Week 12 in College Football is upon us and we've got more and more playoff implications every week! There's a great set of games this weekend, including a number of ranked match ups and ranked teams on the road. Crazy football always happens in November, so we'll see if any chaos strikes this weekend. This post has all my predictions for the big games to watch this week and a couple that could be more interesting than the experts think, enjoy!
Week 11 Prediction Results: 6-4
Overall Prediction Results: 86-48
Indiana at #9 Penn State
The Nittany Lions fell short against the Gophers last week and now face a tough Indiana team at home. The Hoosiers have played well this season, but haven't faced much in terms of competition overall. They average 34 points per game and are led by Sophomore RB Stevie Scott III (737 yards and 9 TDs) and Junior WR Whop Philyor (813 yards and 3 TDs). They'll be going against one of the toughest defenses in the country though, as Penn State gives up just 300 yards and 12 points per game on average. I'm guessing their offense will bounce back against a mediocre Hoosier defense, and KJ Hamler should have a big day. I've got Penn State winning 33-20 in this one, ending the Hoosier's streak of 4 straight wins. I wouldn't be upset seeing another upset though!
Michigan State at #15 Michigan
Big brother and little brother meet again as the 4-5 Spartans travel to Ann Arbor to take on the "reborn" 7-2 Wolverines. Michigan's offense has come alive the last couple of weeks, putting up 45 and 38 points on Notre Dame and Maryland respectively. They're coming off of a BYE week, and they'll look to get RB Zach Charbonet rolling again quick. The freshman has had 4 TDs over the past two games and averages 5 yards per carry. Michigan State has struggled in recent weeks, losing 4 straight. The first three were blowouts to Wisconsin, Ohio State and Penn State, but a close loss to Illinois last week has many Spartan fans concerned. The offense has been stagnant, averaging just 23 points per game. They'll be going against Michigan's 7th ranked defense, so I don't expect much in this one. Rivalry games are always fun, and Harbaugh does not do well in them, but I'll ride with the Wolverines in this game. Michigan 28, Michigan State 13.
#23 Navy at #16 Notre Dame
The Midshipmen travel to South Bend to take on Notre Dame in a classic rivalry game. Statistically, these teams match up quite well. Navy averages 40 points per game and gives up just 18 while the Irish average 34 and give up 19. As it is most of the time with Navy, the ground attack will be the key factor in this game. The Midshipmen average nearly 360 yards per game on the ground, while the Irish give up around 160. However, Michigan did rack up 303 on the ground against Notre Dame. This is a tough game to pick as Navy has been playing really well this season and I'm still not sure how good the Irish are. However, Navy hasn't won in South Bend in a decade, so I'll go with the home team. Irish 27, Midshipmen 24.
Wake Forest at #3 Clemson
The Demon Deacons fell to Virginia Tech last weekend, and now have to travel to Death Valley to face the (forgotten) Clemson Tigers. The reigning champs have been on a tear their last five games, scoring no fewer than 45 points. Yes, the competition has been lackluster, but Clemson is still dominant on all fronts. Their defense is statistically better than last season, as they now give up an average of just 251.5 yards and 11.3 points per game. Wake Forest has the 13th best offense in the nation, but could struggle again this week. The Hokies held Wake to under 300 yards and racked up 3 sacks and 7 tackles for loss. Clemson will be living in their backfield. On the other side of the ball, the Tigers have still been rolling, and Wake doesn't have the defense to slow down that many weapons. Watch for Travis Etienne to have a big day and Clemson flexes their muscles even more. I've enjoyed watching Wake this season, but they aren't ready for this. No one in the ACC is touching Clemson and they're still a force to be reckoned with. Tigers 56, Demon Deacons 14.
#4 Georgia at #12 Auburn
Another big battle in the SEC lines up this week as the Bulldogs travel West to take on Auburn. This is likely Georgia's last big test before the SEC Championship, but could easily derail their chances of getting back into the playoffs. Auburn is coming off their BYE week, and will look to put a lot of pressure on Jake Fromm. The Tigers have 64 tackles for loss this season, and one of the best defensive fronts in the nation. Georgia's offense is extremely balanced, so I'm anticipating a good battle with Auburn's defense. The Tiger offense still struggles though, and Bo Nix will need a stellar performance if they want a chance to knock off the Dawgs. Georgia gives up fewer than 75 yards per game on the ground, and Auburn will need to give Bo Nix some help. If they can't establish a solid ground attack, this game is over before it starts. Defense keeps it tight, but Georgia edges them out. Dawgs win 26-21.
