A look into the new normal (2024 CFB Regular Season thread)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Football: Ohio gets massive win on the road against Toledo

A huge, defense-led second half for Ohio leads to a key win.

www.thepostathens.com

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 13- Top 10 Games

Once again, Tom Albin continues to shine as Ohio coach. And speaking of, let's see who will continue to shine as Rivalry Week fast approaches. That's right, it's time again for...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2024 [Week 13]​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Texas A&M @ Auburn [7:30, ESPN] (I'm so sorry, Sam Houston @ Jacksonville State. I REALLY wanted to put your game in the Top 10, because it's a huge battle in Conference USA. But I have to put Texas A&M's trip to Auburn on the list. Why? Because A&M could lose their grip atop the SEC if they get upset by Auburn. And by the way: Vegas only has A&M as a 2.5 point favorite. You know what game last week had that same line? BYU vs. Kansas. And why happened to BYU? They lost! ...I rest my case.)

9. SMU @ Virginia [12:00, ESPN2] (SMU is in the same boat as Texas A&M this week; they're on the road and trying to keep their grip atop their conference. This is the very first time EVER that SMU is facing Virginia, and the Cavs still have a shot at a bowl game. Let's see if SMU keeps their cool, and if the Cavs learned anything from getting torched by Notre Dame last week.)

8. Wake Forest @ Miami [12:00, ESPN] (Miami is a 24-point favorite against 4-6 Wake Forest this week. So why is this game still on the list? Because Miami has no more margin-for-error; one more loss and Clemson will go to the ACC championship game instead of them. Will the bye week help Miami come up with ways to use players OTHER than Cameron Ward?)

7. Alabama @ Oklahoma [7:30, ABC] (When the SEC grabbed Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12, they expected those 2 to give them marquee games just like this one. Well, here we are: Alabama is going to Norman for the first time since 2002. AND... Alabama is the only one ranked. Do the Sooners have any pride left? Will the home crowd lift Oklahoma to a upset win? Or is the Crimson Tide defense about to feast on the weak OU offense?)

6. Colorado @ Kansas [3:30, FOX] (Here's another game featuring your beloved Colorado Buffaloes! So why does THIS Colorado game feel different than the others? Go ask Kansas; they're not having the season they expected to have in 2024, but DAMMIT they're showing off a great amount of pride. Just ask BYU, who Kansas shocked last week. So can Sheduer Sanders outduel Jalon Daniels and keep the Buffalo hype-train rolling?
Oh, and just know this: Vegas has Colorado as only a 3-point favorite. Hmmm...)

5. Ole Miss @ Florida [12:00, ABC] (This is just about the Ole Miss Rebels, going to Florida to keep their own CFP hopes alive. But I am a little nervous about Florida rising up and beating LSU last week as DJ Lagway played well for the Gators. I guess it'll be up to the Rebels defense to win in a hostile environment like Gainesville.)

4. BYU @ Arizona State [3:30, ESPN] (Now we're on to the heavyweights for the week. Okay, I mentioned the misfortune that BYU suffered last week already. So let's see if they can bounce back against one of the best surprises of the 2024 season. Yep, it's Arizona State, led by their offensive stars [RB Cam Skattebo and QB Sam Leavitt] and a good defense! Oh, and BYU's QB Jake Retzlaff's stats have taken a dive over the last 2 games. Will he rebound? Or is BYU's dream season about to collapse on them?)

3. Penn State @ Minnesota [3:30, CBS] (I'll bet Penn State is loving this 12-team playoff idea now. Right now, they're not worrying about catching up to Oregon or Ohio State or Indiana. Nope, they can just focus on getting through their last 2 games and proving themselves in the playoff.
But wait a minute! Penn State is at Minnesota this week, and the Gophers are pretty good [just ask their QB Max Brosmer]. Oh, and remember 5 years ago [the last time Penn State went to Minnesota as a Top-5 team]? Yep, the Nittany Lions lost that game. This one could be a doozy.)

2. Notre Dame vs. Army {from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx} [7:00, NBC] (I'm kinda mad that "College Gameday" bypassed this game. Yes, I know that Ohio State/Indiana is a battle of Top 5 teams, but come on! The grandeur was right there! We got undefeated Army! We got a Notre Dame team still highly ranked! And we got the spectacle of Yankee Stadium to capture it all! It was right there for the taking! ...Well, at least NBC knows how big this game is, as they moved it to primetime.
Anyway, what will happen in this REALLY old-school contest? Will Notre Dame rise up again? Or is Army about to grab the victory that will catapult them to CFP consideration?)

