After a Thanksgiving day full of food, family, and fun, sports fans will be anxiously awaiting the weekend! Thanksgiving weekend always brings us some of football’s biggest rivalry games.
In the NFL, teams are starting to feel the pressure of making the playoffs. Let’s take a look at some of the top events of the sports weekend.
Top Sports Events for This Weekend – November 20 – November 21
The Chase for a College Football Playoff Berth
It’s rivalry week in the college football world, as we’ll see some of college football’s biggest rivals face off. Some of these rivalry games will have college football playoff implications, so that will make them even more important. Here are a couple of games that college football fans won’t want to miss.
This Saturday in Ann Arbor, we could see one of the most highly-anticipated games ever in this fiercely competitive rivalry, as the #5 Michigan Wolverines host the #2 Ohio State Buckeyes. Ohio State has been an offensive machine, while the Wolverines have a defense built to stop the powerful Buckeye offense.
Not only is a berth in the Big 10 title game on the line, but neither team can afford to lose, as a loss knocks them out of consideration for a spot in the College Football Playoffs. The Buckeyes are currently a 7.5-point favorite over the Wolverines. Everyone knows that Jim Harbaugh is 0-5 against Ohio State in his tenure at Ann Arbor.
Down South, it’s Iron Bowl week, and the big game is always the talk of the state of Alabama during Thanksgiving week. It’s Auburn against #2 Alabama at Jordan Hare Stadium. The Alabama Crimson Tide are in the thick of the playoff race, while the 6-5 Auburn Tigers will make a bowl game but are playing to spoil the season for the Tide.
Alabama can ill afford to lose this one, as a loss at this point in the season would take them out of playoff contention. Even though Auburn is down this season, this game always seems to be a battle.
NFL Action
While we have many games that could have playoff implications being played in the NFL on Sunday, there are a couple of games that really stick out. One of those games will pit one of the league’s hottest teams, the Indianapolis Colts, taking on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Colts have won three straight games and are racing up the AFC Playoff standings. Led by strong offensive line play, along with the stellar running of Jonathan Taylor, the Colts are giving opposing defenses fits.
Tampa Bay has lost two of its last three games and are coming off of a victory over the New York Giants. Injuries have slowed the Tampa offense down, and the Bucs will still be without wideout Antonio Brown this weekend. Tampa’s defense is known for stopping the run, so we’ll see if they can contain Taylor on Sunday.
Another game with playoff implications will match up two of the NFC’s top teams, as the Los Angeles Rams will travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers.
We’ll see if the Rams’ defense can contain Aaron Rodgers and the strong Green Bay offense. The Green Bay defense will have a big task of its own, as they’ll have to stop Matthew Stafford and the strong Ram passing attack.