Michigan State, Auburn look to play spoiler this weekend
Spartans host No. 8 Ohio State while Tigers visit fifth-ranked Georgia
Spoiler season is here in college football, the time of year when being a party pooper is a worthy and honorable goal.
After most of last week’s monster matchups turned out to be lopsided affairs, the next couple of weeks should be about setting up Titanic clashes on Thanksgiving weekend and championship Saturday that will help set the College Football Playoff on Dec. 2.
To get there from here, a few significant hurdles need to be cleared.
No. 8 Ohio State goes to No. 24 Michigan State on Saturday in need of two more victories to keep pace with No. 4 Michigan in the Big Ten East. The Wolverines should coast into the Big Game on Nov. 24 undefeated in the conference after playing Rutgers and Indiana. The Buckeyes get Maryland at home next week, so the only major obstacle in between yet another high-stakes Michigan-Ohio State game is the pesky Spartans, who take great pleasure in being the disruptive third-wheel in the Big Ten’s most volatile relationship.
No. 6 Oklahoma vs. No. 7 West Virginia is a Big 12 matchup so nice it might get played twice. The Sooners and Mountaineers are tied for first atop the conference, moving toward a Nov. 23 showdown with playoff implications in Morgantown, West Virginia. That could set up a rematch the next week in the Big 12 title game at Arlington, Texas. As tempting as it is to look ahead, the Sooners face Oklahoma State this weekend in the Bedlam rivalry, which Oklahoma usually wins but infrequently with ease. Oklahoma State then gets West Virginia next week in Stillwater.
In the Southeastern Conference, a national championship game rematch between No. 1 Alabama and No. 5 Georgia already is set for the league title game on Dec. 1. That could turn out to be a de facto CFP quarterfinal. Auburn will have something to say about that. The Tigers visit the Bulldogs this week and, of course, finish with ‘Bama in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 24.
The picks:
Today
Wake Forest (plus 17) at No. 22 North Carolina State: Wolfpack QB Ryan Finley and his talented receivers should find Wake’s pass defense (20 TD passes allowed and only three interceptions) accommodating … N.C. STATE 42-20.
Friday
Louisville (plus 21) at No. 13 Syracuse: Two seasons ago, Lamar Jackson announced himself to the college football world with a spectacular Friday night performance at Syracuse. Now Louisville is the worst team in the ACC … SYRACUSE 45-21.
No. 16 Fresno State (minus 3) at Boise State: Bulldogs have never won on the Broncos’ blue turf, going 0-9 … FRESNO STATE 24-17.
Saturday
No. 18 Mississippi State (plus 24½) at No. 1 Alabama: Crimson Tide has won 10 straight meetings and only twice have the Bulldogs scored more than 10 points … ALABAMA 35-7.
No. 2 Clemson (minus 20) at No. 17 Boston College: Eagles have a solid defense (25th nationally in yards per play at 4.83), led by DE Zach Allen, but the better offenses it has faced have had success … CLEMSON 35-17.
Florida State (plus 17½) at No. 3 Notre Dame: It was 25 years ago when the second-ranked Fighting Irish beat No. 1 FSU in the Game of the Century … NOTRE DAME 34-14.
No. 4 Michigan (minus 39) at Rutgers: Graphic content: Viewer discretion advised … MICHIGAN 56-7.
Auburn (plus 14) at No. 5 Georgia: Still searching for a pass rush, the Bulldogs rank last in the SEC with 14 sacks … GEORGIA 27-14.
Oklahoma State (plus 18½) at No. 6 Oklahoma: Week to week the Cowboys’ performance has been all over the place … OKLAHOMA 45-24.
TCU (plus 13) at No. 7 West Virginia: Horned Frogs are a shell of the team that looked like a Big 12 contender earlier this season … WEST VIRGINIA 35-17.
No. 8 Ohio State (minus 3½) at No. 24 Michigan State: Sure, the Buckeyes’ defense has been a mess, but have you seen the Spartans’ dysfunctional offense? … OHIO STATE 27-21.
No. 9 LSU (minus 13½) at Arkansas: How do the Tigers bounce back from ’Bama? … LSU 31-16.
No. 10 Washington State (minus 6½) at Colorado: Buffaloes could finally get star WR Laviska Shenault Jr. back this week — and boy could they use him to break a four-game losing streak … COLORADO 31-28.
Navy (plus 25½) at No. 11 UCF: Midshipmen are on the way to the program’s worst season since going 2-10 in 2002 … UCF 49-17.
No. 12 Kentucky (minus 6) at Tennessee: SEC’s worst passing offense (Kentucky) against its worst rushing offense (Tennessee) … TENNESSEE, 20-16, UPSET SPECIAL.
San Jose State (plus 31) at No. 14 Utah State: Aggies have five games of at least 50 points, only Alabama has more (six) … UTAH STATE 52-17.
No. 15 Texas (minus 1½) at Texas Tech: Longhorns looking at sliding from Big 12 contention to a 7-5 regular season in a big hurry … TEXAS 28-27.
South Carolina (plus 6½) at No. 19 Florida: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The Gators are searching for answers at quarterback … FLORIDA 24-21.
Wisconsin (plus 8) at No. 21 Penn State: Badgers could be without QB Alex Hornibrook in a game between teams trying to position themselves for warmweather bowls … PENN STATE 28-21.
Baylor (plus 14½) at No. 23 Iowa State: Cyclones looking for their first five-game winning streak since 2002 … IOWA STATE 38-21.
South Florida (plus 12) at No. 25 Cincinnati: Bearcats have put together a feisty defense (fourth in the country in yards per play at 4.28), led by DT Cortez Broughton and S James Wiggins … CINCINNATI 24-17.