1. Indiana @ Ohio State [12:00, FOX] (It's Kurtis Rourke vs. Will Howard. It's Curt Cignetti going up against Ryan Day and the Buckeyes for the first time. And the winner of this game will take the inside track to Indianapolis to face Oregon in 2 weeks. Nothing else to say except it's time to see if Indiana can truly be elite in 2024.)

Best "mid-major" game: North Dakota State @ South Dakota (Whoa. North Dakota State has one more challenger to their Missouri Valley title? I gotta see this!)
Game with the best chance to be a bust: Kentucky @ Texas (Texas A&M has a chance to get upset this week. The Longhorns of Texas? No chance; I got them winning this game with ease.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Illinois @ Rutgers, Sam Houston @ Jacksonville State, UConn @ Syracuse, Marshall @ Old Dominion, and USC @ UCLA.

Wow. I mentioned 4 SEC games on this list? Great to see that ABC/ESPN isn't letting the SEC get lazy on the week before Rivalry Week (like it did in years past). My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 13 Predictions

So let's see how many crazy things will happen on the week before Rivalry Week. Here are my picks for Week 13 (FBS vs. FCS games don't count):

Top 25:
(5)Indiana 24 @ (2)Ohio State 28
Kentucky 10 @ (3)Texas 42
(4)Penn State 30 @ Minnesota 20
(19)Army 16 vs. (6)Notre Dame 27
(7)Alabama 38 @ Oklahoma 17
Wake Forest 20 @ (8)Miami 37
(9)Ole Miss 30 @ Florida 34
UMass 7 @ (10)Georgia 52
UTEP 6 @ (11)Tennessee 54
(12)Boise State 43 @ Wyoming 10
(13)SMU 39 @ Virginia 21
(14)BYU 28 @ (21)Arizona State 35
(15)Texas A&M 24 @ Auburn 21
(16)Colorado 38 @ Kansas 37
(22)Iowa State 18 @ Utah 23
(23)Missouri 31 @ Mississippi State 18
(24)UNLV 40 @ San Jose State 27
(25)Illinois 22 @ Rutgers 24

Other big games:
USC 34 @ UCLA 31
Wisconsin 17 @ Nebraska 20
Stanford 23 @ California 26
Sam Houston 17 @ Jacksonville State 23

My time's up. You've been great. Enjoy "Gladiator 2".

 

[PIBuckeye]

Week 13- Top 10 Games

Once again, Tom Albin continues to shine as Ohio coach. And speaking of, let's see who will continue to shine as Rivalry Week fast approaches. That's right, it's time again for...

The Top 10 Games of College Football 2024 [Week 13]​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Texas A&M @ Auburn [7:30, ESPN] (I'm so sorry, Sam Houston @ Jacksonville State. I REALLY wanted to put your game in the Top 10, because it's a huge battle in Conference USA. But I have to put Texas A&M's trip to Auburn on the list. Why? Because A&M could lose their grip atop the SEC if they get upset by Auburn. And by the way: Vegas only has A&M as a 2.5 point favorite. You know what game last week had that same line? BYU vs. Kansas. And why happened to BYU? They lost! ...I rest my case.)

9. SMU @ Virginia [12:00, ESPN2] (SMU is in the same boat as Texas A&M this week; they're on the road and trying to keep their grip atop their conference. This is the very first time EVER that SMU is facing Virginia, and the Cavs still have a shot at a bowl game. Let's see if SMU keeps their cool, and if the Cavs learned anything from getting torched by Notre Dame last week.)

8. Wake Forest @ Miami [12:00, ESPN] (Miami is a 24-point favorite against 4-6 Wake Forest this week. So why is this game still on the list? Because Miami has no more margin-for-error; one more loss and Clemson will go to the ACC championship game instead of them. Will the bye week help Miami come up with ways to use players OTHER than Cameron Ward?)

7. Alabama @ Oklahoma [7:30, ABC] (When the SEC grabbed Oklahoma and Texas from the Big 12, they expected those 2 to give them marquee games just like this one. Well, here we are: Alabama is going to Norman for the first time since 2002. AND... Alabama is the only one ranked. Do the Sooners have any pride left? Will the home crowd lift Oklahoma to a upset win? Or is the Crimson Tide defense about to feast on the weak OU offense?)

