Week 12 - The Best Games and My Top 5 Heisman Candidates

(Rankings based off CFP Poll)

  1. (5) Washington @ (11) Oregon State - In the animal kingdom, Huskies and Beavers don’t meet often. But on the Pac 12 football field, they do, and the Huskies have dominated. Those Huskies are led by Heisman candidate Michael Penix Jr., who’s the captain of one of the best offenses in the country. The Beavers are led by a transfer quarterback that has escaped all the media in Clemson, South Carolina, for Corvallis, Oregon. He’s been the leader for one of the best rushing offenses in the country. The Huskies need this win, while Oregon State can cause chaos and potentially make it to the Pac 12 championship game. Back to Washington, Michael Penix Jr. has looked like the best player in all of college football. He’s thrown for 3,530 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 7 picks. I talk more about him in the Heisman section of the article, so go check that out. It’s not hard to see why Penix has as good of numbers as he has, as he has two of the best receivers in all of college. Rome Odunze has 59 catches for 1,100 yards and 9 touchdowns. He’s the best receiver in college football, at least in my eyes. He leads the Pac 12 in receiving yards, and is third in the country. Odunze only had 3 catches last week, but for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns. Those touchdowns came from 34 and 33 yards out. Odunze can wrap up the Biletnikoff. Ja’Lynn Polk, the second option at receiver had a quiet game, with 4 catches for 55 yards. He had the fourth most receiving yards for the team in the 35-28 win over Utah, a testament to how good Washington’s receiving room is. That’s also with Jalen McMillan, who I’ll get to later. On the year, Polk’s caught 55 passes for 940 yards and 8 touchdowns. For the past two weeks now, Polk has had an underwhelming game, as he had 5 catches for 52 yards, but a touchdown in the big win over USC. This is partially because of Germie Bernard, who’s stepped up in the absence of McMillan. He only has one catch for 14 yards against USC, but that’s was Dillon Johnson’s game. He also had one rush for 15 yards. Last week against Utah, Bernard had 6 catches for 63 yards. On the year, Bernard has 27 catches for 350 yards and a touchdown, but has tacked on 2 rushing touchdowns. Bernard has also thrown a pass for 14 yards. Bernard can do a lot of things on offense, something that can also be said for Jalen McMillan. He’s caught 20 passes for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also running for a touchdown and throwing a pass for nine yards. McMillan played a little bit last week, but didn’t catch a pass. He hasn’t gotten one since the Michigan State win. Hopefully he can play in this one and be meaningful, but in 3 of his 6 games, he hasn’t recorded a stat other than snaps. Jack Westover had a pretty good game last week, something that he hasn’t had in a while. He had 7 catches for 64 yards. He has 28 catches for 260 yards and 4 touchdowns on the year. As for the running game, it’s been inconsistent. Dillon Johnson is pretty much the main rusher, with 136 carries for 790 yards and 11 touchdowns. The next closest player to Johnson in carries is Tybo Rogers, who has only 34 carries.  Johnson has put together two solid games back to back, with 26 carries for 256 yards and 4 touchdowns against USC, and 23 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown. He took over for Washington against USC, and Washington had 316 rush yards after the clock hit all zeros. Johnson’s touchdown came in a great spot for UW last week, as it gave them a 3 point lead near the end of the second half. He’s had some bad games, but a lot more good than bad. Washington held the ball for 35 minutes last week, mainly because of Johnson. Washington’s defense also got Utah off the field, forcing two turnovers and getting a safety, but that’s safety came off a dumb play. Utah went 5-11 on third downs and 0-1 on fourth downs. They picked off Bryson Barnes twice, including the game sealer. Washington’s defense is very weird. They allow 410 yards per game, 269.6 of those through the air. however, they don’t allow other teams in the end zone, as they allow 23.5 points per game. In the Pac 12, your defense is either really good, like UCLA’s and Utah’s, or really bad like Colorado’s and USC’s. Washington is the perfect middle, at sixth in points allowed and seventh in yards allowed. Only one other team is in the same boat as them is Arizona State. Oregon State is much better than Washington, allowing 333 yards per game, fourth in the Pac 12, and 20.5 points per game, which is also in the same spot. Oregon State is tied for first in the conference in sacks, with 36. Andrew Chatfield Jr. leads the team with 9 sacks. He also has 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble. Washington is going to have a tough time offensively, and also when it comes to stopping the run. Damien Martinez has 155 carries for 1,024 yards and 7 touchdowns. He had 15 catches for 146 yards last week against Stanford. That seems like a normal stat line, but it goes deeper. Martinez had 4 touchdowns, 3 of them going back to back to back, and all 4 came in the first half. After Martinez is Deshaun Fenwick, who has 86 catches for 500 yards and 5 touchdowns. He had 2 touchdowns last week, 1 on the ground and the other one through the air. Fenwick’s numbers have slipped as of late, but if he can get back to his early season form, this will be a scary duo. The third player that rounds out Oregon State’s rushing attack is DJ Uiagalelei. He has only 153 yards, but 6 touchdowns. He’s looked the most comfortable this season then he ever did at Clemson, with 2,254 yards, 20 touchdowns, and only 4 picks. No other player has more than 100 rushing yards this season, as Oregon State averages 197 rush yards per game. In the passing game, Anthony Gould has 33 catches for 599 yards and 2 touchdowns. I usually round up, but I didn’t this time because Silas Bolden has 598 yards. He also has 42 catches for 4 touchdowns. There’s also Jack Velling, who has 27 catches for 418 yards and 8 touchdowns. Oregon State’s offense is very underrated, but can they keep up with  Washington’s. Washington averages 41 points per game, but Oregon State averages 38. However, they haven’t been tested like Washington. They beat both Utah and UCLA, but UCLA just lost to Arizona State and aren’t looking the best, while Utah also just lost, to Washington. I think Oregon State’s running attack is going to play well, but just like the USC game, one player will explode. I think that’ll be either Dillon Johnson or Ja’Lynn Polk, but we have to wait and see. Washington wins, 45-42. Odds: ORST -1, O/U 62.5
  2. (21) Kansas State @ (25) Kansas - In this years Sunflower Showdown, it’ll have a lot of affects on who plays in the Big 12 championship game. In one corner, there’s Kansas State. They’ve won 4 of their last 5, and their only loss in that stretch was by 3. They are 7-3, and 5-2 in Big 12 play. In the other corner, there’s Kansas. They’re coming off an upset loss to Texas Tech, 16-13. They’re also 7-3 overall, but 4-3 in conference play. Starting with K-State, they’re trying to win 15 in straight in this rivalry game. The last time they lost, it was 2008. Throughout their 14 year streak, the lowest points they’ve scored is 17, and that was their first win. They’ve scored 40 ore more points 7 times throughout this streak. This game will also be a high scoring matchup, and Will Howard will have a bulk of K-State’s points. Howard has thrown for 2,190 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He’s also ran for 300 yards and 7 touchdowns. Howard did have an injury a few weeks ago, which not only affected his play, but gave Avery Johnson some playing time. Against Texas Tech, he ran for 5 touchdowns, singlehandedly winning the game. If Howard is ever playing bad or gets injured again, Johnson is more than ready to step in and lead this offense. Johnson hasn’t seen as much playing team recently, but threw a touchdown in the blowout win over Baylor last week. In that win, Howard threw for 235 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also running for another touchdown. DJ Giddens also had a big game, with 18 carries for 115 yards. He didn’t have a touchdown, but caught one. On the year, Giddens had 143 carries for 860 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also catching 26 passes for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns. Paired with Treshaun Ward and Will Howard, Kansas State averages 202 rush yards per game, fourth best in the Big 12. Ward has 106 carries for 530 yards and 4 touchdowns. If Ward can build off his success last week, and funnel that into Kansas State’s last two games, K-State could end up in the Big 12 championship. As for Kansas, they’re going to run heavily on the running game this week. Jason Bean left last week’s loss with an injury, and Kansas ended up running for 207 yards, and only 137 passing yards. Cole Ballard came in for Bean, and threw for 124 yards and a pick off a 45% completion rate. If Bean or Jalon