No matter what the level, once the calendar changes to November it means you’re bound to witness high quality football matchups.

For the record, other rules of thumb include: when you get tired of your relatives during Thanksgiving and Christmas (specifically that drunk uncle and the 40,000 kids running around that you don’t know), just get in your car and start driving. Eventually you’ll find a high school basketball tournament.

The other one is: everything is okay as long as you’re wearing clean underwear (I believe my mom was subconsciously preparing me for college with that one).

In the pros, the playoff picture begins to form when the thermometer drops.

At the high school level, the first round of the playoffs begin this weekend all across the country.

There’s no difference in I-AA football. This is Showdown Saturday (that’s right, I’ve given this week’s slate of games a corny catchphrase to emphasis my point. Why? ESPN here I come).

Other than the Eastern/UT-Martin game, there are three other contests that feature a pair of Top 15 teams and major playoff consequences.

Down in the Commonwealth of Virginia (do regular Virginians still call it that? Suddenly getting the feeling like I should be describing the Hamilton-Burr duel), two schools separated by a couple of hours will battle for their playoff lives.

Fifth-ranked James Madison (6-1, 4-0) takes its undefeated Atlantic 10 conference record to 13th-ranked Richmond (5-2, 2-2).

For those not traveling on the Panther bus headed to Martin, Tenn., a recommendation could be made to make the track to Normal to see arguably the best I-AA team in the country.

If Illinois State converts a two-point conversion in its season-opener at I-A Kansas State, they would be the unanimous number one team in every poll in the nation.

It was without a doubt the definition of a gutsy call by head coach Denver Johnson, but it gave this team the fire to win big games.

The Redbirds (6-1, 3-0) have the one of most potent offenses in the country led by quarterback Luke Drone and workhorse tailback Pierre Rembert. They also have the two best linebackers in the nation in Cameron Siskowic and Kye Stewart.

10th-ranked Youngstown State (6-2, 3-1), while still a major power and playoff contender, has not been the same program since former head coach Jim Tressel, along with his tie and sweater vest combo, left for the Buckeyes.

A win for the Penguins would be their first dominant victory in five seasons and completely flip over the Gateway picture.

The final contest makes every other game Saturday look like a drunken fraternity flag football championship.

In a rematch of the 2005 national semifinal, eighth-ranked Furman will try to not only shock top-ranked Appalachian State, but turn its playoff chances from unlikely with a loss to guaranteed with a win.

Needless to say, these schools hate each other, and when they get together it’s guaranteed to be a back and forth masterpiece. The top-ranked Mountaineers have the longest home winning streak in I-AA football at 22 games, but their last non I-A loss was to the Paladins.

Furman defeated APSU in the 2005 regular season, but was just a footnote to the rematch. In last year’s playoff classic, the Paladins held a 23-21 second half lead, but fullback Jerome Felton was stuffed on a fourth-and-goal from the goal line and the score held. Appalachian State held on for a 29-23 win when defensive end Jason Hunter forced an Ingle Martin fumble after Furman again advanced into Mountaineer territory.

Eventually Appalachian State won its first national title and Furman was left still thinking the most talented team didn’t win it all.

With the national television match-ups being Ohio State/Minnesota and Georgia Tech/Miami, and unless the criminals playing for the Hurricane football team attack the Ramblin’ Wreck on ABC this week, the games in I-A are a complete Gigli-sized snoozer.

Those looking for high quality football, desperation and down to the wire games should turn to I-AA.