Football Future-see 2015: Week Thirteen: SuperSized Edition

Going 5-0 last week, and seeing the huge slate of games this week, meant that I simply can’t pick just five games. This week, you the reader get a full slate of ten games. Georgia makes their obligatory appearance for Good Old-Fashioned Hate. The Iron Bowl make an appearance, as do rivalry games between Florida State and Florida, Ohio State and Michigan, and several Big XII games. Enjoy.

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven	3-2
Week Twelve	5-0
Week Thirteen	7-3
Championships	0-0
Bowls	0-0
OVERALL	54-21	.720

The Games:

15 Navy at Houston (Friday, Noon, Fox)

This game lost some luster when the committee stopped caring so much about Houston. As the Cougars dropped, the Midshipmen rose. Navy is making a strong case for the Group of Five spot in the New Years Six bowl games. Houston’s defense should keep Navy in check, but I expect Navy to overpower the Cougars and finally put them away. Navy wins.

Final Score: Navy 33, Houston 23
INCORRECT: Houston won 52-31

4 Iowa at Nebraska (Friday, 3:30pm, CBS)

Iowa is undefeated, so they finally get to appear on the picks. Sorry for being so tardy to the party, Hawkeyes fans. Nebraska, meanwhile, has been a rollercoaster. They’ve lost games they should have won, and won games they should have lost. Now they play host to a strong Iowa team looking to reach the Big Ten championship game with an unblemished record. Nebraska will put up a fight, but I like Iowa to win.

Final Score:  Iowa 30, Nebraska 20
CORRECT: Iowa won 28-20

7 Baylor at 19 TCU (Friday, 7:30pm, ESPN)

Way back when the season started, this was the game everyone was looking forward to in the Big XII. Now, with both teams suffering injury and loss, this game isn’t as important as it once was. In fact, this game may not even impact the Big XII championship. Baylor has injuries. TCU has more injuries. Right now, I’m taking the healthier team. Baylor wins.

Final Score:  Baylor 42, TCU 34
INCORRECT: TCU won 28-21 in 2OT

8 Ohio State at 10 Michigan (Saturday, Noon, ABC)

Ohio State finally played a ranked team when they faced Michigan State, and Sparty sent them home with a loss. Last season, Michigan took Ohio State to the brink before the Buckeyes won, and now Michigan is even better. Ohio State has to play better than last week if they hope to win at the Big House. I’ve been saying all season, though, that Michigan would take down the Buckeyes. I’m still calling for it (why turn back now?). Wolverines win.

Final Score:  Michigan 24, Ohio State 18
INCORRECT: Ohio State won 42-13

Georgia at Georgia Tech (Saturday, Noon, ESPN2)

Georgia’s season went down the tubes a long time ago. Now all they have left to play for is pride. Mark Richt might be coaching for his career, but a simple firing of the Dawgs current Offensive Coordinator would probably quiet the rowdy faithful. Georgia Tech’s season went down the tubes before Georgia’s did, so they have almost nothing left to play for. In fact, the Yellow Jackets may even send their coach, Paul Johnson, packing after this season. Georgia should win this game, but I think it’ll be close. Dawgs win.

Final Score:  Georgia 24, Georgia Tech 21
CORRECT: Georgia won 13-7

2 Alabama at Auburn (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

The Iron Bowl definitely does not have the luster it typically has, seeing as Auburn was never as good as the preseason hype said they were. Alabama is, I think, the most dangerous team in the country right now. I think they could beat anyone out there. Auburn might put up some fight, seeing as this is their biggest rival of the season, but I can’t see them lasting long against a stout Bama team. Roll Tide. Alabama wins.

Final Score: Alabama 37, Auburn 17
CORRECT: Alabama won 29-13

Penn State at 5 Michigan State (Saturday, 3:30pm, ESPN)

Can Penn State upset Michigan State? Yes, at this point, anyone can beat anyone… Will they? No, no they won’t. Sparty wins and clinches the Big Ten East.

Final Score:  Michigan State 34, Penn State 14
CORRECT: Michigan State won 55-16

6 Notre Dame at 9 Stanford (Saturday, 7:30pm, Fox)

Stanford has a chance to make a statement here. They’ve scratched and clawed their way back from some nasty loses. They could still make the playoff, if things break their way. Notre Dame is a study in overcoming adversity. No team has been as hampered by injury as the Irish this year. They’re still at #6, according to the committee, but I think the injuries are catching up. I like Stanford here, but I think ND keeps it close.

