Weekend Preview: November 4, 2016
Week 11 is finally here, and it is a big one. Tuesday night gave us our first look at a College Football Playoff Bracket. This week, we get to see how teams perform after being chosen or left out as they try to make their cases for the Selection Committee. No longer will the Weekend Preview contain AP rankings, as everyone shifts their focus to the Playoff. We rushed to get this one up before heading out of town so sorry for the lack of aesthetic appeal.Here are our takes on Saturday's biggest games:
ACC
No. 22 Florida State at NC State
Patrick: NC State is a good team, and one that hung with Clemson just like Florida State did. I think Florida State comes out and plays some angry football. We saw an angry Jimbo Fisher after last week's loss to Clemson when he complained about the officiating. Florida State's edge and fiery attitude will give them the advantage this week and lead them to a victory.
Cole: Florida State held their own with Clemson last week, just as NC State did on the road against the Tigers. After taking a loss last week to Boston College, I think NC State will have corrected a lot of the problems, but in the end Florida State will just barely pull of the win by a field goal. Jimbo Fisher's reactions throughout the game will be wildly entertaining if it ends up being close.
Georgia Tech at No. 21 North Carolina
Patrick: North Carolina is so close to being a very good team. They just lack consistency. They have the fire power on offense, and if they can figure out Georgia Tech's tricky offense, they'll be just fine at home.
Cole: Larry Fedora has made North Carolina a force in the ACC the past two seasons, and they won't stop for Georgia Tech. The Tarheels will win this game and cover the 10 point line. UNC is a more complete team, and Georgia Tech's triple option isn't working to nearly the same effect that it was a couple seasons ago.
SEC
No. 11 Florida at Arkansas
Patrick: The SEC East is a joke. They're the reason the SEC gets called overrated. Florida controls their destiny in the East, but that all changes after they play a SEC West, battle-tested opponent in the Razorbacks this weekend. Arkansas wins at home in a close, low-scoring game.
Cole: Florida is wildly overrated. After chickening out of their game against LSU, they find their way into this game with only one loss and sitting atop the SEC East. With the game being in Fayetteville, I think Bret Bielema finds away to get his team the win.
No. 1 Alabama at No. 13 LSU
Patrick: This game is one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports. It never seems to disappoint. I don't expect it to this year either. LSU is hot, and if their offense can keep moving the ball through Fournette, they have a chance to pull off a huge upset. Alabama is just the best team in college football. Period. If LSU makes one mistake, we all know the Tide's defense will capitalize, and probably score off of it. I think LSU makes one too many mistakes and the Tide continue to roll.
Cole: Oh, Lord. Death Valley for a night game is one of the best experiences of college football. This game, for the better part of the last ten years, has had national championship implications, and 2016 does not fall short. If LSU can pull off this upset (much to the delight of the rest of the nation), the Playoff argument gets wild. Fournette last year got absolutely shut down by the 'Bama defense, ruining his Heisman chances and giving them to Derrick Henry, so expect him to be playing harder than we have ever seen him. Think about that for a second: Leonard Fournette playing the hardest he has ever played in his life... Absolutely frightening. All this being said, I think Nick Saban and the Tide are just too good for anyone to slow their roll. This might be the best Crimson Tide football team under Saban, and possibly the best all-time. Alabama will walk out with a win, but the Bayou Bengals will make them earn it.
BIG 10
No. 10 Nebraska at No. 6 Ohio State
Patrick: I thought Nebraska sucked. It turns out they don't. Last weekend they proved it to me with their close game against Wisconsin. I think they pull an upset in Columbus and then hopefully all the Buckeye fans quit complaining about being left out of the top 4.
Cole: Last week, when Nebraska played Wisconsin, I fully expected them to be blown out. Instead, they surprised many by hanging with a very tough and solid Badgers team. Both teams come into this game standing at 7-1, trying to wiggle their way into the playoff. Ohio State has lost their momentum they had at the beginning of the season, taking a loss to Penn State two weeks ago and beating Northwestern at home by just four points last week. This game will be really close, but I think Urban Meyer will find a way to coach his team to a win.
