College Football: Top 5 Games to Watch in Week 14
It’s rivalry weekend, and there are national-title as well as division-title implications on the line.
Friday will feature a dangerous Arkansas team as of late against a Missouri team that is seeking a second consecutive SEC East Division title. While there is drama likely to ensue in Columbia, things will be heated up down in Tucson with in-state ranked rivals Arizona State and Arizona hoping to spoil each other's seasons and advance to the Pac-12 title game with help from Stanford.
Saturday will consist of the best rivalry games in college football, but there are three games that stand out above the rest. Georgia Tech will travel to Georgia and face off in what will be a matchup consisting of run-heavy offenses. Minnesota and Wisconsin will battle it out for Paul Bunyan’s Axe in what will be the most intense game between these two teams in a while, with the winner clinching the Big Ten West Division.
The most highly anticipated matchup of the day will be when Auburn makes the trip to Alabama to play in one of the greatest rivalries ever, the Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide are hoping to bounce back from last year’s loss to the Tigers and stay in contention for their fourth national championship in six years.
In what should be an exciting weekend of college football, here are the top five games to watch.
Friday, Nov. 28: Arkansas at No. 17 Missouri, 2:30 p.m. ET, CBS
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No. 17 Missouri is one win away from playing in its second SEC Championship Game in consecutive years, after many wondered how the Tigers would fare when it entered the conference in 2012. Standing in the way of another SEC East Division title, though, is a dangerous Arkansas squad that has had back-to-back shutout wins over ranked opponents LSU and Ole Miss.
Gary Pinkel’s squad has come out victorious in its last five games since being blown out at home against Georgia 34-0 on Oct. 11 but has won by just an average of 8.8 points in four of those matchups. Offensively, it has been Missouri’s rushing attack, led by Russell Hansbrough, that has had success this season by averaging 177.6 yards per game.
Quarterback Maty Mauk will need to have success getting the ball to his main target in the receiving corps, Bud Sasser, against an Arkansas defense surrendering only 120.9 yards per game on the ground.
With so much focus on the the Hogs having success on defense, the offense could head into Friday’s contest without starting quarterback Brandon Allen, who missed the second half with a right hip injury last week in a 30-0 win over Ole Miss.
Allen is listed as questionable for Friday's game. Arkansas will feature its big offensive line against a solid Missouri defensive line, which is led by defensive lineman Shane Ray (56 tackles, 13.5 sacks).
Arkansas will turn to running backs Jonathan Williams and Alex Collins to pound it out on the ground against Missouri, especially if Allen is unable to go. The Hogs are looking to win their third straight SEC matchup, after previously losing 17 consecutive conference games, but Missouri has found a way to win close games this season and will come away with a close victory at home to win the East.
Prediction: Missouri 24, Arkansas 21
Friday, Nov. 28: No. 13 Arizona State at No. 11 Arizona, 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox
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It will be one of the biggest games in Territorial Cup history, with both teams ranked when facing each other for the first time since 1986. Not to mention, there could potentially be a Pac-12 South Division title up for grabs, depending on the outcome of UCLA’s matchup with Stanford. UCLA controls its destiny in the division, but a loss would give the winner in Tucson a berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
A big question heading into Friday’s in-state rivalry will be the health of freshman quarterback Anu Solomon, who suffered a foot injury against Utah in the first half of a convincing 42-10 win last week.
The fact that Solomon is listed as questionable, according to Arizona Sports, and that senior Jesse Scroggins could be under center when the Wildcats take the field is a big factor in how productive it will be offensively against the Sun Devils. Scroggins has played in only two games this season and is 4-of-7 for 73 yards with no touchdowns.
With uncertainty at the quarterback position, there is still a dangerous threat in an Arizona backfield that has averaged 239.7 rushing yards in its last three games with running back Nick Wilson. In those three games, Wilson racked up a combined total of 475 yards and five touchdowns.
Arizona State is coming off a decisive 52-31 win over Washington State, after it was thrown back into the division race with an upset loss at Oregon State on Nov. 15. Quarterback Taylor Kelly, who passed for 232 yards and four touchdowns against Washington State, will lead a passing attack ranked 29th in the country (277.2).
Wide receiver Jaelen Strong (982 yards, nine TDs) will be Kelly’s main target, as usual, and will look to cause problems for an Arizona secondary that has struggled against the pass this season.
The Wildcats defense, led by Chuck Bednarik Award finalist linebacker Scooby Wright, will need to put pressure on Kelly if it is going to keep the Sun Devils from lighting up the scoreboard.
In a critical Pac-12 matchup featuring offenses averaging just over 36 points per game, the outcome will be determined by the status of Solomon and the defensive play on both sides.
The Sun Devils come away with a close victory and win their fourth time in five meetings.
Prediction: Arizona State 35, Arizona 27
Saturday, Nov. 29: No. 16 Georgia Tech at No. 9 Georgia, Noon ET, SEC Network
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It’s Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate featuring two ranked in-state rivals Georgia Tech and Georgia. The Dawgs have won 12 of the last 13 meetings and are currently riding a five-game winning streak in the series.
Mark Richt’s squad is in the running to win the SEC East Division, but it all depends on if Arkansas can go on the road and upset 17th-ranked Missouri on Friday. If the Tigers were to lose, Georgia would play for its third conference title in four years.
