Our Official 2016 Regular Season thread

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 11 predictions

Remember the 1996 U.S Poker Championship? The ESPN Classic show "Cheap Seats" MST'ed it on an episode once, and it had Donald Tr-
Okay, sorry. After the election last night, that was honestly the first thing I thought of when I heard the results. Anyway, here are my picks for this week:

Mississippi State 7 @ (1)Alabama 37
Pittsburgh 17 @ (2)Clemson 38
Iowa 13 @ (3)Michigan 35
(20)USC 38 @ (4)Washington 35
(5)Ohio State 54 @ Maryland 10
Wake Forest 14 @ (6)Louisville 48
Illinois 17 @ (7)Wisconsin 27
Ole Miss 37 @ (8)Texas A&M 30
(9)Auburn 24 @ Georgia 30
(10)Penn State 42 @ Indiana 27
Baylor 28 @ (11)Oklahoma 46
(12)Colorado 36 @ Arizona 17
Texas Tech 38 @ (13)Oklahoma State 52
Georgia Tech 24 @ (14)Virginia Tech 27
(15)Utah 27 @ Arizona State 21
(16)West Virginia 31 @ Texas 42
(17)North Carolina 35 @ Duke 34
(18)Florida State 42 @ Boston College 17
Minnesota 26 @ (19)Nebraska 20
(21)Western Michigan 37 @ Kent State 20 (I should have taken this pick to Vegas; this was my lock of the week! Oh well...)
(22)Boise State 37 @ Hawaii 24
California 26 @ (23)Washington State 45
(24)LSU 17 @ (25)Arkansas 20

My time's up. You've been great. Go find that "Cheap Seats" episode I mentioned if you want a laugh.

P.S: Oh! I almost forgot! Last night, Eastern Michigan won at Ball State for their 6th win of the year. That's right: Eastern Michigan is Bowl-eligible! Call your neighbors!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

North Carolina vs. Duke

North Carolina vs. Duke - Game Summary - November 10, 2016 - ESPN

Whilst Utah was pulling away from Arizona State late in Tempe, Duke was celebrating an always-big win over the Tar Heels (regardless of sport, I'll bet).
And for UNC, this was another one of those games where a team thinks they'll stroll through a lesser school, and then they realize "Wait! This is one of our rivals!" and then BAM! Their rival takes the lead, and the long decline begins.
As for Virginia Tech, I'll bet they're ecstatic about this.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Penn State vs. Indiana

Earlier today, we saw West Virginia win AT Texas. A great win for the Mountaineers, though the finish wasn't too exciting.

Penn State vs. Indiana - Game Summary - November 12, 2016 - ESPN On the other hand, Penn State won AT Indiana for a solid win. AND it was exciting, to boot.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Other early action

For the early football games, we saw Florida beat South Carolina to stay atop the SEC East. Also, we saw Rice steal a win from Charlotte, Miami-Ohio taking one more step towards a BIG comeback, and Central Florida winning bowl eligibility... one year after going 0-12!

Tulsa vs. Navy - Game Summary - November 12, 2016 - ESPN As for the best early game of the week, it goes to this game from Annapolis as Navy holds off Tulsa.

P.S: It's official. Georgia Tech is gonna defeat Virginia Tech, which means the ACC Coastal race will have to go another week before it's over.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Auburn vs. Georgia

It's now a final in Athens, and sadly I got this upset pick right as Georgia won 13-7. Leading fans across the country hoping for a competitive Iron Bowl to say this:

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State

Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State - Box Score - November 12, 2016 - ESPN

Look. I won't mention the ending to this game (for the sake of the kicker). Just know that next week, the state of Oklahoma will be VERY busy.

P.S: Thanks to Southern Miss losing to Old Dominion and them winning against UTSA, Louisiana Tech has won the C-USA West crown. Our 2nd division is all wrapped up (after San Diego State took the Mountain division last week)!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Pittsburgh stuns Clemson

Pittsburgh vs. Clemson - Box Score - November 12, 2016 - ESPN

This game has gone final, and another Top 5 team is GONE! After a raft of close calls this year (and a 46-game winning streak against unranked opponents), Clemson runs out of luck.
Meanwhile, many ACC fans across the country are saying this:

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

HUGE news from Division III!

