College Football Week 14 Preview
By Matt Hetzler 12/1/16
Ladies and gentleman, we have reached Championship Week. Saturday will mark the end of the regular season for 126 FBS teams. There are plenty of intriguing matchups this weekend. Action kicks off Friday night with the MAC and Pac 12 Championships, both have major storylines that will carry over to Saturday. Western Michigan is playing for a spot in a NY6 Bowl but has Navy breathing right down their necks. Will an impressive performance by the Broncos put them over in the committee’s eyes?
Washington is looking for a berth in this season’s playoffs, and a Colorado win could flip the playoff committee upside down. Michigan fans will be tuned into this one and will all be cheering on the Buffs. Should Colorado win the Pac 12 title, Saturday will be very interesting. Alabama is certainly a lock at this point, even with a potential loss to the Gators. A Gators win would send Florida to the Sugar Bowl.
The Big Ten Championship game is going to be one to watch with a Washington loss. Could Wisconsin jump into the playoffs with a win over Penn State, despite losing to both OSU and Michigan? How about a Penn State win? What happens with the Nittany Lions? OSU should be a lock for the playoffs but Penn State beat the Buckeyes a little over a month ago. Michigan destroyed Penn State, would the committee go against head to head results?
Let’s not forget Clemson, the Tigers have been playing multiple games down to the wire this season. VT has the playmakers on both sides to hang in with the Tigers. A Clemson loss would send the playoff committee into chaos. If Navy wins the AAC title over Temple, could they jump Western Michigan? Navy still has a game against Army, which they could lose. Would the committee really delay the bowl process to wait for that result?
Big 12 fans, we haven’t forgotten about you. Oklahoma State and Oklahoma battle it out for the B12 crown. Oklahoma will split the title with a loss to the Cowboys. I ask, if Oklahoma State wins and we have chaos at the top, could the Cowboys make the playoffs? Will the committee look at the Central Michigan debacle and decide that the Pokes should be in the top four. Oklahoma State should be sitting 11-1 with a win over OU and would be a major conference champion.
So here we are folks, the last weekend of the regular season. There are multiple teams who could earn a playoff bid if the dominos fall into place. With so much intrigue, this may be a weekend of college football fans will never forget.
Below are 10 games that are on my slate of games to watch. Tyler (Mr. Arena Fanatic) and I will give our predictions for each game. Here we go!
Tyler’s totals after week 13: 116/195 (59%)
Matt’s totals after week 13: 120/195 (62%)
Quick Hits:
17 Western Michigan (-18.5) vs. Ohio (MAC Championship)
Ohio will be looking to play spoiler Friday night. The Bobcats are sitting at 8-4 and are winners of the MAC East. Ohio lacks the offensive firepower that Western Michigan brings to the table. Ohio has a chance to win this game if they can stop the run. Ohio ranks 5th in the FBS in rushing defense and 22nd in scoring defense. WMU possesses the top rushing attack in the conference behind Jarvion Franklin and Jamauri Bogan.
Western Michigan scores 45 points per game so the Ohio defense will need to make some stops. The Broncos also have a kid named Corey Davis, his statline? 83 catches, 1,283 yards and 17 TD’s. WMU likes to grind out drives and wear down their opponent.(4th nationally in T.O.P) It’ll be interesting to see if they abandon the run if Ohio can stifle them early. WMU has won 11 straight by double digits and Ohio hasn’t lost by more than 9. (@ Tennessee) Frank Solich is a darn good coach and will have his team ready to play. This will be a lower scoring game than usual for WMU but the Broncos will pull it out late.
Tyler’s pick: Western Michigan 42-17
Matt’s pick: Western Michigan 31-20
8 Colorado vs. 4 Washington (-7) (PAC 12 Championship)
This is going to be a heck of a ballgame with two evenly matched teams. Washington is more than likely in the CFP with a win. Jake Browning is having a sensational sophomore season. Browning has Heisman-like numbers and could solidify an invite to NYC with a win. Myles Gaskin will look to find some holes against a formidably Colorado defense. The Buffs are allowing only 136 yards on the ground. John Ross is having a big season but will be facing a domination Colorado secondary.
