Week 12: It's SEC FCS WEEK Y'ALL!!

Standings

1) Hoying              32-13        (4-7 upset)
2) Schweinfurth    28-12        (5-5 upset)

3) Draper               30-15        (3-8 upset)

4) Seeberg             27-18       (4-7 upset)

Washington State Cougars @ Colorado Buffaloes

Draper: I love me some crazy Mike Leach.  Wazzu has once again crapped themselves in the early game vs a FCS opponent but then has exploded with an undefeated Pac12 slate.  Luke Falk has run the air raid wonderfully and has the Cougars set up to face the Huskies for the Pac12 North regardless of this game.  Colorado sits at 10 in the CFP rankings but their best win is against...yeah, I don't know either.  Boulder will be rocking but give me crazy genius all day.  Wazzu sets up a HUGE Apple Cup game next week.  WSU: 34 -- CU: 21
Hoying: Ah, a classic Pac-12 matchup: great offense vs. great...defense? You wouldn't think importing a team from the Big 12 would do anything for your conference's defensive prowess, but, nonetheless, Colorado is straight-up shutting down opponents, including giving up all of 5 points to Stanford. Taking care of Wazzu QB Luke Falk will be a taller order, as the Cougars have been very impressive since opening the season with losses to Eastern Washington and Boise State. They do struggle a bit on the road (except at Stanford, but that doesn't count because Stanford has no fans), and I like the Buffs D to close it out at Folsom Field. WSU: 24--CU: 27

Schweinfurth: So, I'm going out on a limb here are say that both of these teams (and all of the Pac12 for that matter) are fake good. Washington State can put up points. Colorado has beaten no one. Typical no defense Pac12 shootout. WSU: 42--CU: 35

Seeberg:  Anybody have Washington State vs. Colorado as the best Pac-12 matchup this year?  LIAR.  In any event, the Cougars are riding an eight-game winning streak...after dropping games to an FCS team and Boise State.  Colorado, meanwhile, played TTUN and USC tough, both on the road, before losing.  In short, I trust the Buffaloes (particularly at home where they are prone to get extra downs) more than the Cougars.  WSU: 27--CU: 35

Louisville Cardinals @ Houston Cougars

Draper: This was purported as the only game of consequence remaining on Louisville's schedule and it looks like it will be...but Houston didn't the Cardinals any favors by losing to Navy (not a big deal) and SMU (woof).  Louisville has been playing with fire in their last few games (don't let the final score last week fool you) and Houston is still a very talented team.  Greg Ward won't outperform the Heisman winner (yeah, it's done), but he and the Cougars will give Louisville all they can handle.  I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Herman gets a signature win to catapult his name back up the 'hot coaches to hire' scale.  Cardinals are spending too much time worrying about their playoff standing and get bit.  UL: 41 -- Hou: 45
Hoying: Houston may have played their way out of a New Year's Six bowl but they still have a shot at their biggest season since the Southwest Conference disbanded in 1996. We've already seen what the Cougars can do at home against a top-5 team, and one can only assume that starting the day after the Oklahoma game, Tom Herman has been focusing his big ol' brain on the Cardinals (he sure wasn't getting ready for SMU). Yeah, yeah, Louisville plays in the good ACC and Houston plays in the bad AAC, but the Cards haven't been exactly been playing world beaters week-to-week. Much like Houston, they scored a big win early and they've been coasting ever since. Time for the wheels to finally fall off. UL: 38--41

Schweinfurth: This game will have lots, and lots of offense. It really is too bad that Houston fell of the map midway through the year, because this is going to be fun. Louisville has defeated exactly 1 top 25 team and have lost to the only other elite team they played. Houston has actually beaten a team with a pulse. Louisville has been playing to the level of their competition and it could bite them if they take a peak at Houston's record. Touchdown Tom, the top MENSA man in college football will shut the Cardinals up and remove them from the CFP picture. UL: 42--Hou: 49 

