Bottom 10 after Week 12 — James Madison gets a seat at the table

Inspirational thought of the week:

I’ve got eyes to see with
Ears to hear with
Arms to hug with
Lips to kiss with
Someone to adore

How could anybody ask for more?
My needs are small, I buy ‘em all
At the five and ten cent store
Oh, I’ve got plenty to be thankful for

— Bing Crosby, «I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For»

Here at Bottom 10 Headquarters, located in the back of the plane Jesse Palmer lives in as he jets between college football games and the 37 reality shows he hosts, we never pass up a chance to express how thankful we are.

Thankful for the likes of R.O.C.K. in the U-T-S-A, Georgia State Not Southern, the New Mexico State Other Aggies, Arkansaw State and unLv, all of which were fighting for Bottom 10 titles seemingly only a few minutes ago but now are all going bowling and some are fighting for conference titles. They all feel like that surprisingly great Thanksgiving dish, the casserole prepared by that weird hippie your cousin married after they met at a furry convention. She slow-cooked a bunch of random ingredients that no one thought would work but it is totally delicious, especially when it finally finds its way into a bowl.

But we are also thankful for those teams which are still with us. The ones which have never forgotten their Bottom 10 roots and are held down by those roots as if they were battleship chains. On the Turkey Day table they are the thing your Uncle Lonnie found in the back of his ice box, kept in a recycled Country Crock tub and labeled only with a scribbled blue magic marker, illegibly stating that it is either a «donut treat» or warning «do not eat.» It smells strange. It’s way too brown. But hey, it’s Thanksgiving and ol’ Lonnie, he could use a win. As could we all.

With apologies to Uncle Lonnie, SMU tight end Lonnie Johnson, Georgia Southern D-lineman Lonnie Leverette, Western Kentucky linebacker Lonnie Rice and Steve Harvey, here’s the Week 13 Bottom 10.

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1. State of Kent (1-10)

Nick Saban’s alma mater became the nation’s first 10-loss team via its 34-3 nail-biter at Baller State. Now the Golden Flashes host Northern Ill-ugh-noise as a 19-point home dog. In related news, my home dog is expected to gain 19 pounds Thursday as I secretly feed her the «donut treat» under the Thanksgiving table.

2. ULM (pronounced ‘UHLM’) (2-9)

Ulm, the Warhawks have run their, ulm, losing streak to nine games after, ulm, starting the year 2-0. Now they, ulm, travel down to Louisiana not Louisiana-Monroe for, ulm, the Battle of the Bayou, which, ulm, if ulm, I mean, er, I’m being honest, I didn’t know was called that until just, ulm, now.

3. Akronmonious (2-9)

Fun fact: Before Terry Bowden took the job at ULM he was the head coach at Akron. Which isn’t really a fun fact unless you are the pharmacist selling Bowden his ulcer medications.

4. UCan’t (2-9)

The Huskies have made a late run back to their once-familiar bottom rung of these rankings thanks to a pair of losses by a combined score of 103-9. Not even a confessional booth date 31-3 victory over Sacred Heart was enough to move them out of the top/bottom 3, nor was it enough to avoid us labeling their matchup this weekend as the New England Wicked Smaht Pillow Fight of Da Freaking Week. Against who? Or whom? Or whomever? Keep reading…

5. James, mad as … son (10-1)

Sources tell Bottom 10 JortsCenter that James Madison officials are now petitioning the NCAA to change its bylaws to say any overtime loss at home on the same day you’ve just hosted College GameDay and gotten everyone all lathered up to support your initial NCAA petition to get a bowl berth doesn’t count.

6. Van-duh-bilt Commode Doors (2-9)

The good news is Vandy finally avoided a loss in the midst of its nine-game losing streak. The bad news is it’s only because it had a bye week. The worse news is it still didn’t cover the spread.

7. No-vada (2-9)

The Woof Pack opened the season 0-6. Then they won two in a row. Now they’ve lost three straight. It’s the best roller coaster in the state this side of the one bolted to the top of the Stratosphere in Vegas that constantly looks like it will fall off and land in the middle of Circus Circus.

8. Sam Houston, we have a problem (2-9)

The Bearkats rekonnected with their krummy outkomes by kurbing a konsectuive wins streak kompliments of a loss to Konference-USA kompetitor Western Kentucky. They have only one kontest remaining on their kalendar. That’s kool with me bekause this replacing c’s with k’s konceit has been kinda overkooked for weeks.

9. EC-Yew (2-9)

East Carolina lost to Navy 10-0, marking the first time an ECU team was held scoreless in 26 years, but certainly not the first time a group of Carolina-based pirates were caught off guard by the Navy. Sorry, Blackbeard, too soon?

10. UMess (3-8)

The Minuetmen return to these rankings after a long in-season absence and just in time for that New England Wicked Smaht Pillow Fight of Da Freaking Week we teased earlier, against their old pals from down Route 32, UConn. UMass opened the season with a win over New Mexico State and then followed that with a 45-point loss to Auburn. But New Mexico State just crushed Auburn 31-10. So, naturally, if UMass beats UConn then they should play Auburn, who is coached by Hugh Freeze, who left Liberty last year and Liberty is the team that just beat UMass. Can I get a thumbs up? Preferably from a press box hospital bed?

Waiting list: San Diego Stank, Southern Missed, Living on Tulsa Time, Temple of Doom, Charlotte 3-and-8ers, covering sweet potatoes with walnuts.