The results weren't what I'd hoped for, but the weekend before Thanksgiving was typically eventful. High School and Professional games were disappointing, but College was satisfying.
I found the Class 4A Semistate game on the radio while driving home from the Indy airport. Columbus East was driving toward a touchdown that would have narrowed the deficit to a single touchdown. But the drive ran into a Cathedral wall, and the possession changed to the visitors. Cathedral proceeded to drive the other way for a quick touchdown of their own. By the time I got home, the game was over. The fourth quarter had only just begun, but Cathedral had already inserted their backup players to play out the clock.
The Columbus East team hadn't been challenged by any opponent since they needed a dramatic fourth quarter comeback to defeat crosstown rival Columbus North the second game of the se.ason.
But the Cathedral team is simply in another class, a fact recognized by the IHSAA, which has decided to promote the Indianapolis Catholic School to class 5A next season. That decision will presumably open a clearer path for next year's Columbus East squad, which has most of its key players from this season returning. Should East make it to Lucas Oil Stadium next Thanksgiving, will the long hoped for accomplishment be somewhat diminished by the knowledge that the championship was obtained without the need to overcome Cathedral.
Notre Dame won easily over Wake Forest on Senior Day, which wasn't unexpected. Then Oregon and Kansas State both lost, paving the way for the Irish to take over the #1 ranking in College Football. What makes it most interesting is that Notre Dame must earn a spot in the bowl game for the national championship by defeating their nemesis, USC. The Irish haven't beaten the west coast school in several years, and have to know they're going to need their best game to do it this year. If Notre Dame plays for the national championship, everyone will have to acknowledge they certainly earned the bid.
Predicting a blowout of the Colts by the Patriots wasn't something I did casually. My blowout prediction fell short of reality, as I only figured on a 45-14 score. My prediction was based on knowledge that the Colts defense isn't really that much improved over the last few years. The Colt defense was incapable of stopping Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski last year, and I saw no reason they'd be able to stop them this year.
Even though it's been fun following the overachieving class of Colts rookies this season, clearly they've benefited from a soft schedule. I don't know if they can beat the Buffalo Bills, but they still have a reasonable shot at a wild-card berth in the playoffs. Making the playoffs will certainly qualify as a major accomplishment for this group, but getting past that wild-card game is highly unlikely.
Fans should not blame Andrew Luck. Peyton Manning would likely have had the same result on Sunday. Neither Luck nor Manning play defense.
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