Colorado’s offense will be facing a tough Huskie defense. Sefo Liufau will desperately need to find his main target Shay Fields. Liufau’s legs are going to play a huge role in this game. If Liufau can keep the Huskie defense honest, it should open some holes for lead back Phillip Lindsay. The biggest key to this game will be turnovers. Washington leads the FBS in turnover margin at +18. I like Colorado’s magic season to continue with a win in this game.
Tyler’s pick: Washington 28-23
Matt’s pick: Colorado 23-20
Temple vs. 19 Navy (-3) (AAC Championship)
Temple enters the AAC Championship riding a 6 game win streak. The Owls are getting it done on defense allowing only 23 points combined in the past 4 games. Temple holds the nation's 3rd ranked total defense. Navy will have a tough go against an Owls defense that allows only 128 yards on the ground. Offensively the duo of Armstead and Thomas are hitting on all cylinders.The tandem have rushed for nearly 1,700 yards.
Navy and the triple option attack have been putting up huge numbers in the past few weeks. QB Will Worth has 1,181 rushing yards to go with over 1,300 yards passing. Navy’s defense isn’t as tough as Temple’s but they can make big stops and force turnovers at a nice margin. This game is being played on Navy’s home field but I think Temple is the better team. Temple wins and the playoff committee can release bowl games on Sunday!
Tyler’s pick: Navy 32-24
Matt’s pick: Temple 27-23
Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky (-10) (C-USA Championship)
Western Kentucky hosts Louisiana Tech in this rematch from earlier this season. La Tech edges WKU 55-52 in an OT thriller. Since then the Hilltoppers have won 6 straight and the last 5 have been blowouts. Mike White is having a monster season with over 3.600 yards passing. WKU possesses the nation's 13th ranked total offense. Anthony Wales (1,167 rushing yards) is a playmaker at RB and Taywan Taylor (1,392 receiving yards) is one of the top receivers in the country.
La Tech had won 7 in a row before a loss to close out the regular season at Southern Miss. La Tech’s offense is just as dynamic as the Hilltoppers. QB Ryan Higgins is one of the best in the country. His job is easy when he can throw to a couple of 1,000 yard receivers. Carlos Henderson has an eye popping 16 TD’s and Trent Taylor is looking to add to his impressive 113 catches. There will be very little defense in this one so bettors take the over. Home field for WKU this time will be the difference.
Tyler’s pick: Western Kentucky 52-49
Matt’s pick: Western Kentucky 48-45
San Diego State (-7) vs. Wyoming (Mountain West Championship)
Both teams were walloped last weekend after securing berths into the championship game. San Diego State has now lost 2 in a row and the nation’s 11th total defense certainly hasn't played like it. SDSU lost a thriller in OT against Wyoming just 2 weeks ago. Donnel Pumphrey was held in check totaling 76 yards on 17 carries. Wyoming’s Brian Hill had a big game with 131 yards and 2 TD’s. It will be a battle between these two guys. If Pumphrey can get it going, SDSU will win. It’s hard to be a team twice in one season but Wyoming is unbeaten at home with wins over SDSU and Boise. The Cowboys are also 6-0 ATS at home so I will like to stay within the 7 pt spread. This game should be yet another thriller but I’ll take SDSU in a close one.
Tyler’s pick: San Diego State 36-24
Matt’s pick: San Diego State 30-28
Kansas State @ TCU (-4.5)
Kansas State is looking for its 8th win of the season as the Wildcats travel to Fort Worth. K State has been one of the biggest surprises of the season. They’ve played great defense as usual but the rushing attack on offense has been better than expected. Jesse Ertz will have to beat TCU with his arm. TCU has one of the nation’s worst defending the pass. TCU has altered its season over the past month. Wins over Baylor and Texas put TCU in a bowl game. Kenny Hill has struggled with decision making and turnovers. K State prides itself on forcing teams into turnovers. The Wildcats are 5th in the nation in turnover margin. I’m not as high on TCU as my buddy Tyler is, but this should be a good game that could go either way. TCU hasn’t won a home game since September and I think that streak will continue.