Final Score: Stanford 28, Notre Dame 24
CORRECT: Stanford won 38-36

13 Florida State at 12 Florida (Saturday, 7:30pm, ESPN)

Which Florida team shows up for this game? The team that made a hot run and won the SEC East, or the team that nearly lost to Florida Atlantic? Florida State is playing good football right now, and that should give them the edge over a suddenly mortal Gators team. It’s a rivalry game, and that means Florida should step up, but I like the Seminoles here. FSU wins.

Final Score: Florida State 28, Florida 20
CORRECT: Florida State won 27-2

3 Oklahoma at 11 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

The winner of Bedlam may very well punch a ticket to the playoff. No one wants to play Oklahoma right now. The Sooners are hot. Oklahoma State suffered a loss to Baylor that took some of the shine off them, but they can regain that magic if they can top Oklahoma. I just don’t think they can. Baker Mayfield has the Sooner offense in top form, and he can sling it anywhere. Sooners win, but Okie State keeps it close.

Final Score: Oklahoma 35, Oklahoma State 27
CORRECT: Oklahoma won 58-23

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Seven of the poll features all sorts of changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: TCU Horned Frogs, Houston Cougars

15. Navy Midshipmen (NR)

14. Stanford Cardinal (+1)

13. Florida State University (NR)

12. Oklahoma State Cowboys (-8)

11. Ohio State Buckeyes (-8)

10. Florida Gators (-2)- Florida was taken to overtime by Florida Atlantic. Now the Gators must face Florida State and Alabama in back-to-back weeks.

9. Michigan Wolverines (+4)- Michigan has a big game with Ohio State this week, with an outside chance of reaching the Big Ten title game.

8. Baylor Bears (NC)- Baylor took down Oklahoma State, but they’re still on the outside looking in concerning the playoffs.

7. Michigan State Spartans (+7)- Sparty proved who Ohio State really was. Now they need to beat Penn State to claim a spot in the Big Ten title game.

6. North Carolina Tar Heels (+5)- UNC is playing as good on offense as anyone else in the nation, and they’ll look to knock off Clemson in the ACC Title Game.

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+2)- How Notre Dame keeps overcoming all these injuries, I’ll never know… But now they have to face Stanford in Palo Alto.

4. Oklahoma Sooners (+1)- Oklahoma is one of those teams that, even though they have a loss, no one wants to play them right now.

3. Iowa Hawkeyes (+3)- Iowa is still undefeated, and is making every possible case they can for a playoff spot.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (NC)- Alabama would probably be favored over anyone else in the country…the Iron Bowl won’t make a dent in that mystique.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson should have an easy walk against South Carolina, but that doesn’t mean they should overlook the Gamecocks on their way to an ACC title game against North Carolina.

Right Wing Bowl Predictions

Playoffs

Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs Oklahoma

Orange Bowl: Alabama vs Michigan State

Top Tier Bowls

Peach Bowl: LSU vs Notre Dame

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs Stanford

Fiesta Bowl: Navy vs Baylor

Second Tier Bowls

Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs Georgia

TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl: Mississippi State vs Penn State

Outback Bowl: Iowa vs Ole Miss

Football Future-see 2015: Week Twelve

Get ready for a load of Big XII games over the coming weeks. That conference will make a massive impact on the playoff race. Consider that, barring a miracle, only the PAC-12 has completely dismissed itself from the playoff discussion. So long as Clemson keeps winning then they get in. The winner of Alabama and Florida, should they only have one loss, will get in. Ohio State, should they keep winning, will get in. That’s three of the four spots sewn up. Now it appears the Big XII wants in, seeing as they were shut out last year. The American Athletic Conference, now Houston’s for the taking, likely won’t get in, but you never know with the committee.

This week we have the obligatory Georgia pick, plus two Big XII games, an ACC tilt, and an SEC West match-up.

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven	3-2
Week Twelve	5-0
Week Thirteen	0-0
Championships	0-0
Bowls	0-0
OVERALL	47-18	.723

The Games:

17 North Carolina at Virginia Tech (Saturday, Noon, ESPN)

Somewhere along the line, the Tar Heels discovered how to play offense at a very high level. After scoring 26 points in back-to-back games, the Heels have since scored 66 and 59, against a rising Duke and a struggling Miami, respectively. The question now is, can the Tar Heels keep up such a pace? They have to travel to Blacksburg to face a Hokie squad intent on sending their head coach out a winner in conference play. As Frank Beamer departs the college football scene, he would love nothing more than to slow the high powered UNC team down. I just don’t think he can do it. Tar Heels win.

