College football Week 12 preview

Before the Broncos can think about their looming Mountain West Mountain Division showdown with Utah State next week, they will try for a sixth consecutive victory to kick off the weekend. They've yielded 33 points in the last two games and 35 while winning two straight over the Lobos.

Prediction: Boise State 31, New Mexico 20

Is there really a need for a banged-up Tua Tagovailoa to play in this contest? Not really, but nobody other than coach Nick Saban makes the football decisions at Alabama. Citadel, out of the FCS, lost 61-3 at Clemson last season. If the Bulldogs can keep this one under 70, then consider it a moral victory.

Prediction: Alabama 70, Citadel 7

A step out of conference might be coming at the right time for the Wildcats, whose 24-7 loss at Tennessee last week was their second in a row. More alarming for Kentucky is that its offense is averaging 13.4 points while losing three of the last five. Middle Tennessee has won four in a row but lost to SEC opponents Vanderbilt and Georgia by a combined score of 84-14 this season.

Prediction: Kentucky 31, Middle Tennessee 15

Urban Meyer appears to have gotten himself into more hot water at Ohio State. No reminder is needed for what's gone on at Maryland. It's not possible that both teams can lose this game, but off the field these programs continue to lose points to anybody with a brain.

Prediction: Ohio State 38, Maryland 20

Northwestern has gone from a 1-3 start to champions of the Big Ten's West Division. It's been a remarkable season for the Wildcats, who have won five straight and 13 of their last 14 games against conference opponents. Now they must find the way to avoid a third consecutive defeat at Minnesota.

Prediction: Northwestern 27, Minnesota 17

OK, Mississippi State didn't get embarrassed by Alabama last week despite being shut out. But there might be reason to worry, as the Bulldogs were held to seven or fewer points for the fourth time this season. Arkansas has allowed 32.7 points per contest in 2018, but only lost 24-17 to LSU last week.

Prediction: Mississippi State 28, Arkansas 10

A third straight season with at least 10 wins is there for the Nittany Lions, though that seems like a small consolation. Penn State was hyped for better than three losses, but at least it's not Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights' Big Ten losing streak has reached 10 games, and time has almost surely run out for coach Chris Ash.

Prediction: Penn State 42, Rutgers 9

The Gators avoided a third straight defeat last week but needed a hefty second-half rally over South Carolina to get the job done. Things should be much easier this weekend for Florida, which is 57-8 in non-conference home games since the start of the 1996 season. Six of those defeats have come against Florida State.

Prediction: Florida 52, Idaho 14

No starting quarterback or running back, no problem for Utah. That's what the Utes were minus last week against Oregon, and they still beat the fading Ducks by 10. New quarterback Jason Shelley and featured back Armand Shyne look more than capable of helping guide Utah to the Pac-12 title game. Once the surprise team in the nation, Colorado is in danger of dropping six in a row.

Prediction: Utah 27, Colorado 17

A date with Boise State for what likely will determine the Mountain West Mountain Division title looms, but the Aggies' first order of business is securing a 10th consecutive victory this weekend. Colorado State has had a rough season, but it's still looking for a third straight win over Utah State.

Prediction: Utah State 43, Colorado State 20

Quarterback Ian Book appears healthy enough to be back under center for the Irish. Syracuse, meanwhile, has a pretty good signal-caller in Eric Dungey (8,665 career passing yards, 54 passing touchdowns). Yankee Stadium will be the place to be as the upstart Orange look to run their winning streak to five games and deliver a hit to Notre Dame's national championship hopes.

Prediction: Notre Dame 32, Syracuse 17

It's uncertain if the Eagles will have injured quarterback Anthony Brown available for this contest. Boston College is the better team at the moment, and Florida State's 36-year bowl streak could come to an end with a loss this weekend. But the Seminoles are desperate and might just rise to the occasion.