Tyler’s pick: TCU 42-26
Matt’s pick: Kansas State 24-20
10 Oklahoma State @ 9 Oklahoma (-11.5)
BEDLAM! This is an appetizing matchup between two high flying offenses. Winners of the 8 straight, the Sooners have turned a 1-2 start into another solid season under Bob Stoops. A win for Oklahoma will mean another Big 12 Championship and a Sugar Bowl bid. Baker Mayfield is having a ridiculous season, completing 74% of his passes in conference play. Mayfield is likely to receive an invite to NYC for the Heisman ceremony. Oklahoma has a pair of dynamic RB’s in Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine. OU’s rushing attack is averaging 228 yards per game and going up against a soft run defense. Dede Westbrook took over the Sterling Shepard role and has excelled with 1,354 yards/15 TD.
Oklahoma State is looking for revenge after being blown out by the Sooners last season. Mason Rudolph has grown at the QB position throughout the season. Rudolph has cut down on the TO’s and hasn’t hurt his team. (25 TD/4 INT) Justice Hill is going to be a player to watch in this game. Oklahoma State would like to get a running game going and Hill is a playmaker in space. OSU needs to be able to exploit a vulnerable Sooners pass D. Oklahoma has the nation’s 122nd ranked pass defense. James Washington is licking his chops for a chance to have a monster game on this secondary. Washington is an elite talent at the receiver position and I expect him to have his best game of the season. This matchup has the makings of being one of the best games of all time in this rivalry. I’m taking the upset, Cowboys over Sooners!
Tyler’s pick: Oklahoma State 30-24
Matt’s pick: Oklahoma State 49-47
3 Clemson (-10.5) vs. 23 Virginia Tech (ACC Championship)
Clemson will clinch its second consecutive CFP appearance with a win Saturday night. Clemson is balanced on both offense and defense. It’s going to be hard for VT to exploit the Tigers for big plays on either side of the ball. Jerod Evans is a playmaker for the Hokies but Clemson will be the toughest defense he has faced. VT will need Isaiah Ford to have a big game to pull the upset. Clemson’s pass defense is ranked 12th in the country and 8th in total defense. In other words, it’ll be a long night for the Hokies offense.
Deshaun Watson is looking for an invite to NYC and the media certainly wants him there. Watson has been up and down all season but he’s found a rhythm with Mike Williams over the past month. Wayne Gallman is 57 rushing yards short of 1,000, a mark he should hit in this game. Virginia Tech needs to shut down Williams on the outside and force Watson into making bad decisions. Watson has 14 INT on the season, if VT can force a couple they will have a chance in this game. I have a gut feeling that Watson will have one of his best games of the season. If true, Clemson will be heading towards the playoffs once again.
Tyler’s pick: Clemson 32-20
Matt’s pick: Clemson 31-17
1 Alabama (-24) vs. 15 Florida (SEC Championship)
Alabama is searching for a 3rd straight SEC Championship and matches up against a familiar foe. Florida and Alabama have played in the most SEC Championship games in conference history. Last year’s final was 29-15 Alabama and I honestly expect a similar result. Florida has continued to struggle offensively. The Gators mustered just 207 total yards against FSU a week ago. Florida will obviously need a much better performance to have a chance in this game.
Alabama’s defense is quite possibly the best we’ve ever seen. Jonathan Allen is a BEAST and could have a field day against the Gators. If Florida is going to win or keep it close, they’ll need to force young Jalen Hurts into some turnovers. Florida has one of the best secondaries in the country. It’ll be interesting to see if Lane Kiffin will attack the Gators deep or try to grind out the clock. I don’t believe there is a scenario where the Florida Gators win the SEC Championship. Alabama will continue to dominate and head towards a #1 seed in the CFP.