Final Score: North Carolina 31, Virginia Tech 17
CORRECT: North Carolina won 30-27 in OT

15 LSU at 22 Ole Miss (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

LSU has tumbled since their loss to Alabama. A subsequent loss to Arkansas brought the Tigers down yet another notch. Ole Miss, similarly, took a tumble, but they managed to beat Alabama. The Rebels, though, lost to Memphis, which is a definite blemish. This will still be a good game, though. I’m looking for LSU to rebound, and for RB Leonard Fournette to re-establish his presence. But I don’t think it will be enough. Ole Miss can score on pretty much anyone. This might not be the shootout that Ole Miss vs Arkansas was, but it’ll be fun to watch, and it’ll be close. Ole Miss wins, but not by much.

Final Score: Ole Miss 28, LSU 24
CORRECT: Ole Miss won 38-17

Georgia Southern at Georgia (Saturday, 7:00pm, ESPNU)

Is the ship righting at Georgia? Or is this just a calm before a final storm? Mark Richt has faced an increasingly warming seat in Athens ever since the team lost 3 out of 4 in October. Since then, the Dawgs have taken down Kentucky and Auburn. Defeating the Tigers is always a soothing balm to an anxious fan base, but the Dawgs still have in-state foe Georgia Tech, and a loss there will re-ignite the fire under Richt’s chair. The Dawgs usually schedule a team like Georgia Southern, who runs the option offense, before playing Tech every year, as a means of tuning up the defense. I like Georgia to win here, but they better keep winning, or the pitchforks will come out in Athens. Dawgs win.

Final Score: Georgia 31, Georgia Southern 14
CORRECT: Georgia won 23-17 in OT

10 Baylor at 6 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 7:30pm, Fox)

Oklahoma State needs only to win out to win the Big XII and likely claim a spot in the playoff. Baylor’s chances took a massive hit last week in a ten point loss to Oklahoma. The Cowboys are poised to take the Big XII to a place it’s never been before, seeing as the “Co-Champions” fiasco last year didn’t play out for them. That’s a lot of pressure on relatively young athletes. And for that reason, I’m taking Baylor here. The Bears have nothing left to lose. They can actually still reach the playoffs, if things break right for them. Oklahoma State has to win out. I don’t think they will. Baylor wins.

Final Score: Baylor 35, Oklahoma State 28
CORRECT: Baylor won 45-35

18 TCU at 7 Oklahoma (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

Oklahoma stomped down Baylor last week, opening the door for them to take the Big XII. TCU suffered their lone loss two weeks ago, but what they lost last week may be more important. QB Trevone Boykin suffered an ankle injury against Kansas, and that might keep him on the sideline for this game. The Horned Frogs are still a stout offense, and they’ll put up points, but it won’t be enough. Oklahoma is on the roll, and their QB, Baker Mayfield, is making a strong Heisman case. The Sooners took down Baylor last week. This week I think they’ll take down TCU. Boomer Sooner.

Final Score: Oklahoma 38, TCU 28
CORRECT: Oklahoma won 30-29

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Six of the poll features all sorts of changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: LSU Tigers

15. Stanford Cardinal (-11)

14. Michigan State Spartans (NC)

13. Michigan Wolverines (+2)

12. Houston Cougars (NR)

11. North Carolina Tar Heels (NR)

10. TCU Horned Frogs (+3)- TCU may be with their QB, which hurts their chances in the conference.

9. Florida Gators (+3)- Florida has climbed the rankings to that spot where it’s difficult to move higher without other teams faltering.

8. Baylor Bears (-5)- The Bears face Okie State in a huge Big XII game this week.

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+3)- The only blemish on the Irish’s record is a 2-point loss at #1 Clemson. That likely bodes well for them in the playoff discussion.

6. Iowa Hawkeyes (+1)- Iowa is still undefeated…just sayin’...

5. Oklahoma Sooners (+3)- Oklahoma is primed to make a run at the playoffs.

4. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+2)- The Cowboys face Baylor in a huge Big XII game this week.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (+2)- Alright, Ohio State, I’ve finally put you in the top three…prove me right.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (NC)- Alabama would probably be favored over anyone in the country.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson just needs to keep winning, and an ACC Title game with North Carolina could be there only trap.

