It is the last Saturday in September, there is a coolness and crispness in the air this morning. You sit down with your favorite cold beverage and favorite hot snack only to find, the Mountaineers aren’t playing this weekend? What in the world will you do? Will the wife or husband make you do housework? Maybe you will be forced to spend time with your in-laws?! Here at the Musket, we want to avoid that at all costs so here are a few viewing options for your Mountaineer-less Saturday.

Actual Football Games

Ole Miss Rebels at #1 Alabama Crimson Tide

Shea Patterson will be the best quarterback the Alabama Crimson Tide face all year. Patterson, who ranks 11th in the nation in passing yards, is the only SEC quarterback in the top-20. Missouri’s Drew Louck is the only other passer in the top 25. Ole Miss has held an air of defiance in Alabama’s death march in college football. While the Crimson Tide have acted like Sherman in Atlanta, the Rebels have stood with their chests out, proudly telling Saban they will not be bullied. It has worked. While the Tide were victorious last year, the Rebels forced the Tide to do things in unconventional manners, mostly making them play uptempo, Big-12 style offense to win in the defense-oriented SouthEastern Conference. It doesn’t make legendary curmudgeon Nick Saban happy. Can Patterson get the Rebels back to their winning ways against the Tide?

#24 Mississippi State Bulldogs at #13 Auburn Tigers

In one of the few ranked vs. ranked matches of the weekend, the everybody-loved-me-two-weeks-ago Mississippi State Bulldogs will leave one cow palace for another when they travel to the plains of Auburn, Alabama. The Auburn Tigers are led by former Big 12 quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Stidham left Baylor amid the sexual abuse scandal involving former head coach Art Briles. Stidham transferred to McLennan Community College for a year before transferring to Auburn this year. The Tigers believe they can challenge the Tide for a SEC West crown, while the Bulldogs are only one week from demolishing LSU.

#2 Clemson Tigers at #14 Virginia Tech Hokies

A rematch of the ACC title game from last year, this game will give Mountaineer fans their first real look at just how good the Hokies are. Losing a close game on a neutral field, Mountaineer fans haven’t been able to accurately judge their team because the Hokies have been their only competition. Now, 5 weeks later, we can see how good VT is and how good the Mountaineers may be. Clemson, led by Kelly Bryant, who took over for DeShaun Watson after he led the Tigers to an upset national title victory over the Crimson Tide, is looking to stake claim as the team to beat in the ACC. If the Hokies are able to beat the Tigers tonight, it will speak volumes about Virginia Tech and by proxy, the Mountaineers.

#16 Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Tech Red Raiders

Last week, the OSU Cowboys were the talk of the Big 12 and were looking like the main challengers to the Sooners for Big 12 supremacy. Following their shocking loss to Texas Catholic Horny Toads, the Cowboys are now in a bit of crisis mode. They take on a dangerous Texas Tech team who is capable of slinging the football all over. Oklahoma State is middle of the pack in defense, so this game could be fun to watch with two quarterbacks throwing the ball 50-60 times each. Texas Tech quarterback Nic Shimonek ranks third nationally with 416 passing yards per game, one spot ahead of Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph, who has thrown for 383.3 yards per game. Rudolph has thrown 13 touchdown passes in four contests, compared to Shimonek's 11 in three games.

Movies

It (2017)

You can venture out of the house and into the darkened theater for a viewing of the highly anticipated horror remake of Stephen King’s It. The movie is based upon 1986 book by King. Originally made into a 2-part miniseries in 1990, with Tim Curry playing the antagonist, Pennywise the Clown. In the 2017 remake, Bill Skarsgard, brother of non-sparkly vampire on True Blood Alexander Skarsgard, stars as Pennywise.

Bladerunner 2049

If you are a fan of sequels, you can check out the “I need money” sequel of Bladerunner 2049, starring dreamboat Ryan Gosling and 75-year old Harrison Ford. Taking place 30 years after the original, Gosling finds out a secret that could destroy the world and then finds Harrison Ford. Critics have praised its visuals, direction, narrative, and acting, meaning you probably shouldn’t expect too much from the movie.

Television Shows

If you don’t want to peel yourself away from the television and catch a movie, you can catch up on several new shows that premiered this week. If you like the Big Bang Theory, perhaps Young Sheldon is your speed? If those CBS comedies don’t interest you, the best dad on television, Jack Pearson of This Is Us premiered on Tuesday. If you want to watch an action show, Seal Team debuted on Wednesday.