Daniels can’t play this week, Devin Neal is going to have to carry the offense. Daniel Hishaw Jr. will give a boost at running back when Neal has to rest, but he only had 35 yards on 13 carries last week. Hishaw has 102 carries for 550 yards and 8 touchdowns on the year. He’s had some other bad games this year, like against Iowa State or Oklahoma State, but it seems like every other week he bounces back. That just didn’t happen last week. Devin Neal has 155 carries for 965 yards and 10 touchdowns. He doesn’t have bad games, with his worst game consisting of 8 carries for 45 yards and 2 catches for 10 yards. That was against Texas. Kansas lost that game 40-14, and no one played well. Neal has to have a good game if Kansas even wants a chance to stay in this game, as Kansas State just takes off on offense. They score 39 points per game, second best in the Big 12. However, there isn’t one receiver that’s broken out for the team. Phillip Brooks leads the team with 49 catches for 554 yards and 5 touchdowns. Ben Sinnott has 35 catches for 500 yards and 4 touchdowns. The next closest to those two is DJ Giddens, who has 280. Brooks and Sinnott kinda take catches away from each other, but they are the top two options, and Kansas State is winning. Kansas is in the same boat. Lawrence Arnold has 33 catches for 560 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Quentin Skinner has 21 catches for 410 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tight End Mason Fairchild has 23 catches for 337 yards and 2 touchdowns. Luke Grimm also has 23 catches, tacking on 295 yards and 3 touchdowns in the process. Whoever starts at quarterback will most likely not have Luke Grimm, as he’s questionable with an injury. That’s going to hurt for Kansas, because Kansas State allows only 18.5 points per game, second in the Big 12 by only .1 points per game. They also allow only 356 yards per game, third in the Big 12. Kansas is also pretty good, allowing 386 yards per game and 26 points per game. Both are seventh in the Big 12. The injuries for Kansas have piled up, and even if Bean or Jalon Daniels play, they will most likely not be 100%. Kansas State wins, 45-38. Neal and Hishaw should do just enough for Kansas to stay in this game, but they can’t carry the offense that far. Odds: KSU -10, O/U 57.5
  3. (22) Utah @ (17) Arizona - In a game that could shake things up in the Pac 12. If Oregon loses either this week, which I don’t think will happen, as they play Arizona State, or next week against Oregon State, whoever wins this game will could sneak into the Pac 12 championship game. It gets even more complicated if Washington losses. If Arizona wins, their program would tech even new heights. Since taking over for Jayden de Laura, Noah Fifita has shined. He’s thrown for 1,735 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 4 picks. The best thing is, however, is that he’s only a freshman, so he has time to get even better. In his first game, Arizona faced Washington, and Fifita didn’t disappoint. He threw for 230 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 pick. Arizona nearly beat Washington, but lost 31-24. Then, in his first road game as a starter, he threw for 300 yards and 5 touchdowns, with another pick. With upsets over Washington State, Oregon State, and UCLA, Arizona is on the rise, and I can’t wait to see what they can do next year with Fifita. If Oregon State and Arizona end up with the same record at the end of the year, Arizona’s win over them will certainly help their chances at making the Pac 12 title game. It also helps that Fifita has a great pair of receivers, Tetairoa McMillan and Jacob Cowing. McMillan has 61 catches for 860 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Cowing has 72 catches for 534 yards and 10 touchdowns. On top of that, running back Jonah Coleman has been a great receiver as well. He’s caught 23 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, he has 104 carries for 744 yards and 3 touchdowns. He had 11 rushes for 179 yards in the win over Colorado. In that win, DJ Williams had 2 rushing touchdowns. He now leads the team in rushing touchdowns, with 4. He also has 78 carries for 350 yards. As for Utah, they’ve struggled as of late, falling to both Oregon and Washington. All three of their losses are to big players in the Pac 12, as their other loss is to Oregon State. Last week against Washington, Bryson Barnes did not play well. Utah’s offense was playing pretty good, scoring 34 against USC and 55 against Arizona State. Of course, in the middle of those two games, Utah lost 35-6. Anyways, Barnes threw for 267 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions on a 56.7% completion percentage in the loss to Washington. One pick would’ve gone back for a touchdown if not for the Washington defender fumbling the ball before getting into the end zone. That led to  a safety. The other interception came at the end of the game, and that’s sealed the win for UW. Barnes has had some good games, but more bad than good. He’s thrown for 1,200 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. Utah’s offense has been very bad without Cam Rising, but under Barnes it’s been a bit better. Barnes has also ran for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns. Starting Safety Sione Vaki has also started playing on offense, and he’s caught 10 passes for 211 yards and 3 touchdowns. He’s also ran for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns on 31 carries. Ja’Quinden Jackson has 122 carries for 630 yards and 4 touchdowns. Barnes led Utah in rushing last week with only 39 yards, something that has to change. However, Jackson had 2 touchdowns. Utah’s much better in defense, but the only problem is Arizona is too. Starting with Utah, they allow 18 points per game and 300 yards per game, but top 3 in the Pac 12. They’ve sacked opposing quarterbacks 30 times, fourth in the conference. Arizona is right behind them, with 26. That’s fifth in the conference, just like their yards per game and points per game. They allow 335 yards per game and 21 points per game. Arizona has a much better offense, and just a slightly worse defense. Fifita has another big game, as Arizona win, 34-27. Odds: ARIZ -1, O/U 46.5
  4. UCLA @ USC - This might be a weird placement, as Georgia and Tennessee is a ranked matchup and neither of these teams are ranked, but I think that this will be a more entertaining game. Starting with USC, the firing of Alex Grinch was needed, but that’s obviously wasn’t going to fix everything. Against Oregon, they allowed 36 points, and lost 36-27. They’ve now lost 4 of their last 5, mainly because of the defense. They allow 34.6 points per game and 446.5 points per game, both third worst in the Pac 12. USC allowed 552 yards of total offense last week, 417 of them from Bo Nix. Other than one of their fourth losses, the defense was the main reason they lost. That one game was against Notre Dame. Caleb Williams had his worst game of the year, throwing for 199 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 picks. He also had his worst rushing performance of the year, with 13 carries for -8 yards. The reason why I say 199 yards and not 200 is because this was his third game at USC with under 200 passing yards. Williams has thrown for 3,250 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 4 picks. He’s also ran for 11 touchdowns. Being the Heisman winner from last year, he’s been under a microscope, and hasn’t always succeeded, but the good has definitely out weighed the bad. Last week, he threw for 290 yards, but only 1 touchdown. He did run for a touchdown though. He had a 55.9% completion percentage, his third game under 60% this year. Williams leads USC in rushing touchdowns, and the closest is Marshawn Lloyd. He has 108 carries for 800 yards and 9 touchdowns. He struggled last week, with 9 carries for only 37 yards, but a touchdown. He didn’t play against Washington, which might’ve led to his bad game. Against Cal, he had 17 rushes for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns. On top of that, he caught 3 passes for 72 yards. That’s tied for the best receiving yards in his career. Austin Jones has 68 carries for 410 yards and 6 touchdowns, giving a boost at running back. USC averages 151 rush yards per game, but 32 touchdowns on the ground as a team. That’s the most in the conference. However, they have played 1 more game than everyone else in the Pac 12. UCLA is pretty much the opposite of USC, with a great defense and an even better rushing offense. They average 202.4 rush yards per game, best in the Pac 12. In his first year at UCLA, Carson Steele has ran for 745 yards and 6 touchdowns on 143 carries. He’s had two back to back bad games, with 8 carries for 38 yards against Arizona and 11 carries for 33 yards against ASU. Both were losses, so if Steele plays good, UCLA is going to play even better. Last week, UCLA only held the ball for 23 minutes, contributing to their loss. Collin Schlee got the start, throwing for only 117 yards and a pick. UCLA’s offense has fallen off a cliff this year, and it also doesn’t help when three different quarterbacks have started a game this year. Dante Moore has started 5, Ethan Garbers 4, and Schlee with just last week. Depending on who starts this week, the game is going to be very different. J. Michael Sturdivant has also struggled the past three weeks. Against Colorado, he caught 1 pass for 0 yards. Against Arizona, he had 3 catches for 17 yards. Last week, he only had 1 catch for 4 yards. He needs to play better, and the offense does too. On defense, they’re excellent. They allow 16.4 points per game and 290 yards per game, both best in the Pac 12.  They’re also tied with the most sacks in the conference with 36. They’re going to do a really good job at getting after Caleb Williams, but USC gets back to their winning ways, 34-28. Odds: USC -5, O/U 63.5
