College football games of note: Rivalry Week
And it all comes down to this: the final regular-season countdown. It's my last chance to boss you around and tell you which games to watch before they all make the must-see list. Last week’s games separated the boys from the men, although I’m not sure beating The Citadel counts as manly, even if you do it by 33 points.
Clemson went Tigermode on Duke, Notre Dame laid a very heavy smack down on the Boston College Eagles and Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray racked up 371 total yards and accounted for five touchdowns in the Sooners' win over Kansas. Also, I’m not going to say I told you so (mainly because it was the only game I was right about), but Nebraska defeated Michigan State by scoring only nine points. Scott Frost is sure to get a bronze statue erected any day now.
Ohio State almost lost to Maryland, Utah locked up the Pac-12 South with a 30-7 win over Colorado, which led to Mike MacIntyre’s firing, and Oklahoma State upset West Virginia, creating a little bit of chaos in the Big-12 Championship race.
Speaking of championship races, you may notice a theme to this week’s must-watch games. Read on for some outrageously hot takes on my Week 13 games of note.
No. 6 Oklahoma at No. 12 West Virginia
I’m going to start this by saying I honestly don’t know who is going to win this game. Both teams have stud players, both teams have extremely potent offenses and both teams are playing for a Big-12 Championship bid. You could say, well, the Mountaineers are coming off an extremely disappointing loss to Oklahoma State. But there is no way Will Grier is going out like that — he knows Oklahoma’s defense has given up 40 points in four of its last six games, which bodes well for the senior QB. Grier averages 332.5 passing yards per game and is responsible for 21.2 points in each contest — that ranks him fourth and sixth nationally, respectively.
Oklahoma’s offense, led by the confident Murray, is equally impressive. The Sooners lead the nation in yards per play (8.8) and scoring offense (49.5 points per game). Both defenses are bad, so it will come down to who can limit the damage. Oklahoma has won four straight against West Virginia, and the Sooners are 17-1 in games where the total was set at 62 or higher entering the contest. This total is set at 84 and climbing…
No. 16 Washington at No. 7 Washington State
One of my favorite games that I have yet to see in person is the beloved Apple Cup. The Huskies hold the upper hand in this rivalry game, winning eight of the last nine meetings, including the last five. The Pac-12 North is on the line — the winner of this game will face Utah in the Pac-12 Championship game next Friday at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara. This is another game that could go either way. Washington is on a two-game winning streak and has outgained every opponent this season, except Auburn and Stanford, and has out-rushed everyone but the Tigers. Meanwhile the Cougars are on a seven-game winning streak, led by quarterback Gardner Minshew, who in turn leads the nation in almost every statistical category humanely possible.
Plus, Washington State, like Oklahoma, will be looking to make some sort of Playoff statement. The Huskies' passing defense, ranked 30th nationally, will try and slow down Minshew, who has three or more touchdowns in eight straight games so far this season. But it is Minshew’s final home game and Pullman is notoriously nuts, so I have to believe in the magic of the mustache. Also, WSU is allowing just 22.6 points per game and boasts a rushing defense ranked 26th nationally, which means it can keep Husky running back Myles Gaskin in check. Without Gaskin’s support, Washington quarterback Jake Browning struggles, so expect Mike Leach to bring the pain.
No. 4 Michigan at No. 10 Ohio State
One more top-ranked matchup of epic proportions: the battle for the Big Ten’s soul, a struggle Michigan hasn’t seen the better side of for many khaki-colored years. This year, the Wolverines have even more at stake than bragging rights or conference championships – Michigan is poised to make its first appearance in the College Football Playoff, and the only thing standing in the way is Urban Meyer. That has to be some sort of metaphor for this year of college football.
This game isn’t rocket science though. I mean, Michigan hasn’t lost a bout since its first matchup of the season, against Notre Dame. Meanwhile, Ohio State started the season strong but lost to a plucky Purdue squad and then had to grind out wins over Nebraska and more recently Maryland. This will be quarterback Dwayne Haskin’s toughest test, facing a Michigan defense that is downright nasty under Don Brown. Ohio State also struggles with big play moments, giving Michigan an edge if it comes down to the wire. But the Buckeyes bring out the worst in Michigan, and Ohio State hasn’t lost to the Wolverines in the Horseshoe since 2000. The intangibles matter in rivalry games, and I believe Meyer has the physiological upper hand.
No. 14 Utah State at No. 21 Boise State
You guys know I avoid writing about Boise State if I can help it, but this game determines who will meet Fresno State in the Mountain West Championship game. So here we go. Three things I don’t like: old man Rypien (as in Brett Rypien, the Boise State quarterback, still), the Smurf Turf and the way the Aggies beat Colorado State last week. Three things I am looking forward to about this matchup: the fact that Utah State is the highest-ranked team to come to Albertsons Field; Edward Aschoff as the sideline guy; and Boise State senior wide receiver Sean Modster, who caught three touchdown passes last weekend in the Bronco’s win over New Mexico.
Boise State is favored by 2.5 points, but this is bound to be a down and dirty game between two extremely athletic teams. Both squads have efficient, productive offenses, and both have solid defenses. I’m turning this one over to special teams, which will be the difference. Utah State punter Taylor Hintze averages 40 yards a kick, which puts him in the bottom 20 in the country, and the Aggies struggled on a key punt return against Colorado State last weekend. Boise State’s punter, Quinn Skillin, does slightly better, averaging 38.8 yards per kick, while the Broncos kicker has made nine of his 15 field goals attempted. Boise State’s kicker is a more solid 20-25 field goals made. It will come down to composure, and the crowd, combined with the Smurf Turf, has a way of rattling the visiting team. Look for Boise State to upset.
Bonus Game - Marshall at FIU
This battle for the Conference USA East Division crown is sure to be a good one. The Thundering Herd are favored by three points, coming off a 23-0 routing of UTSA at home last Saturday. But the Golden Panthers hold the tiebreaker over Middle Tennessee, so a win over Marshall would ensure their place at the title game table. FIU boasts a sexy scoring offense, 26th in the nation, putting up 35.5 points per game. But the Thundering Herd are 20th in the nation in scoring defense by allowing just 19.8 points per game. As the resident MTSU fan, I’m pulling for Marshall.
Hall Over The Place is on hiatus due to the postponement of the "Big Game" between Stanford and Cal last weekend, which was moved to Dec. 1 due to poor air quality from massive fires in northern California. I’ll be back next week with highlights from Colorado vs. Cal and the Buffs first game without MacIntyre. Stay tuned!
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