College football games of note: Week 11

I was wrong about LSU beating Alabama. There I said it. Are you happy now? Sure the Crimson Tide entered the game a favorite, but no one, I mean no one, could have predicted Alabama would completely shut the Tigers out. It was painful to watch. Yet you couldn’t turn away from the magnificence that was Bama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receivers Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle, running back Najee Harris and basically everyone on offense. Just give them the damn trophy already.

Elsewhere, the Big 12 stepped up to the plate big time, offering several edge-of-your-seat games. West Virginia edged Texas in a thrilling last-second two-point conversion that saw quarterback Will Grier run untouched into the end zone and flash the "horns down" to the crowd, which he was promptly penalized for. You don’t mess with Texas, I guess. Texas Tech nearly upset Oklahoma, and the Red Raiders strength and conditioning coach, Rusty Whitt, trucked an unruly fan who had sneaked onto the field. It was glorious. And Baylor scored a touchdown with seven seconds left to defeat Oklahoma State. Also, Ohio State had trouble with Nebraska, which was fun.

This week should produce a calmer, gentler slate of games, with fewer ranked pairings and more forgiving lines. But with conference championship bids looming large, teams will be fighting tooth and nail. Here are a few you should pay attention to. Because I said so.  

No. 16 Fresno State at Boise State

Remember Jeff Tedford? Cal fans do. He has been busy quietly cooking up an 8-1 season at Fresno State. But don’t blast the Migos just yet — the Bulldogs have to get past a 7-2 Broncos squad currently on a four-game win streak. The Bulldogs will need to chase away last year’s conference championship ghosts — the Broncos defeated Fresno State 17-14 at Albertsons Stadium. This year though, Fresno State is allowing only 12.3 points per game, tied for second best in the nation, and also ranks second nationally in interceptions with 15. Plus the Bulldogs have allowed only eight passing touchdowns this season, which does not bode well for Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien. Yes he’s still at Boise State.
Meanwhile Bulldogs QB Marcus McMaryion is the most accurate passer the Broncos defense will have faced thus far, completing 70.9 percent of his passes, and he will likely be on the move a lot — he has seven rushing touchdowns on the season. Fresno State is favored by three, but I expect it to win by a lot more.

No. 8 Ohio State at Michigan State

There is a reason the Buckeyes are favored by only four points heading into this game, and it starts and ends with Michigan State’s defensive front, particularly the linebackers. No one has rushed for more than 70 yards on the Spartans, with the exception of Michigan (183) and Penn State (205). Sure, Ohio State’s offense has been inconsistent. But if quarterback Dwayne Haskins gets hot from the start, the Buckeyes' passing game will trump the Spartans' stingy defense. Plus Michigan State’s offense is in disarray with both quarterback Brian Lewerke and running back LJ Scott struggling with injuries. Added Buckeye bonus:  Ohio State is a strong third-down team, a statistic Michigan State struggles with. I think the Buckeyes win this one by at least a touchdown.

Troy at Georgia Southern

Switching it up with some Sun Belt action, the Troy Trojans head to Statesboro to take on the Georgia Southern Eagles in a must-win game for both teams. Troy sits on top of the conference at a perfect 5-0, but Georgia Southern is close behind at 4-1 and an Eagles win would cause some chaos, particularly if Appalachian State defeats Texas State. Troy holds an 11-6 edge in the series against Georgia Southern, but the Eagles have won four of the last five meetings and they have won six straight games at home. Troy quarterback Sawyer Smith is solid especially when he connects with wide receiver Damion Willis, who leads the Trojans with 40 catches for 718 yards and eight touchdowns.

But Georgia Southern has the GATA chain. Made of stainless steel and weighing seven pounds, the chain was designed, cut and welded by former Eagle football player TJ Rutledge. The chain symbolizes the Eagles blue-collar work ethic and is awarded to the player responsible for a turnover. So far this season, Georgia Southern has forced 24 turnovers (14 INTs, 10 fumble recoveries) for a plus-20 turnover margin, a national best. I like the Eagles to create some Sun Belt chaos.

Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh 

We live in a world where Pittsburgh is the favorite to win the ACC Coastal Division. This game against Virginia Tech is key in fulfilling Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi’s preseason prediction that his team would reach the ACC Championship game. Pitt controls its own destiny, which means the Panthers need to get by the Hokies, led by quarterback Ryan Willis, who put up 281 yards and three touchdowns and 49 rushing yards in VT’s loss to Boston College last weekend. Tech hasn’t been all that impressive this season, but it can throw the ball. And Pitt’s biggest issue has been defending the passing game. Luckily that is where the Panthers can focus all their attention, as Tech’s running game and special teams are not much of a threat. Watch for Panther’s running back Darrin Hall to get loose and rush for 200-plus yards and several touchdowns, solidifying Pittsburgh’s win.

No. 15 Texas at Texas Tech

Onward to that Big 12 charm…this game will miss Texas Tech quarterback Alan Bowman, but we wish him a speedy recovery. Jett Duffey, who finished the game against Oklahoma with 139 yards and two touchdowns as well as 49 rushing yards, will be at the helm for the Red Raiders. Vegas has this spread at 1 point, which means there will be Bedlam in two Big 12 places this year. The Longhorns are coming off two disappointing close-game losses, to Oklahoma State and West Virginia. But at least Texas will always have the "horns down" penalty clause. I will say it’s fun to write about Tre Watson again — the former Cal running back ran for 80 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown as well as 35 yards from two catches and another touchdown. Look for him to give the Red Raider defense some trouble. This will be a shootout of true Western proportions, but I like the Red Raiders at home.

Hall over the Place

Instead of a press box, I spent this past weekend at home on my couch watching college football with my dad. It was the best day I’ve had in a long time. I was able to flex some of my "GameDay" knowledge, while he critiqued Stanford head coach David Shaw’s coaching. Someone is her father’s daughter…

This weekend, I will be on the Farm attending Stanford’s home game against the Oregon State Beavers. It’s doubtful there will be any Pac-12 After Dark with a 6 p.m. kickoff, but you truly never know in the Conference of Underdogs. Check my social media, as we will be tailgating with some of Stanford’s former players and media personalities and collecting as many Christian McCaffrey bobbleheads as we possibly can. While these past two weekends have been tame, stay tuned as I head out on the road once again for the last three weeks to close down the season in style.