Just one more week in the regular season and the rankings here at 18 Stripes remain as steady as they have all season. Thanks primarily to a large buffet of cupcakes but this weekend brings rivalries a’plenty for your viewing pleasure.
Top 11
1 Alabama (E, 11-0, 56-0 W vs. Mercer)
Poor, Mercer.
2 Oklahoma (E, 10-1, 41-3 W at Kansas)
Baker Mayfield’s crotch was the top storyline after the Sooners visit to Lawrence.
3 Miami (E, 10-0, 44-28 W vs. Virginia)Â
Most called a sleepy noon performance and it almost cost the Hurricanes.
4 Clemson (E, 10-1, 61-3 W vs. Citadel)
5 Wisconsin (E, 11-0, 24-10 W vs. Michigan)
The Badgers haven’t given up 20 points since playing Northwestern, now the only ranked team they’ve faced.
6 Auburn (E, 9-2, 42-14 W vs. Louisiana-Monroe)
Only a 14-7 lead at halftime but set it to cruise in the second half.
7 Georgia (E, 10-1, 42-13 W vs. Kentucky)
The Dawgs finish the SEC season at 7-1 their best since 2012.
8 Ohio State (E, 9-2, 52-14 W vs. Illinois)
38 first half points buried Illinois in J.T. Barrett’s Columbus farewell.
9 Notre Dame (E, 9-2, 24-17 W vs. Navy)
Guaranteed not to be a 8-4 season, thank you very much.
10 USC (E, 10-2, 28-23 W vs. UCLA)
This was really quiet back-to-back 10-win seasons for Clay Helton.
11 TCU (E, 9-2, 27-3 W at Texas Tech)
Traveled without QB Kenny Hill and still took care of business.
Next 2
Penn State (+1, 9-2, 56-44 W vs. Nebraska)
Gave up a lot of garbage point to the Huskers but still cruising for a major bowl appearance.
Washington State (NR, 9-2, Bye)
Very smart move to take the week off prior to the Apple Cup.
G5 Top 3
1 UCF (E, 11-0, 45-19 W at Temple)
They’ve killed all but 2 of their opponents this season.
2 Memphis (E, 10-1, 66-45 W vs. SMU)
Just a classic futuristic Big 12 matchup.
3 USF (E, 10-1, 27-20 W vs. Tulsa)
Not the best effort from the Bulls on Senior Day ahead of the season’s most important game.
You Were Bad
Nebraska
Diaco isn’t doing too well in Lincoln, the Huskers are approaching 400 points given up on the season.
UCLA
Mora’s final game ends in a defeat at USC. He finishes his career 10-17 over 2+ seasons.
NC State
Fumbled late near the Wake Forest goal line in a devastating loss.
TennesseeÂ
Home loss to LSU moves the Vols to 0-7 in the SEC.
Minnesota
The P.J. Fleck era isn’t looking too hot this year with a 39-0 loss at Northwestern added as their 6th loss.
Cincinnati
A 28-point loss to East Carolina drops the Bearcats down to a tie for last place in the AAC.
Syracuse
4 straight losses since beating Clemson, the last 2 by allowing 120 points.
Houston
Major Applewhite drops his 4th game in his debut, this time to Tulane.
Week 13 Preview
Enemy Watch
Miami, Ohio (-17.5) at Ball State
#2 Miami (-13.5) at Pittsburgh
Navy (+4.5) at Houston
#16 Michigan State (-13.5) at Rutgers
#7 Georgia (-11) at Georgia Tech
Boston College (-3.5) at Syracuse
Duke (+12) at Wake Forest
North Carolina (+16.5) at NC State
Temple (-3.5) at Tulsa
This is a weekend for road favorites, including 4 teams as double-digit faves in this section and a couple more below. We had a smell of upset briefly in the air for the Canes last week are we absolutely sure they come out of Heinz Field with a win? I like to think the playoff committee put a bit of a jinx on them tonight after speaking quite highly of their win over Virginia this past week.
Georgia keeping its slim playoff hopes alive in Atlanta this weekend is mildly interesting.
I can’t believe I’m about to type this…can Syracuse handle the Boston College offense?
I’m always throwing out super dumb upsets that never happen. The Heels over NC State is another one of those super dumb ones that would be highly satisfying the way Dave Doeren has handled himself this season.
Too Close for Comfort
Colorado (+10.5) at Utah
Both of these teams have been disappointing this season (both 5-6) and this is a lot of points to carry around for the Utes.
Upset Pick of the Week
Missouri (-10.5) at Arkansas
It’s going to be Bert’s Swan Song for 2017.
National Spotlight
USF (+10.5) at #15 UCF
#13 Washington State (+10) at #17 Washington
#9 Ohio State (-12) at Michigan
#1 Alabama (-4.5) at #6 Auburn
#23 Boise State (-7) at Fresno State
West Virginia (+22.5) at #4 Oklahoma
#3 Clemson (-14) at South Carolina
USF has kind of faded into the background in recent weeks–they kind of should maybe be ranked in the playoff poll–yet this is a huge game against UCF that may determine the G5 bowl representative.
Our pair of double-digit road favorites feel like quality bets. Has anyone paid attention to the Gamecocks sitting at 8-3 right now? That’s the quietest 8 wins in SEC history.
Lot of talk out there about how Nick Saban struggles to beat “good” Auburn teams. That’s enough #ratpoison for the Tide locker room to discuss.
I included the Boise-Fresno game because those teams are a combined 17-5, which is pretty good. I believe if Fresno wins these teams will meet again in the Mountain West title game. If Boise wins, they should face San Diego State.
I wouldn’t describe Georgia’s playoff hopes a slim – they control their own destiny, just like Bama and Auburn. If they win out, that Auburn blowout was ultimately meaningless.
True, I guess I was more factoring in their odds of beating Bama or Auburn.
“We had a smell of upset briefly in the air for the Canes last week are we absolutely sure they come out of Heinz Field with a win?”
Pitt’s one of the worst P5 teams around. And sadly it’s going to be 50 and sunny on Friday, was hoping maybe it would be like 35, cold, windy and gray but Miami couldn’t have asked for better late November weather in Western PA. I highl, highly doubt Pitt puts as much of a scare into the U as UVA did.
This is interesting though:
https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/7el3ua/ten_years_ago_pitt_entered_the_last_game_of_the/
True, some of those similarities are pretty curious. But Shady McCoy (38 carries for 149 in that game) ain’t walking back through the door so Pitt is in trouble this time around.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What are you referring to when you mention “the way Dave Doeren has handled himself this season”? Anything besides laptop gate?
That’s at the top but he’s been weirdly confrontational since our game against them.
I cannot figure out why OSU is rated higher than ND. OSU has one blowout loss and one bad loss. ND has on blowout loss and a close loss.
I’d say they’re pretty much a coin flip. Very close. Comparing the only common opponent, tOSU smoked Mich State 48-3, ND won a controlling game against MSU but not as impressive as that…tOSU also beat Penn State, though not as impressively as ND destroyed SC, so I would probably rank ND a notch higher for now, either way it’s gotta be a slim margin. I figure tOSU probably moves past ND anyways for having a better overall resume and season if/when they dismantle Wisconsin, so oh well.