  5. (1) Georgia @ (18) Tennessee - Once again, Georgia beat another highly ranked team, with no issue at all. They beat Ole Miss 52-17, and their defense showed why they’re one of the best in the country. Allowing only 17 is good, especially when you score 52. They only got one turnover, an interception of Jaxson Dart. However, they did most of their damage on third downs, as Ole Miss went 6-15 on third down. In offense, they only faced third downs 8 times, and converted 5 of them. They allow 15.6 points per game and 289 yards per game, both top in the SEC. They don’t have many sacks, with 22, but have picked off opposing quarterbacks 12 times. If they keep up this level of dominance, they’re going to steamroll their way to a third straight national championship. Their offense will then turn around and score 40 on you. You really can’t beat Georgia, and the only team that I think could beat them is Alabama or whoever they play in the playoffs, if they make it. Like I stated earlier, Georgia will score 40 on you. They average 40.6 points per game, second in the SEC. They average 505 yards per game, second in the conference. Brock Bowers came back against Ole Miss, a big reason why they destroyed the Rebels. He missed two games, the Florida and Missouri games, but still leads Georgia in receiving yards. He has 44 catches for 600 yards and 5 touchdowns. He only had 3 catches for 34 yards last week, but got a touchdown in his return. However, even if Bowers didn’t play, Carson Beck would’ve been just fine, as Ladd McConkey has broken out. He was great last year, catching 58 passes for 760 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was injured to start the year, and has only played in 6 games. He’s caught 26 passes for 420 yards and 2 touchdowns. He started to play like his old self against Florida, catching 6 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. A week later against Mizzou, he had 7 catches for 95 yards. Last week, he had 4 catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. Dominic Lovett has also looked pretty good, with 43 catches for 475 yards and 2 touchdowns. While Bowers has been out, he’s also stepped up, and should continue his play in these last two games. No one reaps the benefits of these receiver corps more than Carson Beck. Beck’s thrown for 3,020 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He’s also ran for 3 touchdowns. Beck has been in the team for the past two championships, and if everything lines up, he could be 3-3 on national championships in his career. They’re not just good through the air, as their running game has been underrated. Daijun Edwards has 123 carries for 690 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had 2 touchdowns last week, and should get another one this week, as he’s only played in two games without a touchdown. Kendall Milton has ran for 420 yards and 7 touchdowns on 67 carries. he also had two touchdowns last week, and has also only played in two games without scoring a touchdown. Edwards and Milton have been touchdown machines, and Georgia has scored 28 touchdowns on the ground so far, tied for the best in the SEC. As for Tennessee, they’re also a great rushing team. They only have 17 rushing touchdowns, but are one of two teams in the SEC that have a total of 2,000 or more rushing yards. They average 213 rushing yards per game, second in the SEC and eighth in the country. Jaylen Wright has 117 carries for 850 yards and 3 touchdowns. He struggled, like most of the team last week, with 7 carries for 22 yards.This comes after two straight games with over 100 yards and a touchdown in both games.If he can get back on track, Tennessee will have a good chance to pull off the upset. Dylan Sampson leads the team with 7 touchdowns, and has 74 carries and 425 yards. Even though he leads the team, he hasn’t scored a touchdown in two games, and only 1 in his last five. Following Sampson is Jabari Small, who has 85 carries for 420 yards and 2 touchdowns. Joe Milton III has 300 yards and 5 touchdowns. Milton has struggled through the air, but has thrown for 2,280 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He didn’t play bad last week, throwing for 270 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 pick. He led Tennessee is rush yards last week, but only had 36. Tennessee turned the ball over 3 times en route to a 36-7 loss to Missouri. The Vols also held the ball for only 20 minutes. Tennessee is going to struggle again this week, and Georgia wins, 34-28. I don’t think it’ll be close throughout most of the game, but Tennessee should draw within one score late. Odds: UGA -10, O/U 58.5
  6. (10) Louisville @ Miami - Louisville needs this win to stay alive in the race for the second ACC championship game spot, while Miami is reeling after 6 straight bad games. They haven’t lost all of those games, but they were both overtime wins. One was against Clemson, but were down 17-7 at the start of the fourth quarter. This bad streak started after a bad play call that ended up in a fumble against Georgia Tech. Tech ended up scoring after recovering the fumble, and won. They then lost a 10 point game against North Carolina before two overtime wins against Clemson and Virginia. Following that, they lost to NC State, before giving Florida State their hardest game this season. Except for one game, they’ve been competitive in all games, which shows that they’re not bad, but just can’t win most close games. Tyler Van Dyke, who’s thrown for 2,086 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions so far this year, got benched last week. Emory Williams came in for him after Van Dyke already threw a pick. Williams threw for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns on a horrible 34.8% completion percentage. He got some playing time against Clemson, and didn’t look bad. Because Williams got hurt and is out for the rest of the season, Van Dyke is back as the starter. Jacolby George played very well last week, catching 5 passes for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns. He now has 46 receptions for 710 yards and 7 touchdowns. If he can play this way again this week, Miami has a chance at being the top 10 team Louisville. Xavier Restrepo has caught 60 passes for 680 yards and 4 touchdowns. He missed last week, but if he can return this week, Van Dyke should have another great receiver to throw to. Colbie Young is another example of a great receiver for Van Dyke. He has 38 catches for 500 yards and 4 touchdowns. He did play last week, but had 2 catches for 29 yards. As for Louisville, Jack Plummer doesn’t have the best group of receivers, but one of the best in the ACC. Jamari Thrash has 49 catches for 734 yards and 6 touchdowns. He had a bit of a bad game against  Virginia, with 3 catches for 22 yards. Louisville’s pair of running backs carries the game for UL, as Jawhar Jordan had 17 catches for 95 yards, while Isaac Guerendo had 6 rushes for 94 yards and a touchdown. Jordan has 141 carries for 976 yards and 11 touchdowns. Guerendo has 77 rushes for 490 yards and 7 touchdowns. The man under center and commanding the Louisville offense is Jack Plummer, and has thrown for 2,400 yards, 16 touchdown, and 9 picks. Louisville is a more complete team, and their defense that allows only 17.1 points per game, best in the ACC, shuts down Miami. Louisville wins, 30-24. Odds: MIA -1, O/U 46.5