Seeberg:  This one had a lot of intrigue for the first few weeks of the season.  Could the Houston Hermans, after beating Oklahoma week one, actually win this one too and get into the playoff??  Two losses later, and this one is now about Louisville keeping it's slim playoff hopes alive.  I don't expect a whole lot of defense in this one, so get your popcorn ready kids.  Houston had a lot to play for week one, but that motivation waned and is now in favor of the Cardinals.  The Ville wins a shootout.  UL: 52--HOU: 42

Oklahoma Sooners @ West Virginia Mountaineers

Draper: OU keeps rolling in the Big12 (defense is optional) Conference.  Dede Westbrook has been fantastic all year as have Joe Mixon, Samaje Perine, and to a lesser extent, Baker Mayfield.  This is gonna be a crazy shootout type game (i.e., Big12 day in the park), but WVU simply doesn't have the horses to keep up.  Holgo will make sure the points will flow in Morgantown, and the environment will be crazy, but the Sooners talent is simply better and will carry the day.  Take the over.  OU: 52 -- WVU: 42

Hoying: Other than the obvious, this is probably the biggest game of the week for Ohio State's playoff hopes other than Penn State - Rutgers. West Virginia keeps lurking around ready to leapfrog our Bucks if they can win out and claim "One True Champion" status. An Oklahoma win would all but eliminate the Big 12 from playoff contention and boost OSU's resume in the process. But enough of what we want to happen; what's going to happen? Here's a hot take, the Sooner D isn't going to be stopping Skyler Howard and the West Virginia offense very much. Urban wasn't kidding when he said Indiana's defense was the best OSU had faced to that point. But can Baker Mayfield and OU's version of Curtis Samuel, Joe Mixon, keep pace? Not in the unfriendly confines of Morgantown. WVU keeps the dream of a late playoff push alive. OU: 31--WVU: 41

Schweinfurth: I love all of the howling coming from West Virginia about their ranking this week. Here's a wild idea, play a tougher schedule and win your games. Oklahoma seems to have found their groove after getting whooped at home in three. Big Game Bob remembered that he has two elite running backs in Mixon and Perine and has been putting them in better positions to succeed. Perine and Mixon should be able to run over the Mountaineers. OU: 49--WVU: 35

Seeberg:  Let's be real Buckeye Nation, it's beneficial for us to have the Sooners keep winning, so picking the Sooners is what our collective heart wants.  However, despite just one loss, West Virginia has done very little to prove they belong with the big boys this season, dropping their only game against a ranked team (Oklahoma State) and looking pretty lousy in the process.  Meanwhile, non-big-game Bob Stoops has actually rallied the Sooners back to a top 10 team after being demolished at home by the Buckeyes in week three.  The home crowd may keep it close, but the Sooners are rolling too well on offense to drop this one. OU: 45--WVU: 34 

Florida Gators @ LSU Tigers

Draper: Coach O has the locker room and the team has really come together.  Yes, they lost to Bama but performed quite well on defense.  Florida is just like Bama....you know, without the good offense or stifling defense.  Yeah the Gators have come good corners and decent defense, but the offense is poop and LSU is truly playing for their coach.  I hope Orgeron gets the job because he truly seems like he cares about the players and they return the love.  I'm glad this game happens this weekend for 2 reasons: 1) 2 fewer stupid SEC/FCS matchups, 2) Should soften UF up a bit...I think they have a game next week.  UF: 10 -- LSU: 24
Hoying: Ewwwwww, there's an SEC East team in our picks. Well, better get this over with. Florida's defense has been enjoying a great year, except when they got lit up in Fayetteville against Woo Pig U. LSU's D has been better, allowing 16, 18, and 10 points in 3 tough losses. Look for this game to feature about 24 punts and be over in about 2 hours (be thankful it's not on CBS or it would stretch for the standard 4). And when the dust settles, I guess LSU will have scored? UF: 0--LSU: 6

