Hey everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you're all stuffed and ready for the best weekend of the year in College Football... and overall in my book! Rivalry weekend is upon us, and although it marks the end of the regular season for football, it also means that the bowl games are right around the corner. There is a great set of games this weekend, many of them having big implications on the playoff picture. I wish I could make a pick on all of the great rivalry games, but there are just too many. I will do quite a few this week though, so be prepared. Always remember that anything is possible in College Football, especially during Rivalry Week! Records go out the window, and teams play on an entirely different level when they play against their rivals. This is the weekend where chaos gets its name from, so here we go!
1. 15 Navy at Houston
Since this is Navy's first season as a member of the American Conference, this is a new rivalry. I think that over the next few years, these two teams will continue to be atop the American Conference, and this rivalry will have a bigger impact. Houston is coming off a big upset at the hands of UConn last week, while Navy just continues to run over, around, and through teams. UConn ran very well against Houston last week, blasting them for a few big runs throughout the game. I believe that Navy is too tough to stop with the Triple Option attack, and I still have them winning the American Conference this year. Midshipmen win this one 40-24.
2. 20 Washington State at Washington
The Apple Cup: Wazzu against the Huskies of Washington. This is always a classic game up in the Pacific Northwest, and it has some extra implications this year. Washington is fighting for a bowl game while Wazzu is tying to turn the tide in a series in which the Huskies have won 5 out of the last 6. Luke Falk has taken the PAC-12 by storm this year, passing for 4266 yards and 36 TDs. If he is not able to play tomorrow, I believe it will be a much closer game. Washington's defense has been very tough for opponents to score on, giving up an average of 18.5 points per game this season. The biggest issues are on offense for Chris Petersen's squad. I have the Cougars winning with or without Luke Falk, but if he's not able to go, look for Washington's defense to cause more havoc. Wazzu 35, Huskies 28.
3. 7 Baylor at 19 TCU
Earlier this season, this looked to be the game that would decide which Big XII team jumped into the playoff. TCU has fallen off the past couple of weeks, and the injuries to Boykin and Doctson have not helped. Baylor is still in prime position to win the Big XII and find their way into the Final Four. Backup QB Jarrett Stidham is the second Bears QB to lose the end of his season to injury, but third-string QB Chris Johnson tore apart OSU's defense when he came in off the bench last Saturday. TCU fought admirably against the Sooners, but couldn't quite pull the upset. This will be another big shootout, and the rivalry only feeds the fire. Last year the Bears came back from a 21 point deficit to win a 61-58 thriller in Waco. Traveling to Ft. Worth is never an easy task, but I think that the Bears will handle this one. Chris Johnson leads the Bears to victory and a spot in the playoffs. Bears 52, Horned Frogs 40.
4. 8 Ohio State at 10 Michigan
The first of many meetings between Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh. This one should be a great game up in the Big House. Ohio State is coming off of their first loss of the season as the Spartans upset them with a walk-off field goal in the Horseshoe last week. Two tough defenses face off in what should be another low scoring, hard-nosed game. Michigan will try to shut down JT Barrett and the deadly Buckeye offense that has struggled to get off to a fast start in games. It will be interesting to see what kind of leadership is shown by the Buckeyes as RB Ezekiel Elliot and QB Cardale Jones both said they would not return for their Senior campaigns after the MSU game. Elliot was especially upset with the number of times he touched the ball and the coaching decisions that were made. I think that the off-field issues will hurt the Buckeyes in this game. Michigan has played very good football this year, and I think that they will beat their arch rival at home this weekend. Harbaugh gets a leg up on the rivalry and Michigan wins it 28-23. The winner of this game is hoping for a Penn State victory so that they can claim the East Division Title.
5. 1 Clemson at South Carolina
The Gamecocks have more or less fallen off of the face of the Earth this season. Favored as one of the best candidates to win the SEC East Division, they find themselves walking into this rivalry game at 3-8 with nothing special to play for besides bragging rights and upset capability. That's all the motivation you need in a rivalry game though. Records don't matter this weekend, and I think that South Carolina will try as hard as they can to prove that. There's nothing better than to have the number one team walk into your house thinking they've already won it. However, I don't believe that South Carolina has any team chemistry this season, and that's a big factor in their losses. Clemson's defense should be able to take care of the Gamecocks, and I think that Deshaun Watson will tear apart their defense. Clemson is out to prove they're number one, and they'll do that with a convincing 45-14 victory. Sorry Cocky, no upsets this year.
