Standings
1) Schweinfurth 39-10 (5-7 upset)
2) Hoying 34-15 (3-9 upset)
3) Draper 31-18 (3-9 upset)
4) Auer 25-20 (1-10 upset)
Florida Gators @ Florida State Seminoles
Draper: Everyone sees the rankings and thinks this is an easy win for the Gators, but the Noles enter as a 7 point favorite. The home field advantage of Doak is minimal compared to the Swamp, but the lack of the home-field to the Gators is huge. The Noles have only one win of note because Clemson is the only good team they've played while the Gators have 3 big wins (TAMU before they figured how to play, home of offenseless LSU, and home vs. South Carolina after they had a huge win). With that said, Florida has seemed to win games without understanding how. The defense is solid, but the Noles defense is even better with Carradine and Werner. I think the Noles will be 'up' for this more than anything and play with nothing held back. Gaytors fall on the road when they play a solid offensive team. UF: 13--FSU: 23
Auer: Florida started off hot, got flakey, and is looking to finish strong with an "upset" win in Tallahassee. A lot of frustration has mounted for the Seminoles this season. They were the odds-on favorite to be in the national championship game against the seemingly unbeatable Crimson Tide, then the real FSU showed up and they lost one they shouldn't to NC State (shocker, right?... not really). Florida is poised to claim a spot in the BCS National Championship game, but must win this one against a vengeance-filled, nothing-to-lose Seminole squad playing at home. UF: 24--FSU: 22
Hoying: All you who don't want to see another SEC-SEC title game, root like hell for the Noles in this one. Yeah, it's a moot point if Notre Dame takes care of business, but a Florida State win derails the conversation before it begins. This is probably the best match-up of the weekend. Both teams feature outstanding defense, which could be especially problematic for the weak Gator passing game. QB Jeff Driskel will be back for the tilt, but how long will he last against a punishing Seminole defense? Don't write Florida off-their resume matches up well with anyone's-but Florida State has barely been stopped all season, and the Gators don't have the Swamp to help them. UF: 10--FSU: 17
Schweinfurth: This game is tricky. The Gators have been good, not great, all season. Jeff Driskall has managed the offense this year. The Gator defense is indeed stout and is truly a "Will Muschamp" defense. Florida State has been a bit of a mystery to me all season. This team has looked like a national championship contender one week, and then a middle of the road ACC team the next. This game will be a down right slugfest. Bring your big boy pants for this one. E.J. Manuel eliminates the Gators from the championship picture. UF: 10--FSU: 17
Oregon Ducks @ Oregon State Beavers
Draper: Ducks came up with the most spectacular choke job of the season last week to all but remove them from the National Championship debate (or did they?). The Ducks will be HUGE fans of UCLA this week, but it's safe to say that a win here will send the Ducks to a BCS bowl. There's chance this game may be for a BCS game for either team but Oregon State is not nearly as attractive. The Beavers play solid fundamental football (which doesn't move the dial). I expect Mariota, Barner, and Thomas (not to mention Kelly) to go crazy in Corvallis. I don't expect another offensive failure by the Ducks. Ducks win the Civil War easily. UO: 48--OSU: 17
Auer: Yeah it may be a rivalry, but this one should not be close. State has played a more competitive slate of games, but Oregon has done as they usually do and been a impossible-to-stop avalanche in most games. The Ducks may take a little longer to get rolling, but the result will be the same. UO: 51--OSU: 34
Hoying: Oregon is reeling but their Rose Bowl hopes aren't over yet. All they need is a win in the Civil War and a Stanford loss to UCLA. Problem is, they're facing a team brandishing the same brand of tough D that doomed them last weekend. Oregon State is two heartbreaking losses from being a title contender themselves, carried by their staunch defense and steady QB play from Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz. There may be some fear that the Beavers now know the formula for smacking the Ducks, but anyone who's been paying attention to Oregon has known it for the last 4 years (ask Boise State, LSU, Ohio State, and Auburn). Executing is another matter. I love the Beavers this year, but they've stumbled a bit down the stretch, and I don't think they're quite tough enough to take down the Ducks. UO: 27--OSU: 20
Schweinfurth: Oh how one game can change the outlook of a season. Oregon was flat rolling until running into the wall that was Stanford. The Cardinal made Mariota look like a true freshman for the first time this year and bottled up Barner and Thomas. The Beavers are very strong on defense and have an offense that can move the ball well enough. I expect less scoring this week, as the Beavers try to control the clock. I just don't think the Ducks can be contained two weeks in a row. UO: 42--OSU: 31
Oklahoma State Cowboys @ Oklahoma Sooners
