I will be nowhere near this cheery after I eat five pounds of turkey, pie and cornbread.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

It is finally time to serve the stuffing, pumpkin pie (extra Cool Whip, please), cranberry sauce (for reasons that I still have not figured out) and turducken!

Thanksgiving is truly a special time of year. Bickering family members, dry turkey, mediocre football and crazed moms hurdling one another to grab the last special edition toy on Black Friday. Yes, the holidays are magical.

But in all seriousness, this is a wonderful time of year to spend with the ones who are nearest and dearest to your heart. It is also a fantastic time to watch my favorite holiday movie, Christmas Vacation. It is the perfect film to get you in the right mood for the holiday season. Chevy Chase does a great job at reminding us of two important things: Family and where the Tylenol is during the holidays.

This week I am giving you all your NFL turkey day picks and some other college games. Hope you enjoy the picks but more importantly, enjoy the holiday with your family and friends.

Last Week: 7-3
Overall: 93-46

NFL Week 13 11/28-12/1

Green Bay (5-5-1) at Detroit (6-5), Thanksgiving 12:30 p.m.
The Scoop: Another Thanksgiving and another Packers-Lions rivalry. I personally love the Lions playing on Thanksgiving. I am traditional and have always enjoyed this tradition, it is only enhanced when they play the Packers. After these friendly remarks from Josh Sitton, today’s game will only be more in the holiday spirit! For those of you wondering why the Lions are always on for this day, click here and be enlightened. Oh, I have no insight on this game really. No Aaron Rodgers? No win.
The Pick: Lion 34, Packers 28.

Oakland (4-7) at Dallas (6-5), Thanksgiving 4:30 p.m.
The Scoop: The other team we football fans always see on this holiday are the Dallas Cowboys, America’s Team! This is a truly underwhelming match up, I have no idea who is in charge of scheduling but, that person should be reprimanded for this. Yes, I know that person cannot predict the record of the Raiders, but, IT’S THE RAIDERS. Seriously, not cool. Here’s to hoping the Raiders come to play and the Cowboys remember how to play consistently.
The Pick: Cowboys 41, Raiders 20.

Pittsburgh (5-6) at Baltimore (5-6), Thanksgiving 8:30 p.m.
The Scoop: Green Bay, Dallas, Oakland AND Pittsburgh all on the same day? Okay, I hate to be selfish but today is my birthday and I am not happy with the teams playing today. This should be a day of joy and celebration, not a day devoted to the teams that have lifetime memberships in the Legion of (Nick’s) Doom. I will get past this, but if I see John Calipari’s ugly mug or a Tom Brady Uggs for men commercial on TV today, it is a total wash of a birthday.
I am not counting on a ton of readers today so there is a lot more rambling than analyzing.
The Pick: Ravens 13, Pittsburgh 10.

Tennessee (5-6) at Indianapolis (7-4), 12/1 1 p.m.
The Scoop: Oh my, the Colts are either really bad, or really good. It is hard to pinpoint which team will show up this weekend but I have a gut feeling that this is going to be a huge game for Indy. The Colts have the opportunity to virtually close out the AFC South division this week and were publicly called out by owner Jim Irsay (again). Each time he has done that, the team has responded. I think that will happen again this weekend. Andrew Luck proves his leadership once more by rolling the Titans for the fourth time in his young career.
The Pick: Colts 35, Titans 20.

Chicago (6-5) at Minnesota (2-8-1), 12/1 1 p.m.
The Scoop: The Bears were not quite as bad as the Colts last week, but they were right down there. The Vikings are having an awful season and are looking for any kind of signature win right now. The Bears narrowly escaped the Vikes at home earlier this season so this is certainly a game that Minnesota could win. Josh McCown has to come out and get the offense going early. Build up a lead then hand it off to Matt Forte. If the Bears lose this weekend, I will guarantee they will not see the playoffs.
The Pick: Bears 27, Vikings 17.

College Football 11/29-11/30

Miami (Ohio) (0-11) at Ball State (9-2), Friday 11/29 1 p.m.
The Scoop: The Cardinals close out their season at home on a Friday afternoon game against quite possibly the worst Division 1 football team. The Redhawks are terrible, and that is putting it nicely. Ball State should not flinch with this team, seriously. If this game is even remotely close, something went horribly wrong on Ball State’s part. Horribly wrong, like, a meteor took out the team before kickoff. I am not being mean, I am being honest.
The Pick: Ball State 59, Miami 21.

No. 3 Ohio State (11-0) at Michigan (7-4), 11/30 12 p.m.
The Scoop: “The Game” is the Midwest’s second-best football rivalry, right behind the Traveling ‘W’ Trophy between Wawasee and Warsaw (source needed).
This year Ohio State is eligible for a bowl game and is gunning for a lot more than that as the Buckeyes are on the edge of getting into the BCS National Championship game. While there is no guarantee that Urban Meyer and his boys will get a shot at winning it all, it is guaranteed that they have no chance if they do not topple Michigan in The Big House this weekend. I want to pull for the upset here but Ohio State is just too talented, round on the ends and high in the middle, to lose this game.
The Pick: Ohio State 35, Michigan 14.

Purdue (1-10) at Indiana (4-7), 11/30 3:30 p.m.
The Scoop: I want to just give the Old Oaken Bucket to Indiana. On paper, this game should not even be close. Indiana’s offense is very explosive and Purdue’s defense has been atrocious at times this year. BUT this is a rivalry game and anything can happen. Purdue will play its best game foe the year since almost knocking off Notre Dame and will make Indiana fight to the bitter end to take back the Bucket. But, in the end, it will be Indiana that has the Bucket. IU is not that good, but they are a better team than Purdue and that should show at some point on Saturday.
The Pick: Indiana 38, Purdue 28.

No. 1 Alabama (11-0) at No. 4 Auburn (10-1), 11/30 3:30 p.m.
The Scoop: The Iron Bowl at its best. Finally, these two teams will meet in a game where there is some mystery as to who will win. This has not been much of a rivalry in recent years. Now Auburn, trying to get its name back onto the marquee of top college programs, hosts it arch rival who is ranked No. 1 and is the odds on favorite to win it all in January. Does this not wreak of an upset!? If I was on ESPN’s College GameDay I would be putting on the big “Aubie” the Tiger head….just to throw it off and put on a Big Al head!
Are you kidding me, America!? How many times have we done this song and dance with Nick Saban and his team? No way the Tigers beat the Crimson Tide! Not a chance. Pack it in, go home. I do not even like Saban or the Tide but this is Saban’s world, you are only living in it Auburn fans! Roooooollllllll Tiiiiiiide!
The Pick: Alabama 45, Auburn 17.

No. 25 Notre Dame (8-3) at No. 8 Stanford (9-2), 11/30 7:00 p.m.
The Scoop: No.
Irish fans, just no. It will not happen. There is no way that Brian Kelly can get this job done with Tommy Rees at the helm, or with any other QB for that matter. This is not a moment for the tradition and grandeur that Notre Dame offers. This is a time to realize that 8-4 is really a pretty respectable record and that the Gator Bowl sounds like fun! Stanford is just too good and Notre Dame is just not on that level this year.
The Scoop: Stanford 41, Notre Dame 24.

*These picks are in no way associated with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or NBC (Matt Lauer was not reached for comment). Macy was the name of my first dog and she would surely approve of the use of her name on this entertaining piece.