Tyler’s pick: Alabama 42-17
Matt’s pick: Alabama 27-10
6 Wisconsin (-2.5) vs. 7 Penn State (Big Ten Championship)
All eyes will be on this game if Washington falls so it’s only fitting that it will be during primetime Saturday night. Penn State rolls into Indy on an 8 game winning streak. As a matter of fact, after the Ohio State win, the Nittany Lions have been blowing out teams. However, this will be the best defense they’ve seen since the blowout loss to Michigan. Wisconsin can stop the run, the pass, and force turnovers. Wisconsin hasn’t been beating teams offensively this season, their opponents have beaten themselves. The Badgers rank 7th in total defense, 3rd against the rush, and have a +9 TO margin.
Trace McSorley has to be careful when pushing the balls up field to his receivers. One area where McSorley has excelled this season is not turning the ball over with a 4/1 TD/INT ratio. Sensational sophomore Saquon Barkley is having a monster year. Barkley was named B1G O-POY earlier this week. If Penn State is going to win, it’ll be on the back of Barkley. If Wisconsin wins the game it will be because of defense and a kid named Corey Clement. Clement has an injury plagued season a year ago and has looked remarkable this year. Clement finished the regular season with 1,140 yards and 13 TD.
This is going to be a defensive slugfest. I feel I’m being generous with 29 total points predicted. This game reminds me of last season’s Michigan State/Iowa game. All I can say is if Washington loses, this will be a HUGE game to determine how the playoff committee views the importance of conference champions. Wisconsin let me down 2 years ago in the B1G title game but won’t this year. Sorry, Tyler but Wisconsin wins and heads to the Rose Bowl.
Tyler’s pick: Penn State 27-26
Matt’s pick: Wisconsin 16-13
Washington is looking for a berth in this season’s playoffs, and a Colorado win could flip the playoff committee upside down. Michigan fans will be tuned into this one and will all be cheering on the Buffs. Should Colorado win the Pac 12 title, Saturday will be very interesting. Alabama is certainly a lock at this point, even with a potential loss to the Gators. A Gators win would send Florida to the Sugar Bowl.
The Big Ten Championship game is going to be one to watch with a Washington loss. Could Wisconsin jump into the playoffs with a win over Penn State, despite losing to both OSU and Michigan? How about a Penn State win? What happens with the Nittany Lions? OSU should be a lock for the playoffs but Penn State beat the Buckeyes a little over a month ago. Michigan destroyed Penn State, would the committee go against head to head results?
Let’s not forget Clemson, the Tigers have been playing multiple games down to the wire this season. VT has the playmakers on both sides to hang in with the Tigers. A Clemson loss would send the playoff committee into chaos. If Navy wins the AAC title over Temple, could they jump Western Michigan? Navy still has a game against Army, which they could lose. Would the committee really delay the bowl process to wait for that result?
Big 12 fans, we haven’t forgotten about you. Oklahoma State and Oklahoma battle it out for the B12 crown. Oklahoma will split the title with a loss to the Cowboys. I ask, if Oklahoma State wins and we have chaos at the top, could the Cowboys make the playoffs? Will the committee look at the Central Michigan debacle and decide that the Pokes should be in the top four. Oklahoma State should be sitting 11-1 with a win over OU and would be a major conference champion.
So here we are folks, the last weekend of the regular season. There are multiple teams who could earn a playoff bid if the dominos fall into place. With so much intrigue, this may be a weekend of college football fans will never forget.
Below are 10 games that are on my slate of games to watch. Tyler (Mr. Arena Fanatic) and I will give our predictions for each game. Here we go!
Tyler’s totals after week 13: 116/195 (59%)
Matt’s totals after week 13: 120/195 (62%)
Quick Hits:
17 Western Michigan (-18.5) vs. Ohio (MAC Championship)
Ohio will be looking to play spoiler Friday night. The Bobcats are sitting at 8-4 and are winners of the MAC East. Ohio lacks the offensive firepower that Western Michigan brings to the table. Ohio has a chance to win this game if they can stop the run. Ohio ranks 5th in the FBS in rushing defense and 22nd in scoring defense. WMU possesses the top rushing attack in the conference behind Jarvion Franklin and Jamauri Bogan.