6. Penn State at 5 Michigan State
The Nittany Lions walk into East Lancing looking to upset the 5th ranked Spartans. They have climbed back up in the polls after falling to my Huskers a few weeks ago, and look to book a trip to Indianapolis if they can get a win on Senior Day. The Nittany Lions are looking to claw their way back into becoming one of the Powerhouses in the East. Their defense is very tough to score on and keeps them in games, but their offense still struggles to find their groove. Sparty's defense stepped up last game, as well as backup QB Tyler O'Connor. Connor Cook looks to be back for Senior day, and one can only imagine what kind of damage he's looking to do. An East Division title will put Michigan State back into title talk. I think that this one will be a tough, low scoring game, but Sparty will come out on top. Penn State just doesn't have the offensive firepower to match the Spartans. Michigan State 28, Penn State 17.
7. Wisconsin at Minnesota
The Gophers are looking to end an emotional season with a victory over the Badgers and a trip to a Bowl game. The Badgers are coming off a close loss on Senior day to the Wildcats of Northwestern. This game won't be anything flashy, just a tough, hard fought battle between two bitter rivals. The Battle for Paul Bunyan's Ax has not been very close the past few seasons, and Minnesota is looking for their first win since 2003! I think that Mitch Leidner and the Gophers will get it done in this one and win a close one 23-20.
8. 2 Alabama at Auburn
The Iron Bowl, another great rivalry in College Football. Two years out from the incredible "Kick-Six", Bama looks to walk into Jordan Hare Stadium and pummel a struggling Tiger squad that is looking for another upset. Over the season, Auburn has not given up a whole lot of points, but they have not scored many either. Their struggles on offense have lead them to a 6-5 record. This game has big implications nationally because not only would it probably knock Bama out of playoff contention, but it would put Ole Miss into the SEC title game if they can win the Egg Bowl. Sadly, I don't think that Bama will fall in this one. Derrick Henry will run through his 6ft wide holes and Bama should cruise to victory. If Auburn is within striking distance in the 4th Quarter, it could get interesting, but I have the Tide rolling in this one 38-21.
9. 22 UCLA at USC
The classic LA showdown of Southern California. Cross town rivals with everything on the line. The winner of this game books their trip to the PAC-12 Title game in Santa Clara against the Stanford Cardinal. Both have fallen to Stanford already this season, so they would love nothing more for another shot. The Trojans came into the year favored to win the PAC-12 and be selected into the playoffs. Those dreams faded throughout the year as off the field issues caught up with head coach Steve Sarkisian forcing him to step down. Play on the field has been up and down all season for both teams. UCLA got off to a great start, but struggled mightily throughout conference play. Both teams have shown that they can play with the best, but have also shown terrible outings. I picked USC to win the South division earlier this season, and they have the perfect chance to do it against their rivals. Josh Rosen has had an impressive freshman campaign, but I think USC's defense will get the best of him. Trojans force too many turnovers and win this game 35-21.
10. 18 Ole Miss at 21 Mississippi State
The Egg Bowl, another great rivalry in the SEC. Both teams have great leadership at the QB position, especially the Bulldogs in Dak Prescott. He has been one of my favorite players to watch over the past few years in College Football. I would love to see him have a great day on Senior Day, and send Ole Miss packing. The Rebels have been so hot and cold this season, and with the talent level that they have, they really shouldn't be struggling with teams. They're hoping for an Auburn upset, but they still need to get by Dak Prescott. The Rebel's defense have struggled against balanced offenses, so look for a shootout in this one. Chad Kelly and Lequon Treadwell will be going deep quite often against the Bulldogs struggling pass defense that gives up an average of 215 yards per game passing. I think that Dak Prescott will shine in his final home game as a Bulldog, and Hail State will win the shootout 45-42.
11. 13 Florida State at 12 Florida
The Gators and the Seminoles square off in the classic Florida Rivalry. The Gators have already locked up their trip to Atlanta, and are looking to finish the season 11-1. They seemed to have overlooked Florida Atlantic last week as it took Overtime for the Gators to hold off the Owls. Hopefully they aren't looking at the SEC Title game already, because they have a great opportunity to fight their way back into the playoff picture with a solid win this weekend. Neither team's offense has been stellar this season, so I think that this one will be a low scoring affair. Dalvin Cook should be a big factor as FSU's QB situation has been in question the past few games. I think that the Gators have enough offense to get around Florida State, and they're looking to stop FSU's streak of two straight wins in the series. Gators 24, Seminoles 20.