D-III Mount Union's record winning run snapped

See the story up there? This is HUGE! Mount Union loses it's 98 home-game winning streak, and for the first time in 24 years they do NOT win the Ohio Athletic Conference...
Wait a minute, God. You can trip up Mount Union at home, yet you can't make Alabama self-destruct?! LET'S GET WITH THE PROGRAM HERE!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M

Michigan gives away a win against Iowa. Southern Cal has found it's footing as the Washington Huskies found out.

Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M - Game Summary - November 12, 2016 - ESPN And finally, Texas A&M has now lost 3 in a row thanks to Ole Miss. So that means half of the Top 10 teams have lost yesterday.
...My god, are we going to see Penn State in the 4-team playoff?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

What else happened

So what else happened last night? Well...

Idaho gets it's 6th win, which means that Idaho will have 1 more bowl game before the FCS drags them away. Troy won a good one over App. State, setting up a winner-take-all contest in the Sun Belt between them and Arkansas State.

As for close games, South Florida won a good one at Memphis, Utah State took some stupid pills in the final minute against New Mexico, Air Force outguns Colorado State...

Wyoming vs. UNLV - Game Summary - November 12, 2016 - ESPN ...and finally, UNLV wins in 3-OT's over Wyoming 68-66.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 11 Recap

Normally around this time, I'd do the "What We've Learned This Week" segment. But after a crazy Saturday, I don't think that's relevant right now.
So instead, today I'm doing "What We DIDN'T Learn This Week in College Football"!

What I DIDN'T learn this week was...

1. Who's the leader of the ACC? With Clemson losing, Louisville looks poised to make the Top 4... even though they probably won't win their own division.

2. Can the Big 10 have TWO teams in the Playoff? If Michigan recovers and wins out over Ohio State and Wisconsin (or Nebraska), then it's not a problem. But if Ohio State wins out... Prepare for madness...

3. Is there ANYBODY to stop Alabama winning the national title? Thanks to Auburn laying an egg against Georgia, that hope is getting fainter and fainter.

4. My god... Could Clay Helton actually have USC under control? Washington's glory days will have to wait another year after Southern Cal won in Seattle. Wait... That means USC can still make the PAC-12 title game! Now if Helton gets some GOOD coordinators, we'll really have something!

...And finally (upon further review), I actually DID learn something: Thanks to Wyoming losing, Boise State has new hope for a "New Year's Six" bowl! Western Michigan, be really careful...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 12 Top 10

8. Troy has a chance of making a "New Year's Six" game! A very-tiny chance, but still a chance.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com...-jumps-into-associated-press-top-25/93768074/ Holy smokes, Troy! You're in the race for New Year's!

This is another result of the madness we saw last week. And although it may not be reflected in the playoff rankings tonight, there's always the hope for more changes. Besides, Rivalry Week is only one week away!
While you think about that, let's do...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2016 (Week 12)​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Oregon @ Utah [2:00, PAC-12 Network] (A 7-loss Oregon team in my countdown? Must be a slow week; College Gameday will be in Kalamazoo this week. Anyway, the reason this game is on the list is because of Utah. The Utes are in complete control of their PAC-12 title dreams, and with Colorado looming they can't get caught looking ahead.)

9. Clemson @ Wake Forest [7:00, ESPN] (Relax, Clemson! Sure you lost to Pittsburgh, but a few other playoff hopefuls lost as well. So just take care of Wake Forest, and you're going to Charlotte with your playoff dreams intact.
Just don't think about Wake scaring Louisville IN Louisville last week, or the injuries you have, or that Louisville's ahead of you in the rankings, or Alabama fans laughing right in your face as they're screaming "Clemsoning!!" So... good luck!)

8. Arizona State @ Washington [7:30, FOX] (No mind games here. No shouting fans, or playoff politics. Just a Washington team having it's Senior Day as they look to rebound from the USC loss. But I will say this: PAC-12 fans are hoping Washington doesn't lose here and ruin the "Apple Cup" for them.)

7. Ohio State @ Michigan State [12:00, ESPN] (The now 2nd-ranked Buckeyes look to keep cruising towards the playoff as they visit a 3-7 Spartan team. But 2 things: Tyler O' Connor has been a good QB despite the bad year, and Michigan State has nothing else to lose. So don't expect another 61-3 game this time.)