  7. (20) North Carolina @ Clemson - A top defense in Clemson hosts a top offense in North Carolina. UNC needs this win to stay alive in the race for the ACC championship game, while Clemson just reached bowl eligibility, and are looking to shake things up. They’re much better than what their record says, as they upset Notre Dane two weeks ago. At the same time, Cade Klubnik has struggled, so can Clemson overcome Klubnik’s struggles. Klubnik has thrown for 2,260 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. It hasn’t been all bad, like when he threw for 4 touchdowns last week. Against Notre Dame, Clemson’s signature win, he had a 50% completion percentage for 109 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 pick. Phil Mafah carried the load on offense for Clemson against Notre Dame, with 36 carries for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns, one from 41 yards away. He’s ran for 720 yards and 8 touchdowns on 126 carries this year. Will Shipley missed the Notre Dame game, a big reason why Mafah had a big game. Shipley came back against Georgia Tech, and had 11 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown last week. He also caught 3 passes for 30 yards. He has 123 carries for 590 yards and 4 touchdowns. Outside of those two, no one else makes much noise in the rushing game for Clemson, but Klubnik has ran for 3 touchdowns. Also against Notre Dame, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. returned a pick for a touchdown. He leads Clemson with 71 tackles, and also has 4.5 sacks, 4 pass deflections, 2 picks, and 2 forced fumbles. They allow 272 yards per game, best in the ACC. They also allow 21 points per game, sixth in the ACC. They’re going to have a big task come Saturday, as Drake Maye is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He leads the ACC in passing yards with 3,145 yards. He also has 21 touchdowns to just 6 picks. He’s also ran for 276 yards and 8 touchdowns. He had 2 of those 8 last week in the overtime win over Duke, and also had 342 passing yards,  1 touchdown, and 1 pick. Last year, Maye led UNC in rushing yards. That’s changed as two players have more rushing yards than him. British Brooks has 67 carries for 310 yards and 2 touchdowns. He fought back from an injury last year, but the real star of the show has been Omarion Hampton. He has 206 carries for 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns. He leads the ACC in rushing yards, and the second most in the country. He’s also the only running back in the conference with over 200 carries. On top of that, he has the most rushing touchdowns in the conference. Hampton and Maye can really do it all  for this offense, and they triumph over Clemson’s defense, 38-30. Odds: CLEM -7.5, O/U 59.5
  8. Florida @ (9) Missouri - After a big win over Tennessee, Missouri is looking to keep that dominance going against Florida. Florida is trying to reach bowl eligibility, and barring a crazy upset over either Missouri or FSU, Florida will go from 5-2 to 5-7. Starting with Florida, their collapse hasn’t been because of any player, but their schedule. To finish their season, they had Georgia, Arkansas, LSU, Mizzou, and Florida State. Pretty much no one thought they would/will beat Georgia, LSU, Missouri, or Florida State, and the Arkansas loss was in overtime and by 3. Graham Mertz has thrown for 2,720 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, having the best season of his career. However, he only has one receiver that he throws to, Ricky Pearsall. He’s caught 62 passes for 876 yards and 4 touchdowns. He caught 7 passes for 103 yards last week, his fifth game this year with 100 or more yards. The next closest receiver to Pearsall is Eugene Wilson III, who has 51 catches for 480 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wilson has the catches, but has produced at the same level as Pearsall. Arlis Boardingham also has 4 touchdowns. Pearsall also has a rushing touchdown. Speaking about the running game, Trevor Etienne and Montrell Jordan Jr. are arguably the best duo in all of college football. Etienne has 106 carries for 630 yards and 7 touchdowns, while Johnson has 122 carries for 625 yards and 4 touchdowns. If this duo can keep producing at the same rate they’re doing now, Florida could upset Mizzou or FSU. However, both of those teams have something they do extremely well. For Mizzou, that’s let their three star players take over. Brady Cook has thrown for 2,746 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 6 picks. He’s also ran for 230 yards and 6 touchdowns. He’s been slumping the past few weeks, as throughout the past 5 games, he’s had 6 touchdowns to 6 picks. He’s also ran for 3 touchdowns through this stretch. His top receiver, Luther Burden III, has 68 catches for 984 yards and 8 touchdowns last. He’s caught a touchdown in three straight games, buts only combined for 176 yards. The week before that streak started, he had 15. All of his games before that were either more than 100 yards or 96 yards, which he had in the season opener. That’s because Cody Schrader has been the focal point of the offense recently. Obviously, Cook and Burden has looked good, but Schrader has been on a great streak these past few games. He has 197 carries field 1,124 yards and 11 touchdowns. Against Tennessee, he had 35 carries for 205 yards and a touchdown, with 5 catches for 116 yards. He’s scored a touchdown in 7 straight games, including 3 against LSU. He also had 2 against South Carolina. If Schrader can have another good game like he did last week in the blowout win over Tennessee, he could win the Doak Walkers Award. Mizzou wins again, 35-24. Odds: MIZ -11, O/U 57.5
  9. Rutgers @ (12) Penn State - Following a shutout, can Rutgers get back on track? Penn State just lost to Michigan, with both of their losses coming to teams in the top 3. James Franklin is 3-17 now against top 10 teams. He’s 12-25 against top 25 opponents. Luckily for Penn State, Rutgers isn’t ranked. Penn State let up 287 yards last week, 227 of them on the ground. JJ McCarthy didn’t even throw a pass in the second half. This led to Michigan holding the ball for 33 minutes. Penn State could simply not stop the run last week, and they’re going to be tested again. Rutgers averages 170 rush yards per game, fourth in the Big Ten. Gavin Wimsatt has 410 yards and 7 touchdowns, while Kyle Monangai has 181 carries for 940 yards and he also has 7 touchdowns. Neither of these guys could get anything going last week, as Rutgers had only 34 rush yards. Wimsatt wasn’t too good in the air either, with 7/18 passing, which is a completion percentage of 38.9%, 93 yards, and 1 pick. Rutgers also went 2-11 on third downs. Wimsatt has thrown for 1,356 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions on the year. He’s improved through the air from last year, but has a lowly 48.2% completion percentage. Penn State is also good at running the ball, and stopping it. They average 172 rush yards per game, third in the Big Ten. Kaytron Allen has 131 carries for 645 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Nicholas Singleton has 134 carries for 523 yards and 7 touchdowns. Penn State wasn’t too bad in the ground last week, as they had 164 yards. They went 4-14 on third downs, in big part because of Drew Allar. He went 10/22 for only 70 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown came with two minutes left in the game. He did run for a touchdown, and also had 49 yards on the ground. He’s thrown for 1,965 yards, 21 touchdowns, and only 1 pick this year. He’s also ran for 4 touchdowns. He’s really had only two bad games, and both were the losses. If he plays good, PSU plays good. In defense, like I stated earlier, they’re great at stopping the run. They allow only 77 rush yards per game, best in the Big Ten. Other than last week, they haven’t been beaten on the ground. They allow 240 yards in total, second in the conference. They also allow 13 points per game, fourth in the conference. Penn State should stop the run effectively this game, and that shuts down Rutgers. Penn State wins, 34-24. Odds: PSU -20.5, O/U 40.5
  10. (7) Texas @ Iowa State - Just as Quinn Ewers came back, another Texas player fell due to injury. I’ll start with the good news for Texas, and that’s was Ewers’ return. Ewers missed 2 games, the BYU and Kansas State wins. He came back against TCU, throwing for 320 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 pick this year. He thrown for 2,230 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions, while also running for 5 touchdowns. It was Ewers first game back, so he’s not going to have crazy numbers, but still very good ones. He’s had some great receivers, like Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell. Worthy has 59 catches for 760 yards and 4 touchdowns. Mitchell has 40 catches for 640 yards and 9 touchdowns. Both helped out Maalik Murphy, who started for Ewers when he was out. Mitchell had 8 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, and had 2 more against BYU. Worthy didn’t have crazy numbers, but had 10 catches for 140 yards last week. Ja’Tavion Sanders has caught 26 passes for 425 yards and a touchdown, while Jordan Whittington has 27 catches for 290 yards. He didn’t play last week, but should hopefully come back this week. A player who started the game last week but didn’t finish was Jonathan Brooks. He tore his ACL, and is out for the year. Before he got injured last week, he had 21 carries for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also caught 3 passes for 74 yards, something that he’s done extremely well this year. He’s caught 25 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown. He has 187 carries for 1,140 yards and 10 touchdowns. With him out, CJ Baxter will have to step up. He has only 87 carries for 390 yards and 3 touchdowns this year. Brooks is the main back, so it’s going to be interesting how much playing time Baxter gets and how much Ewers takes off to run. As for Iowa State, their defense has been great this year. They allow 20 points per game, tied for third in the Big Ten. They also allow 329 yards per game, the best in the conference. Texas is first and second in those stats. Texas also has 26 sacks, first in the conference. Iowa State only has 17. However, ISU has 15 picks on the year, second in the conference. Jeremiah Cooper leads the conference with 5 picks. They’re pretty mediocre on offense, averaging 348 yards per game, second worst in the conference, but 26 points per game. Rocco Becht has thrown for 2,120 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. Regardless of how their defense plays, Becht has to play good for ISU to stay in the game. I think he does, but Texas wins without Brooks, 24-17. Odds: TEX -7.5, O/U 46.5