Draper: Bedlam doesn't have the meaning of the past years as neither team is close to National Championship talk. KSU remains in the drivers seat for the Big 12 driver sheet but the heavily preseason favorite Sooners could sweep in a steal the championship at the buzzer. The Pokes stand in the way with their dynamic offense. Norman has been a death trap for many teams in the past, but not so much this year. I'm riding Mike Gundy to keep the Sooners reeling. Stoops on the hotseat? OSU: 34--OU: 30
Auer: The Sooner defense showed more than a few holes in their defense last week and if they're not plugged against the Cowboys, this could be a shoot out. Both teams are peaking at the right time, and this could be one of the best games of the day. OSU: 42--OU: 47
Hoying: The Cowboys ended 8 years of futility last year, beating the Sooners to cap getting screwed out of the BCS title game. The Sooners have underwhelmed as of late, struggling to put away Iowa State, Baylor, and West Virginia after getting walloped by Notre Dame. The Cowboys are the usual Mike Gundy offensive juggernaut, but their defense has been exposed a bit in their three losses. And Oklahoma's Landry Jones is more than capable of taking advantage. I expect this game to look quite like last week's Oklahoma-West Virginia showdown, coming down to a late score or a missed conversion. Can Bob Stoops really lose 3 games at home in a year? Not this time. OSU: 34--OU: 35
Schweinfurth: The Cowboys are still in a rebuild mode after losing most of their offense to the NFL. The Sooners have most of their offense in tact, for now. Gotta go with Big Game Bob at home. OSU: 28--OU: 38
South Carolina Gamecocks @ Clemson Tigers
Draper: Clemson has been a complete juggernaut since the loss to the Seminoles whereas the Cocks have slowly declined all season (highlighted by the tragic loss of Marcus Lattimore to injury). I think Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd end the season with a HUGE victory over their hated rivals. Connor Shaw has been pretty decent all year, but after the Lattimore injury, the team is not the same. The defense is scary good (led by Clowney), but the Clemson offense is way better than all of the offenses in the SEC. Dabo gets a big win in Death Valley on the way to a BCS bowl (most likely). SCar: 20--Clem: 31
Auer: Clemson at home against Spurrier's up-and-down Gamecocks? Shouldn't be a contest. The Lattimore-less USC 'Cocks will have a hard time in this one. SCar: 17--Clem: 42
Hoying: Everyone has been all over Clemson as of late, and it's easy to see why. I mean, just look at that quality win over...Georgia Tech? Duke? Ball State? Clemson teams are notoriously flaky, but this squad hasn't even been given a chance to lose to a reasonably inferior opponent. The Tigers are a complete and total mirage, and QB Tajh Boyd is about to get a rude awakening at the hands of the Ol' Ball Coach and the battle-tested Gamecocks. SCar: 28--Clem: 17
Schweinfurth: Every year I make the mistake of picking Clemson in a big game. Can you fault me? Look at the offensive talent they have. That defense though...yuck. South Carolina on the other hand is sound in both phases. I've seen enough of Clowney to know that Boyd better wear extra padding. I learn from my mistakes and the Gamecocks win. SCar: 31--Clem: 28
Stanford Cardinal @ UCLA Bruins
Draper: Stanford comes off a huge OT win over the Ducks on a major high. UCLA would be well served to completely tank this game and save it up for a rematch with the Cardinal (I don't see them beating a refocused Duck squad), but I don't think Jim Mora will take his foot off the pedal after ending the football monopoly in LA. Johnathan Franklin and Brett Hundley have been spectacular all season. The Stanford D left it all on the field vs. the Ducks which gives the Bruins something for which to prepare. Need to make up some ground, and I don't believe in the Cardinal so Bruins it is! Stan: 23 UCLA: 24
Auer: After both teams pulled surprising upsets last week, this game has actually garnered some interest. The Stanford D faces a tough test with the UCLA O, and this game should come down to the wire. Stan: 34--UCLA: 26
Hoying: This game is the reason I hate conference championship games. UCLA could literally not show up to this game, come back 6 days later, and play the same opponent for the Pac-12 Championship. No one looks at the NFL during week 17 and says, "Wow, it was fun to see that playoff-bound team play their second string." Let's hope there's enough pride left in the college game for UCLA to actually put in an effort in this one. But come on, does anyone expect UCLA to be better motivated than Stanford here? Really? Stan: 28--UCLA: 17
Schweinfurth: Both of these teams are coming off huge upset wins. Stanford's defense was excellent against the Ducks and UCLA did just enough to hold on last week. With that said, I have to go with the defense that has looked the best all year. Stan: 17--UCLA: 10
Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ USC Trojans