Western Michigan scores 45 points per game so the Ohio defense will need to make some stops. The Broncos also have a kid named Corey Davis, his statline? 83 catches, 1,283 yards and 17 TD’s. WMU likes to grind out drives and wear down their opponent.(4th nationally in T.O.P) It’ll be interesting to see if they abandon the run if Ohio can stifle them early. WMU has won 11 straight by double digits and Ohio hasn’t lost by more than 9. (@ Tennessee) Frank Solich is a darn good coach and will have his team ready to play. This will be a lower scoring game than usual for WMU but the Broncos will pull it out late.
Tyler’s pick: Western Michigan 42-17
Matt’s pick: Western Michigan 31-20
8 Colorado vs. 4 Washington (-7) (PAC 12 Championship)
This is going to be a heck of a ballgame with two evenly matched teams. Washington is more than likely in the CFP with a win. Jake Browning is having a sensational sophomore season. Browning has Heisman-like numbers and could solidify an invite to NYC with a win. Myles Gaskin will look to find some holes against a formidably Colorado defense. The Buffs are allowing only 136 yards on the ground. John Ross is having a big season but will be facing a domination Colorado secondary.
Colorado’s offense will be facing a tough Huskie defense. Sefo Liufau will desperately need to find his main target Shay Fields. Liufau’s legs are going to play a huge role in this game. If Liufau can keep the Huskie defense honest, it should open some holes for lead back Phillip Lindsay. The biggest key to this game will be turnovers. Washington leads the FBS in turnover margin at +18. I like Colorado’s magic season to continue with a win in this game.
Tyler’s pick: Washington 28-23
Matt’s pick: Colorado 23-20
Temple vs. 19 Navy (-3) (AAC Championship)
Temple enters the AAC Championship riding a 6 game win streak. The Owls are getting it done on defense allowing only 23 points combined in the past 4 games. Temple holds the nation's 3rd ranked total defense. Navy will have a tough go against an Owls defense that allows only 128 yards on the ground. Offensively the duo of Armstead and Thomas are hitting on all cylinders.The tandem have rushed for nearly 1,700 yards.
Navy and the triple option attack have been putting up huge numbers in the past few weeks. QB Will Worth has 1,181 rushing yards to go with over 1,300 yards passing. Navy’s defense isn’t as tough as Temple’s but they can make big stops and force turnovers at a nice margin. This game is being played on Navy’s home field but I think Temple is the better team. Temple wins and the playoff committee can release bowl games on Sunday!
Tyler’s pick: Navy 32-24
Matt’s pick: Temple 27-23
Louisiana Tech vs. Western Kentucky (-10) (C-USA Championship)
Western Kentucky hosts Louisiana Tech in this rematch from earlier this season. La Tech edges WKU 55-52 in an OT thriller. Since then the Hilltoppers have won 6 straight and the last 5 have been blowouts. Mike White is having a monster season with over 3.600 yards passing. WKU possesses the nation's 13th ranked total offense. Anthony Wales (1,167 rushing yards) is a playmaker at RB and Taywan Taylor (1,392 receiving yards) is one of the top receivers in the country.
La Tech had won 7 in a row before a loss to close out the regular season at Southern Miss. La Tech’s offense is just as dynamic as the Hilltoppers. QB Ryan Higgins is one of the best in the country. His job is easy when he can throw to a couple of 1,000 yard receivers. Carlos Henderson has an eye popping 16 TD’s and Trent Taylor is looking to add to his impressive 113 catches. There will be very little defense in this one so bettors take the over. Home field for WKU this time will be the difference.