6. Colorado @ Kansas [3:30, FOX] (Here's another game featuring your beloved Colorado Buffaloes! So why does THIS Colorado game feel different than the others? Go ask Kansas; they're not having the season they expected to have in 2024, but DAMMIT they're showing off a great amount of pride. Just ask BYU, who Kansas shocked last week. So can Sheduer Sanders outduel Jalon Daniels and keep the Buffalo hype-train rolling?
Oh, and just know this: Vegas has Colorado as only a 3-point favorite. Hmmm...)

5. Ole Miss @ Florida [12:00, ABC] (This is just about the Ole Miss Rebels, going to Florida to keep their own CFP hopes alive. But I am a little nervous about Florida rising up and beating LSU last week as DJ Lagway played well for the Gators. I guess it'll be up to the Rebels defense to win in a hostile environment like Gainesville.)

4. BYU @ Arizona State [3:30, ESPN] (Now we're on to the heavyweights for the week. Okay, I mentioned the misfortune that BYU suffered last week already. So let's see if they can bounce back against one of the best surprises of the 2024 season. Yep, it's Arizona State, led by their offensive stars [RB Cam Skattebo and QB Sam Leavitt] and a good defense! Oh, and BYU's QB Jake Retzlaff's stats have taken a dive over the last 2 games. Will he rebound? Or is BYU's dream season about to collapse on them?)

3. Penn State @ Minnesota [3:30, CBS] (I'll bet Penn State is loving this 12-team playoff idea now. Right now, they're not worrying about catching up to Oregon or Ohio State or Indiana. Nope, they can just focus on getting through their last 2 games and proving themselves in the playoff.
But wait a minute! Penn State is at Minnesota this week, and the Gophers are pretty good [just ask their QB Max Brosmer]. Oh, and remember 5 years ago [the last time Penn State went to Minnesota as a Top-5 team]? Yep, the Nittany Lions lost that game. This one could be a doozy.)

2. Notre Dame vs. Army {from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx} [7:00, NBC] (I'm kinda mad that "College Gameday" bypassed this game. Yes, I know that Ohio State/Indiana is a battle of Top 5 teams, but come on! The grandeur was right there! We got undefeated Army! We got a Notre Dame team still highly ranked! And we got the spectacle of Yankee Stadium to capture it all! It was right there for the taking! ...Well, at least NBC knows how big this game is, as they moved it to primetime.
Anyway, what will happen in this REALLY old-school contest? Will Notre Dame rise up again? Or is Army about to grab the victory that will catapult them to CFP consideration?)

1. Indiana @ Ohio State [12:00, FOX] (It's Kurtis Rourke vs. Will Howard. It's Curt Cignetti going up against Ryan Day and the Buckeyes for the first time. And the winner of this game will take the inside track to Indianapolis to face Oregon in 2 weeks. Nothing else to say except it's time to see if Indiana can truly be elite in 2024.)

Best "mid-major" game: North Dakota State @ South Dakota (Whoa. North Dakota State has one more challenger to their Missouri Valley title? I gotta see this!)
Game with the best chance to be a bust: Kentucky @ Texas (Texas A&M has a chance to get upset this week. The Longhorns of Texas? No chance; I got them winning this game with ease.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Illinois @ Rutgers, Sam Houston @ Jacksonville State, UConn @ Syracuse, Marshall @ Old Dominion, and USC @ UCLA.

Wow. I mentioned 4 SEC games on this list? Great to see that ABC/ESPN isn't letting the SEC get lazy on the week before Rivalry Week (like it did in years past). My prediction segment is next!

some very good matchups this weekend, with some actual chances of upsets. hoping for a little chaos.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

NC State vs. Georgia Tech

RECAP: Georgia Tech Defeats NC State In Final Seconds To Move to 7-4

It was not pretty a lot of times tonight, but Georgia Tech was able to come out on top of a wild finish vs NC State and move to 7-4. After taking a nine point

www.si.com

Here's a nice little thriller from last night, as Georgia Tech got the last blow in against the Wolfpack.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Penn State vs. Minnesota

Penn State vs. Minnesota score, takeaways: Fake punt, gutsy fourth-down calls save Nittany Lions from upset

A loss to the Golden Gophers would have been potentially devastating for the Nittany Lions' playoff hopes

www.cbssports.com

My dark side: "Man! Penn State really didn't win any style points in this one."
Me: "What are you talking about? This is the gutsiest win Penn State has had in years!"

