GKJ
Global Moderator
- Feb 27, 2002
- 187,078
- 39,111
Week 11 is here, finally, as it seems like we had a week's worth of discourse off the field. Good thing we've got two top 10 matchups this week as a couple of bluebloods look to assert themselves while holding true in college football playoff.
But we've got a CFP-ranked team playing Thursday night. #11 Louisville plays host to 2-7 Virginia at 7:30 on ESPN. Louisville is 20.5-point favorites, and they are in control of their destiny for the ACC Championship Game.
Big Noon has the first huge matchup on Saturday, and unquestionably the headlines and turmoil this week surrounds #3 Michigan. It sounds like we're going to know what their sign stealing scandal's punishment will bear, and even though it probably won't take effect this year, the distractions certainly can't be a good thing as they are going to get their first real test of the season, because they are in Happy Valley against #10 Penn State. We'll see if Harbaugh has everyone ready for whatever brilliant gameplan James Franklin has worked on. Maize and Blue are still 4.5-point road favorites.
Also at noon, #8 Alabama heads to Kentucky as 10-point road favorites on ESPN. The Tide looks to have things on the straight and narrow now as they hone in on a trip to Atlanta after their big win in Baton Rouge last week,
#16 Kansas got a big road win at Iowa State last week, they will try to keep things going as they host Texas Tech on FS1.
2pm on Pac 12 Network, #21 Arizona enters the CFP rankings for the first time, they get to descend on Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes, who have now lost 4 of 5, and still need 2 wins to be bowl-eligible. This is Colorado's final home game of the season, which 6 weeks ago looked like would be the game that would cash their ticket to a bowl, but Arizona is having a season better than expected. Pac 12 Network is not Nielsen-rated so we won't know how many people watched.
The afternoon window has a rivalry that used to mean a lot more than it does now, but throw out the record books for 6-3 Miami at #4 Florida State. The Seminoles look free and clear to get a spot in the ACC Championship Game, but in this rivalry, you just never know what can happen if it comes down to a field goal. This game is on ABC at 3:30, FSU -14
There are more ranked matchups, one of them is in Columbia. For some reason, CBS took this game, not sure why, but #13 Tennessee is in town to play #14 Missouri, who lost last week to Georgia, but still get this spot. This game likely determines who is second place in the SEC East and perhaps in-line for an at-large New Year's Six Bowl.
Fox has a big one in the Pac 12 at 3:30, #18 Utah goes to Seattle to play #5 Washington, who come off another huge and high-event win at USC last week. They'll have to respond better than they did after their big win in Oregon if they want to control their destiny for the College Football Playoff. Washington -9.5
Also at 3:30 on Big Ten Network, for all the jokes and fun poked at Iowa's offense, they're 7-2 and ranked #22. They host Rutgers and their stout defense. Iowa is only 1.5-point favorites, but for them, that's a lot since they can't score 20. The over/under is 28.5(!).
#15 Oklahoma State find themselves in 2nd place in the Big 12 after a huge final Bedlam win over the Sooners last week. With wins over teams in 3rd and 4th place now, their remaining schedule are three of the Big 12 debutantes. They are at 4-5 Central Florida this week, and if they hold serve, they will get to see Texas in Dallas. With that said, this is an upset alert! They are only favored by by 2.5 and the 'ESPN matchup predictor' slightly favors UCF, so tread carefully, Cowboys.
The Beavs are on Pac 12 Network this week as well, they are ranked #12 and lay in waiting if Washington slips and they beat Oregon on Black Friday assuming they hold serve, this week they would do so by beating Stanford at home. This is a 5:30 eastern start with Oregon State favored by 21.
The other big top-10 matchup emanates in Athens, where Game Day has shown up this week for their prime time SEC feature, that CBS passed on for some reason. It'll be #9 Ole Miss vs. #2 Georgia. Can Lane Kiffin finally get his win against a blueblood and perhaps get into the CFP discussion? It would definitely send the committee into chaos.
Prime Time also sees #1 Ohio State host Michigan State at 7:30 on NBC. The Spartans and hemorrhaging commitments, and a trip to Columbus probably doesn't help matters in holding whatever standing they have so long as they don't have a coach.
