While Super Bowl betting players are lamenting the end of the football season, the NCAA is looking to take advantage of that time by kicking off the post-gridiron season with Rivalry Week, and it should come as no surprise that there is a slew of games worth watching. Here are just five of them. Louisville at Notre Dame – Tuesday, 7:00 PM ET All Big East games are huge in the nation’s toughest conference, and Louisville may have a tough time against the Fighting Irish, who have won five in a row to cement their spot in the top 10. The Cardinals have lost three of their last four road games, and they’ve dropped their lone two trips to the Edmund P. Joyce Center in 2007 and 2009. Tennessee at Kentucky – Tuesday, 9:00 PM ET The Wildcats are looking to play Anderson Silva to the Volunteers’ Vitor Belfort (UFC betting players will remember a crazy knockout from the weekend) when they host Tennessee in Lexington, and this game will feature the return of Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl, who was suspended for the first eight games of the SEC schedule for recruiting violations, something that Kentucky counterpart John Calipari is no stranger to. The Vols have lost seven of their last eight in Lexington, but Kentucky has lost two in a row. North Carolina at Duke – Wednesday, 9:00 PM ET The rivalry that needs no introduction. After dominating through the Tyler Hansbrough era, the Tar Heels were swept by the Blue Devils last year, and got thumped by 32 at Cameron. However, North Carolina is playing very well despite the Larry Drew saga with five straight wins, and Duke seems to be back after collapsing against St. John’s in New York a couple weeks ago. The world is a better place when both teams are playing well. Ohio State at Wisconsin – Saturday, 2:00 PM ET The Buckeyes are the only unbeaten team in the country, and they should cherish the time they have with Jared Sullinger, who will likely jump to the NBA next year. Wisconsin isn’t really getting any attention, but they’re one of two teams, along with Purdue, that can stop the Buckeyes from rolling through the Big Ten. Ohio State has never won at the Kohl Center in Wisconsin, so this will be a tough test for the Buckeyes. Pitt at Villanova – Saturday, 9:00 PM ET It’s fitting that we end the week in the Big East, where both have tricky road games in midweek action (Pitt at West Virginia, Villanova at Rutgers). The Panthers sit atop the conference, while the Wildcats are trying to crack the top 10, which they could do after Monday’s rankings come out. Pitt has lost seven of their last 10 at Villanova, and this will be one of the toughest picks of the weekend for sports betting players.