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Week 13- Good and Bad

Oh, there is a LOT to unpack from yesterday! So let's just get to it with the "Good/Bad" segment of the week!

It Was a Good Week for:​

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my! (No, really! A lot of critters had good days yesterday. Columbia won a share of their first Ivy League title since 1961. The Auburn Tigers shocked Texas A&M while Alabama lost. And California got bowl-eligible by beating their old rivals in Stanford.)
The Midwest (On that note, Michigan got bowl-eligible against Northwestern as they turned in their best performance of the year. Illinois beat Rutgers on a walk-off TD pass. Iowa State is still in the Big 12 title race. And thank you, God, for letting Nebraska beat Wisconsin.
Also, Ohio State and Notre Dame won their main-event games [against Indiana and Army respectfully] with frightening ease.)
Billy Napier (Look at that! Florida was able to shock Ole Miss yesterday, saving a bowl berth for the Gators! For once, that university "vote of confidence" worked for a coach.)
UNLV (Huh. Guess the Rebels DID deserve that ranking in the CFP, as they defeated San Jose State last Friday. Better for them, Colorado State lost to Fresno State last night, which means the door is open for UNLV to go back to the Mountain West title game.)

It Was a Bad Week for:​

SEC Playoff Contenders (But now we go to the negative side of the street. A&M lost, my national title pick is gone in Ole Miss, and even Georgia struggled early on against UMass. But the worst violator is Alabama; what the hell was THAT?! 24-3? With Jalen Milroe throwing 3 INT's?!)
James Madison (JMU wanted REVENGE against App. State for what they did to them last year. But the App. State defense shoved them down and said "Ha ha ha! There will be NO revenge for you, Dukes!")
West coast teams (BYU got a do-over on their last play in Tempe, and they STILL couldn't beat Arizona State. Washington State is now on a losing streak. And UCLA lost bowl-eligibility thanks to bitter rival USC.
But the biggest surprise was Colorado. I mean, Kansas had won back-to-back games against ranked teams. Colorado has NO excuse for showing up flat!)
Oklahoma State (The Cowboys lost the best "under-the-radar" game of the week, as Texas Tech got them 56-48. That's now 8 straight losses for Mike Gundy and Oklahoma State.)

And finally, congratulations to Jacksonville State, as they're now in the Conference USA title game!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Mack Brown deserved better, but that sadly may be the story of his Hall of Fame career

Twice now Brown has been shoved out of places he built or resurrected

www.cbssports.com

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rivalry Week- Black Friday countdown

With the new rankings now out, it's safe for me to begin the hype-train for Rivalry Week. There are 15 games going on over the next 3 days (17 if you count Akron and Buffalo winning MAC games last night), but I feel like only a select few are worth your time.
So here are the 5 biggest games going on for Thanksgiving and Black Friday (All times are Eastern, and all games on Friday unless noted)!

5. Minnesota @ Wisconsin [12:00, CBS] (Even with all of the playoff rankings and conference title races, let's not forget what Rivalry Week is supposed to be about: Regional rivalries and winning them for your school. And that's why I've put this game in my Top 5. And it's also because Wisconsin is defending the coveted "Paul Bunyan's Ax". But if Minnesota has their way, the Badgers will lose not only the Ax, but bowl-eligibility as well.)

4. Miami-Ohio @ Bowling Green [12:00, ESPNU] (Here's a fun rivalry contest in the state of Ohio. What are the stakes? Well, it's as easy as it gets: It's "Win and you're in"! Yep, the winner of this game [either the Redhawks or the Falcons] is definitely going to the MAC title game next week. It's Brett Gabbert vs. Conner Bazelak, and let's see who wins!)

3. Memphis @ Tulane [7:30 Thanksgiving, ESPN] (What this game lacks in Thanksgiving tradition, it makes up for in potential drama. See, a strange development is happening thanks to the recent CFP rankings: Tulane is only 1 spot behind the current Big 12 leaders [Arizona State]. So if things break the right way, the AAC could freeze the Big 12 right out of the playoff!
Will that crazy dream happen? Well, time for Tulane to earn that chance; Memphis is a very dangerous team. And I don't think that Memphis likes being a 14-point underdog; they're gonna come in to Tulane guns-a-blazing.)

