As I was sitting there watching the college football games last Saturday, and sneaking a peak to this weekend’s schedule, I was hearing voices in my head. Instead of the usual daunting cast of characters I hear, this was more nostalgic and lighter because they were old school and familiar. Remember last week when I said TCU would blow out Kansas? As The Horned Frogs needed an epic comeback to squeak past the Jayhawks, I could hear Gilda Radner from Saturday Night Live as Emily Latella meekly saying, “Nevermind…” When I saw sixth-ranked Arizona State go down in Corvallis late Saturday night, I could hear David Spade playing that rude flight attendant on SNL, telling the Sun Devils , “Buh-Bye,” as their playoff hopes deplaned. And hey, the game ended in time for me to catch SNL. I took that as an omen heading into what is being called a pretty light week 13 schedule.
Week 13 College Football Preview
Alabama (9-1) vs. Western Carolina (7-4), Saturday, 4pm ET, SEC Network; So after jumping to the top spot in this week’s playoff committee poll, the Crimson Tide have the week off, by playing the Catamounts at home. Amy Poehler on SNL’s Weekend Update would say, “Really?!” Bama looked strong in knocking Mississippi State off their top-ranked perch last week in Tuscaloosa, and they may be the best team in the country right now, jumping up four spots in the poll. But playing Western Carolina will do nothing to add to that resumé. If the playoff committee is serious about strength of schedule considerations, the SEC is going to have to stop scheduling late-in-the-season, non-conference patsies. Head coach Nick Saban is so worried about Western Carolina, he cancelled Monday’s practice. Bama does have Auburn next week in a huge matchup.
Oregon (9-1) vs. Colorado (2-8); Saturday, 4:30pm ET, Pac 12 Network; Ok, so second-ranked Oregon also has a cakewalk this week, but at least it’s a conference game. Oregon’s path to the playoff is easy. Win the last two regular season games and win the Pac-12 championship, and they’re a lock. Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota is getting more impressive by the week. He has 29 passing touchdowns and 8 rushing touchdowns against only two interceptions all season and ten different receivers have caught touchdown passes. The Ducks are well rested and healthy after a week off. Colorado had the week off also, but the Buffaloes would probably need another seven or eight weeks to get ready.
Florida State (10-0) vs. Boston College (6-4); Saturday, 3:30pm ET, ESPN 2; It seems like each week, FSU is playing the game that could end their undefeated season. And nearly each week, the Seminoles find themselves in a third quarter hole before channeling their best Al Franken/Stuart Smiley; “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and doggone it, people like me.” The Seminoles are averaging an eight-point halftime deficit this season before mounting their routine second half comebacks. The networks probably love people rushing to their TVs upon seeing FSU down in the second half. Quarterback Jameis Winston just seems so much more focused and under control in the second half of games this season. But let’s just get it out right now. IF the Eagles get up on the Seminoles in the second half, their controlled running game will make it harder for FSU to come back. That having been said, there is a reason the third-ranked Seminoles are a three touchdown favorite.
Mississippi State (9-1) vs. Vanderbilt (3-7); Saturday, 7:30pm ET, SEC Network; Mississippi State got manhandled by Alabama last week, but managed to stay in the top four for the playoffs anyway. Quarterback Dak Prescott was brought back down to Earth with a very pedestrian performance, throwing three interceptions in the loss. As a 30-point favorite, this should be a week for the Bulldogs to get their bark back before the rivalry game against Ole Miss next weekend. Vanderbilt, under first year coach Derek Mason has not lived up to recent successes. The Commodores are averaging only 19 points per game and under 300 yards per game.
Ohio State (9-1) vs. Indiana (3-7); Saturday, noon ET, Big Ten Network; Ohio State has been one of the more impressive teams the last two weeks, having dispatched Michigan State and then Minnesota in a game that was in sub-freezing and sub-human conditions. Quarterback JT Barrett threw for three touchdowns last week in the snow and ice and is completing 64% of his passes since stepping for injured Braxton Miller at the beginning of the season. The Buckeyes need help to crack the top four because beating Indiana and Michigan the next two weeks won’t be enough. They need to win and win impressively both weeks going into a Big Ten championship game, presumably against Wisconsin.
Iowa (7-3) vs. Wisconsin (8-2); Saturday 3:30pm ET ABC Regional/ESPN2; A Badgers win coupled with a Minnesota loss, or two more Wisconsin wins and they will have a spot in the Big Ten title game. Both teams lean on their ground game. The difference is Wisconsin’s ground game is stunningly good with Melvin Gordon, who broke the NCAA single game rushing record last week against a supposedly decent Nebraska defense with 408 yards on just 25 carries. Iowa’s defense ranks 18th in the country, allowing just 325 total yards per game, but they have yet to face anyone the likes of Gordon. Watch as much of this game as you can. Tell me if you don’t hear Dana Carvey’s Church Lady saying, “Well, isn’t that special?”
Baylor (8-1) vs. Oklahoma State (5-5); Saturday 7:30pm ET, Fox; Baylor is still seventh in the polls. More critical to the Bears though is that, even though their strength of schedule and strength of record is minimally below TCU’s, and the “game control index” is only slightly in TCU’s favor, Baylor is two spots behind its conference rival in the playoff poll. With TCU having the week off, this is Baylor’s chance to make a loud statement and hear Billy Crystal/Fernando tell them, “You look Mahvelous!” The Bears are averaging 50 points a game which leads FBS football. If they have the chance Saturday, they will need to top that. If they can finish the Big 12 season in a tie for first with TCU, with no conference championship game, Baylor wins, having beaten TCU earlier in the season.
UCLA (8-2) vs. USC (7-3); Saturday 8pm ET, ABC; Strangely the only game of the weekend that has two ranked teams facing off and it is the rivalry separated by all of 14 miles in the greater Los Angeles area. Both teams still have a shot at the Pac-12 South championship…but look at the standings. Five teams are still mathematically alive in the division….seriously. As Mike Myers/Linda Richman would say in the Coffee Talk skits on SNL, “I’m a little verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves.” UCLA is the one team that controls its own destiny. Wins against Southern Cal and Stanford and the Bruins win the division. Which Brett Hundley will show up? The one with effective, designed runs? Or the one with itchy feet in the pocket? The Trojans have reinstated suspended defensive back Josh Shaw to shore up its defense. Quarterback Cody Kessler has racked up big stats this year, with his biggest numbers coming against Colorado and Cal. One thing to watch; USC has gone into halftime eight times this season, but has repeatedly struggled to hold on in the second half. When it comes to the crosstown rivalry, as Gilda Radner/Roseanne Roseannadanna would say, “It’s always something.”
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