Virtual Simulation Stimulation: Week 12

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Image Via EA Sports

Finish strong.

That’s the message NCAA ’13 wants to deliver with the college football calendar beginning to dwindle.

For some teams, Week 12 is it. Boom, presto, finished. After that, their season is complete, and this is all incredibly depressing for those of us wondering how exactly it has gone by so quickly. While we’ll have time to reflect on this eventually, for now we have a job to do.

The world’s greatest outcome decider went 3-2 in feature games last week, and it also pegged Syracuse to derail Louisville’s perfect season. It was a good week—and it’s been a great year—but it could be better.

It will be better.

For those new to these parts, here’s the deal: Using NCAA ’13, we simulate the entire week of college football and report the findings.

Results aren’t tampered with, and much of the following will indeed happen. As for what will happen in Week 12, here’s the latest simulation.

Season Spotlight Prediction Record Heading into Week 12: 40-15

5. Kansas State 27, Baylor 21

Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

Kansas State’s unbeaten season stays alive, although this one is much closer than anticipated.

Down early, K-State quarterback and Heisman favorite Collin Klein leads his team back, and a late rushing touchdown seals this one for Bill Snyder’s squad. Klein finishes just 13-of-28 passing for 155 yards and a touchdown, but he also adds 64 yards and two scores on the ground.

Baylor’s defense plays surprisingly well in this one (proving this video game is indeed vulnerable at times), and it keeps the Bears in this game. Starting quarterback Nick Florence throws for 273 yards and two touchdowns, although he is picked off twice.

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o offered up his services to Baylor for this game, and although some folks in the NCAA headquarters pushed for this to happen, in the end they ruled against it. Almost, though.

4. West Virginia 42, Oklahoma 34

Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

Although the Sooners jump out to a 24-0 lead, West Virginia bounces back and cruises in an upset.

West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith returns to form, throwing for 388 yards and four touchdowns. Wideout Tavon Austin hauls in three of these scores and finishes the game with nine catches for 176 yards.

The Sooners quarterback isn’t as good, although he does have a solid game. Landry Jones completes 19 of 27 throws for 288 yards and three touchdowns. The Oklahoma running game is also solid in defeat, totaling 165 yards on only 19 carries.

If there were any couches left to burn—and if there’s not, a dumpster should work just fine—now would be the time, Morgantown. I’m not encouraging, of course, but simply stating the obvious.

3. Wisconsin 33, Ohio State 24

Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Ohio State’s undefeated season finally comes to a halt, and all of a sudden Wisconsin has some serious momentum—albeit Big Ten momentum—going.

Running back Montee Ball is superb once again, and he runs for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. Backup running back James White also sees the field plenty, and he totals up 107 yards rushing and a score.

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller has his ups and downs in this one. Miller runs for 88 yards and two touchdowns, but he also turns the ball over three times. Running back Carlos Hyde rushes for 95 yards on just 13 carries, although it is not enough.

This is just the kind of impression Wisconsin needed to make to the ACC quarterback that is thinking about transferring to their school in a matter of weeks.

2. USC 31, UCLA 6

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

A rivalry restored, although this one isn’t much of one on the field once again.

USC QB Matt Barkley completes 21 of 31 throws for 210 yards and a touchdown. His favorite target, wideout Marqise Lee, finishes with only three catches for 37 yards. Barkley does, however, complete passes to nine different targets.

For UCLA, the potent offense simply isn’t potent in this. The Bruins muster up just 267 total yards and don’t eclipse the 100-yard passing mark. Running back Johnathan Franklin does rush for 88 yards on 19 carries.

The handshake between Lane Kiffin and Jim Mora following the game is relatively uneventful. Well, minus the fact that Jim Mora tried to stab Kiffin with one of his lineman’s cleats while Kiffin fought back using the edge of a clipboard that he sharpened during the third quarter.

1. Oregon 37, Stanford 13

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Playing in front of their home crowd, the Ducks burst out of the gate with a 20-0 first-quarter lead and don’t look back.

Oregon’s do-everything weapon, De’Anthony Thomas, does, well, everything. Thomas runs for 119 yards and two touchdowns and also catches five passes for 88 yards and another score.

On the other side, Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor finds success on the ground, and he runs for 131 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Multiple Stanford QBs see the field and they are not productive. They turn the ball over three times and pass for just 193 yards combined.

With Oregon likely headed to to title game, the Pac-12 has decided to send a giant cardboard cutout of Chip Kelly to the game instead of selecting another team.

And somehow the Big Ten will still lose to this cutout.