Right Wing Bowl Predictions

Playoffs

Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs Oklahoma

Orange Bowl: Alabama vs Ohio State

Top Tier Bowls

Peach Bowl: LSU vs Notre Dame

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl: Iowa vs Stanford

Fiesta Bowl: Houston vs Utah

Second Tier Bowls

Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs Georgia

TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl: Mississippi State vs Penn State

Outback Bowl: Michigan State vs Ole Miss

Football Future-see 2015: Week Eleven

Alright, we’ve reached the home stretch for this season. The big games are starting to roll around for the Big XII, as evidenced by Oklahoma and Baylor being on our slate this week. Georgia makes their customary appearance, even though they fell from the ranks of the ranked long ago. A big match-up in the American Athletic Conference bring Memphis and Houston to our slate. Alabama has to travel to Starkville to face Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs of Mississippi State. Bama’s opponent last week, LSU, plays host to the Razorbacks of Arkansas. Should be a fun week.

Also, this week, we debut our bowl predictions.

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven	3-2
Week Twelve	0-0
Week Thirteen	0-0
Championships	0-0
Bowls	0-0
OVERALL	42-18	.700

The Games:

Georgia at Auburn (Saturday, Noon, CBS)

It was rather fitting that Georgia got off the schneid by beating Kentucky 27-3, especially after Florida made the Dawgs look awful in their own 27-3 win over Georgia the week before. The Dawgs employed a “wild-dog” offense that kept Kentucky guessing all day. Auburn has been disappointing all year, but they just handed Texas A&M an upset loss that shook up the SEC West. This game is always close. This series has always been close. Every now and then one team will blow out the other, but usually it’s close, usually the underdog sneaks out a win, and often the road team comes away victorious. Georgia really needs to win out in order to play “damage control” with the coaching staff and the fans. Auburn will put up a fight, but the Wild-Dog offense and an invigorated Nick Marshall and Sony Michel should bring Georgia a close win in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Dawgs win.

Final Score: Georgia 27, Auburn 21
CORRECT: Georgia won 20-13

2 Alabama at 17 Mississippi State (Saturday, 3:30pm, CBS)

Alabama already has a loss, yet they’re #2 in the nation in the eyes of the playoff committee. And I think they may be right. I’m not sure there is anyone in the nation who would be favored over Alabama on a neutral field right now. Mississippi State still has QB Dak Prescott. That counts for a lot, but it doesn’t count for enough to win over Alabama. The Tide is on a roll, an RB Derrick Henry is making great strides toward winning the Heisman this year. I like Alabama in this one, and it won’t be as close as the score indicates.

Final Score: Alabama 28, Mississippi State 17
CORRECT: Alabama won 31-6

21 Memphis at 24 Houston (Saturday, 7:00pm, ESPN2)

Houston has won five straight games in this series, but Memphis has inched closer each time. The Tigers have a really good offense, as evidenced by their win over Ole Miss. But they just had a very-much down game against Navy. Houston has the better defense between these two, and will try to exercise that against the Tigers offense. This game could very well decide the winner of the American Athletic Conference West Division. Memphis has the better wins on the season, but I like Houston to win here in a close game.

Final Score: Houston 24, Memphis 20
CORRECT: Houston won 35-34

Arkansas at 9 LSU (Saturday, 7:15pm, ESPN)

LSU, and more specifically, LSU’s RB Leonard Fournette, were made to look mortal against Alabama last week. Fournette was regularly going for 150 or 200 yards per game. Alabama held him to 31. Meanwhile, the LSU defense gave up much to Tide’s offense. Arkansas, on the other hand, is coming off a thrilling overtime win over Ole Miss, in which the Razorbacks offense put up 53 on the proud Land Shark defense. LSU will have to shape up defensively, and they have to refocus on offense in order to stay in playoff contention. I like LSU to win here, but I think the Razorbacks keep it uncomfortable for LSU basically all day. Tigers win close.

Final Score: LSU 26, Arkansas 21
INCORRECT: Arkansas won 31-14

12 Oklahoma at 6 Baylor (Saturday, 8:00pm, ABC)

How insulted does Baylor have to feel now? Iowa just jumped them in the playoff poll. Iowa? Over Baylor? The biggest thing going for Baylor right now is that they are just entering the meat of their schedule. The Bears have several ranked opponents left. Oklahoma is gaining momentum after an off loss to Texas, but it may be too late for the Sooners. Baylor, even without QB Seth Russell, is still on fire. This game has shootout written all over it. The Big XII, unfortunately, is not known for its defenses. I like Baylor to outscore Oklahoma, but it’ll be close. Bears win.

