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Well, this is a doozy of a day.
Let's start with the top billing.
#9 Michigan State at #3 Ohio State (3:30pm ET, ABC)
This one is only made less monumental because the Spartans lost two weeks ago to Nebraska in EXTREMELY dubious fashion, though perhaps Plaxico Burress was a bit overboard... In any case, today's clash still features two top-ten teams squaring off with playoff implications and draft talent abound.
OSU has a potential #1 oveall pick in DE Joey Bosa, perhaps the best RB in the draft in Ezekiel Elliott, perhaps the best OT in Taylor Decker, perhaps the best WR in Michael Thomas and a good half dozen other prospects in the day two mix. We've already seen Thomas mocked to the Rams early on in the process (outside TST from B/R's Matt Miller here and inside TST from Eric Nagel here), so this would be a great opportunity for him to shine on the big stage.
Michigan State's no slouch, though. QB-needy teams will certainly be eyeing Connor Cook today who is shining this season with 21 TDs and just four interceptions. OT Jack Conklin will likely be in the round one mix. And DE Shilique Calhoun is a massive athletic freak who, if things fall right at the combine, could be a headline grabber. A dark horse candidate worth keeping new tabs on for Rams fans? MSU WR Aaron Burbridge. He's having a breakout final year after a relatively quiet career with seven 100+-yard receiving games this year.
I could go waaaaaaaaaay deeper on the schedule today, but here's some light notes:
#17 North Carolina at Virginia Tech (12:00pm ET, ESPN)
UNC G Landon Turner is one of the country's best. If Rodger Saffold is on the cutting block this offseason, could the Rams stack up at guard early in the 2016 NFL Draft?
#12 Michigan at Penn State (12:00pm ET, ABC)
Trap game opportunity here with Michigan-Ohio State coming in a week, but Rams fans need to get a look at TE Jake Butt. And don't ask me to unlock the Christian Hackenberg mystery.
#15 LSU at #22 Ole Miss (3:30pm ET, CBS)
This is the most St. Louis Rams game of the day. NFL talent. Crushed dreams.
#24 USC at #23 Oregon (3:30pm ET, ESPN)
This is also the most St. Louis Rams game of the day.
Mississippi St. at Arkansas (7:00pm ET, ESPN)
Arkansas TE Hunter Henry might be the major Rams draw, but MSU WR De'Runnya Wilson is a legit prospect to tab too.
#10 Baylor at #6 Oklahoma St. (7:30pm ET, FOX)
#18 TCU at #7 Oklahoma (8:00pm ET, ABC)
Your remote fingers should be nice and warmed up by this part of the evening.
California at #11 Stanford (10:30pm ET, ESPN)
Do you have what it takes to brave the chilled winds of late season Pac-12 football? Sleep beckons. Sunday awaits. This is only for true warriors of the eastern United States.
And of course the draw here is Cal QB Jared Goff, who Nagel dropped a great scouting report for earlier this morning.
Great day ahead. Let's do this, fam.