2. Oregon State @ Boise State [12:00, FOX] (Wait. Maybe I'm overreacting about this whole "Tulane/Arizona State/Big 12 mess". Maybe Boise State will stumble and clear the way for BOTH Tulane and ASU to go in. And maybe that can happen this Friday. "Why", you ask?
It's down to 3 reasons. One, Boise State is dealing with a early-morning kickoff. Two, Oregon State is fighting for bowl-eligibility in this game. And three, Boise State has been REALLY wobbly over the last few weeks. Can the Beavers pull the shocker?)

1. Georgia Tech @ Georgia [7:30, ABC] (Here we go! This rivalry game should not only be fun, but functional as well; Georgia CANNOT afford another screwup entering the SEC title game next week. As for Georgia Tech, they know what they're doing [just ask Miami] and who they are. So... I think that 18.5-point spread the game has is very wrong. Call it a hunch.)

A special prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Thanksgiving/Black Friday predictions

So before I enter my food coma, here are my picks for the early games this week:

Top 25:
Georgia Tech 24 @ (7)Georgia 31
Oregon State 24 @ (11)Boise State 42
Mississippi State 17 @ (13)Ole Miss 35
Memphis 39 @ (17)Tulane 36
Oklahoma State 23 @ (25)Colorado 37

Other big games:
Minnesota 17 @ Wisconsin 21
Liberty 40 @ Sam Houston 27
Miami-Ohio 30 @ Bowling Green 24

And on those bombshells, PLEASE have a Happy Thanksgiving! I'll check back later...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Georgia vs. Georgia Tech

Georgia battles back to beat Ga. Tech in 8OT epic

Georgia freshman Nate Frazier ran 3 yards for a 2-point conversion in the eighth overtime period, leading the No. 7 Bulldogs to a wild 44-42 victory over rival Georgia Tech in the longest game in SEC history at Sanford Stadium on Friday night.

www.espn.com

Uh... Let's just say that the games going on today have a tough act to follow.

 

[HuskerOC]

The laughing stock poster child of college football strikes again.

My beloved shit show Huskers held Iowa to 5 first downs and 49 yards rushing. Yet somehow found a way to lose to a completely dysfunctional Iowa team with a 5th string QB 13-10.

The masters of losing close games, the shitters of all beds, put forth their masterpiece of ineptitude yesterday on how you snatch defeat away from the jaws of a dominating win over your opponent.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rivalry Saturday- Top 10 Games

After that thriller in Athens, it's safe to say the bar has been raised for this Saturday. So let's smash into it! It's time for...

The Top 10 Games of Rivalry Saturday 2024​

(All times are Eastern)
10. Eastern Michigan @ Western Michigan [1:30, ESPN+] (Surprised to see this game on the list? Well, to me THIS is what Rivalry Week should be about: Regional rivalries and trying to win them for your school, knowing full well the stakes are high if you lose.
That's the case here, as both EMU and WMU are 5-6. That's right! The winner saves bowl-eligibility, while the loser goes home with nothing. Who will survive in the state of Michigan today?)

9. Virginia @ Virginia Tech [8:00, ACC Network] (The same scenario as #10 applies here; the winner saves a bowl berth while the loser goes home. And both Virginia and Virginia Tech are in the midst of losing streaks, so the stakes are a bit higher. What better way to make yourselves feel a lot better about a tough season than beating your rivals?
That being said, I'm kinda hoping the Cavs can pull this one off.)

8. Auburn @ Alabama [3:30, ABC] (It's another edition of the "Iron Bowl", so I had to save a spot on my list for it. And the finish of last year's "Iron Bowl" is still fresh in my head. I can also throw out the stats of "Auburn needs the upset win for a bowl berth" or "Alabama is now out of the CFP Top 12". But just know this at the end of the day: The coach of the losing team DESERVES to be on the hot seat for the 2025 season.)

7. Arizona State @ Arizona [3:30, FOX] (Thanks to Travis Hunter and Colorado, the Big 12 title race got a LOT clearer yesterday. Now we're down to 4 teams vying for title game berths instead of NINE. To me, Arizona State has the clearest path to AT&T Stadium next week thanks to their high CFP ranking. So if they beat Arizona, they're OK, right?
Uh... don't forget that Arizona beat the Sun Devils last year... in Tempe. And that crazier stuff has happened this season.)

6. Washington @ Oregon [7:30, NBC] (Ah... Oregon on primetime against one of their most bitter rivals. Sounds like a great time, right? Well, it SHOULD... if Washington finds a way to break Oregon's proud defense. And don't forget, Oregon has already clinched most of their goals for 2024; they're going to the Big 10 title game and is most definitely in the playoff. Will focus be an issue for the Ducks?)

