine, firm tannins. Spicy with volume and texture. Punchy toward the finish.”
Presto’s Pick: Cavaliers punch their way toward a fantastic finish, winning 34-24.
Maryland (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten) at Minnesota (4-3, 2-2) 3:30 p.m. FS1
The question facing the Terps after their thrilling victory over USC: Was that win an isolated incident or the start of something special? The big matchup here is Billy Edwards Jr. and the Big Ten’s most productive air attack (313 yards per game) against a defense that’s second best in the conference against the pass while allowing the second-fewest points and yards this fall (Golden Gophers also have a Big Ten-high 13 interceptions this season).
Minnesota’s played in three straight one-possession games and is led by New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer (68% passing with eight TD and four INT). Recent trends are not kind to Maryland as the home team is 4-0 in the series and the Terps are 0-8 as an underdog in Big Ten road games since the pandemic season.
Presto’s Pick: Terrapins tumble, 27-17.
James Madison (5-2, 1-2 Sun Belt) vs Southern Miss (1-6, 0-3), 3:30 p.m., ESPN+
Both programs have shuffled through multiple coaches the last 15 years or so, but for the most part JMU has had to do so because they’ve won so much their coach has left for better jobs at the time (Everett Withers, Mike Houston and most recently Curt Cignetti) while the Golden Eagles have had to reboot after failed regimes lost too much (the fired Ellis Johnson, Jay Hopson and Will Hall this past week).
Does Southern Miss get the “fired coach bounce?” They rank last in the conference in rushing, scoring and third down efficiency while allowing the third-most yards and second-most points per game in the league. The perfect foe for JMU to find its feet against after losing two of its last three games.
Presto’s Pick: Dukes deliver in a 44-14 drubbing.
Georgetown beats Bucknell, Howard handles Norfolk State, Richmond beats Bryant, Towson tumbles to Monmouth, William & Mary stumbles at Stony Brook, Morgan State slips at NC Central.
Last Week: 5-5. So much for “Moving Month” …
Season: 43-26.
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