  11. Syracuse @ Georgia Tech - Both teams are gunning for a bowl games, as they are both at 5-5. Georgia Tech have been a very upset frenzy team this year, but are the favorites in this one. As for Syracuse, they’re a very interesting team when it comes to their record. Like I stated earlier, they’re 5-5, but 1-5 in ACC play. They went undefeated in non-conference play, but then lost 5 straight before picking up their first ACC win last week against Pitt. They won 28-13, as their rushing attack carried the game for them. Garrett Shrader missed a few games this year, but came back against Pitt. He only threw 2 passes, completing 1 of them. However, it went for 5 yards and a touchdown. Dan Villari got most of the snaps, going 3/5 for 12 yards. But Syracuse did most of their damage on the ground. Villari had 17 carries for 154 yards and a touchdown. LeQuint Allen had 28 carries for 102 yards. Shrader had 14 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown as well. Shrader’s touchdown run came from 21 yards out, while Villari’s was from 27. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but Villari isn’t a quarterback. He isn’t a running back either. He’s a tight end. He’s caught 2 touchdowns this year too. As for Shrader, he’s thrown for 1,510 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 picks. He’s ran for 410 yards and 7 touchdowns. He led Syracuse in receiving yards last week, with one catch for 6 yards. LeQuint Allen has ran for 800 yards and 7 touchdowns on 166 carries. Syracuse didn’t need to throw the ball last week, something that they’ve done well this season. They average 176 rush yards per game, sixth in the ACC. Syracuse should continue to run the ball very well and effectively this week, as Georgia Tech is horrible at stopping the run. They allow 224 rush yards per game, worst in the ACC. On top of that, they’re the only team in the conference that have allowed more than 2,000 rush yards this year, and it’s not close. GT has allowed 2,240 rush yards, while Boston College is behind them at 1,884. Georgia Tech has the worst defense in the ACC, dead last in yards per game and second worst in points per game. They allow 456 yards per game and 31 points per game. Once again, Georgia Tech is the only team in the conference that’s allowed more than a certain amount of yards, this time it’s more than 4,000 total yards. They’re great on offense, however, with Haynes King slotting in at third in the conference in passing yards. He’s thrown for 2,460 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. King’s also ran for 540 yards and 6 touchdowns. Another player in the top 5 of his respective stat is Jamal Haynes. He’s fifth in the ACC, with 770 yards. He’s also ran for 6 touchdowns in 130 carries. This whole game depends on how well Georgia Tech’s defense plays, but I think they play better than normal, as Georgia Tech wins, 45-28. Odds: GT -6.5, O/U 53.5
  12. Illinois @ (16) Iowa - After an incredible performance last week, John Paddock and Illinois run into Iowa’s red hot defense. For Illinois, it was all offense last week. Luke Altmyer has out, and Paddock stepped up. He threw for 507 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 pick. Isaiah Williams had 9 catches for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns last week. He’s had two straight great games, as he caught 13 passes for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns, including the game winner over Minnesota. Williams has caught 68 passes for 890 yards and 5 touchdowns. That game winning pass also came from Paddock, as Altmyer got hurt late. This duo has potential to bring Illinois into a bowl game, as they sit and 5-5. Altmyer is set to return this week, but if I’m Brett Bielema, I’m sticking with the hot hand. Altmyer coming back will bring some good back into the offense and some bad. He’s thrown for 1,880 yards, 13 touchdowns, but 10 picks. He’s also ran for 280 yards and 3 touchdowns. But even though Altmyer hasn’t always been the best, he’s still been better than Deacon Hill. Hill took over for Cade McNamara, as he went out for the rest of the year. Hill’s thrown for 715 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 5 picks. However, he’s been doing this on a completion percentage of 46.5%. Against Purdue, he had a completion percentage of 28.6%. He’s put together two good games when it comes to completing passes, as he went over 60% in both of Iowa’s last two games. Iowa’s top two pass catchers, both tight ends, are also out for the year. We all know how bad Iowa’s offense has been, but they keep on winning games because their defense is doing what they do best. They shut out Rutgers last week, allowing only 127 yards of total offense last week. They allow 281.5 yards per game, fourth in the Big Ten. They also allow 12 points per game, third in the conference. Altmyer is much easier quarterback to stop than John Paddock, and we saw that last week. Because Altmyer is getting the start, Iowa wins, 20-7. Odds: IOWA -3, O/U 31.5
  13. (3) Michigan @ Maryland - After another win over a ranked team, this time without their coach, Michigan has one more game before their big clash with Ohio State to end the year. Jim Harbaugh has accepted his suspension for the rest of the regular season, and that’s was imposed before last week. Michigan won, and in dominate fashion. They didn’t need to throw the ball, and combined for 227 rush yards last week. They didn’t throw a single pass in the second half, and that’s contributed to Michigan holding the ball for 33 minutes. Blake Corum had 26 carries for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns last week. He’s scored a touchdown in every game this year, but most have came from inside the 5 yard line. He has a total of 18 touchdowns, and also has 794 yards and 152 carries on the year. If Michigan does the same thing this week that they did last week, they should control the ball and have another win. This win would be special, as it would be Michigan’s 1,000 win in the history of their program, being the first team to do that ever. Although this win could potentially be vacated due to the ongoing investigation for the sign stealing scandal, I doubt it, and I hope that doesn’t happen. JJ McCarthy has been thrown in some Heisman talks, but not mine because Michigan hasn’t played anybody except for Penn State, and when he played, he didn’t do much through the air. He’s slowly moving up the list, and could be in my top ten based off what he does against Ohio State. He’s thrown for 2,194 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He’s also ran for 3 touchdowns. He only had 34 rush yards last week in Michigan’s onslaught. As for Maryland, they’ve had a hard and bumpy fall from grace. They started out 5-0, rolling into the Ohio State game red hot. They lost by 20, and have won just one game since. That has last week, and it was a 13-10 win over Nebraska. Taulia Tagovailoa has thrown for 2,770 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions so far this year, leading the Big Ten in passing yards. Even though Maryland averages 396.5 yards per game, third in the Big Ten, and 281 pass yards per game, second in the conference, they can’t run the ball. They average 115.5 rush yards per game, fourth worst in the conference. Roman Hemby leads the team with 109 carries for 515 yards and 4 touchdowns. He caught a touchdown two weeks ago and the week before that, but he hasn’t scored on the ground since week 3. Maryland is lucky enough to be making a bowl game, but they’ve fallen off a cliff like no other. That fall continues, as Michigan wins, 35-19. Odds: MICH -19.5, O/U 49.5