5. Kansas State @ Iowa State [7:30, FOX] (After the game in Tucson, FOX will head over to the "Farmageddon" rivalry game in Ames, Iowa. This is also a ranked-vs.-ranked contest, so you can't really ignore it. And Iowa State REALLY can't ignore this one; if they lose against Kansas State, they can wave bye-bye to any chance at the Big 12 title. AND the Cyclones have NEVER had a 10-win season in their entire history, and you know DARN well they wanna do that here.
All of that will make it even sadder if K-State gets revenge for last year's loss to ISU.)

4. Notre Dame @ USC [3:30, CBS] (Colin Cowherd is calling this edition of Rivalry Week "Trap Game week"... or something along those lines. He knew that Georgia would have a problem with Georgia Tech yesterday. Will Notre Dame have a problem with Southern Cal today? I mean, USC's record isn't the best, but their offense looks a little more dynamic than the Irish. And remember the ASU/Arizona game from earlier; strange things are possible when you have a rivalry game on the road. Let's hope Notre Dame didn't spend all their energy on smashing Army last week; they need to be ready in L.A.)

3. Miami @ Syracuse [3:30, ESPN] (So for the 2nd week in a row, "College Gameday" doesn't go in the cool direction and plays it safe. Last week they ditched Yankee Stadium and went to Columbus instead. Now this week they'll be in College Station... instead of being cool and going to Syracuse for the 1st time ever. UGH!
Complaints about "Gameday" aside, this is a VERY dangerous spot for Miami to be in. If Miami silences Syracuse, then it'll be no big deal as they'll to face SMU in the ACC title game. But if Kyle McCord and the Orange shock the Hurricanes, then Clemson will get to go to Charlotte instead. So where do I stand in Syracuse's biggest home game in years? I just hope the Orange show up and kick some @$$.)

2. South Carolina @ Clemson [12:00, ESPN] (Oh, and while we're here in the ACC, how is Clemson doing? Well, they're in the CFP Top 12, so they're feeling pretty good. But the good vibes will completely disappear if their in-state rivals stop them here... like they did 2 years ago. And what's this about South Carolina now making a case for the playoff [they're ranked #15th]? Just like Syracuse has to show up for THEIR big game, I need to see Clemson show up for a vicious battle with a ranked rival.
Oh, and we have a QB duel between Cade Klubnik and LaNorris Sellers. Don't forget that.)

1. Texas @ Texas A&M [7:30, ABC] (The return of the "Lone Star Showdown" is here, and it's "Win and you're in" for the SEC championship game. Does Texas A&M have it inside them to forget about their Auburn loss and shut down the Longhorns attack? And is Texas ready for their first trip inside "The 12th Man" since 2011? Maybe the playoff field will get one more contender if things break the right way in College Station...)

Game with the best chance to be a bust: Michigan @ Ohio State (Yesterday, my mother asked me "So, when is the massacre going to air?", referring to the Michigan/OSU game. Considering that Ohio State is ready to avenge 3 straight losses to Michigan, I think her pessimism is justified.)
Honorable mentions for the Top 10: Jacksonville State @ Western Kentucky, California @ SMU, Tennessee @ Vanderbilt, and Marshall @ James Madison.

My prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rivalry Saturday predictions

Just a brief update on my prediction record before we proceed.

Week 13: 17-5
Early games this week: 6-2

So what will happen to me on the last full Saturday of the CFB season? Let's find out; here are my picks!

Top 25:
Washington 14 @ (1)Oregon 34
Michigan 16 @ (2)Ohio State 42
(3)Texas 34 @ (20)Texas A&M 21
Maryland 10 @ (4)Penn State 40
(5)Notre Dame 23 @ USC 27
(6)Miami 38 @ Syracuse 31
(8)Tennessee 37 @ Vanderbilt 23
California 17 @ (9)SMU 30
Purdue 9 @ (10)Indiana 39
(15)South Carolina 33 @ (12)Clemson 30
Auburn 17 @ (13)Alabama 27
(16)Arizona State 42 @ Arizona 28
(24)Kansas State 34 @ (18)Iowa State 32
Houston 18 @ (19)BYU 23
Arkansas 21 @ (21)Missouri 27
Nevada 10 @ (22)UNLV 41
(23)Illinois 38 @ Northwestern 20

Other big games:
Louisville 30 @ Kentucky 24
Eastern Michigan 17 @ Western Michigan 20
Virginia 23 @ Virginia Tech 24

...and I'm done! Not much else to say except "Enjoy the madness"...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Michigan vs. Ohio State

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/30/sport/brawl-mars-michigan-upset-of-rival-ohio-state-spt-intl/index.html

More on this stunning result when I get to the "Good/Bad" segment.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Rivalry Week- Good and Bad

And that time is right now! Let's jump straight into it with the "Good/Bad" segment for Rivalry Week!

