By Peyton Wesner
12:00 PM EST-SEC Network
8-3 Charleston Southern
at 8-2 10. Georgia
---Georgia 45, Charleston Southern 19
Today's game against Georgia Southern doesn't really matter for Georgia SEC standings-wise. Obviously they need to win to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive but they do need number 20. Missouri to lose one of the next two weeks in order to get to the SEC Championship Game. Charleston Southern has had a solid season this year in the FCS but they have yet to beat a FBS team. In my opinion there is less than a tenth of a percent chance of Charleston Southern winning today but Georgia's Todd Gurley (JR) tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee causing him to have surgery and miss the rest of the season is very sad to see since he was having a great season. But at least Georgia has Nick Chubb (FR) to carry Gurley's work load. In the last five games, while Gurley was suspended, Chubb has averaged 163 yards per game. Don't worry Georgia the game is in hand but I am 100% positive your state will be rooting for Tennessee supporters tomorrow at 7:30 PM EST.
12:00 PM EST-ESPN
7-3 25. Minnesota
at 8-2 23. Nebraska
Big Ten Game of the Week.
---Nebraska 31, Minnesota 27
It's a four team race in the Big Ten West Division. Currently number 16. Wisconsin owns a one game lead over the two teams in this game and Iowa (Wisconsin's opponent today). Both Minnesota and Nebraska have quarterbacks with a dual threat game shown by the stat that both have at least five rushing touchdowns. I figure the difference in the game will be the running backs. Don't get me wrong Minnesota fans, David Cobb (SR) is having a great senior season but Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah (SR) is just on a different level. Yes, he had a really rough game at Wisconsin where he had trouble hanging on to the football. Yes, he hasn't scored a touchdown in basically a month because of getting hurt early in the game against Purdue and not playing well against Wisconsin. His poor games give me the feeling that tomorrow will be his day and that he will bounce back from his sub-par performances.
12:00 PM EST
10-0 Marshall
at 5-5 UAB
---Marshall 45, UAB 13
The only reason this game is on my predictions is because of Marshall's perfect season. Marshall has had a great season in the Sun Belt this year and I hope they will get a power conference team in a bowl game because I am anxious to see how they will play against tougher competition. Some people I know say "Marshall should be ranked in the playoffs...the committee is screwing them over!" I return and say "my friend, the reason the committee is not going to put them in the rankings is for two reasons." Number one, Marshall does not have any quality wins compared to the 20-25 ranked teams in the college football playoff rankings. Number two, Marshall has not played a team from a power conference. Marshall's Rakeem Cato (SR) has had a great career and I hope he can get a job at the NFL level as a back-up or maybe even a starter if a team gives him a chance. But to get back to taking about the Marshall team as a whole their strength of schedule is THE REASON Marshall is not and will not be in the College Football Playoff's Rankings anytime this season.
1:00 PM EST-ESPN3
7-3 Western Michigan
at 7-4 Central Michigan
MAC Game of the Week
---Western Michigan 34, Central Michigan 24
Like the Big Ten West Division, the MAC West Division is just as tight at the top. Currently Northern Illinois and Toledo are in first with a 6-1 conference record. This afternoon'a game at Central Michigan is key as whoever loses is out of contention to win the division and get to the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Currently Western Michigan is a half game back of the division leaders as Central Michigan needs a miracle and a half to face Bowling Green (East Division Winner) in the Championship Game. The game should be a great one today, as one of the best running backs in college football, Freshman Jarvarion Franklin, is playing for Western Michigan. Franklin is currently second in the nation with 22 rushing touchdowns behind who else? Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon. Since this is a rivalry game, it could go either way as besides Franklin and Western Michigan's scoring offense the teams are very well matched. Both defenses hold teams to 22-23 points a game while their Quarterbacks Western Michigan's Zach Tarrell (SO) and Central Michigan's Cooper Rush have almost identical numbers that resemble the other's greatly. Franklin is the difference in my mind and prediction. Finally, I don't see Central Michigan out-scoring the Broncos in a contest such as this one.
2:00 PM EST-ESPN3
5-5 Appalachian State
at 7-3 Louisiana-Lafayette
Sun Belt Game of the Week
---Louisiana-Lafayette 37, Appalachain State 35
The Sun Belt has the possibility of having two teams finishing the season undefeated in conference play. Those two teams are 8-3 (7-0) Georgia Southern and 7-3 (6-0) Louisiana-Lafayette. Georgia Southern has the bye this week and plays Louisiana-Monroe next week while The Ragin Cajuns schedule entails today's game and then the season finale at Troy. Appalachian State does not have that bad of a team this year. Although they are 5-5 overall, the Mountineers are 4-2 in conference play and are in third place behind the two undefeateds in the conference standings. The fact that Louisiana-Lafayette is at home is a big advantage in itself as they are 4-1 at Cajun Field with their only loss occurring against a good Louisiana Tech (7-3, 6-0) team from Conference USA who will most likely be the team Marshall will play in the C-USA Championship Game. There is no doubt that the game will be close as both teams are well matched on both sides of the ball.
