College Football Week 11: Predictions for the Biggest Games of the Week
College Football Week 11 is right around the corner—the Saturday games, that is—and there are some pivotal matchups this week that could rock the college landscape.
As we've grown accustomed to all season, there are huge games across the country, and this week could play a big part in shaping up the bowl season.
It's getting to that point when every team is amped up, hoping that this is the week they show the world just how good they can be.
Well, even though there are only three games between two Top 25 teams, there are still plenty of potentially thrilling games on this weekend's menu.
So let's take a look at the top 10 games from Week 11 of the college football season.
We'll break down why both teams can win and who actually will win.
Let's get to it.
10. Oklahoma State at Texas
1 of 10
The Lowdown: Oklahoma State enters this game with the only blemish on its record being a loss to Nebraska, and the Cowboys are looking to keep that offense rolling on the way to a BCS bowl game.
They'll face Texas on the road this week, and the Longhorns sit at a very disappointing 4-5 and have lost five of their last six games. This is a chance for Texas to salvage its season.
Why Oklahoma State Will Win: Oklahoma State's offense is close to unstoppable. Brandon Weeden and the Cowboys put up nearly 550 total yards of offense and more than 350 yards passing per game.
They also rank third in the nation in scoring at 46.3 points per game and shouldn't have trouble putting up points against Texas' No. 52 scoring defense.
Why Texas Will Win: Texas hasn't put together a complete game in a long time, but the Longhorns have pulled off a huge upset this year (at Nebraska) and they've played teams like Baylor and Oklahoma pretty close.
Plus, Texas will be playing at home in this one.
Prediction: Oklahoma State 41, Texas 20.
Oklahoma State just has way too much firepower on offense for Texas to be able to hang.
9. Oregon at California
2 of 10
The Lowdown: Oregon continues to roll through its schedule with ease. The Ducks have a season low of 42 points scored, have topped 60 points three times and probably won't slow down anytime soon.
They'll get California this week, and the Golden Bears have been the definition of inconsisten this season. They've alternated wins and losses in each of the last six weeks on their way to a 5-4 record.
Why Oregon Will Win: Plain and simple, Oregon is the best team in college football.
Darron Thomas and LaMichael James are monsters on offense, and the Ducks rank first in the nation in scoring offense and 13th in scoring defense.
Why California Will Win: The Golden Bears have been up and down all season, and it's possible we see them play like they did against Arizona and come up with a huge defensive performance (even though they lost).
Also, Oregon has a huge game against Arizona in a couple of weeks, so the Ducks could be overlooking Cal.
Prediction: Oregon 52, California 21.
Sorry, Cal, but I don't think there's any real chance you pull the upset in this one.
8. Virginia Tech at North Carolina
3 of 10
The Lowdown: Virginia Tech sure has made people forget about that James Madison loss, huh? The Hokies have reeled off seven straight wins and are thinking BCS.
They'll have a tough test on the road against North Carolina, which has won six of seven games following an 0-2 start.
Why Virginia Tech Will Win: The Virginia Tech offense has been the story in recent weeks, as the Hokies have put up at least 40 points in four of their last five games.
Virginia Tech also ranks 28th in scoring defense, 16th in scoring offense and has one heck of a rushing attack, which averages 212.9 yards per game.
Why North Carolina Will Win: Nothing statistically about UNC jumps out at you, but the Tar Heels defense has played pretty well so far this season, holding its opponents to roughly 22 points per game.
But UNC will have to get a big game from T.J. Yates, who's coming off a monster performance at Florida State in which he passed for 439 yards and four touchdowns.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 35, UNC 24.
The Hokies have looked too good on offense in recent weeks for me to bet against them.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Iowa at Northwestern
4 of 10
The Lowdown: Iowa's two losses this season have come by a combined eight points, and you could make the case that the Hawkeyes are the best two-loss team in the country.
They're trying to head into next week's showdown with Ohio State undefeated, but they'll face a pesky Northwestern team that's looking to bounce back after losing three of its last four games.
Why Iowa Will Win: That Iowa defense is reason enough to like the Hawkeyes, as it only allows 14.3 points per game.
But quarterback Ricky Stanzi has been incredible this season. He's thrown 10 touchdowns and just one interception in the team's last four games, and has only tossed three picks all season.
Why Northwestern Will Win: Northwestern has struggled against its tougher opponents all season, so I don't really like the Wildcats in this one.
But two of their three losses have come in tight games, and they have the advantage of playing at home this week, so you never know.
Prediction: Iowa 34, Northwestern 17.
Stanzi will keep that hot streak going and the Hawkeyes defense will step up as usual.
6. Kansas State at Missouri
5 of 10
The Lowdown: Kansas State is coming off of a 25-point win over Texas, but the Wildcats have lost two of their last three games. And their three losses on the season have come against the best teams they've played.
As for Missouri, the Tigers were riding high just a few short weeks ago, but they've lost two straight games and are hoping to get back on track with a big win here.
Why Kansas State Will Win: Kansas State ranks 22nd in the nation with 201.2 rushing yards per game, and Daniel Thomas can be a beast out of the backfield.
Plus, if you watched Nebraska's Roy Helu Jr. run wild on Missouri a few weeks ago, you know that Thomas has the potential to go off.