Prediction: Florida State 29, Boston College 27 

It's the first of two against the state of Oklahoma to end the regular season for West Virginia. There is no reason the Mountaineers should be looking ahead to the showdown with Oklahoma next week. They've scored 147 points during their three-game winning streak, but the Cowboys already have wins over Boise State and Texas — both ranked at the time — at home in 2018.

Prediction: West Virginia 38, Oklahoma State 28

Georgia won't have to worry about an SEC opponent until its date with Alabama in the conference championship game next month. UMass is 0-12 against Top 25 teams since 2002 and does not expect to offer a serious challenge in this contest.

Prediction: Georgia 52, UMass, 7

Michigan is on the verge of a third season of at least 10 wins in the last four. Yet, the Wolverines have not won 10 in a row since 2006. That should be matched this weekend, as Michigan's defense has been downright nasty while giving up just seven points in each of the last three contests. Indiana, by the way, has lost 22 straight against the Wolverines.

Prediction: Michigan 38, Indiana 10

Washington's three losses have come by a combined 10 points, but it is still alive in the Pac-12 North Division. The winner of the division could be determined in the Apple Cup next weekend, but that's not the focus at the moment. The Huskies' goal this week is a seventh straight win over Oregon State.

Prediction: Washington 39, Oregon State 20

The Clemson machine continues rolling right behind Alabama. Things are lined up for both teams to meet for the national championship, but the Tigers won't worry about that yet. Next up are the Blue Devils, who will try for a third straight victory overall and first at Clemson since 1980.

Prediction: Clemson 44, Duke 14

LSU has totaled only 43 points over its last three games, but a visit from the non-conference Owls might help it get the offense going again. Rice has allowed at least 30 points in all but three games this season and 40 or more six times.

Prediction: LSU 49, Rice 10

The Sooners survived Bedlam and should have an easier time this weekend. It's probably no longer worth the time to think Oklahoma's defense will get any better down the stretch after yielding at least 46 points for the third time this season. The good news for the Sooners is that Kansas has totaled 20 while losing its last two.

Prediction: Oklahoma 55, Kansas 21

Both teams are chasing Oklahoma and West Virginia in the Big 12 race, but the Cyclones' five-game winning streak is the longest in the league. Texas, which avoided a third consecutive defeat with a win at Texas Tech last week, has won 12 of the last 14 meetings with Iowa State.

Prediction: Texas 31, Iowa State 27

The American Athletic Conference gets its prime-time stage in a matchup that could give UCF the East Division title with a victory. The Knights' winning streak is at 22 games, but Cincinnati has won three in a row since losing to Temple. This might be the biggest regular-season game in the young history of the conference.

Prediction: UCF 34, Cincinnati 28

Sure, it would be easy for Washington State to look ahead to the Apple Cup, but that doesn't seem like its style while in search of a seventh victory in a row. Instead, expect the Cougars' play to remain at a high level, especially on defense where they allowed 20 points total to Cal and Colorado in the last two games. Arizona has dropped 12 of its last 15 Pac-12 road contests.

Prediction: Washington State 42, Arizona 16

The focus much of the season in the AAC has been on the East Division, but three teams find themselves tied for first in the West. SMU, which opened the campaign with three straight defeats, is one of them. Sonny Dykes has the Mustangs playing at a high level, scoring 107 points in back-to-back wins over then-No. 17 Houston and UConn.

Prediction: SMU 41, Memphis 35

That's not a mistake. Pittsburgh leads the ACC Coastal Division and can clinch that title with a victory over the Demon Deacons. Looking for their first four-game winning streak since 2015, the Panthers are facing Wake Forest for the first time ever.

Prediction: Pitt 34, Wake Forest 27

How much has this rivalry fallen? About the only drama surrounding Saturday's matchup at the Rose Bowl is just how hot that seat is under Trojans coach Clay Helton. USC will be going for a fourth consecutive victory over the Bruins, who will look to avoid a fourth straight loss overall.

Prediction: UCLA 29, USC 28