No. 8 Wisconsin at Northwestern
Patrick: Wisconsin is very good. They are a two-loss team sitting at number 8. Northwestern may be one of the most underrated teams in the country. And because it's at home, they do have a shot. Wisconsin had a long, emotional, and tiring game last week, but I think they manage to pull out another close one this weekend.
Cole: Ohio State beat both of these teams by small margins. Northwestern, after an off year last year, has returned to the top half of the B1G (their only conference loss is to Nebraska). Wisconsin continues to impress this season, and their only losses are to Ohio State and Michigan. Their resumé continues to improve, as two of their wins are over LSU and Nebraska. In Evanston, this game has the potential to be interesting; however, Wisconsin is just too big and powerful to lose this one, even on the road. The Badgers will walk away with a W by two scores.
Big 12
TCU at No. 17 Baylor
Patrick: Baylor lost their first game of the season last week. To the Texas Longhorns... That being said, TCU seems to be having the same trouble with "Trill" as the Aggies did and just can't produce. The only way to beat Baylor is to match them on the offensive side of the ball and I don't think TCU can do that. Baylor wins by two or three scores.
Cole: Had you told anybody this last year or two years ago, they would've called you crazy: Baylor is coming off of a loss to the University of Texas last weekend, seemingly ending their (and the Big 12's) playoff hopes, while TCU will walk into Waco with two straight losses, the most recent at home to Texas Tech. TCU's offense has been struggling this year, as Kenny "Trill" Hill (obviously the next Johnny Manziel, if you can recall) struggles to find a rhythm as the starter. I think Seth Russell and his Baylor squad are good enough, while the Horned Frogs are bad enough, to make the final score have a margin of more than two touchdowns in favor of the green and gold. There won't be any shortage of points, though.
No. 18 Oklahoma State at Kansas State
Patrick: Oklahoma State is the best team in the Big 12 in my opinion. Kansas State has been very good at home this season. It's going to come down to the defenses of both teams. Which team can make more big stops? I think Oklahoma State does, just because Kansas State will have trouble on defense against the run-and-gun style of the Pokes.
Cole: After knocking off the undefeated West Virginia last week, Okie State looks to beat Bill Schneider in his own stadium to get their seventh win of the season. Meanwhile, Kansas State remains undefeated at home and have no intentions of changing that. Even though the national implications are small, this game will be good. It is a clash of completely different styles: Oklahoma State running a fast-pace, hurry-up offense, while Kansas State runs a ground-and-pound, grinding attack. The Wildcats are actually favored by three, but this game could swing either way. If I was putting my money on it, I'd take Oklahoma State in this one. They've reeled off four straight wins after a 2-2 start, and I think their momentum carries them through the rest of their schedule until they sit at 9-2 and play OU for the conference title in the last week of the season.
PAC 12
No. 5 Washington at California
Patrick: This is another big game. Washington proved they aren't a fluke against Utah last week, and then on top of that, they're pissed off. Being unbeaten, they were shocked to see the number 5 next to their name with Texas A&M in front of them. Cal has a shot at pulling the upset at home, but I think Washington wins big.
Cole: Washington proved their legitimacy with a solid win over Utah last weekend. They have a dominating offensive line that will do more than dominate a Cal defense that is apparently incapable of stopping the run. Washington will win by two or three possessions, despite the fact the game is in Berkeley.
Arizona at No. 25 Washington State
Patrick: Washington State wins big at home. Their offense is just too much for a typical Pac 12 defense that Arizona possesses.
Cole: Here comes Mike Leach! Sticking their foot in the door of the playoff rankings this week, Wazzu has this one in the bag. Arizona has proven to be a competitive team the last few seasons, but Washington State is on a six game win streak after starting 0-2, which includes wins over Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, and Arizona State. The Cougars get the W by 10-14 points.
Non-Conference Game of the Week
Maryland at No. 3 Michigan
Patrick: Michigan.
Cole: The line is huge on this game (Michigan -31) and for good reason. The Wolverines are the new Alabama of the North, and they look to continue their domination this week over a Maryland team that has dropped three of their last four. Don't be surprised if Michigan jumps Clemson in the rankings after they get this win over the Terrapins.
