How are we already in the last week of the regular season?
The stakes are high for the College Football Playoff and the Big 12. Nine teams enter Week 14 with a chance to win the Big 12 title, though some teams’ chances are much better than others. For example, Arizona State is in the title game with a win over Arizona. West Virginia needs to beat Texas Tech and then hope for a lot of unlikely results.
The rivalry week only features two games between ranked teams, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it won’t be an entertaining weekend of football. Just look at what happened in Week 13, when the three SEC teams in the playoff hunt all lost to unranked opponents on the road.
Here’s what to watch for in Week 14. (All times are Eastern and all odds are from BetMGM.)
Time: noon | TV: Fox | Line: Ohio State -21 | Total: 43.5
There is no better opportunity for Ohio State coach Ryan Day than now to finally get a win over Michigan. The Wolverines have won three straight after Ohio State beat the Wolverines eight straight between 2012 and 2019.
We can imagine Michigan’s defense making it difficult for Ohio State’s offense to move the ball. The Wolverines aren’t as good on that side as they were a season ago, but they’re still pretty talented. But it’s hard to see how Michigan’s offense does anything against Ohio State. Up front, the Buckeyes ran wild on Indiana’s offense and wreaked havoc in their Week 13 win.
Michigan is averaging less than five yards per play and QB Davis Warren is averaging less than six yards per pass attempt. TE Colston Loveland is the focal point of the passing attack as Michigan’s wide receivers have stats that look like they are from the 1940s. Semaj Morgan leads all UM wide receivers with 23 catches. He has 134 yards. Morgan and Tyler Morris are the only two wide receivers with more than eight catches. They combined for 45 catches for 368 yards and three scores.
Ohio State’s No. 3 receiver Carnell Tate has 35 catches for 525 yards and four scores himself. Ohio State seems too well-rounded for Michigan to pull off an upset. But this is a heated rivalry. And Michigan has no pressure.
Time: noon | TV: ESPN | Line: Clemson -2.5 | Total: 49.5
South Carolina is still on the outside of the College Football Playoff even after the SEC Week 13 mess. The Gamecocks have been fantastic in the second half of the season, but their 27-3 loss to Ole Miss will likely end their playoff run.
Clemson is still alive for the ACC title, but the Tigers need help and this rivalry has no bearing on that. Clemson is in the ACC title game against SMU if Miami loses at Syracuse. If the Hurricanes win, Clemson will be in the conference for the weekend.
However, a big win over South Carolina would greatly boost the Tigers’ playoff hopes. If Clemson beats South Carolina by two scores, it will have one less loss than a team like Alabama and a more convincing home win. The Gamecocks lost 27-25 to the Tide in Tuscaloosa.
Clemson’s ability to stop South Carolina’s unyielding defensive front and derail LaNorris Sellers will be key. Sellers has been key to the Gamecocks’ five-game winning streak as he has made huge strides as a quarterback this season. The redshirt freshman is 77 of 128 passing for 1,317 yards and 13 TDs with just two interceptions in those five wins.
Time: 15:30 | TV: CBS | Line: Notre Dame -7.5 | Total: 51.5
The Trojans can help salvage a frustrating season and potentially derail Notre Dame’s playoff hopes.
USC used a 10-point fourth quarter to beat UCLA 19-13 in Week 13. Jayden Maiava was 19 of 35 passing for 221 yards and a TD in his second start after taking over for Miller Moss. Moss was benched in the 26-21 loss at Washington.
USC is just 56th in the nation at 29 points per game and hasn’t scored more than 28 since a 42-20 win over Rutgers on Oct. 25. Can the offense reliably move the ball against a Notre Dame defense that has been fantastic of late?
Notre Dame is allowing just 11.6 points per game and no opponent has scored more than 14 points since Louisville had 24 in late September. The 24 points are also the most scored against Notre Dame this season. Opponents are averaging just 273 yards and 4.2 yards per game against the Fighting Irish this season, and the quarterbacks are carrying the brunt of those games. The numbers are skewed a bit because of the games against Army and Navy, but opposing QBs are completing less than 48% of their passes for 140 yards per game.