12. 6 Notre Dame at 9 Stanford
This game is one of my top games to watch this weekend. Both Notre Dame and Stanford are trying to fight their way into the Playoff picture. The Irish are coming off of a sub-par game against Boston College in which they turned the ball over 5 times. The Cardinal are a much tougher opponent and are not going to let you win if you commit 5 turnovers. Notre Dame's defense may be young, but they are well experienced due to injures over the past couple years. Offensively, the duo of Kizer and Fuller causes headaches for every defense they face. I see this game being a little more high scoring than others, so look for more offense. Christian McCaffrey is still my top Heisman choice so far this season, and I think that he will have another monster game. I know my Uncle won't be very happy with me, but I have to go with the Cardinal on this one. McCaffery is going to be too much for the Irish. Stanford 38, Notre Dame 33.
13. 3 Oklahoma at 11 Oklahoma State
Bedlam, the Big XII depends on this game. Oklahoma wins the conference title with a win and a Baylor loss in either of their next two games. Oklahoma State looks to knock OU out of the playoffs, and try to climb back into the talk of them. The Cowboys were embarrassed last week at home by a Baylor offense that torched them for 700 yards of offense. They will look to bounce back against a Sooner squad that escaped the upset against TCU last week, but has otherwise been on a roll since their Texas loss. The Sooners are sitting at number 3 right now, and are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive. This one will be another great Big XII shootout, and I think the Cowboys will show up ready to win. Oklahoma might still be wondering how they let TCU's freshman QB nearly upset them, and I think that the deep threat of OSU's passing game will hurt the Sooners over and over again. We'll see which QB starts for the Sooners and if it's Trevor Knight, look for OU to start slow on offense. Cowboys win Bedlam 45-38.
14. 4 Iowa at Nebraska
Boarder War, Farmageddon, or The Heroes Game. What ever you want to call it, this rivalry is finally getting some national attention. The 4th ranked Hawkeyes are 11-0, have locked up a trip to Indianapolis, and are looking for a spot in the playoffs. They don't blow teams out, but they always find a way to win games. They have yet to trail in the 4th Quarter this season, and their 3-Headed rushing attack is nothing to overlook. Defensively, they have one of the most consistent squads in the nation. They tend to run a lot of zone coverage with good push from their front four and outside blitzes. The have struggled with fully putting teams away through out the year, so look for this to be another game that comes down to the wire. Nebraska is looking to upset their rivals, finish this regular season with 3 straight victories, and make a Bowl game at 6-6. The Huskers have already upset a top ten team at home this year, and Husker Nation would love nothing more for Coach Riley's first Heroes Game. The Huskers are coming off of a bye week which has allowed them to get healthy. That will be a key factor in this game. The defense has gotten a lot of players back this week, and the linebacker corps is nearly as healthy as it was against BYU. This game will be a hard-nosed, ground and pound battle between two tough teams. The Huskers have one of the better run defenses in the country, but still struggle against the pass. They have done much better the past couple games, but the Blackshirts will have to play their best game yet if they want to pull the upset. Offensively, Tommy needs to play like he did in the first quarter against Rutgers. The Huskers need to keep drives alive and hold onto the ball in this one. Look for RBs Imani Cross and Terrell Newby be used a lot in this one. My big keys to victory in this game are Time of Possession and which team can capitalize on turnovers. Whoever can score off of the other team's turnovers, they will win this game. Last year, special teams was the deciding factor as DPE returned two big punts in the fourth quarter, the second for a TD. Sadly, DPE won't be out their for this game, so mistakes on special teams must be avoided. The team that minimizes their mistakes has the best chance to win this game. I know both teams are very motivated, and it's going to be a great game to watch. I'm very excited to meet the recruits tomorrow, but it's going to be a cold one. I've got another upset for the Huskers in this one, 28-24. The Sea of Red is going to be electric tomorrow, and there's nothing better than a rivalry game in Lincoln!
I hope you all enjoyed my picks and had a great Thanksgiving. Now let's all just sit back, relax, and watch the chaos of Rivalry weekend start. Thanks for reading and GO BIG RED!
#CollegeFootballKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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