Final Score: Baylor 38, Oklahoma 34
INCORRECT: Oklahoma won 44-34

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Five of the poll features all sorts of changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: None

15. Michigan Wolverines (NC)

14. Michigan State Spartans (-6)

13. TCU Horned Frogs (-8)

12. Florida Gators (+2)

11. LSU Tigers (-9)

10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+3)- The Irish may very well wind up crashing the playoff party, given their brutal schedule.

9. Utah Utes (+2)- Utah still has a chance to go to the PAC-12 Championship Game.

8. Oklahoma Sooners (+2)- Oklahoma is still very much alive in the Big XII.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes (+2)- Iowa is still undefeated. I will repeat that…Iowa is still undefeated.

6. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+6)- Oklahoma State put a very serious beating on TCU, making their presence known in the Big XII.

5. Ohio State Buckeyes (+2)- Ohio State is still not that high on my list, but they are getting better and better each week.

4. Stanford Cardinal (+2)- Stanford would be much higher were it not for that early loss to Northwestern.

3. Baylor Bears (NC)- Baylor was not impressive against Kansas State, but they’re still undefeated. TCU cannot say that anymore.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (+2)- Alabama might have one loss, but they would probably be favored against almost anyone in the nation. They are that good.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson just proved that they can take a hit to the mouth and keep going. You need to be that tough to win a championship.

Right Wing Bowl Predictions

Playoffs

Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs Baylor

Orange Bowl: Alabama vs Ohio State

Top Tier Bowls

Peach Bowl: LSU vs Notre Dame

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl: Iowa vs Utah

Fiesta Bowl: Temple vs Stanford

Second Tier Bowls

Outback Bowl: Michigan vs Mississippi State

TaxSlayer (Gator) Bowl: Georgia vs Penn State

Football Future-see 2015: Week Ten

Well, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee has released their first set of rankings. Just as I’ve been saying for a couple weeks now, Clemson is on top. The surprise is that neither TCU nor Baylor is in the Committee’s top four. Instead, one-loss Alabama is already crashing the party, thanks to some impressive wins after falling to Ole Miss. This week the picks feature the standard Georgia game (more on that below), two Big XII games, an ACC match-up featuring now-#1 Clemson, and the big game of the week, LSU at Alabama.

Now that the CFPSC's rankings are out, the Playoff Prediction is gone.

RECORD

Week One	9-1
Week Two	4-1
Week Three	3-2
Week Four	2-3
Week Five	2-3
Week Six	3-2
Week Seven	5-0
Week Eight	3-2
Week Nine	4-1
Week Ten	4-1
Week Eleven
Week Twelve
OVERALL	39-16	.709

The Games:

6 Baylor at Kansas State (Thursday, 7:30pm, FoxSports1)

If I’m Baylor right now, I’m feeling insulted by the Committee. They blew us off last year in leaving the Big XII out altogether, even though we won the conference outright (forget that co-champion stuff). Now they’ve dropped us down to #6, leaving us out once again, as things stand now. The good thing for Baylor is they are just now coming into the meat of their schedule. The Bears have three straight games against ranked opponents after this battle with K-State. That might make this a trap game to some, but I think Baylor finds a way to roll. The loss of their QB may just be the rallying point they need to claim to the Big XII. I like Baylor here, but I won’t be surprised if K-State finds a way to keep things close.

Final Score: Baylor 42, Kansas State 24
CORRECT: Baylor won 31-24

Kentucky at Georgia (Saturday, Noon, SEC Network)

Georgia needs to do something and fast. The season has spiraled out of control, and a disappointing and humiliating loss to Florida has done nothing to ease the pain and frustration of their fan base. The calls for the coach’s job are getting louder. Georgia should, theoretically, roll over Kentucky. They have more talent than the Wildcats ever seem to field. But this season has not been kind to the Dawgs. They’ve gone nearly nine quarters since their last touchdown. No QB can seemingly get the offense pointing in the right direction. I think they get out of the touchdown-less rut this week, but Kentucky will keep it close. Georgia wins, but unless they win by more than three TDs the unrest in Athens will grow.

Final Score: Georgia 21, Kentucky 14
CORRECT: Georgia won 27-3

16 Florida State at 1 Clemson (Saturday, 3:30pm, ABC)

Back when the season started, Clemson-FSU seemed like a big match-up. Clemson, though, has made their way to the top spot in the Committee’s initial ranking. The Tigers look like the real deal. They’ve taken down Notre Dame. They’ve scored 114 points in the last two games. They beat Miami, in Miami, by 58 points. The Seminoles, meanwhile, are coming off a rough loss to Georgia Tech, in a game they should’ve won. I like Clemson here, and I think it may get ugly. Clemson’s offense is clicking right now, and I’m not sure anyone can stop them. Tigers win.