  14. (14) Oklahoma @ BYU - With a dream reborn at making the Big 12 championship game, Oklahoma carries their hopes into a big one against BYU. With both Kansas and Oklahoma State, the teams that beat Oklahoma, losing last week, and Oklahoma winning, they have another shot. Dillon Gabriel has thrown for 3,070 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 5 picks. He’s also ran for 340 yards and 11 touchdowns. He played exceptional last week, throwing for 420 yards. He had 8 total touchdowns, 5 through the air and 3 on the ground. Drake Stoops also had a big game, with 10 catches for 164 yards and 3 touchdowns. He’s caught 62 passes for 690 yards and 9 touchdowns this year. He is light years ahead of the next closest player in catches on OU, as Jalil Farooq has 35 catches. He also has 580 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nic Anderson has also been a reliable target for Gabriel, with 24 catches for 616 yards and 8 touchdowns. If Oklahoma is going to want to contend for the Big 12 title this year, everybody needs to go all out. That includes Danny Stutsman, who’s been crazy on defense. He leads OU with 81 tackles, and also has 2 sacks, 2 pass deflections, 1 pick that went back for a touchdown, and a forced fumble with a fumble recovery. For BYU, they’re also trying to make it to a big game. It’s a bowl game for them, and they’re at 5-5. Kedon Slovis hasn’t played the past two weeks, and they’ve lost both games in blowouts. They lost to West Virginia 37-7 and Iowa State 45-13. All of BYU’s losses were by two scores or more. Jake Retzlaff started those two games, throwing for 314 yards, 1 touchdown, and 2 interceptions. Slovis is questionable for this game one, and with the lack of offense explosion the past two weeks and their battles with running the ball so far this year, Oklahoma wins this key game for them, 38-17. Odds: OU -25, O/U 57.5
  15. NC State @ Virginia Tech - Virginia Tech got a big win for them last week, and are now eyeing bowl eligibility as NC State are looking for their fourth straight win and potentially a ranking. NC State is one of the best non ranked teams, up there with James Madison and USC. However, they have some problems that I’ll get to later. Starting with VT, they beat Boston College 48-22 last week, and Kyron Drones had a great game. He threw for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also running for 135 yards, leading VT in rush yards. That’s a combined 355 yards, and VT had 600 total yards. Drones has thrown for 1,524 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions this year, while also running for 540 yards and 4 touchdowns. Drones and Virginia Tech were just hitting their stride before getting destroyed by Louisville, but they got back on track last week. If they can continue their play from last week, they can reach a bowl game. Drones and Bhayshul Tuten have been carrying the offense, and Tuten has 137 carries for 610 yards and 7 touchdowns this year. VT averages 173 rush yards per game, seventh in the ACC. NC State is great at stopping the run, allowing 100 rush yards per game, third in the conference. On top of that, they allowed 19.4 points per game, fourth in the ACC. But that’s not where the problems are for NC State. Brennan Armstrong was benched a few weeks back after some bad performances, and MJ Morris started in his place. Morris didn’t want to burn his redshirt, however, so he won’t be playing for the rest of the year, essentially quitting on his team. Armstrong has been thrusted back into the starting role, and has thrown for 1,080 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 6 picks. He’s also ran for 430 yards and 4 touchdowns. He leads NC State in both passing and rushing yards. He’s already been benched for bad performances earlier this year, and just because he didn’t play as much since doesn’t mean he magically gets better. Virginia Tech wins, 24-10. Odds: VT -2.5, O/U 41.5
  16. Nebraska @ Wisconsin - This one is a big one for not only both teams hopes at making a bowl game, but one of these two teams could win the Big Ten West. On top of that, Wisconsin hasn’t had a losing season since 2001, when Barry Alvarez was the head coach. It’s also the longest streak in college football. All Wisconsin needs to do is win 2 more games, and that’s all starts this week. They’ve been on a slide as of late, losing their last three games. Both Braelon Allen and Tanner Mordecai have missed some games, which has contributed to that stretch. However, both played last week and Wisconsin still lost. They lost to Northwestern, 24-10, but fell behind 24-3 at one point. Their only touchdown came with 11 seconds left in the game. Allen only got 3 carries for 3 yards. Hopefully he can play the whole game this week. He’s ran for 760 yards and 8 touchdowns on 133 carries. Chez Mellusi, Wisconsin’s second back, has been out for the year since the Purdue game. Mordecai didn’t play bad, throwing for 255 yards and running for 25 mire. However, he threw the ball 45 times, something that has to change. Wisconsin was obviously behind for most of the game, but when Wisconsin runs the ball as well as they do, you can’t just abandon the run. They also shouldn’t throw it as much because Mordecai’s injury was his throwing hand being broken. Mordecai’s thrown for 1,380 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 picks in just 7 games this season. He’s also ran for 4 touchdowns. Luke Fickell has to change up the offense when Wisconsin is down, otherwise their season will be in jeopardy. As for Nebraska, they were very shaky last week. I’ll start with the good, and that’s was that Nebraska kept it close for most of the game. The bad news is, however, that they lost on a last second field goal, and their offense only scored 10 points. Three different quarterbacks played last week. Heinrich Haarberg, who’s been the starter for most of the season, went 1/5 for zero yards and a pick. He also had two rushes for zero yards. However, he got injured, and Nebraska isn’t quite sure on who the starter will be this week. Jeff Sims threw most of the passes, going 8/13 for 62 yards, but 2 picks. He also ran the ball 10 times for 33 yards. Sims was the starter at the beginning of the season, but was injured and replaced. He’s turned it over a lot this season, and if he starts things should be shaky at qb. The third player has Chubb’s Purdy, who went 1/3 for 24 yards and another pick. He also had 33 yards, but on 3 carries. Nebraska threw 4 picks in total, and also lost a fumble. Regardless of who starts for Nebraska, things are going to be bad. Wisconsin clinch led bowl eligibility while Nebraska loses 3 straight, 24-10. Odds: WIS -6, O/U 36.5
  17. UCF @ Texas Tech - Both teams are coming off upsets, and look for bowl eligibility. Starting with UCF, they blew out Oklahoma State 45-3 for their second straight win. It was also their second conference win. They held Ollie Gordon II to just 25 yards, something they struggled with this season. They allow 196 rush yards per game, last in the Big 12. However, they allow just 205 pass yards per game, second in the conference. They’re also great on offense, and we say that last week. John Rhys Plumlee threw for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also running for 74 yards. He’s thrown for 1,570 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He’s also ran for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns. He’s missed 3 games, but since coming back he’s been pretty good. RJ Harvey also had a big game, with 24 carries for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns. He’s had two straight games now with 3 touchdowns. He’s ran for 1,080 yards and 12 touchdowns on 170 carries. UCF should continue to run the ball for most of the game, as they had 290 rushing yards on 51 carries. UCF also controlled the ball for nearly 35 minutes. Texas Tech is also really good at running the ball. Tahj Brooks has 226 carries for 1,170 yards and 8 touchdowns. He had 33 carries for 133 yards and a touchdown. He’s scored in the last 6 games for Texas Tech. Behren Morton has only played in 7 games this season, and has thrown for 1,154 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. TTU averages 231 pass yards per game, but 169 rush yards per game. If Texas Tech can establish their running game like they did last week, they can win again. However, UCF’s offense is too powerful for Texas Tech’s defense, and they win 38-17. Odds: TTU -2.5, O/U 59.5
  18. Kentucky @ South Carolina - Kentucky and South Carolina are both playing their last SEC game this season, and looking to end it in a strong way. Starting with Kentucky, they’re led by Ray Davis, who’s ran for 930 yards and 11 touchdowns on 160 carries. He’s also caught 24 passes for 260 yards and 5 touchdowns. He had 12 carries for 26 yards last week, but 2 touchdowns. He also had 5 catches for 32 yards. Davis is weapon when it comes to both the running game and the passing, and South Carolina are going to have their hands full this week. They allow 145 rush yards per game, but 268.4 pass yards per game, worst in the SEC. Devin Leary hasn’t been much of a threat this season, with 2,060 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He’s done all this on a 57.1% completion percentage, his worst since his freshman year. He’s only thrown for 300 or more yards three times this season, and has only had one game over 200 yards in the past 5. He went 17/31 for 158 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 pick last week in the blowout loss to Alabama. As for South Carolina, they’re pretty much to opposite of Kentucky on offense. They don’t run the ball well, and throw it extremely well. Spencer Rattler has thrown for 2,870 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He’s also ran for 4 touchdowns. His top receiver has been Xavier Legette, who’s caught 59 passes for 1,090 yards and 5 touchdowns. After two bad games, he bounced back against Jacksonville State, catching 9 passes for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns. He followed that up with 9 catches for 120 yards last week. He’s second in receiving yards in the SEC. However, SC is horrible when it comes to running the ball. They average 91.4 rush yards per game, worst in the conference. They also have the second least amount of rushing attempts, with 312. Kentucky is last, with 264, but they average 136 rush yards per game. SC also allows 413.6 yards per game, and Kentucky will run all over them, winning 31-14. Odds: SC -2, O/U 52.5