Tyler’s pick: Western Kentucky 52-49
Matt’s pick: Western Kentucky 48-45
San Diego State (-7) vs. Wyoming (Mountain West Championship)
Both teams were walloped last weekend after securing berths into the championship game. San Diego State has now lost 2 in a row and the nation’s 11th total defense certainly hasn't played like it. SDSU lost a thriller in OT against Wyoming just 2 weeks ago. Donnel Pumphrey was held in check totaling 76 yards on 17 carries. Wyoming’s Brian Hill had a big game with 131 yards and 2 TD’s. It will be a battle between these two guys. If Pumphrey can get it going, SDSU will win. It’s hard to be a team twice in one season but Wyoming is unbeaten at home with wins over SDSU and Boise. The Cowboys are also 6-0 ATS at home so I will like to stay within the 7 pt spread. This game should be yet another thriller but I’ll take SDSU in a close one.
Tyler’s pick: San Diego State 36-24
Matt’s pick: San Diego State 30-28
Kansas State @ TCU (-4.5)
Kansas State is looking for its 8th win of the season as the Wildcats travel to Fort Worth. K State has been one of the biggest surprises of the season. They’ve played great defense as usual but the rushing attack on offense has been better than expected. Jesse Ertz will have to beat TCU with his arm. TCU has one of the nation’s worst defending the pass. TCU has altered its season over the past month. Wins over Baylor and Texas put TCU in a bowl game. Kenny Hill has struggled with decision making and turnovers. K State prides itself on forcing teams into turnovers. The Wildcats are 5th in the nation in turnover margin. I’m not as high on TCU as my buddy Tyler is, but this should be a good game that could go either way. TCU hasn’t won a home game since September and I think that streak will continue.
Tyler’s pick: TCU 42-26
Matt’s pick: Kansas State 24-20
10 Oklahoma State @ 9 Oklahoma (-11.5)
BEDLAM! This is an appetizing matchup between two high flying offenses. Winners of the 8 straight, the Sooners have turned a 1-2 start into another solid season under Bob Stoops. A win for Oklahoma will mean another Big 12 Championship and a Sugar Bowl bid. Baker Mayfield is having a ridiculous season, completing 74% of his passes in conference play. Mayfield is likely to receive an invite to NYC for the Heisman ceremony. Oklahoma has a pair of dynamic RB’s in Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine. OU’s rushing attack is averaging 228 yards per game and going up against a soft run defense. Dede Westbrook took over the Sterling Shepard role and has excelled with 1,354 yards/15 TD.
Oklahoma State is looking for revenge after being blown out by the Sooners last season. Mason Rudolph has grown at the QB position throughout the season. Rudolph has cut down on the TO’s and hasn’t hurt his team. (25 TD/4 INT) Justice Hill is going to be a player to watch in this game. Oklahoma State would like to get a running game going and Hill is a playmaker in space. OSU needs to be able to exploit a vulnerable Sooners pass D. Oklahoma has the nation’s 122nd ranked pass defense. James Washington is licking his chops for a chance to have a monster game on this secondary. Washington is an elite talent at the receiver position and I expect him to have his best game of the season. This matchup has the makings of being one of the best games of all time in this rivalry. I’m taking the upset, Cowboys over Sooners!
Tyler’s pick: Oklahoma State 30-24
Matt’s pick: Oklahoma State 49-47
3 Clemson (-10.5) vs. 23 Virginia Tech (ACC Championship)
Clemson will clinch its second consecutive CFP appearance with a win Saturday night. Clemson is balanced on both offense and defense. It’s going to be hard for VT to exploit the Tigers for big plays on either side of the ball. Jerod Evans is a playmaker for the Hokies but Clemson will be the toughest defense he has faced. VT will need Isaiah Ford to have a big game to pull the upset. Clemson’s pass defense is ranked 12th in the country and 8th in total defense. In other words, it’ll be a long night for the Hokies offense.
Deshaun Watson is looking for an invite to NYC and the media certainly wants him there. Watson has been up and down all season but he’s found a rhythm with Mike Williams over the past month. Wayne Gallman is 57 rushing yards short of 1,000, a mark he should hit in this game. Virginia Tech needs to shut down Williams on the outside and force Watson into making bad decisions. Watson has 14 INT on the season, if VT can force a couple they will have a chance in this game. I have a gut feeling that Watson will have one of his best games of the season. If true, Clemson will be heading towards the playoffs once again.