Schweinfurth: Both of these teams are not good. Now that I have cleared the air, Florida has no offense and LSU has looked competent since Les moved on to making lawn clipping smoothies. LSU will win, but it won't matter in the grand scheme of things. UF: 14--LSU: 20
Seeberg:  This game is likely to be a LARGE departure from the games we have picked above (read:  NO OFFENSE).  It's a recipe for an ugly game to watch with solid defenses and meh (at best) offenses.  LSU almost made 0 points stand up against Bama for 3.5 quarters.  Florida's offense is much, much worse than the Tide's.  First to double digits wins!  UF: 9--LSU: 17

THE Ohio State Buckeyes @ Michigan State Spartans

Draper: Urban Meyer has lost 3 games to B1G opponents since he's been at OSU...and 2 of them were to the Spartans.  Something about the green and white seems to make the coaches at OSU forget what they're doing.  This year may be a tougher sell (to choke), but it's something to be concerned about.  The new focused coaching philosophy of taking each week as the entire season seems to have paid dividends over the last few weeks.  A noon kickoff is huge for OSU as the environment shouldn't be an issue.  I expect a very business like game in which the Buckeyes try to shorten the game and get out with a comfortable win--which I think they will.  JT and the backfield keep it simple and have nice games on the ground without any bells and whistles.  Defense teaches Tyler OConner that while he got the best of us last year, there are consequences.  Bucks keep moving and prepare for The Game.  OSU: 34 -- MSU: 17
Hoying: If Wisconsin is the fun rivalry, and Penn State is the must-win rivalry, and Michigan, is well, Michigan, then this one is the bizarre snakebite rivalry. I hesitate to even label it a rivalry since Ohio State is always favored to win it, but unlike Indiana, Michigan State actually beats us from time to time, usually at the most devastating moment possible. As Eleven Warriors pointed out, Ohio State has faced Michigan State in November or later while ranked #5 or higher 7 times, and have won twice. Twice! Another fun fact: the last home team that won in this series went on to make an improbable appearance in the national championship game during the last CHAOS SEASON: 2007. Will the streak end? I don't see it happening. MSU is just plain bad this year,. While they still have the pieces in place to take this series to the next level by adding a new biggest upset to a list of pretty big upsets, Ohio State is back in Urban November form. They may not be the green team, but you wouldn't like them when they're angry. OSU: 31--MSU: 23

Schweinfurth: REVENGE!!! That's what I want. I don't care that the Spartans are having a down year. They should be treated as the team that ruined your playoff chance last year, and that demon needs to be excised. I really hope that Meyer has learned from that game and doesn't go into a predicable "bad weather" shell. Ohio State will win this game on talent alone. Sparty will hang around in the first half, as is their MO this year, but the Bucks pull away after some epic SPARTY NO! meltdowns in the third quarter. Go Bucks Beat That State Up North! OSU: 42--MSU: 13

Seeberg:  I have to be honest with you, Buckeye Nation, I don't give a rat's rear end what MSU's record is, I'm still highly concerned about this game.  We coached ourselves out of a playoff appearance in this one last year, and the circumstances are eerily similar this year:  Heavily favored OSU team, lousy weather forecast (wind gusts in excess of 35 MPH in East Lansing) that could cause a painfully conservative game plan, MSU team with nothing to lose, etc.  Sparty showed up against ttun, losing by just nine, and a similar effort is likely this weekend.  The only things that give me solace are the fact that Sparty is without DT Malik McDowell and is also shuffling their O-line due to injury...that and Curtis Samuel.  Keep #4 involved (preferably more in the running game for that 1000/1000 season) and hopefully this one will be no longer in question by the fourth quarter.  OSU: 38--MSU: 17

Upset Special (Please don't pick lame upsets like OkSt over TCU)

Draper: Indiana over Michigan
Hoying: California over Stanford (sorry not sorry, Stanford band)

Schweinfurth: UCLA over USC

Seeberg:  UTSA over Texas A&M (seriously, they're still ranked and I'm just angry about it)

Heart over Head upset: GO RUTGERS!!!!!