Why Missouri Will Win: Missouri's offense has struggled in recent weeks, but the Tigers do have a stout defense that only allows 16.3 points per game.
If that defense can show up and stop the run, it's a good sign for a potential Tigers victory.
Prediction: Kansas State 28, Missouri 24.
Thomas should have a big day and lead the Wildcats to the upset victory on the road.
5. South Carolina at Florida
6 of 10
The Lowdown: South Carolina hasn't looked all that great since the win over then-No. 1 Alabama, losing two of four games. The Gamecocks will travel to Gainesville this week as Steve Spurrier takes on his old school, Florida.
The Gators have won two straight games after a three-game losing streak.
Why South Carolina Will Win: South Carolina's surprisingly not as good statistically as I thought they'd be, but they've hung tough despite a very tough schedule.
I think the Gamecocks have to have a big day from running back Marcus Lattimore, who has shown flashes of brilliance through the season and will need another solid performance at Florida.
Why Florida Will Win: Has Florida's offense finally gotten going? It sure seems like it.
The Gators have put up 89 points in their last two games after a three-game stretch in which they scored 42 total points. John Brantley has to step up in this game because he's only thrown eight touchdowns all season, and Florida can't win that way.
Prediction: South Carolina 31, Florida 28.
The Gamecocks pull the slight upset on the road in this one.
4. Penn State at Ohio State
7 of 10
The Lowdown: A lot of college football fans wrote off Penn State after that 3-3 start, but the Nittany Lions have won three straight games and head into this week's showdown with Ohio State on a bit of a roll.
The Buckeyes are on fire themselves, having won their last two games by a combined score of 101-10.
Why Penn State Will Win: Sophomore quarterback Matthew McGloin has taken command of Penn State's offense, and he turned in a heck of a performance against Northwestern last week.
McGloin completed 62 percent of his passes for 225 yards and four touchdowns, so he could be the key to a victory for the Nittany Lions.
Why Ohio State Will Win: The Buckeyes are an incredibly balanced team, ranking third in scoring defense and seventh in scoring offense.
That offense has the ability to explode every week, and it doesn't hurt that Terrelle Pryor is their quarterback.
Prediction: Ohio State 38, Penn State 21.
Penn State only puts up 24 points per game, which won't be enough against the Buckeyes.
3. USC at Arizona
8 of 10
The Lowdown: USC isn't playing for much more than bragging rights this year, and the Trojans have struggled recently, losing three of their last five games.
Arizona is looking to rebound against USC after a 25-point loss against Stanford last week.
Why USC Will Win: That USC offense has had incredible balance all season, ranking 22nd in the nation in passing yards and 23rd in rushing yards while scoring 36.4 points per game.
Plus, you have to like the development of quarterback Matt Barkley, who has thrown 12 touchdown passes the past four games and 24 total this season.
Why Arizona Will Win: USC wins with their offense, but Arizona has one of the best scoring defenses in the country.
The Wildcats defense ranks 10th in the nation in scoring at 17.4 points per game and has held its opponents below 10 points four times so far this year.
Prediction: USC 31, Arizona 23.
Arizona showed last week against the Cardinal that they have trouble stopping offenses that can put up a lot of points, so I'll take the Trojans getting the win on the road.
2. Texas A&M at Baylor
9 of 10
The Lowdown: Texas A&M had a rough three-game losing stretch earlier in the season, but the Aggies have bounced back with three impressive wins.
They'll face Baylor this week, and the Bears had reeled off three nice wins before getting blown out by Oklahoma State last week for their third loss of the season.
Why Texas A&M Will Win: Ryan Tannehill has taken over as the Aggie's quarterback, and he's looked quite impressive so far, tossing nine touchdowns in his first three games as the starter.
He's got that ninth-ranked passing attack right on track, and the Aggies have averaged 41 points per game over the course of their thee-game winning streak.
Why Baylor Will Win: Baylor is coming off a rough game, but the Bears are a balanced team that puts up 300 yards of offense through the air and 187 yards on the ground.
Robert Griffin is one of the nation's best dual-threat quarterbacks, so he always has the potential to explode.
Prediction: Baylor 45, Texas A&M 38.
Not expecting much defense here, but I like Baylor at home.
1. Mississippi State at Alabama
10 of 10
The Lowdown: Mississippi State is on a surprising tear, winning six straight games after two tough losses against Auburn and LSU early in the season.
The Bulldogs have a huge test this week as they head to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama, which is probably a little angry after a heartbreaking loss against LSU last week.
Why Mississippi State Will Win: Mississippi State is going to win the old school way: with defense and the running game.
The Bulldogs have the nation's No. 14 rushing offense at 218.7 yards per game and the No. 9 scoring defense at 17 points per game. That's just solid football right there.
Why Alabama Will Win: Alabama's absolutely loaded with talent on both sides of the ball; they've got a proven quarterback in Greg McElroy and two stellar running backs lining up behind him.
The Crimson Tide also boasts the nation's No. 5 scoring defense at just 13.8 points per game.
Prediction: Mississippi State 24, Alabama 20.
I've gotta go with the underdog on the road. Just a feeling!
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