Tyler’s pick: Clemson 32-20
Matt’s pick: Clemson 31-17
1 Alabama (-24) vs. 15 Florida (SEC Championship)
Alabama is searching for a 3rd straight SEC Championship and matches up against a familiar foe. Florida and Alabama have played in the most SEC Championship games in conference history. Last year’s final was 29-15 Alabama and I honestly expect a similar result. Florida has continued to struggle offensively. The Gators mustered just 207 total yards against FSU a week ago. Florida will obviously need a much better performance to have a chance in this game.
Alabama’s defense is quite possibly the best we’ve ever seen. Jonathan Allen is a BEAST and could have a field day against the Gators. If Florida is going to win or keep it close, they’ll need to force young Jalen Hurts into some turnovers. Florida has one of the best secondaries in the country. It’ll be interesting to see if Lane Kiffin will attack the Gators deep or try to grind out the clock. I don’t believe there is a scenario where the Florida Gators win the SEC Championship. Alabama will continue to dominate and head towards a #1 seed in the CFP.
Tyler’s pick: Alabama 42-17
Matt’s pick: Alabama 27-10
6 Wisconsin (-2.5) vs. 7 Penn State (Big Ten Championship)
All eyes will be on this game if Washington falls so it’s only fitting that it will be during primetime Saturday night. Penn State rolls into Indy on an 8 game winning streak. As a matter of fact, after the Ohio State win, the Nittany Lions have been blowing out teams. However, this will be the best defense they’ve seen since the blowout loss to Michigan. Wisconsin can stop the run, the pass, and force turnovers. Wisconsin hasn’t been beating teams offensively this season, their opponents have beaten themselves. The Badgers rank 7th in total defense, 3rd against the rush, and have a +9 TO margin.
Trace McSorley has to be careful when pushing the balls up field to his receivers. One area where McSorley has excelled this season is not turning the ball over with a 4/1 TD/INT ratio. Sensational sophomore Saquon Barkley is having a monster year. Barkley was named B1G O-POY earlier this week. If Penn State is going to win, it’ll be on the back of Barkley. If Wisconsin wins the game it will be because of defense and a kid named Corey Clement. Clement has an injury plagued season a year ago and has looked remarkable this year. Clement finished the regular season with 1,140 yards and 13 TD.
This is going to be a defensive slugfest. I feel I’m being generous with 29 total points predicted. This game reminds me of last season’s Michigan State/Iowa game. All I can say is if Washington loses, this will be a HUGE game to determine how the playoff committee views the importance of conference champions. Wisconsin let me down 2 years ago in the B1G title game but won’t this year. Sorry, Tyler but Wisconsin wins and heads to the Rose Bowl.
Tyler’s pick: Penn State 27-26
Matt’s pick: Wisconsin 16-13
Top 251. Alabama
2. Ohio State 3. Michigan 4. Clemson 5. Washington 6. Wisconsin 7. Colorado 8. Penn State 9. Oklahoma State 10. Oklahoma 11. USC 12. Florida State 13. Western Michigan 14. Florida 15. Louisville 16. West Virginia 17. Auburn 18. LSU 19. Virginia Tech 20. Iowa 21. Stanford 22. Navy 23. Pittsburgh 24. Temple 25. South Florida |
Non-Power 5 Top Ten1. Western Michigan (#13 nationally)
2. Navy (#22 nationally) 3. Temple (#24 nationally) 4. South Florida (#25 nationally) 5. Boise State 6. Houston 7. Western Kentucky 8. Tulsa 9. Troy 10. Appalachian State Top Ten Heisman1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
2. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma 3. Jake Browning, QB, Washington 4. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State New Years Six and PlayoffsPeach Bowl: 4 Clemson vs. 1 Alabama
Fiesta Bowl: 3 Michigan vs. 2 Ohio State Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Penn State Sugar Bowl: Auburn vs. Oklahoma State Cotton Bowl: Western Michigan vs. USC Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Washington |