College Football: Week 13 Preview

With the President-elect making a call for the formation of a playoff system and ESPN locking up BCS rights through 2014, the talk of scrapping the current system seems to be intensifying as they do each and every year at this time.

While I'd love for an eight or 16 team playoff to develop, we have an unofficial four-team showdown this year. The title game in Miami is shaping up to be Big 12 champion vs. SEC champion (assuming Missouri doesn't win the Big 12 championship game). Texas Tech-Oklahoma on Saturday night will go a long way in determining the Big 12's representation in that game, whether it be one of those teams or Texas.

Florida and Alabama are already scheduled to duel in what should be a memorable SEC championship game in two weeks. Also on the horizon this weekend is the final week of Big 10 play, with the yearly rivalries such as Michigan-Ohio State and Illinois-Northwestern on tap.

We also have two of the big in-state Pac-10 rivalries with Washington-Washington State in a battle for the right not to finish the season at 0-9 in the Pac 10, and The Game between Stanford and Cal. BYU and Utah renew acquaintances as well as the Utes look to solidify their BCS chances.

WEDNESDAY 11/19:

Ball State at Central Michigan, 7 (ESPN 2)

THURSDAY 11/20:

Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech, 7:30 (ESPN)

FRIDAY 11/21:

Fresno State at San Jose State, 9:30 (ESPN 2)

SATURDAY 11/22:

Michigan at Ohio State, 12 (ABC)

West Virginia at Louisville, 12 (ESPN)

Indiana at Purdue, 12 (ESPN 2)

Syracuse at Notre Dame, 2:30 (NBC)

Washington at Washington State, 3 (FSN)

Boston College at Wake Forest, 3:30 (ABC/ESPN 2)

Michigan State at Penn State, 3:30 (ABC/ESPN 2)

Stanford at California, 3:30 (ABC)

Ole Miss at LSU, 3:30 (CBS)

Air Force at TCU, 3:30 (Versus)

Marshall at Rice, 3:30 (CBS College)

Illinois at Northwestern, 3:30 (BTN)

Cal Poly at Wisconsin, 3:30 (BTN)

Duke at Virginia Tech, 5:30 (ESPN U)

Iowa at Minnesota, 7 (BTN)

Oregon State at Arizona, 7 (Versus)

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 7:15 (ESPN 2)

Florida State at Maryland, 7:45 (ESPN)

Texas Tech at Oklahoma, 8 (ABC)

UNLV at San Diego State, 8 (CBS College)

SUNDAY 11/23:

Connecticut at South Florida, 8 (ESPN)

GAMES OF THE WEEK:

Texas Tech at Oklahoma

This one could be for all the marbles in the Big 12, folks. If TTU wins, they should lock up an undefeated regular season considering how they play Baylor next week, and would stand a win over Mizzou in the Big 12 title game away from a chance at a national championship.

If OU wins as I expect, it will throw the conference into disarray. The Sooners, Red Raiders, and Longhorns would all likely finish with one loss (assuming Oklahoma wins the Bedlam Game against OK State next week), and the Big 12 would award the division crown to the highest placed team in the BCS standings at the end of Week 14. The question then becomes whether OU leapfrogs Texas in the standings or not, seeing as how they would have beat a Tech team that Texas lost to.

We'll have to wait and see, but there is a major game to be played in Norman on Saturday night. This one, as most Big 12 contests are, will be focused on the respective offenses, and quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Graham Harrell. We've seen 56-20, 39-33, and 45-35 contests in previous Big 12 heavyweight battles this year, but this game may surpass those. The Sooners are averaging 47 points the last three weeks...in the first half alone!

Michigan at Ohio State

t's rare that this rivalry is played where one squad is not even in bowl contention, but with Michigan suffering through the worst season in program history, that is what we are facing for this Saturday. But if you ask me, Michigan-Ohio State is the best thing going in terms of college football rivalries, and thus deserves your attention if both teams are 11-0 (as was the case in '06) or 0-11.

The Wolverines and Rich Rodriguez can atone for their first ever 8-loss campaign with a win at the Horseshoe, which would end the Buckeyes' chances at the Rose Bowl before Penn State ever had the opportunity to do so against Michigan State later in the day.

Michigan State at Penn State

It's quite simple for JoePa and the Nittany Lions: win this game, and you are Big 10 champions with a likely destination of the Rose Bowl. Lose, and things get interesting. Michigan State would then take the conference crown if Michigan upset Ohio State, while if Ohio State managed to win that game, the Buckeyes would head to Pasadena.

Obviously, a lot is on the line in the Big 10's final weekend of competition in 2008 (I can't wait until this league starts playing on Thanksgiving weekend in 2010). Penn State will focus on stopping Javon Ringer, and when teams, such as Ohio State, have been able to do that, Michigan State is clearly beatable. Nothing against Brian Hoyer, because he has done a fantastic job as well, but the Spartans live and die by #23.

