Rivalry Week Showdown: Humiliation Looms! Can They Avert Disaster?

Don't Want a Flag Planted on Your Field? Better Win Your Rivalry Week Game

Rivalry Week Showdown: Humiliation Looms! Can They...

Rivalry week. The words alone conjure images of painted faces, roaring crowds, and the sweet taste of victory (or the bitter sting of defeat). But lately, it's become synonymous with something else: flag planting. And no one wants to see their opponent's colors flying high on their home turf. Just ask Florida. Word on the street is that Florida State might just have a giant Seminoles flag ready and waiting to be planted smack-dab in the middle of the Swamp this Saturday. They haven't forgotten last year, that's for sure, and a little payback seems to be on the menu when these in-state rivals clash, this time with bragging rights being the main course.

You can bet teams across the nation are feeling the same pressure. Coaches, players, heck, even the security guards are probably on high alert, hoping to avoid a repeat of the flag-planting frenzy that swept across college football last year. Remember that? It seemed like every rivalry game ended with someone trying to claim the field as their own. Now, will No. 1 Ohio State maintain its "aw shucks" attitude if they trounce the 15th-ranked Wolverines in Ann Arbor this weekend? I doubt it. Few people saw last year's widespread incidents coming. It seems like once the first flag went up, everyone else decided they wanted a piece of the action.

Last year's shenanigans weren't limited to just flags, either. Remember the Arizona-Arizona State game? Arizona transfer Kongaika clung on for dear life as Arizona receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig tried to snatch the trident, leading to a good old-fashioned scrum. "It’s passion over emotion," Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales wisely stated. "Emotional decisions are often foolish and wrong. Passionate decisions reflect commitment. We can’t be driven by emotion – and there will be plenty of it, right from the warmups. That’s just how it is." Easier said than done, Coach. Easier said than done.

Florida's frustration in Tallahassee last year wasn't just about the loss; it stemmed from a 2023 loss at home. Seminoles running back Trey Benson and defensive end Jared Verse, not content with just winning, snipped a piece of Florida's orange-painted end zone for their team’s "Sod Cemetery." Talk about adding insult to injury!

"That was something that’s been ingrained in our minds for a long time," Florida left tackle Austin Barber said, and you can see the fire in his eyes. The Seminoles are likely to pull the same stunt if they win Saturday, and honestly, nobody would be shocked to see their flag planted at midfield. As Florida linebacker Derek Wingo so succinctly put it: "We don’t need them planting no flags on our field," Banks asserted. "So we’re going to go out there and handle business for sure." In other words, expect fireworks. And maybe some horticulture, depending on how things go.