6. Oklahoma State @ TCU [12:00, FOX Sports 1] (OK State is in the same boat as Utah; they're in control of their destiny in their conference, but they better not mess up on the road. But for motivation, all Mike Gundy has to do is tell the Cowboys what happened to Baylor when THEY underestimated a down TCU squad.)

5. USC @ UCLA [10:30, ESPN] (For the 84th time, the "Battle of L.A" will divide neighbors across Southern California in grid-iron combat. Thing is, USC has gotten their s--t together after a rough start. UCLA has not. And if the line-play for the Bruins is awful here, they can wave bye-bye to the postseason.)

4. Louisville @ Houston [8:00 Thursday, ESPN] (In preseason, this game looked awesome. Around October 25th, the game looked like a Louisville rout after what SMU did to Houston.
But quietly, Houston has been bouncing back. Combine that with Louisville's Top-5 ranking, and this game is back to being awesome. The key here is Greg Ward Jr; can his offense outshoot the Cardinals?)

3. Florida @ LSU [1:00, CBS... No wait, the SEC Network] (Huh... I thought CBS would have ponied up the dough to broadcast this one. Oh well, let's get to business. And both teams have a lot to prove. If LSU wins, Ed Orgeron will draw closer to the full-time job at the expense of Florida's SEC title dreams.
But if the Gators win in Baton Rouge despite some injuries, they deserve that SEC East title.
[P.S: If Tennessee wins against Missouri, they'll go to the SEC Title game with a Florida loss. Hmmm...])

2. Washington State @ Colorado [3:30, FOX] (I wanted to put this game at #1. But if you think about it, Washington State has nothing to lose here; if they DO lose they can just beat Washington next week to win the PAC-12 North. But here's why this game is up so high: Colorado. If the Cougars win, Colorado's title hopes will take a major hit... or maybe die altogether. Either way, expect a shootout here.)

1. Oklahoma @ West Virginia [8:00, ABC] (The playoff chances for the Big 12 may be very slim, but that won't stop Oklahoma from trying! In this Top-15 matchup, the Mountaineers are swelling with hope after winning AT Texas, but now Baker Mayfield comes a calling. You can bet Oklahoma State will be watching this one VERY closely, and so will the playoff committee.)

Best "mid-major" game: See next post.
Game with the best chance to be a bust: Indiana @ Michigan (If you're worried about what Iowa did to Michigan, just remember this: They can still get into the 4-team playoff, and Mr. Harbaugh won't let his team forget that. Better duck and cover, Hoosiers.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Virginia Tech @ Notre Dame, Citadel @ North Carolina, and San Diego State @ Wyoming.

My "Group of 5" special is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 12: Group of 5 special

Did you hear, guys? The UConn men's basketball team has lost to teams like Northeastern and Wagner! It's a rebellion from the lesser schools! ...Or maybe it's because the UConn men are really bad.
Anyway, you get the point. It's time for the smaller schools to get more love, as I present...

The Top 5 "Group of Five" games of the week!​

(All times are Eastern)
5. Tulsa @ UCF [8:00, ESPNews] (This is just a quiet AAC joust between teams that are a combined 13-7. I think McKenzie Milton [the UCF QB] is in for a breakthrough performance here.)

4. Ohio @ Central Michigan [7:00 tonight, ESPN2] (The MAC East race is all but over; Ohio will have to lose their final 2 games to blow their shot at Detroit. But I don't think Frank Solich and his team want to take that chance. Not against a Central Michigan team that's getting desperate for that all-important 6th win.)

3. USF @ SMU [7:00, CBS Sports Network] (Here's how South Florida can make the AAC title game. First they must win in Dallas against a vastly-improved SMU team, and then they must defeat another vastly-improved team in UCF, all while hoping for Temple to lose. Maybe if Ben Hicks is on his A-game, the Mustangs can put USF out of their misery.)

2. Arkansas State @ Troy [9:30 Thursday, ESPNU] (This isn't a "winner-take-all" game in the Sun Belt, but it's DAMN close to one. Whoever wins this battle will have all but locked up the conference title, so who wants it more? The newly-ranked Trojans, or the resurgent Red Wolves?)