3:30 PM EST-ABC/ESPN 2
6-4 Boston College
at 10-0 3. Florida State
---Florida State 41, Boston College 27
At the beginning of the season I thought the two teams that had the best chance of going undefeated this season before the playoffs started was Florida State and Oregon. Obviously, Oregon was surprisingly upset by Arizona in Week 5 but Florida State has stayed unbeaten despite many close calls including last week at Sun Life Stadium against rivial Miami ("The U"). A concerning fact is that since the College Football Rankings have been released, Florida State has been jumped by teams below them giving analysts the thought that maybe the Seminoles won't make the playoffs. Personally, I believe if Florida State is undefeated they should and will make the playoffs. They play a struggling Florida team in Tallahassee next week and then they face number 19. Georgia Tech at the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, North Carolina. Now for the game today, Florida State should win. They have many weapons like Jamis Winston (SO), Karlos Williams (SR), and Rashad Greene (SR), which is a very dangerous trio, but Boston College has had a decent season so far. They have a resumé win against USC when the Trojans were ranked number nine in the nation and another against number three Florida State today would be the icing on their upset cake. For BC to win, Senior Quarterback Tyler Murphy will have to play near perfect. Last week, Murphy had a horrid game where he completed seven passes on fifteen attempts with one touchdown and four interceptions against number 24. Louisville. If he does that today, the game will get ugly and Florida State will roll to 11-0 easily.
3:30 PM EST-CBS
8-2 8. Ole Miss
at 5-5 Arkansas
---Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 17
Not a lot has been heard from Ole Miss since their loss to number three, at the time, Auburn when they were ranked fourth in the College Football Playoff Rankings. They have played one game since then against a FCS school, Presbyterian, and had a bye last week. The game against Presbyterian was all Old Miss as they rolled over the Blue Hose (Presbyterian's nickname) 48-0 in Oxford, Mississippi. So should we expect them to play in a must win game to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive against an Arkansas Razorbacks team that is coming off a shutout victory against ranked LSU? In my opinion, Ole Miss better not look ahead to the game next week against bitter rival Mississippi State because although Arkansas only has one conference win they have came close to pulling off the upset multiple times this season. Examples of upsets gone bad for Arkansas include a 35-28 overtime loss to Texas A&M (ranked number six at time), a 14-13 loss to Alabama (ranked seven) the week after the A&M game, and finally a 17-10 loss to Mississippi State (ranked one) to begin the month of November. Overall Arkansas' season has been disappointing to say the least but a win against Ole Miss today in Fayettesville would help sooth the pain of previous losses. The matchup to watch in this game is Ole Miss's defense versus Arkansas's running game. Arkansas has a great running game that features running backs, Alex Collins (SO) and Jonathan Williams (JR) each of which have eleven touchdowns on the season. If Ole Miss can stop the running game of Arkansas, Ole Miss will get the win because the Rebels can put up the points with Senior Quarterback Bo Wallace.
3:30 PM EST-ESPN
8-2 15. Arizona
at 7-3 17. Utah
---Utah 23, Arizona 20
Today's Arizona/Utah may not seem like an important game compared to number 19. USC at number 9. UCLA but the game still has some serious implications in the PAC-12. Last week both teams survived upset scares. Arizona came back from five points down against Washington in the fourth quarter as Arizona's Junior kicker Casey Skowron nailed a 47-yard field goal as time expired to get the win for the number fourteenth team in the nation. Utah was in a defensive fight with Stanford. Going into the first overtime the score was 7-7. Then all of the sudden both offenses came alive and the result of the game rested on the shoulders of Utah's Junior Quarterback Travis Wilson. Utah was down three after a Stanford field goal that gave the Cardinal a three point lead and a chance to stop Utah and win the game. Wilson had other plans. Wilson singlehandedly drove the Utes down the field and set up a third and one situation at Stanford's three yard line. Wilson took the snap out of the shotgun looked left and there was Kenneth Scott (JR) on a slant route for the touchdown giving the Utes the win on the road. But can Utah stop one of the best Freshman quarterbacks in the game, Arizona's Anu Solomon. Solomon struggled terribly last week as he threw two interceptions. I think home field advantage will help Utah and their defense shut down Solomon and Arizona's offense but with this being said there really isn't that much offense for Utah so to win this game they MUST have a great defensive game period.
3:30 PM EST-ABC/ESPN 2
8-2 16. Wisconsin
at 7-3 Iowa
---Wisconsin 31, Iowa 17
Melvin Gordon (JR) broke LaDainian Tomlinson single game rushing yards record last week against number 16. Nebraska as he ran for 408 yards on 25 carries with 4 touchdowns. Yeah he did that in one game! Of course Wisconsin won because of the Junior running back from Kenosha, Wisconsin and by winning the game Wisconsin holds their destiny of the Big Ten West Division crown in their own hands. Although all Wisconsin has to do is win out to make it to the Big Ten Champioonship game, they face tough opponents like Iowa and number 25. Minnesota, two teams also fighting for the Western Division crown. If Iowa wins today, they will knock Wisconsin out of the contention to win the Western Division while boosting their chances to win the crown themselves. Everyone knows that Wisconsin has a very good defense but can Iowa's defense steal the show by stoping Gordon, a player they thought they had in their grasps when recruiting him out of high school. Find out
at 3:30.