  19. (23) Oklahoma State @ Houston - After a disappointing blowout loss, Oklahoma needs to bounce back to stay in contention for the Big 12. Ollie Gordon II has been one of the most surprising players this year, and has been the best running back. He’s ran for 1,250 yards and 12 touchdowns on 186 carries this year. He leads the country in rushing yards. After weeks of dominance, he was humbled last week. He had 12 carries for a measly 25 yards, while catching 2 passes for 27 yards. He also lost a fumble in the blowout loss. He needs to play better if Oklahoma wants a shot at winning the Big 12. Another player that needs to play better is Alan Bowman. He completed 52.8% of his passes, for 225 yards and 3 picks. He’s thrown for 2,140 yards, 8 touchdowns, but 8 interceptions. He’s been pretty much a glorified game manager, but when the running game can’t get going, he’s going to struggle. He’s thrown a lot of passes in pretty much every game where he’s been the starter for most of the game, but hasn’t always completed them at a high rate. He has a completion percentage of 58%. Remember, just two weeks ago Oklahoma State was on top of the world after knocking off Oklahoma, but fell back into their old ways last week. As for Houston, they still have a chance at a bowl game, although they have to win out and haven’t had a winning streak longer than one game so far this year. Donovan Smith hasn’t been bad, throwing for 2,405 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 picks. He threw for just 102 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 picks on a 57.1% completion percentage last week. He needs to improve this week if Houston wants a shot at a bowl. I don’t think he does however, and OKST gets back on track, winning 34-13. Odds: OKST -6.5, O/U 58.5
  20. App State @ James Madison - The Dukes are hosting GameDay, and for good reason. They’re 10-0, lead by one of the best defensive lines in the country. They’ve sacked opposing quarterbacks 43 times, the most in the country. Jalen Green leads the country with 15.5 sacks. He also has 2 forced fumbles, and leads the best rushing defense in the country. However, he is out for the season, a big hit to this defense. Stepping up for this defense will have to be Jamree Kromah, who has 9 sacks. They allow only 61.6 rush yards per game, and only 616 total rush yards the whole season. Both are the best in the country. Because of how good their defense has been, their offense can become comfortable, and play well. They average 433 yards per game and 34 points per game, both top 5 in the Sun Belt. Jordan McCloud has thrown for 2,800 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He’s second in the Sun Belt in passing yards. McCloud has also ran for 310 yards and 6 touchdowns. He has a great pair of receivers, Reggie Brown and Elijah Sarratt. Brown has 45 catches for 900 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Sarratt has 60 catches for 840 yards and 4 touchdowns. With Green out, James Madison’s offense is going to have to go off. App State also has a good offensive, headlined by quarterback Joey Aguilar. He’s thrown for 2,660 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He has also ran for 260 yards and 2 touchdowns. Even though Aguilar has good numbers, no receiver has really broken out. That gives way to the running game. Nate Noel has 149 carries for 766 yards and 5 touchdowns, while Kayne Roberts has 84 carries for 484 and 4 touchdowns. Those two should have a big game, and this game has big implications on who wins the Sun Belt East. JMU has the perfect stop for App State’s rushing attack, and they win, 38-13. Odds: JMU -10, O/U 55.5
  21. Baylor @ TCU - “The Big 12 Mid Game of the Week” puts two teams that have been great in recent years, but have been slipping since. For Baylor, they went 12-2 in 2021, before going 6-7 last year. They will miss a bowl game this year, but are looking for a bounce back year in 2024. As for TCU, they went to the national championship last year, and with the three best offensive players and their offensive coordinator leaving, TCU’s offense has dropped off. They went from scoring 39 points per game in 2022 to only 29 this year. That’s still a good number, but they haven’t scored 30 or more in 3 straight games. That last game was a 44-11 win over BYU, but TCU have lost 3 straight, including a 41-3 loss to Kansas State. Chandler Morris got injured earlier this season, and hasn’t played since the Iowa State game. Josh Hoover has taken his place, and has been inconsistent at times. He’s thrown for 1,450 yards, but 9 touchdowns to 8 interceptions. He’s only a freshman, so he has lots of time to improve. Emani Bailey has helped out Hoover, and went for over 1,000 yards last week. He has 186 carries for 1,006 yards and 5 touchdowns on the year, the fifth most in the Big 12. As for Baylor, they’ve also had different quarterbacks play due to injury. Blake Shapen missed some time at the start of the year, but has came back as the starter and played well. He’s thrown for 1,990 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 3 picks. He’s also ran for 3 touchdowns. Baylor is pretty bad at running the ball, averaging 111 rush yards per game. That’s second worst in the conference. Dominic Richardson leads the team with 430 yards, but has no touchdowns. TCU is going to run all over Baylor, as the Horned Frogs get the 26-14 win. Odds: TCU -13.5, O/U 61.5
  22. SMU @ Memphis - Both teams are sitting at 8-2. With SMU undefeated in conference play. Memphis’ conference loss is to Tulane, and they are currently leading the American. For SMU, they’ve showed time after time that they can score points. In their two losses, SMU has scored 11 points and 17 points. Outside of that, the least amount of points they’ve scored is 31. In back to back weeks, they scored 55 and then 69. They scored 45 last week, behind a big game from their top 2 rushers. Jaylan Knighton had 17 rushes for 130 yards and a touchdown, adding to his totals of 111 carries for 640 yards and 5 touchdowns. LJ Johnson Jr. had 20 rushes for 106 yards and he also had a touchdown. On the year, he has 78 carries for 430 yards and 2 touchdowns. Preston Stone has also gotten in on the rushing action, with 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. Through the air, he has 2,590 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 6 picks. Memphis also has a good rushing offense, with Blake Watson closing in on 1,000 yards. He has 910 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 152 carries on the year. He’s also caught 43 passes for 390 yards and 2 touchdowns. One of those came last week, as he had 3 total touchdowns, including the winning one in overtime last week. Brandon Thomas only has 85 yards, but 7 touchdowns. Seth Henigan has ran for 230 yards and 4 touchdowns, while throwing for 2,864 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He has a good pair of receivers, Roc Taylor and Demeer Blankumsee. Taylor has 50 catches for 780 yards and 4 touchdowns. Blankumsee has 49 catches for 670 yards and 4 touchdowns. Memphis can also score points, as the least they’ve put up is only 21. They average 40 points per game, while SMU averages 40.5. They are both at the top of the American. You might be thinking, so why is this game so low on the list? They both have great offenses and it should be a close game. Those things are true, but Memphis’ defense has struggled a lot this year, they allowed 416 yards per game and 28 points per game. Five of their games have been finished by one score, and another game by 9 points. SMU is the exact opposite, allowing 291 yards per game and 16.4 points per game, both best in the American. They also have 35 sacks, second most in the American. Only one of SMU’s games have finished within one score. Because their offense is good, I think Memphis should be able to score some points, but SMU’s defense shuts them down in the second half, and SMU wins, 45-21. Odds: SMU -9, O/U 64.5