1. San Diego State @ Wyoming [3:30, CBS Sports Network] (For Wyoming, this is a "do-or-die" moment for them. That triple-OT loss to UNLV has put them behind the 8-ball, and now they MUST win against the Aztecs on Senior Day. Otherwise, Boise has a clear path to the MW Title game.
And San Diego State? They're just looking for a good challenge right now, and they got one.)

By the way, there are 2 BIG games in the FCS on Saturday as they finish up their regular season.
In the MEAC, the conference title is on the line when North Carolina Central hosts the defending champions North Carolina A&T.
Then in the Southland, Central Arkansas visits the #1-ranked Sam Houston State Bearkats. Don't miss it!
...And don't worry, I'll still make predictions tomorrow.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 12 predictions

Huh... Considering last week's madness, I did all right with my picks as I went 15-7. It helped that I had no faith in Auburn and Texas A&M!
...Anyway, it'll be a quiet week before the rivalries kick into high gear next week, so I'm expecting my numbers to SOAR this week with these picks (FBS vs. FCS games don't count):

(2)Ohio State 47 @ Michigan State 24
Indiana 14 @ (3)Michigan 30
(4)Clemson 46 @ Wake Forest 28
(5)Louisville 35 @ Houston 28
Arizona State 17 @ (6)Washington 24
(7)Wisconsin 21 @ Purdue 14
(8)Penn State 27 @ Rutgers 20
(9)Oklahoma 40 @ (14)West Virginia 27
(22)Washington State 41 @ (10)Colorado 32
(11)Oklahoma State 41 @ TCU 35
Oregon 27 @ (12)Utah 40
(13)USC 27 @ UCLA 30
(23)Florida 17 @ (16)LSU 24
(17)Florida State 46 @ Syracuse 25
Maryland 13 @ (18)Nebraska 49
Missouri 24 @ (19)Tennessee 27
UNLV 12 @ (20)Boise State 37
Buffalo 10 @ (21)Western Michigan 38
(24)Stanford 27 @ California 31
Texas San-Antonio 6 @ (25)Texas A&M 44

By the way, did you see that sick catch Tyler Conklin made for Central Michigan last night?

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Louisville vs. Houston

Last night, Arkansas State ran over Troy in the 2nd half as the Red Wolves won 35-3 to take over full control of the Sun Belt title. Some experts in Troy, Alabama were saying afterwards that the team let that AP national ranking get to them.

Louisville vs. Houston - Game Summary - November 17, 2016 - ESPN And on that note...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Close early games

Two home teams had a chance to do some magic near the end zone and win a close game... and didn't get it done. For Michigan State, it was an ill-advised 2-point conversion that missed. And so Ohio State is still here.

Florida vs. LSU - Game Summary - November 19, 2016 - ESPN But as for LSU, all they needed was 1 yard to beat the Gators... and they failed twice. On the positive side, Florida is going to the SEC title game again!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Oregon vs. Utah

Oregon vs. Utah - Box Score - November 19, 2016 - ESPN

It's now a final in Salt Lake City, and OH NO! Of all the weeks Oregon can pick to return to the national conversation, they HAD to pick this one! Thanks to Darren Carrington II, Utah's shot at the PAC-12 title and the "New Year's Six" might be DOA.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Washington State vs. Colorado; Notre Dame loses again

Some games have ended just now, and the playoff committee should take notice of them.

Washington State vs. Colorado - Box Score - November 19, 2016 - ESPN First there was Colorado winning against Wazzu, and now next week the Buffaloes can win the PAC-12 South and steal more playoff votes. Then Michigan had to fight off Indiana, and Chattanooga has a lead right now against Alabama.

Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame - Box Score - November 19, 2016 - ESPN Finally, we saw Notre Dame cough up a lead against the Hokies. Now the Irish's disappointing 2016 season is complete.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Bad day for Texas

Not a good day in the state of Texas. First, Texas A&M fails to cover the spread against UTSA. Then Texas Tech loses bowl eligibility as Iowa State blows them out, while Baylor loses their 4th game in a row as Kansas State beats them.

Texas vs. Kansas - Box Score - November 19, 2016 - ESPN But none of them are as sad as the Texas Longhorns, who just lost to lowly Kansas for the first time since 1901!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

San Diego State vs. Wyoming

San Diego State vs. Wyoming - Game Summary - November 19, 2016 - ESPN

Wow! Wyoming CAN win the Mountain West this year!