Saturday, November 26, 2011

Top 10 College Football Games – Week 13 Edition

By now everyone has expanded one jeans size and opened a bottle of TUMS at least once post-Thanksgiving Day. Rivalry week kicked off Thursday night with Texas beating Texas A&M in the Lone Star state battle, LSU beat Arkansas yesterday for the Iron Boot trophy, and last night West Virginia edged Pittsburgh in the Back Yard Brawl. Today brings a slew of interstate & intrastate rivalries across the nation. So let’s see which games I recommend you watch, as you have another turkey sandwich with a large slice of pumpkin pie paired with a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream!

#17 Clemson @ #12 South Carolina: The 103rd consecutive game in this longstanding Palmetto state rivalry is finally displayed in primetime (ESPN/7:45 p.m.) for the entire country to view. The last time these two teams met in the cockpit as ranked teams was 1987 (USC won 20-7). South Carolina’s defense is ranked 5th in Total Defense. Clemson’s offense is predicated on big plays, (58) 20-plus yard plays this season. The Gamecocks are 17-0 under Steve Spurrier when USC runs for 200 yards or more.
Prediction: South Carolina goes back-to-back-to-back, Gamecocks 31-20.

#19 Penn State @ #16 Wisconsin: The winner of this game clinches The Leaders Division and advances to play Michigan State in the inaugural Big Ten Championship game. Both teams are 9-2 and Penn State (6-1) has a one-game lead on Wisconsin (5-2) within conference play. The Badgers’ offense averages 45ppg while the Nittany Lions’ defense is quite stingy allowing only 13 ppg.
Prediction: Wisconsin’s home turf, Camp Randall Stadium, is daunting for opponents, Wisconsin 38-20.

#5 Virginia Tech @ Virginia: The Hokies (gobble, gobble) have won 11 of the last 12 games in the battle for the Old Dominion state championship. The winner of this game claims the Coastal Division crown and advances to play Clemson in the A-She-She Championship. UVA has not won a divisional title since Bill Clinton (1995) occupied the Oval Office.
Prediction: The winner treks down I-85 to Charlotte, Hokies gobble up another Coastal crown 31-23.

#13 Georgia @ #23 Georgia Tech: UGA has won nine games in a row this season and wrapped up the SEC East Division title last week. Mark Richt is 9-1 versus his in-state rivals from the ATL. Georgia has won five in a row in the ATL versus the Yellow Jackets. Tech has lost three of its last five games.
Prediction: The Bulldogs make it six in a row in the ATL over Tech, UGA 31-17.

#22 Notre Dame @ #6 Stanford: These two interstate rivals face off in primetime on the West Coast tonight. With a win, Stanford will probably clinch a BCS bowl at-large bid and, with a strong game, Stanford QB, Andrew Luck, can regain some Heisman hope in a national telecast against the Irish.
Prediction: Who needs “luck” when you already have it? Stanford chops down Notre Dame 38-27.

#2 Alabama @ Auburn: Last year the Iron Bowl was probably the best game of the season, as Auburn battled back from a 24-0 deficit. Alabama cannot slip up against the Tigers on the road this year in order to maintain the Tide’s BCS championship aspirations.
Prediction: In a battle of the last two national champions, BAMA rolls 41-17.

Ohio State @ #15 Michigan: This game is taking a back seat to the expected announcement that former Florida Gators football coach Urban Meyer will be named the new Head Football Coach at Ohio State early next week. The Wolverines are 9-2 under first year man Brady Hoke, while the Buckeyes are mired in a mediocre season post-Jim Tressel & Terrelle Pryor eras.
Prediction: The Big House will enjoy the anticipated Buckeyes shellacking today, Maize & Blue 37-16.

Florida State @ Florida: How far have these two teams fallen in the landscape of college football? In years past, this game would be the big game of the day alongside the Iron Bowl (Alabama vs. Auburn). UF became bowl eligible last week beating FCS opponent Furman, while FSU dropped a heartbreaker to UVA, 14-13.
Prediction: The Sunshine state rivalry gets downgraded this year as both teams are mediocre, FSU 30-20.

UCLA @ USC-W: The Southern Cal Trojans are the best team in the Pac-12 South division but are ineligible (Reggie Bush NCAA sanctions) for the Pac-12 title game. UCLA clinched the Pac-12 South division title yesterday by default when Utah lost to Colorado. The Trojans have won 11 of the last 12 versus the Bruins.
Prediction: USC-W is coming off an emotional victory at Oregon last weekend, Trojans win 34-17.

Vanderbilt @ Wake Forest: Vanderbilt suffered a crushing defeat last weekend to in-state rival Tennessee. The Commodores need one more victory (5-6) to become bowl eligible under first-year Head Coach James Franklin. The Demon Deacons are already bowl eligible and want to stamp a successful season with a win over its brainiac rival from the SEC.
Prediction: Don’t bet against Wake Forest and Coach Jim Grobe at home, Demon Deacons sink Commodores bowl hopes 24-14.

My next blog will be Monday afternoon when SPURspective will review the South Carolina/Clemson game.

Go Gamecocks!

No comments:

Post a Comment