This Weekend in College Football: Week 13

Well, it’s the last full-fledged column of the year. Are you ready?

As usual, all times Eastern and all predictions wrong.

Noon:

  • Michigan @ Ohio State (ABC): And the Big Ten’s biggest rivalry is renewed once again, this year a week later, however. Nonetheless, Ohio State should maintain the recent tradition of beating Michigan.
  • Boston College @ Syracuse (ESPN): Boston College has put together a nice little run for themselves over the last month of the season, whereas the ‘Cuse is scuffling a bit at the end. I think this’ll continue and that BC should win.
  • Michigan State @ Pennsylvania State (ESPN2): Well, I think JoePa should retire, but then again, who’s going to tell him that he should? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Meanwhile, Sparty’s looked awfully shaky over the last month or so, but how can you pick against them? Well, I can’t anyway.
  • South Florida @ Miami (ESPNU): It’s a quarterback controversy in Coral Gables! Either way, Miami should win.
  • Tulane @ Marshall (CBSCS): If you like watching 4-7 teams play each other, well have I got the matchup for you! Anyway, Marshall’s defense is something I would generously call “suspect” so I’ll take Tulane here.
  • Indiana @ Purdue (BTN): It’s the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket! While Purdue has been “scrappy” and “competitive” despite a boatload of injuries this season, Indiana has just been awful in conference play (two wins versus none, respectively). I’ll take the Boilermakers.
  • Kentucky @ Tennessee (SEC): Well, both these teams are sort of crawling toward the finish. Tennessee needs a win to get bowl eligible. I don’t think they’ll get it.
  • Virginia @ Virginia Tech (ACC): Well, it’s UVA and VPI again. I was going to ask aloud how this game ended up on Raycom but then I realied I don’t really care about it either. VPI has won every contest since 2003 and that shouldn’t change here.

12:30: Kansas vs. Missouri (@Kansas City, MO; FSN): Speaking of playing out the string, Mizzou should take care of Kansas in this neutral-site rivalry.

3:30:

  • Louisiana State @ Arkansas (@Little Rock, AR; CBS): It’s the War Memorial Stadium special of the year for Arkansas, which certainly would make this an attractive upset pick. I can’t really pull the trigger on that though.
  • Northwestern @ Wisconsin (ABC/ESPN): Well, the ride that was this year for Northwestern came to a screeching halt last week at Wrigley with that somewhat inexplicable loss to Illinois. Wisconsin should seal up a Rose Bowl bid here.
  • Florida @ Florida State (ABC/ESPN): This is tough. I’ve been pessimistic on FSU for a few weeks now and am actually picking Florida to win in my bowl predictions, so I’ll still with that. I think it will be close though.
  • North Carolina State @ Maryland (ESPN2): If NC State wins, they wrap up the ACC Atlantic and will appear in next week’s (almost sold out!) ACC Championship Game. Otherwise, FSU will get in. I think NCSU should be able to take care of UMD and get into the title game, though.
  • North Carolina @ Duke (ESPNU): Not quite as exciting as the basketball version, that’s for sure. UNC should win easily.
  • Iowa @ Minnesota (BTN): Speaking of winning easily, Iowa.

4:00: Texas Christian @ New Mexico (Versus): TCU should wrap up a perfect season here. Will it be enough to get an invite to a BCS bowl? We’ll see.

7:00:

  • South Carolina @ Clemson (ESPN2): Our second SEC-ACC matchup of the day, the Gamecocks travel to their upstate counterparts, and should come away with the win as long as they’re not getting to eager to face Auburn next week.
  • Mississippi State @ Mississippi (ESPNU): Egg Bowl! For the first time in awhile, Mississippi State is the obvious favorite here, as Ole Miss has simply had a trainwreck that not even the Right Reverend Houston Nutt can fix.

7:30: Oregon State @ Stanford (Versus): What in the hell happened to the Beavers? They’ve lost to UCLA and both Washington teams but somehow beat Arizona and USC. At 5-5 and Stanford and Oregon remaining on the schedule, this is one of the big reasons why the Pac-10 won’t have more than 4 teams go bowling.

7:45: Georgia Tech @ Georgia (ESPN): To Hell with Georgia.

8:00:

  • Notre Dame @ Southern California (ABC): Well, Notre Dame has woken up the echoes the past couple of weeks but I still like USC here.
  • Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State (ABC): It’s Bedlam! I used to have a soft spot for this game, but it’s sort of gotten away from the Cowboys, who haven’t won since 2002 and have gotten blown out in the last two contests. Nonetheless, I still like them here to clinch the Big 12 South and face Nebraska next week.