The Dawgs have continued to manhandle defenses on the ground and on the scoreboard by averaging 260.5 yards per game and 43.3 points per game. The rush attack, led by 1,000-yard freshman running back Nick Chubb, will hope to give a Georgia Tech run defense issues, as it has given up 165.5 yards per game this season.
While Georgia has had its success on the ground, it’s always interesting to see what Georgia Tech’s dangerous triple-option will have in store for opposing defenses.
The Yellow Jackets have already clinched the ACC Coastal Division and will face No. 3 Florida State in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, but they still have unfinished business to take care of.
The program hasn’t had this much success since it went to the Orange Bowl back in 2009, and it will be up to its ground game to end a five-game losing streak to its in-state rival. Quarterback Justin Thomas has been the main factor in an offense putting up 37.8 points per game and currently leads the team with 1,396 passing yards, 827 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns.
It should be a wild one between the hedges, with both teams having success this season and hoping to come away with conference titles.
Georgia will have Chubb as a threat in its backfield, but watch for quarterback Hutson Mason to make an impact as well with his arm. The Yellow Jackets will have success running the ball, but eventually the Georgia defense will make a big play late in the game and keep the Dawgs in the hunt for the four-team College Football Playoff.
Prediction: Georgia 38, Georgia Tech 30
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Saturday, Nov. 29: No. 18 Minnesota at No. 14 Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network
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Much like many of the other rivalry games this weekend, No. 18 Minnesota and No. 14 Wisconsin will play for not only Paul Bunyan’s Axe, which the Badgers have held on to for the last decade, but an opportunity to win the Big Ten West Division title and play in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis on Dec. 6.
While Wisconsin could have still lost to Iowa and had a chance to play for the division, Minnesota went on the road to Nebraska in a must win situation and knocked off the Huskers 28-24. It was the first time the Golden Gophers had won in Lincoln since 1960.
Now in uncharted territory, Minnesota has its best shot to upset its hated rival on the road for the first time since 1994 and get head coach Jerry Kill to his first conference title game, where it would face heavy favorite Ohio State.
The Golden Gopher rush attack is averaging 228.9 yards per game in part to running back David Cobb, who has 1,430 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. Unfortunately, Cobb is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury and hasn’t practiced the entire week.
This is a potential problem for the offense and would force more pressure on quarterback Mitch Leidner to make plays both on the ground and through the air. Leidner led the Golden Gophers with 111 yards in their win at Nebraska. They’ll face a stingy Wisconsin defense surrendering only 16.1 points per game.
The Badgers avoided an upset at Iowa last week with a close 26-24 victory and will look to its run game again. Running back Melvin Gordon continues to make his case for a Heisman Trophy, as he rushed for 200 yards and two touchdowns against Iowa, following a career-high 408-yard and five touchdown performance.
Wisconsin is scoring 37.8 points per game and will look to outscore a Minnesota offense that has looked to its defense to stay in difficult games this season.
The Golden Gophers have proved they are a true division title contender this season, but the dream ends in Madison on Saturday with solid performances from both Gordon and the Badgers defense. Wisconsin will win its third division title in four years and face Ohio State in a highly anticipated matchup.
Prediction: Wisconsin 38, Minnesota 24
Saturday, Nov. 29: No. 15 Auburn at No. 1 Alabama, 7:45 p.m. ET, ESPN
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“There goes Davis” are the three words that every Alabama or Auburn fan will either cringe at or shout in excitement about when it comes to remembering the 2013 Iron Bowl. A 109-yard field goal return by Chris Davis for a game-winning touchdown went down as one of the most incredible plays in college football history. Not only did it help Auburn reach its second national title in four years, but it spoiled Alabama’s entire season.
The Crimson Tide now sit atop the rankings at No. 1 again, just as it was last year when it traveled to face hated rival Auburn. While the Tigers are out of the SEC West Division race with three conference losses, it's an opportunity to spoil Alabama's national title hopes for a second consecutive season.
Gus Malzahn’s squad has lost two of its last three games, which included an embarrassing 34-7 road loss at Georgia. A slow start against FCS Samford eventually turned into a convincing 31-7 win with help from running back Cameron Artis-Payne’s 129 yards and one touchdown.
Payne will be up against an always stout Alabama defense that is currently holding opponents to 14.5 points per game (second in the country). His ability to run through the tackles and make big game-changing plays could be the difference in whether the Tigers pull off another upset.
Quarterback Nick Marshall needs to step his game up and have his best performance of the season if the offense is going to have success. Turning the ball over, which the Auburn offense did a combined total of six times in losses to Texas A&M and Georgia, is not an option in this ballgame.
On the other hand, Nick Saban has the Crimson Tide playing at their best right now. Quarterback Blake Sims has accounted for 2,676 passing yards and 20 touchdowns this season.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper will hope to cause problems against an Auburn secondary giving up 232.5 yards per game through the air, while running back T.J. Yeldon, who is expected to play on Saturday after battling an ankle injury, will be up against a tough Auburn defensive front.
With Alabama having home-field advantage and more than enough momentum heading in, expect solid defensive play from the Crimson Tide and for it to get revenge from last season’s disappointing loss. It will give Alabama its fifth win over Auburn in seven years and earn a berth in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 6 in Atlanta.
Prediction: Alabama 31, Auburn 20
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