#8 Minnesota at #20 Iowa (Battle for the Floyd of Rosedale)
The BIG 10 slate isn't crazy this week, but we do have a ranked match up in the West Division. The red hot Golden Gophers are now ranked 8th after their victory against Penn State and they're looking to tighten their grip on the division title. They take on the Hawkeyes this week as they fight for a Bronze Pig. That's right folks, Floyd is on the line in a classic BIG 10 rivalry that should be a grinder. Iowa has been about what I expected them to be this year, very solid on defense, but struggling a bit on offense. Losing their top playmakers in Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson has really hindered the Hawkeye offense, but Nate Stanley is still a tough QB to beat in Kinnick. For the Gophers, their offense is loaded with talent. Their three-headed rushing monster at running back is led by Rodney Smith, who's nearly at 1,000 yards. Rashod Batemen and Tyler Johnson give DBs a lot of headaches in the air raid, with more than 1,500 yards and 15 TDs between them. Iowa's defense gives up an average of just 11.7 points per game, but I really like how the Gophers are playing right now. Tight one, but Minnesota takes the pig! Gophers 25, Hawkeyes 20.
#10 Oklahoma at #13 Baylor
The Battle in the Big XII this week pits the Sooners against the Bears. Baylor remains unbeaten, but Oklahoma will be the first ranked team on their schedule. The Bears' offense can do some damage, averaging 35.3 points per game, but will need to be top notch to knock off the Sooners. Oklahoma's offense is nearly impossible to stop, and they'll be looking for some statement wins to end the season after narrowly defeating Iowa State last week. Baylor's defense gives up just 19 points on average, but they haven't faced the likes of Jaylen Hurts yet. He's nearly at 2,800 yards passing with a 24 to 4 TD to INT ratio and has another 869 yards and 15 TDs on the ground. Baylor will need to contain Hurts if they want any chance to pull off this upset. Baylor is one of the best in the country at pressuring the QB, so they'll need to keep Hurts uncomfortable all game long. Gameday is in Waco for this one, and it's never easy to play on the road against the Bears. However, I think Oklahoma has enough talent to outlast Baylor. We could see this match up again in the Big XII Championship, but this round goes to the Sooners. Oklahoma wins on the road 38-34.
#14 Wisconsin at Nebraska (Battle for the Freedom Trophy)
In what will likely be my least favorite game by the end of the weekend, my beloved Huskers host the Wisconsin Badgers. Nebraska is coming off of another BYE week, but this team has not looked prepared for any of their games since the early part of the season. Wisconsin has stumbled as of late, but still has a Heisman caliber player in their backfield to go along with the nation's 2nd ranked total defense. The Badgers are looking to keep the pressure on Minnesota in the West division and keep their win streak against the Huskers alive. Wisconsin has won six straight in this series, including every game since the Freedom Trophy was introduced. This is because they're often led by tremendous running backs, which is the case yet again. Jonathan Taylor could easily run for 342 yards and 4 TDs against the Blackshirts in this game, but I imagine they'll cut off the Junior around 215 yards and 2 or 3 TDs. Regardless, I don't expect Nebraska to compete much in this game. I probably sound pretty negative at this point, but this was one of my pegged losses from the beginning of the year, and Wisconsin has a very solid team this year. The Husker offense has been unable to create much when needed, and with star freshman Wandale Robinson likely out, there's even lower expectations. I hope to see some flashes, but I think this game will be wrapped up fairly quickly. Wisconsin 38, Nebraska 10. At least I'll have fun watching Jonathan Taylor run around *shrugs*.
Now for some quick hit predictions on a few other interesting games this week:
Kansas at #22 Oklahoma State- The Pokes are heavily favored, but that's where a home team can get a little breezy. Les Miles is making this Jayhawk team dangerous, and you never should overlook The Mad Hatter. Jayhawks make it interesting for a while, but Chuba Hubbard should take care of business and the Cowboys win 38-28.
#19 Texas at Iowa State- Sticking with the Big XII, we have a very interesting match up in Ames, IA. Texas has edged out the two teams from Kansas, but overall have really struggled in Big XII play. Iowa State nearly completed a comeback for a victory on the road in Norman last week, and I think they'll take this one at home. Texas gives up nearly 300 yards per game through the air and Brock Purdy threw for 282 and 5 TDs against the Sooners. Cyclones 37, Longhorns 28.
UCLA at #7 Utah- The Utes have the PAC-12 South nearly wrapped up, but UCLA and USC are right on their heels, Utah already lost to the Trojans of LA, but now host the Bruins in a sneaky trap game. Chip Kelley's squad has won three straight and is coming off of a BYE week. They'll give Utah some headaches, but the Utes 3rd ranked defense will push them to victory. Utes win 35-17.
USC at Cal- Staying out West, we look to Berkley, CA as the Golden Bears host the Trojans. Both teams have been solid at times this year, but injuries have held them back from their full potential. Cal's defense has kept them in most games, but not having Garbers has destroyed their offensive production. USC makes a few big plays and wins this one 31-20.
Thank you for reading all of my Gameday predictions and I hope you all have a fantastic Saturday. It could get rough, but I'm still excited to watch the Huskers, GO BIG RED!
#CFBKnowItAll
Alex Fernando
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