Final Score: Clemson 35, Florida State 20
CORRECT: Clemson won 23-13

8 TCU at 14 Oklahoma State (Saturday, 3:30pm, Fox)

If I’m TCU right now, I’m feeling insulted by the Committee. They blew us off last year in leaving the Big XII out altogether. Now they’ve dropped us down to #8. TCU has a harder schedule this week than primary opponent Baylor, but both teams are focused on a Thanksgiving weekend meeting that will possibly decide the Big XII. TCU has, in my mind, the inside track in the conference, as Baylor has lost their QB. Oklahoma State is a stout offense, and should put up a heck of a fight against the Horned Frogs, but I don’t expect them to win. TCU should take care of business here, and carry on their good fight for the Big XII crown. Frogs win.

Final Score: TCU 42, Oklahoma State 30
INCORRECT: Oklahoma State won 49-29

2 LSU at 4 Alabama (Saturday, 8:00pm, CBS)

The biggest game of the weekend pits the second ranked Tigers of LSU against an Alabama team already poised to crash the undefeated-party that is the playoff. This game tends to decide the SEC West winner every season, and this game once again seems to carry that weight. An Alabama win would almost cement their spot in the playoffs, barring some catastrophic breakdown of the natural order in the SEC (we’re lookin’ at you, Ole Miss). LSU, meanwhile, is making their case for a playoff spot, and needs a big win over the Tide to lock up their own claim. If this game were in Death Valley, I would pick the Tigers. But being in Tuscaloosa, I have to lean toward Alabama. Tide wins a close one.

Final Score: Alabama 31, LSU 27
CORRECT: Alabama won 30-16

Right Wing Top Ten

Week Four of the poll features almost no changes.

NR = Not Ranked the previous Week

NC = No Change from previous week

+ = Moved Up

-  = Moved Down

Dropped Out: None

15. Michigan Wolverines (NC)

14. Florida Gators (NC)

13. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-1)

12. Oklahoma State Cowboys (+1)

11. Utah Utes (NC)

10. Oklahoma Sooners NC)- Oklahoma is wanting to make a push in the Big XII.

9. Iowa Hawkeyes NC)- Anyone else realize that Iowa is still undefeated?

8. Michigan State Spartans (NC)- Sparty hasn’t been playing to their potential lately, and it has cost them in this poll.

7. Ohio State Buckeyes (NC)- Ohio State is finally playing like a top-ranked team.

6. Stanford Cardinal (NC)- Stanford might be the best team in the PAC-12., but Washington State once more made them seem mortal.

5. TCU Horned Frogs (NC)- Can TCU claim the Big XII, or will Oklahoma and Baylor still have something to say?

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (NC)- After this week either Alabama or LSU will tumble down the ranking a bit.

3. Baylor Bears (NC)- How long can Baylor stay near the top without their starting QB?

2. LSU Tigers (NC)- After this week either LSU or Alabama will tumble down the ranking a bit.

1. Clemson Tigers (NC)- Clemson had a rough sort of week against NC State, but they’re still the best team in the nation.

Thoughts on Georgia

Oh, how this season has gone off the rails for Georgia. I remember hearing that Nick Chubb had blown out his knee on the first play against Tennessee, but I didn’t realize then that it was the beginning of the downward spiral for the Dawgs. Since that time Georgia has lost to Tennessee, narrowly beaten Missouri, and been humiliated by Florida. It’s brought about the most intense pressure and scrutiny on Mark Richt that I’ve seen in years.

Richt, while a fantastic human being, and the type of coach I would want my son to play for should I be blessed with a son one of these days, is not the type of coach who brings you national championships. He’s simply too nice.

And now the calls for his head, figuratively, have started coming in louder and more frequently. The Dawgs are already at three losses on the year, meaning it would take winning out and winning their bowl match-up. That might be a problem. Georgia has not scored a touchdown since the start of the fourth quarter against Tennessee. That was October 11. It’s now November.

The offense has simply disappeared without Nick Chubb. The problems have becomes so ingrained in the public perception that talk has now shifted to recruits possibly pulling out of commitments and going elsewhere. How Georgia turns this trend around I don’t know. But they need to sort it out quickly.

Time may be running out for them.