BYU at Utah
I've been raving about the Mountain West all year, but they screwed up big time in putting one of their biggest games of the year on The Mtn., a network you cannot get nationally except on DirecTV. Therefore, most of us are going to miss out on a great, under appreciated rivalry and Utah's effort to lock up an undefeated season and a likely trip to the BCS. The Utes have a playmaker in QB Brian Johnson, but they live and die by a staunch defense. BYU has one of the nation's most prolific offenses, but remember what TCU did to Max Hall and company? They held them to 7 points. If Utah can repeat that feat, they will have no problem finishing 12-0.

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

Lost in the ACC insanity is the fact that the Big East is wide open as well. These two and West Virginia all have one loss, with Rutgers and UConn not far behind. A lot will be decided these next two weeks based on the outcome of Pitt-Cincy and the Backyard Brawl on Black Friday.

You still have to like the Pat White-led Mountaineers, but both the Panthers and Bearcats are tough teams to defeat. Dave Wannstedt's first few years on the job have been less than what was expected, and I think it is crucial for him to at least have Pitt in a position to win the conference championship at the end of next Friday. They have been hot, and I look for the #20 Panthers to narrowly defeat the #19 Bearcats.

Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech

The Canes are all of a sudden in the driver's seat in the ACC Coastal, but a loss will send them right back into the pack with about four other teams, including Georgia Tech. It may not appear as if it is the case, but this mess will all be sorted out in the next two weekends of football.

If Miami hopes to make their first ACC Championship game, they will have to win on the road in a hostile environment at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Are Robert Marve and company up for the challenge? Miami is young, but they have really come together nicely the past month or so after losing to Florida State. I am intrigued to see how their fast defense handles the Tech triple option, something they do not see very often. I still like Georgia Tech in this game, but in the ACC, you never know.

OTHER GAMES TO WATCH:

Florida State at Maryland

While Miami and Georgia Tech fight it out for first in the Coastal, Maryland and Florida State do so in the Atlantic. Losing to BC at home had to be deflating for the 'Noles, and now they have to face a Maryland defense that really put a clamp on North Carolina. It's quite simple for the Terps: win the next two weeks against FSU and at BC, and they go to Tampa. As for FSU, they need to win this one and get a bunch of help.

Boston College at Wake Forest

Along with Florida State and Maryland, BC and Wake also have an excellent shot of winning the division crown. From what I saw of the BC-FSU game, Chris Crane has grown into a reliable leader for the Eagles, and should give them a chance at going back to the conference championship for the second year in a row. I don't know what is going on in Winston-Salem, but the Deacons have come back to the pack in 2008, with losses in three of their last five.

Oregon State at Arizona

The Beavers are one step closer to Pasadena after defeating Cal at home last week, but this Saturday will be a real test. USC struggled mightily in Tucson a few weeks back, so Oregon State will have their work cut out if they hope to head into one of the biggest Civil War games in quite some time. Arizona, meanwhile, is coming off one of those old-school Pac 10 shootouts, losing 55-45 in Autzen Stadium a week ago. I don't think this one will see 100 points, but Arizona's defense is obviously vulnerable.

Ball State at Central Michigan

The Cardinals' chances of making the BCS are pretty much zero, but they still have a MAC title and undefeated season to play for. The Chippewas have matched Ball State blow for blow in conference play this year, as both enter at a perfect 6-0. However, CMU stands at 8-2 thanks to losses against Georgia and Purdue. This will be an exciting mid-week game tomorrow night, and I urge you to tune in.

Ole Miss at LSU

It's a light week in the SEC, highlighted by this game. A lot of people do not realize that Ole Miss-LSU once was an intense rivalry, based mainly on the two programs' dominance of the SEC in the 50s and 60s. Obviously, both have gone through some rough periods since, but LSU has reemerged over the past decade. With Houston Nutt now heading up the show in Oxford, you have to believe the Rebels will follow suit and place some new life into this feud.

Washington at Washington State

Now I know what you are saying: the Apple Cup rivals are a combined 1-19, and that one win was against FCS "powerhouse" Portland State. But these two teams might be so bad that they actually put on a good game. Each will probably play their best game of 2008, and at least build some momentum heading into next season after a year of embarrassing defeats. At least we shouldn't expect any 66-3 or 69-0 drubbings in what may be a matchup of two of the worst Pac 10 teams in history.

Louisiana-Lafayette at Troy

I think this is the first time all year we have featured a Sun Belt Conference game in this spot, but the Ragin' Cajuns and Trojans enter this one tied atop the league. The winner will find themselves headed to the New Orleans Bowl as league champion, while second place is not guaranteed an automatic bowl berth. Troy has to be pretty upset after blowing a 31-3 lead at LSU, and I look for them to come out fired up ready to prove the first three quarters last Saturday night were no fluke.