Draper: The Domers have navigated their difficult schedule admirably, but there has been a few too many close calls. I've watch ND a lot this year, and they astound me how they keep winning. Many talk about how KSU was living on the edge, but ND barley beat Purdue, MSU, Stanford, and Pitt (Stanford being the only decent team). Manti T'eo has been nice, but not deserving of the extreme hype. USC provides a unique challenge as they have a truly elite offense (yes, OU had a good offense, but not elite). The backup QB provides a major issue for the Trojans, but the Irish can't matchup up with receivers of Troy. UCLA was able to beat USC in a shootout, but I don't see ND winning a shootout. Low scoring favors the Domers, but I expect a shootout where the Notre Dame defense is exposed a bit. Look out for another SEC/SEC title game....sigh. ND: 24--USC: 28
Auer: The Irish travel out west for what was expected to be the biggest game of the weekend. Matt Barkley got hurt and made this much more likely to be a competitive game. USC has some very talented players, but I don't believe they have the TEAM aspect that Notre Dame has shown this year. I hate it, but ND really shouldn't lose this one. ND: 20--USC: 19
Hoying: So USC is without its "Heisman caliber" quarterback. It's not like they were lighting up the world with him. And besides, as long as Marqise Lee is still running around in the secondary, it doesn't really matter who's tossing the ball his way. Meanwhile, the Irish are sporting the nation's top scoring defense against one of the nation's toughest schedules. But can they handle the pressure of being #1? Maybe more importantly, can Lane Kiffin avoid letting his Trojans completely crumble? 1. Yes. 2. No. ND: 27--USC: 21
Schweinfurth: I really didn't know what to make of this game...then Barkley got hurt. Marqise Lee is my Heisman favorite but there is a problem. He is a wide receiver. This means someone has to throw the ball. That someone is a red shirt freshman starting his first game against one of the top defensive units. Yea, that will go well. The only thing SC has going for them is home field. That won't be enough. Man, I hate waking up to the ND fight song on Mondays (thanks Golic). ND: 28--USC: 24
M!ch!g@n Wolverines @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: This is it. 11-0 (even with a team that isn't elite in my opinion) is nice, but it's all for naught if we can't finish. The Wolverines enter with a new QBat the helm which has actually bolstered their passing attack. Brady Hoke certainly has Blue Nation believing...but Urban Meyer has done the same with Buckeye Nation. Braxton needs to play better than last week and feed the beast in Carlos Hyde. Send these seniors out in the right way. This is the LAST time they'll ever sport the scarlet and gray and they deserve nothing but the best. Simon, Hankins, Roby and the resurgent LB corps show up to stifle the Wolverines and Miller, Hyde and Stoneburner win going away to add that asterisk onto whichever team wins the crystal ball. GO BUCKS!! BEAT BLUE!! UM: 13--OSU: 31
Auer: Unfortunately Michigan realized that Denard was more useful as a RB than a QB that threw about 50 interceptions per game. Urban Meyer will be looking to win-over the rest of the Buckeye faithful with a win tomorrow afternoon in frigid Columbus, and will need Braxton, Carlos, and oh yeah Simon and Hankins to come through in a big way to shutdown the Wolverine attack and send out the embattled seniors as winners. Lose tomorrow and Urban's (and his entire staff) ability to lead this team to future success remains a question mark, because 11-1 is great, except when that 1 comes against the evil Maize and Blue. UM: 21--OSU: 27
Hoying: 11-0 is nice, but since the loss in Ann Arbor last year and the imposition of the postseason ban, only one game has been on Buckeye Nation's mind. These teams are similar in a number of ways, featuring good defenses and dynamic quarterback play. However, Corn and Blue's defense ranks better against the pass, while the Silver Bullets focus on stopping the run. Since neither team throws the ball, this gives the advantage to the Buckeyes. The game may come down to Miller's decision making. If he can play smart, not turn the ball over, and remember to hand the ball off to Hyde a few times, the Bucks should roll. Start the streak again and leave Brady Hoke crying in his Fruity Pebbles. Not OSU: 17--OSU: 31
Schweinfurth: This is the game at the end of the world (season). I have been looking forward to this game since Devan Smith dropped the winner last year. Urban lives and breathes this rivalry. He has said it himself. I get that scUM is gonna roll out 2 QBs and they have had success with it...against Iowa and Minnesota. Yea. Those are good teams...NOT. I have faith that, when Denard touches the ball, he will be greeted rather rudely by Shazier or Simon. On offense, you will not see another game like last week. The meat chicken defense couldn't stop Braxton last year and they won't stop him this year either. If they do, Carlos will be waiting in the wings. Hyde gets his 1,000 yards, Brax runs for 150 and throws for 250 more. Jon Simon eats Denard's insides for Thanksgiving desert with a side of Gardner as Brady Hoke drools while watching on. He may need to channel his inner Matt Foley after this one. scUM: 21--OSU: 43 (Urban goes for two late)
Upset Special
Draper: TCU over Texas
Auer: Pitt over Rutgers
Hoying: Georgia Tech over Georgia
Schweinfurth: Washington State over Washington
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