The Irish are also a very bad matchup for a USC defense that allows over five yards per carry. Notre Dame’s pitching game is one of the best in the nation as Jeremiah Love has turned into a home run hitter. Love has 121 carries for 850 yards and 14 TDs.
Time: 19:30 | TV: ABC | Row: Texas -5.5 | Total: 48.5
It’s fantastic that these two old rivals will finally be playing again. And it’s even better with betting. The winner will play Georgia for the SEC title on Dec. 7.
The Longhorns and Aggies haven’t played since 2011, when Texas needed a late field goal in College Station for a 27-25 victory. That was A&M’s last game in the Big 12 before moving to the SEC.
All signs point to Quinn Ewers playing Saturday night after injuring his ankle against Kentucky. Ewers has not thrown a pick in the past three games since throwing two against Vanderbilt on Oct. 26. He threw nine TDs and completed two-thirds of his passes in that span. However, he has thrown for less than 200 yards in each of Texas’ last two games despite attempting more than 30 throws in both.
A&M found itself on a 21-0 run against Auburn before coming back to tie the game before halftime and even take a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Amari Daniels rushed for 90 yards and a score, but also missed a game-tying two-point conversion in the fourth overtime of the loss.
If the Aggies can trouble the Texas defense with Daniels and Marcel Reed, they have a real chance to pull off the upset. Opponents rush for just over three yards against the Longhorns.
Time: 19:30 | TV: Fox | Line: Iowa State -3 | Total: 51.5
Farmageddon has serious implications for the Big 12 title. Both teams are hanging on for a conference title, though Kansas State will know early on if it still has a chance. If tied at 7-2, Iowa State is in the Big 12 title game against Arizona State. If the Cyclones lose, they will be out of contention for the title.
The Cyclones escaped with a 31-28 win at Utah in Week 13, though the Utes were picked-6 and also scored a TD on a blocked punt. It was the fourth game Iowa State has played this season decided by three points or fewer, and the Cyclones are 3-1 in those games.
Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel have been the most productive receiving duo in college football this season. Higgins has 77 catches for 1,015 yards and eight scores, while Noel has 61 catches for 976 yards and five TDs. No other Iowa State player has more than 16 catches.
Kansas State’s special teams have been rough lately, though QB Avery Johnson appears to be back to full strength. The Wildcats ran all over Cincinnati in Week 13 as Johnson totaled three touchdowns and DJ Giddens rushed for 143 yards and two scores on just 15 carries. Iowa State’s defense has been shredded by opposing teams this season. The Cyclones have allowed more than 200 yards in three of their last five games and given up more than five yards per carry.
Other games to watch
Memphis at no. 17 Tulane (Thursday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN): Don’t be too quick to write the Green Wave out of the College Football Playoff. Tulane could make some noise with convincing wins over Memphis on Thanksgiving and then against Army in the AAC title game. If the Big 12 is a mess, Tulane could kick the conference out of the playoffs entirely.
Oregon State at Boise State No. 11 (Friday, noon, Fox): Boise State currently holds the fourth and final bye in the College Football Playoff. Oregon State is playing to get to a bowl game. Ashton Jeanty is playing for the Heisman Trophy. This game coincides with Colorado’s regular season finale against Oklahoma State. Get your long-distance thumb ready for a back-and-forth between two of the top Heisman contenders.
no. 8 Tennessee at Vanderbilt (noon, ABC): The Commodores have a chance to beat both Alabama and Tennessee in the same season. Vanderbilt has already clinched its first bowl berth since 2018 and is looking for an eight-win season for the first time since 2013. Meanwhile, Tennessee needs to win. A win will likely cement the Vols’ spot in the College Football Playoff.
Auburn at No. 13 Alabama (3:30 p.m., ABC): Don’t rule out any outcome after what happened in week 13. Alabama scored just three points in a 21-point loss at Oklahoma, and Auburn beat Texas A&M in four overtimes. Remember seasons 4 and 31 from a season ago? We certainly do.
Miami no. 6 at Syracuse (3:30 p.m., ESPN): This could be a tricky test for the Hurricanes. Miami is a 10.5-point favorite and its 67.5-point total for the game is the most of any Week 14 contest. Syracuse’s offense has been explosive with former Ohio State QB Kyle McCord out of a disastrous game at Pitt. First to 40 wins.