It Was a Good Week for:​

The state of Pennsylvania (Ohio State's loss was Penn State's gain yesterday. The Nittany Lions defeated Maryland 44-7, and pounced on the chance to face Oregon in next week's Big 10 title game. Also, Villanova and Lehigh was able to win in the FCS playoffs.)
My mother (On that note, my mom is over the moon today. Not just because of the Michigan win, but also because South Carolina won as well. Syracuse derailed Miami's run in the JWA Dome, and Minnesota won last Friday-
Wait, WHAT?! Syracuse actually defeated a Top-10 team?! Dark side, can you go find out how the hell that happened? OK, thank you.)
Louisville (Ah! After 5 straight losses to the Wildcats [and 6 losses in their last 7 games against Kentucky], it must have felt so relaxing for Louisville to scratch that itch. It was a fun, 41-14 win for Louisville yesterday, no doubt.)
The state of Texas (The Lone Star State also had a fun time this week; Tarleton State and Abilene Christian won in their 1st-ever FCS playoff games. Texas took out Texas A&M, meaning they'll get their rematch with Georgia in the SEC title game. And Baylor, Texas Tech, and TCU all finish their regular seasons at 8-4.)
Marshall (The Herd won a double-OT thriller against James Madison 35-33, and now they're going to play for their 1st-ever Sun Belt title next week!)

It Was a Bad Week for:​

Ryan Day (I hate to be one of THOSE fans, but WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, RYAN DAY?! YOU HAD IT! You had a Big 10 title shot in your hands! All you had to do was beat the worse Michigan team in a decade... in Columbus!
And YOU BLEW IT! LOOK at all the mistakes your team made! Missed field goals, costly needlessly turnovers... GOD!)
Mario Cristobel (Okay, my dark side is back with the scoring summary for Miami/Syracuse... Wait, WHAT? He kicked a field goal with 3:47 left in the game... when his team was down by 7?! He was probably thinking "OK, I'll kick the field goal, then trust my weak and porous defense to stop Kyle McCord and the proud Syracuse offense so that I can get the ball back. That's a great idea!" Uh... no it wasn't! DUH!
Say what you will about how Clemson got to the ACC title game, but at least Dabo Sweeney would never make that kind of mistake.)
Pittsburgh (...And thanks to Boston College, Pittsburgh is now going into bowl season with a 5-game losing streak. In fact, Pitt hasn't been the same since they beat the Orange to get to 7-0. You don't think... that Pat Narduzzi sold his soul to the devil to get that win? That's GOTTA be the case!)
Purdue (Indiana had to have a strong performance to boost their CFP chances, and the poor Boilermakers paid the price. I won't mention the score, but just know that it was REALLY bad. I mean, Indiana had 8 trips to the red zone... and scored on 7 of them.)

And finally, we got Arizona State vs. Iowa State in the Big 12 title game next week. And I think only one of them can get into the CFP. OOOOO...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

2024 Championship Week hierarchy

So the first Championship Week of the new era of college football is here. And it might not LOOK bigger (we have 9 title games instead of 10), but trust me, it IS bigger. Playoff dreams will be enhanced, sealed up, or shattered.
And on that note, here is my Championship Week hierarchy (All times are Eastern, and all games on Saturday unless noted)!

ACC: SMU vs. Clemson [8:00, ABC] (The ACC is on top of the board for a couple of reasons. One is because SMU can do the unthinkable and win the ACC in it's very first year in the league. Another reason is Clemson; Dabo Sweeney will be delighted if his team can take back the ACC title without the help of the transfer portal.
But the biggest reason is what could happen if Clemson DOES win; Clemson gets an automatic berth, then SMU will have to sweat it out, and then what about the other fringe contenders? One of them has to step down, don't they? That chaos scenario is why this game is on top.)