  23. New Mexico State @ Auburn - This might seemed far fetched, but New Mexico State has already clinched a spot in their conference championship game, while Auburn clinched a bowl game last week. Auburn blew out Arkansas, 48-10, and Payton Thorne finally looked good. He threw for 163 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 pick. He also ran for 88 yards and a touchdown. On the year, Thorne has thrown for 1,430 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He’s also ran for 425 yards and 3 touchdowns. He hasn’t always looked the best, but because of his rushing stats, he’s kept his starting spot. Jarquez Hunter has 124 carries for 745 yards and 7 touchdowns. Auburn averages 207 yards per game, third best in the SEC. Auburn ran for 354 yards last week in the big win, and should do the same this week. As for NMSU, they also run the well. They average 420 yards per game, second in the CUSA. They average 205.5 rush yards per game, led by their quarterback, Diego Pavia. He’s ran for 700 yards and 5 touchdowns, while throwing for 2,260 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 6 picks. He’s third in the CUSA in passing yards, while NMSU averages 214 pass yards per game. After Pavia, Monte Watkins has 530 yards. He also has 2 touchdowns on 49 carries. Right behind him is Star Thomas, who has 88 carries for 515 yards and 4 touchdowns. The rushing games are going to go head to head, but Auburn has a three game winning streak, and when they’re hot, they’re really good. Auburn wins, 48-13. Odds: AUB -26.5, O/U 48.5
  24. Georgia State @ (15) LSU - Just like the last matchup, another group of five team travels to the SEC to take on a hot team. For LSU, Jayden Daniels has been their star. I talk more e about him in the Heisman section of this post, so go check that out. He had 606 total yards last week and 5 total touchdowns, and should continue on a tear this game. He also leads LSU in rushing, but their leading back is Logan Diggs. Diggs has 113 carries for 635 yards and 6 touchdowns, but didn’t play last week. That’s why Daniels did so well in the ground. Even if Diggs plays this week, Daniels should carry this offense again. Daniels has two top tier receivers, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. Nabers has 72 catches for 1,284 yards and 10 touchdowns. Thomas has 51 catches for 920 yards and 13 touchdowns. The next closest player to Thomas is Kyren Lacy, who has 350 yards. As for Georgia State, they run the ball very well. Marcus Carroll has an insane 244 carries for 1,206 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s third in rushing yards in the country, and his 244 carries is the most in the country. The next closest player to Carroll in carries is Tahj Brooks at Texas Tech, and he has 226. In the loss last week, Carroll had 34 carries for 113 yards. Georgia State has struggled lately, but I think they can keep up with LSU in at least the first quarter due to how bad LSU’s defense is. LSU does win, however, 42-14. Odds: LSU -32, O/U 73.5
  25. Purdue @ Northwestern - Northwestern is fighting for a bowl game and although people might say that they don’t deserve won after the hazing scandal, they’ve played well. Northwestern dismantled Wisconsin last week, 24-10. Ben Bryant started his first game in over a month, and he threw for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also running for  another touchdown. On the year, he’s thrown for 1,120 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. He’s also ran for 3 touchdowns. If Bryant can put together another good game, Northwestern will be going bowling. As for Purdue, they don’t have a shot at a bowl game, but picked up their third win last week. They can make a shot a 5-7, which would turn around their season. Hudson Card has thrown for 2,110 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He’s turned it over a lot, but the whole team didn’t turn the ball over once last week, and put up 604 yards and 49 points in return. Their defense struggled, but tightened up near the end of the game, only allowing two scores in the second half. Devin Mockobee had a big game, and has 142 carries for 710 yards and 5 touchdowns. He’s been a bright spot in this team. I think what happened last week for Purdue happens again, and they win, 38-20. Odds: PUR -3, O/U 48.5


My top 5 Heisman candidates

  1. Michael Penix Jr. - Penix retains the number one spot on my list after another great performance against a great defense. Penix threw for 332 yards and 2 touchdowns, both going to Rome Odunze in the 35-28 win over Utah. Penix also ran for a touchdown, his second on the year. That was his sixth game this season that he’s thrown for 330 or more yards.  He’s thrown for 3,530 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 7 picks on the year. The passing yards are the most in college football. Washington has a tough Oregon State team this week before finishing the season against Wazzu. If Penix can once again pick apart defenses, he’ll end up as the Heisman winner.
  2. Jayden Daniels - Wow. Daniels just put on a show against Florida last week. He threw for 372 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also running for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns. That’s 606 yards of total offense. Daniels became the first player in FBS history with 350 passing yards and 200 rush yards in one game. On the year, Daniels has thrown for 3,164 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 4 picks. He’s also ran for 920 yards and 8 touchdowns. He leads LSU in rushing, and has the third most passing yards in the country, and first in the SEC. He should have more than 1,000 rushing yards this season, and he already leads all quarterbacks. If not for LSU’s losses, Daniels would be number one on this list. If your team has lost a majority of their games, the best player isn’t going to be the frontrunner. Even though that’s not his scenario, Daniels is the only player on this list in which his team has more than one loss. LSU has a pretty easy schedule the rest of the way, and the bowl game, if he plays, should boost his chances at the Heisman.
  3. Bo Nix - Nix moved down the list, but that’s only because of a big game from Jayden Daniels. Nix and Oregon torches the USC defense all day, winning 36-27. Nix threw for 412 yards and 4 touchdowns, his second straight game with 4 passing touchdowns. This was also his first game this season with 400 or more passing yards. After his second pass of the game, Nix has 2/2 for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns. One was a 77 yard strike to Tex Johnson, while the other pass was 84 yards to Troy Franklin. The other two touchdowns were from 15 and 21 yards out. On the year, Nix has thrown for 3,135 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 2 picks. He’s also ran for 5 touchdowns. Last year, Nix had 510 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. This year, he has only 121 yards and the aforementioned 5 touchdowns. But it’s not like he’s gotten worst at running. He had 89 total carries last year, and only 38 this year. He was sacked only 5 times last year and 4 times this year. Another stat to point out is his completion percentage. He’s completed 77.7% of his passes this year, the best in the country. his lowest completion percentage in one game is only 72%. Oregon has an easy game against Arizona State this week before taking on Oregon State to end the season. If Oregon can play their way into the Pac 12 championship, I think they have a very good chance at beating Washington, who is most certainly going there. If Oregon does win out, Nix will be going to New York as a finalist. 
  4. Jalen Milroe - After setting school records and clinching the SEC West, Milroe has a chance for the Heisman. Last week, he threw for 3 touchdowns, and ran for 3 more as Alabama blew out Kentucky, 49-21. Milroe became the first ever quarterback in Alabama history with 3 passing and 3 rushing touchdowns in a game. He had 270 total yards, 234 through the air. He also threw an interception, but was not sacked once, something that Alabama’s offensive line has struggled with this season. On the year, he’s thrown for 2,070 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He’s also ran for 330 yards and 12 touchdowns. Milroe leads all quarterbacks with the most rushing touchdowns. He did get banged up a bit, but finished the game with those big numbers. The past two weeks, he’s beaten teams with his legs, and did a bit of both this week. He’s came a long way from bringing benched after the Texas loss, and it might pay off big time. Alabama has Chattanooga this week, so he should have executional numbers and should probably be pulled in at least the fourth quarter. Alabama is going to the SEC championship, and they’ll be taking in Georgia. If Milroe can play well in that game, against one of the best defenses in the country, he could shoot up this list.
  5. Jordan Travis -  Travis and Florida State played their hardest game of their season so far. FSU beat Miami, 27-20, behind a big game from Travis. He’s been in and out of my list, but because of a good game and a bad one from Ollie Gordon II, Travis comes back into my top 5. He threw for 265 yards and a touchdown, and although that might seem like not a whole lot, his presence and experience showed. He stayed calm under pressure, with only 12 incompletions and 19 completions. In the year, he’s thrown for 2,734 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He’s also ran for 7 touchdowns. FSU has already clinched a ACC championship game appearance, and could possibly make the playoffs if everything goes smoothly.
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