3:30 PM EST-NBC
7-3 24. Louisville
at 7-3 Notre Dame
---Notre Dame 31, Louisville 27
After number two (at the time) Florida State beat Notre Dame, analysts around the country saw this game being Notre Dame's ticket to getting into the playoff especially if the Irish play great and the Seminoles struggled against Louisville. Well since then, Notre Dame has been absolutly destroyed by Arizona State in Tempe and then upset by long time rival Northwestern in a game that should have been won, no excuses. Louisville has had a decent season considering their starting quarterback from last season, Teddy Bridgewater is now starting for the Minnesota Vikings. The Cardinals let a big opportunity pass them by when hosting number 2. Florida State the week after Notre Dame was beaten on the controversial call. Louisville was up 21-7 at the half to the former defending champs putting them on upset alert at 9:00 PM EST at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. At this moment I think Louisville forgot that in football there is two halves. Florida State's offense finally arrived in Louisville for the second half and led the Seminoles on a 35-10 run defeating Louisville 42-31. Currently, this game has no barring on the college football playoff but if Louisville wins I consider that an upset which could help the Cardinals get into a decent sized bowl game. Louisville's defense is really good but I believe Notre Dame's offense is better led by Everett Golson (SR) and William Fuller (SO).
4:00 PM EST-FOX SPORTS 1
5-5 Stanford
at 5-5 California
---Stanford 27, California 17
Both teams in this game got off to strong starts in their respective seasons but then the wins stopped coming. Stanford started off 3-1 with their only loss coming to USC (ranked fourteenth at the time). Then the wheels started falling off for the Cardinal as they lost four of their next six games to Notre Dame, Arizona State, Oregon, and Utah (all ranked at the time of matchups). California started off 4-1 with their only loss at the time coming from Arizona. Then the Golden Bears lost their roar and the L's started pilling up. Washington...L. UCLA...L. 8. Oregon...L. @USC...L. So in a nutshell this afternoon's game is between two struggling teams. Then why is it being discussed? It is the "Big Game". The two teams have matched up 116, Stanford leading the meetings 59-46-11. The most remembered game between the two teams occurred on November 20, 1982, when "The Play" saved the Cal Bears from the jaws of defeat. Today's game does not feature any big name players like John Elway, Marshawn Lynch, or Andrew Luck but the winner will acquire bragging rights until next season and who knows, maybe the "The Play II" be etched into history today
7:30 PM EST-ESPN
8-2 20. Missouri
at 5-5 Tennessee
SEC Game of the Week
---Missouri 24, Tennessee 21
This is currently the most important game of the season for the Missouri Tigers as they need a win tonight and next Saturday against Arkansas to ensure a spot in the SEC Championship Game. Last weekend, Missouri came up big against number 24. ranked Texas A&M who the week before single handedly destroyed Auburn's chances of making the College Football Playoffs. Missouri's defense was the star of the game last week as they stopped Kyle Allen (FR) and the A&M offense on a fourth and one on Missouri's two yard line. By doing so, Missouri got the ball and ended up getting a first down on third and one with 1:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, allowing the Tigers to be able to run the clock out and get the win. Tennessee has had a decent season this year as four of their five loses have came to ranked opponents. After the quarterback change from Senior Justin Worley to Sophmore Joshua Dobbs, the Volunteers' offense really began to click. To win tonight Tennessee will have to stop the balanced offense of the Tigers and put pressure on Maty Mauk (SO) while the offense will have to have a bit of Dobby Magic.
8:00 PM EST-ABC
7-3 19. USC
at 8-2 9. UCLA
PAC-12 Game of the Week
---UCLA 41, USC 27
My team...UCLA. UCLA has really turned their season around since the back to back losses against Utah and Oregon at the Collisuem. UCLA is led by Junior Quarterback Brett Hundley who has had a great season with 24 total touchdowns (17 passing, 7 running). USC has had a good season this year but it has had ups and downs. The ups have included wins against Stanford (ranked thirteenth at the time) and Arizona (ranked tenth at the time), but the downs have included losses at Boston College and Arizona State (unranked at the time). USC's offense is led by Cody Kessler (JR) who has thrown for 2,919 yards, 29 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions this season (all career highs). To turn focus away from the result of the game, accolades will be accomplished tonight as Cody Kessler will most likely surpass 3,000 passing yards for the season, which would be the first time he has accomplished such a fear in his career. Also, Brett Hundley is 260 yards away from becoming the Bruins' career leader in total offense yards. Now this game will most likely not be about defense but which team can outscore the other. As always a key for UCLA is keeping Brett upright and if they don't, USC will win this game. Now the good thing for UCLA is that they are hosting the game and will have the home crowd working in their favor, but I truly believe Hundley will have another great performance putting UCLA ahead in the PAC-12 South Division with the chance to go to the PAC-12 Championship Game if the Bruins can win next week at home against Stanford. If USC wins they will own a half a game lead over teams in the division with one more game to play and a conference record of 6-2. Go BRUINS.
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