Big 12: Iowa State vs. Arizona State [12:00, FOX] (The ACC may be on top, but the Big 12 is VERY close behind. Why? Simple: It'll be "win or go home" when two surprise teams meet in Arlington for the Big 12 title. To the winner goes a playoff berth, while the loser gets nothing.
So who will it be? Underappreciated Iowa State, or a Cinderella team in Arizona State? One of them will make history.)

Mountain West: UNLV @ Boise State [8:00 tonight, FOX] (Why is the Mountain West above two major conferences [the Big 10 and the SEC]? Simple. Because this game is ALSO "win or go home". If Boise State wins [like everyone is expecting], they'll get not only a playoff berth, but a 1st-round bye. But if the Rebels pull the big upset, THEY'LL get a playoff berth. That's right! UNLV in the College Football Playoff?! It could happen. Hey, Ashton Jentry! If you really want that Heisman trophy, NOW is the time to win it.)

Big 10: Penn State vs. Oregon [8:00, CBS] (For some teams, it's about playoff scenarios. But for others, it's just about getting a 1st-round bye and bragging rights. This is one of those games, as two Top-5 teams guaranteed to make the playoff go at it in Indy. But I wanna see if Oregon really can win the Big 10 in their 1st go-around in the league. As for Penn State, is THIS the time where they finally show up for a big game?)

SEC: Georgia vs. Texas [4:00, ABC] (With both teams safely in the CFP, this is just another game for a conference title and bragging rights. We'll see if Texas can get revenge for an earlier loss to the Bulldogs, or if Georgia can put it all together once again and take back "their" SEC title.)

American: Tulane @ Army [8:00 tonight, ABC] (Army in a conference title game on ABC. That is one of the weirdest things I've seen all year. But we're here now, so can Army win their 1st-ever conference title? Against a proud program like Tulane? Who probably has been working on their defense all week after Memphis torched them last week? Hmm... maybe ARMY's defense will be the entity that'll decide this game.)

MAC: Miami-Ohio vs. Ohio [12:00, ESPN] (Wait. Maybe THIS is the reason why the MAC got rid of divisions. Because now they have a historic rivalry game [the Battle For the Bricks] in Detroit to decide their conference title. Most MAC expects expected the Redhawks to be here, as Brett Gabbert and his team look to defend their conference title. But NOBODY expected the Bobcats to be here [with 9 wins!]. Could THIS be the moment that Ohio wins their first MAC title since 1968?)

Sun Belt: Marshall @ Louisiana [7:30, ESPN] (Hey! Marshall was able to put it all together this year. Now let's see if they can take their first conference title since 2014 [when they were in Conference USA] as they visit Louisiana. As for the Cajuns, they're doing well after a couple years of retuning, so let's see how their offense handles this challenge.)

Conference USA: Jacksonville State @ Western Kentucky [7:30 tonight, CBS Sports Network] (Just a simple title game here. The Hilltoppers won at Jacksonville State to get this title match, and now they can beat the Gamecocks again [at home this time].)

My last big prediction segment is next!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Championship Week predictions

Last Saturday I went 16-4 in my picks! That's pretty good, considering I actually wanted Ohio State and Miami to lose their games. But don't worry; there are no ill intent with these picks. These are all genuine!

(1)Oregon 33 vs. (3)Penn State 26
(2)Texas 30 vs. (5)Georgia 35
(8)SMU 37 vs. (17)Clemson 23
(20)UNLV 27 @ (10)Boise State 34
(16)Iowa State 29 vs. (15)Arizona State 27
Tulane 31 @ (24)Army 24
Ohio 17 vs. Miami-Ohio 28
Marshall 22 @ Louisiana 37
Western Kentucky 27 @ Jacksonville State 21

...and I'm done! Sorry about the confusion with the Conference USA title game, but I thought that WKU would have home-field advantage due to them having beaten the Gamecocks earlier. Guess not.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Army vs. Tulane
Hey, this is D'Ville's dark side. And I'm steamed at my creator; he TOTALLY forgot that the Big 12 championship was gonna be on ABC today, and NOT FOX.

Army wins first conference title in 134 years of football by routing Tulane in AAC championship

Army (11-1) earned just the second 11-win season in program history, both under coach Jeff Monken, and still have two more games left.

www.nytimes.com

And look at THAT! Karma!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

College Football Playoff bracket: Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, Arizona State earn byes; SMU in over Alabama

The 12 teams that will compete in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff have officially been decided

www.cbssports.com