Teams down South take cupcake break
The college football schedule this weekend was made for anybody who has ever strolled up to someone’s cubical and asked the question: Working hard or hardly working?
There are big games and plenty of heavy lifting to be done around the country, but as has become tradition throughout the South, the weekend before Thanksgiving is a chance to take a little break for some. The SEC invented the late-season cupcake game and some Atlantic Coast Conference schools have adopted it, too.
No. 4 Florida State faces North Alabama on Saturday. No. 8 Alabama hosts Chattanooga, another FCS school. No. 13 Mississippi welcomes Louisiana-Monroe and No. 15 LSU has Georgia State, a Sun Belt team that is probably a little tougher than the Tigers had hoped.
NO. 5 WASHINGTON AT NO. 11 OREGON STATE
To remind everyone of the backstory here, Washington is leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten next year. All that’s left of the Pac-12 is Oregon State and Washington State, sacrificed at the altar of television revenue-driven conference realignment.
The future is still murky for the Beavers (and Washington State). But their present is bursting with potential. If they win their next two games, against Washington and Oregon, the Beavers will be in the Pac-12 title game.
PICK Washington 35-33.
NO. 7 TEXAS AT IOWA STATE
The Longhorns snapped a three-game losing streak against the Cyclones last year, which is amazing considering Texas had been 14-2 against Iowa State before then. Texas is a playoff contender, but an Iowa State upset would not only put an end to that but make it hard for the Longhorns to reach the Big 12 title game.
PICK Texas 28-14.
NO. 10 LOUISVILLE AT MIAMI
The Cardinals are a win away from their first ACC title game appearance and on the fringe of playoff race. Miami is hoping to spring an upset.
PICK Miami 19-18.
NO. 1 GEORGIA AT NO. 18 TENN.
This was circled as the Bulldogs’ toughest test coming into the season. Not looking that way now, but the Volunteers have giant killer potential if everything clicks. It will have to against Carson Beck, Brock Bowers and a Georgia offense that is getting healthy and looking scary
PICK Georgia 35-20.
NO. 3 MICHIGAN AT MARYLAND
OK, the game is not that intriguing. It’ll be shocking if the skidding Terps (losers of four of five) threaten the Wolverines. The real intrigue is Friday in a court in Washtenaw County, Mich., where a judge will determine if the Big Ten’s suspension of Coach Jim Harbaugh should be lifted.
PICK Michigan 42-13.
MINNESOTA AT NO. 2 OHIO STATE
Buckeyes have ramped up a Heisman push for WR Marvin Harrison . ... OHIO STATE 42-10.
NO. 6 OREGON AT ARIZONA STATE
Ducks have lost two of three against the Sun Devils, who are coming off an upset of UCLA … OREGON 45-13.
FLORIDA AT NO. 9 MISSOURI
Tigers are two wins away from their first double-digit win season since 2014 … MISSOURI 42-28.
RUTGERS
AT NO. 12 PENN STATE
Nittany Lions are 31-2 in the series with 16 consecutive victories … PENN STATE 26-7.
LOUISIANA-MONROE AT NO. 13 MISSISSIPPI
Rebels recover from Georgia and gear up for the Egg Bowl … OLE MISS 45-10.
NO. 14 OKLAHOMA AT BYU
Cougars have lost three in a row by an average of 39-9 … OKLAHOMA 39-9.
GEORGIA STATE AT NO. 15 LSU
LSU is going to try put Jayden Daniels in position to win a Heisman … LSU 56-24.
NO. 22 UTAH AT NO. 17 ARIZONA
Utes have won six consecutive meetings … ARIZONA 24-22.
NO. 24 TULANE AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Green Wave are part of a three-way tie atop the the AAC … TULANE 27-20.
WAKE FOREST AT NO. 19 NOTRE DAME
The Demon Deacons are second-to-last (20.5 points per game) in scoring in the ACC. … NOTRE DAME 35-10.
NO. 20 NORTH CAROLINA AT CLEMSON
Tar Heels still have ACC title game hope if Louisville loses … CLEMSON 31-28.
NO. 21 KAN. ST. AT KANSAS
Wildcats have won 14 in a row in the Sunflower State rivalry … KANSAS STATE 35-24.
NO. 23 OKLA. ST. AT HOUSTON
Cowboys are still in pretty good shape to get to the Big 12 title game if they can avoid a second consecutive road upset … OKLAHOMA STATE 31-23.
RECORD
LAST WEEK 20-3.
SEASON 189-63.