College Football 2012: Predicting the Biggest Blowout in Each Week of the Season

It's inevitable.

Every week of the college football season, somebody gets annihilated.

Not just beaten, but absolutely outclassed, outsmarted and outplayed.

Usually, these are expected events, and we all knew they would happen, but that never dims the amazement at the disparity in talent on the field.

This list gives you predictions for the worst blowout that is going to take place every week of the 2012 season.

Most of these match-ups are ridiculous to even have in the first place, such as our first tilt, between Jacksonville State and Arkansas.

Why do these BCS schools persist in their insistence on scheduling an insane number of cupcakes?

Who cares?

At least they provide us with some blowouts from which to choose for lists such as this.

Week One: Jacksonville State at Arkansas

Saturday, September 1

Many of you will spend this Saturday watching football, then follow that up with a barbeque with your family in honor of Labor Day.

Not so for Jacksonville State.

They get the honor of receiving big bucks to get shellacked by an Arkansas offense that SEC defenses have a hard time to stop, much less an FCS team.

Prediction: Hogs - 57 Gamecocks - 3

Week Two: Austin Peay at Virginia Tech

Saturday, September 8

Austin Peay has played an FBS team each of the past two seasons.

The combined final score of those two games: 142-13 in favor of their opposition.

Virginia Tech is next in line to take a shot at the hapless Governors.

The Hokies are entering the season somewhat quietly for a team that has won at least ten games every year since 2004.

On top of that, Va. Tech is returning 10 starters to their defense, and Logan Thomas to lead the offense.

All of these things add up to a pretty miserable experience for the Governors.

Prediction: Tech - 70 Austin Peay - 7

Week Three: Idaho at LSU

Saturday, September 15

This edition of the LSU defense is loaded with talent.

Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery up front, Tyrann Mathieu and Eric Reid in the secondary, just doesn't seem fair.

Especially when their opponent is Idaho.

The Vandals finished a woeful 111 in total offense last season, and 106 in scoring offense.

Facing an LSU defense that will certainly finish in the top five in total defense in 2012, the Vandals are in trouble.

Prediction: Tigers - 63 Vandals - 3

Week Four: UTEP at Wisconsin

Saturday, September 22

Wisconsin has turned into an offensive juggernaut in the past few seasons, and the arrival of Maryland transfer quarterback Danny O'Brien potentially leading the offense, this edition will put up some points in a hurry, as well.

The Badgers feature a defense that was better than it was given credit for in 2011, and have Heisman Trophy candidate Montee Ball toting the ball on offense.

UTEP finished 96 in the nation in rushing defense, which bodes well for a four touchdown day for Ball.

Prediction: Badgers - 66 Miners - 10

Week Five: Clemson at Boston College

Saturday, September 29

Yep, the Eagles are officially in trouble.

Clemson is going to be a potent offensive unit, and the Eagles lost top defender, linebacker Luke Kuechly, to the NFL.

Tajh Boyd will shred BC's secondary, while Andre Ellington will gain well over 150 yards rushing.

If Frank Spaziani is still around at this point, the rumblings for his firing will grow louder after a 40-point loss at home.

Prediction: Tigers - 47 BC - 7

Week Six: UNLV at La. Tech

Saturday, October 6

Bobby Hauck, head coach of UNLV, is in hot water.

The Rebels are 4-21 in his time at the program.

Another season similar to those is looming ahead, and La. Tech is an underrated offensive unit.

Quinton Patton and Colby Cameron form the most dangerous wide receiver/quarterback duo that you haven't heard about, and their talents will make life miserable for the Rebels.

Prediction: Bulldogs - 52 Rebels - 10

Week Seven: Fordham at Cincinnati

Saturday, October 13

Munchie Legaux.

Hands down, the best name in football in 2012.

Legaux steps into the full time-starter roll for the Bearcats, and that defense is nothing to sneeze at.

A meeting with lowly Fordham will turn into an absolute demolition, even though Cincy does play in the Big East.

Prediction: Cincy - 54 Fordham - 10

Week Eight: Kansas at Oklahoma

Saturday, October 20

This is Kansas' first of two appearances on this list.

That's approximately the same number of wins we can expect from them in 2012.

This game at Oklahoma will be particularly brutal.

In spite of the Sooners' shortage of wide receivers, they have the talent to make this game a nightmare for Charlie Weis' squad.

Between "good Landry Jones," who appears at home, and Blake "Belldozer" Bell, the Sooners have two quarterbacks that are very difficult to stop from scoring.

Prediction: Sooners - 70 Jayhawks - 17

Week Nine: Duke at Florida State

Saturday, October 27

Yep, it's that time of year again, folks.

The time when we look at each other, sigh, and say "well at least Duke has basketball and Coach K."

The football team is not looking any better this season than their abysmal 3-9 season in 2011.

That does not bode well for a meeting with an extremely talented Florida State team that can wreak havoc with their defense and put up points quickly.

Prediction: State - 51 Blue Devils - 7

Week Ten: Troy at Tennessee

Saturday, November 3

Troy is one of the better teams in the Sun Belt, but the experience of playing in Neyland Stadium is a whole new world.

The Vols boast an extremely talented passing attack, led by quarterback Tyler Bray.

Bray, along with receivers Justin Hunter and Da'Rick Rogers, are a tough proposition to handle.

Tennessee has been struggling in recent seasons, but with the talent Derek Dooley can field in 2012, they will begin to turn things around.

Unfortunately for Troy, they stand in the way.

Prediction: Vols - 52 Trojans - 9

Week Eleven: Arizona State at USC

Saturday, November 10

Arizona State has not hit rock bottom yet.

Last season's disappointing finish was only a prelude to the dark things ahead in 2012.

Other than running back Cameron Marshall, the cupboards are very bare for new head coach Todd Graham.

Enter USC.

The Trojans will still be undefeated going into this game, and with Robert Woods and Marqise Lee picking on a defense that is going to be questionable at best, this is going to be a long day for the Sun Devils.

Prediction: USC - 57 Sun Devils - 13

Week Twelve: Wofford at South Carolina

Saturday, November 17

Why even play this game?

Yeah, local ties and all that, but come on.

If you have read down near the end of the list and wondered why there are so many SEC teams on it, it's because it seems as if somebody is playing a cupcake from out of conference every week.

That's not to pick on South Carolina, as they are not taking advantage any more than the next team.

The Gamecocks will be trucking along, courtesy of Marcus Lattimore, whose return from a devastating knee injury means big things for Steve Spurrier's squad.

The Terriers can expect a healthy dose of Jadeveon Clowney all day long.

Prediction: Gamecocks - 63 Terriers - 6

Week Thirteen: Michigan State at Minnesota

Saturday, November 24

Usually, we stay away from favoring the away team to blow out an opponent.

Not so in this one.

Minnesota's recent ineptitude, coupled with a lack of talent on offense means trouble against the Spartans.

MSU will be rolling defensively all season, having one of the best secondaries in the nation, and boasting one of the top coaches in the conference.

But what's different about this game is the offense.

By this point in the season, the Spartans will be playing the best football they played all year, which is bad news for the Goofers—er—Gophers.

Prediction: Spartans - 54 Golden Gophers - 7

Week Fourteen: Kansas at West Virginia

Saturday, December 1

One of these teams will again be going "bowl"-ing, while the other will miss the postseason yet again.

I think you know which is which.

At this point in the season, West Virginia will be sitting near the top of the Big 12 rankings, while Kansas will be in the cellar.

Number six passing offense in 2011, meet number 110 passing defense.

This will be ugly.

Prediction: Mountaineers - 66 Jayhawks - 10