#7 Texas looking to keep pace in the CFP hunt, with Oklahoma now likely out of the way. They haven't convinced the committee that their resume is better than Oregon's despite a win over another top 10 team, but with Maalik Murphy still the starter after a high-wire act beating Kansas State last week, they are only favored by 10 and on the road at TCU on ABC.
Pac 12 After Dark this week has probably one of the best matchups we've ever seen in the 10:30 eastern slot. Of course, if USC could've stayed in the top 10, or even top 25, it probably wouldn't be here, and it will make it that much more difficult for Caleb Williams to get back into the Heisman discussion, which wwith every week seems unlikely. They go to #6 Oregon, who are favored by 15 on ESPN.
But we've got a CFP-ranked team playing Thursday night. #11 Louisville plays host to 2-7 Virginia at 7:30 on ESPN. Louisville is 20.5-point favorites, and they are in control of their destiny for the ACC Championship Game.
Big Noon has the first huge matchup on Saturday, and unquestionably the headlines and turmoil this week surrounds #3 Michigan. It sounds like we're going to know what their sign stealing scandal's punishment will bear, and even though it probably won't take effect this year, the distractions certainly can't be a good thing as they are going to get their first real test of the season, because they are in Happy Valley against #10 Penn State. We'll see if Harbaugh has everyone ready for whatever brilliant gameplan James Franklin has worked on. Maize and Blue are still 4.5-point road favorites.
Also at noon, #8 Alabama heads to Kentucky as 10-point road favorites on ESPN. The Tide looks to have things on the straight and narrow now as they hone in on a trip to Atlanta after their big win in Baton Rouge last week,
#16 Kansas got a big road win at Iowa State last week, they will try to keep things going as they host Texas Tech on FS1.
2pm on Pac 12 Network, #21 Arizona enters the CFP rankings for the first time, they get to descend on Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes, who have now lost 4 of 5, and still need 2 wins to be bowl-eligible. This is Colorado's final home game of the season, which 6 weeks ago looked like would be the game that would cash their ticket to a bowl, but Arizona is having a season better than expected. Pac 12 Network is not Nielsen-rated so we won't know how many people watched.
The afternoon window has a rivalry that used to mean a lot more than it does now, but throw out the record books for 6-3 Miami at #4 Florida State. The Seminoles look free and clear to get a spot in the ACC Championship Game, but in this rivalry, you just never know what can happen if it comes down to a field goal. This game is on ABC at 3:30, FSU -14
There are more ranked matchups, one of them is in Columbia. For some reason, CBS took this game, not sure why, but #13 Tennessee is in town to play #14 Missouri, who lost last week to Georgia, but still get this spot. This game likely determines who is second place in the SEC East and perhaps in-line for an at-large New Year's Six Bowl.
Fox has a big one in the Pac 12 at 3:30, #18 Utah goes to Seattle to play #5 Washington, who come off another huge and high-event win at USC last week. They'll have to respond better than they did after their big win in Oregon if they want to control their destiny for the College Football Playoff. Washington -9.5
Also at 3:30 on Big Ten Network, for all the jokes and fun poked at Iowa's offense, they're 7-2 and ranked #22. They host Rutgers and their stout defense. Iowa is only 1.5-point favorites, but for them, that's a lot since they can't score 20. The over/under is 28.5(!).
#15 Oklahoma State find themselves in 2nd place in the Big 12 after a huge final Bedlam win over the Sooners last week. With wins over teams in 3rd and 4th place now, their remaining schedule are three of the Big 12 debutantes. They are at 4-5 Central Florida this week, and if they hold serve, they will get to see Texas in Dallas. With that said, this is an upset alert! They are only favored by by 2.5 and the 'ESPN matchup predictor' slightly favors UCF, so tread carefully, Cowboys.
The Beavs are on Pac 12 Network this week as well, they are ranked #12 and lay in waiting if Washington slips and they beat Oregon on Black Friday assuming they hold serve, this week they would do so by beating Stanford at home. This is a 5:30 eastern start with Oregon State favored by 21.
The other big top-10 matchup emanates in Athens, where Game Day has shown up this week for their prime time SEC feature, that CBS passed on for some reason. It'll be #9 Ole Miss vs. #2 Georgia. Can Lane Kiffin finally get his win against a blueblood and perhaps get into the CFP discussion? It would definitely send the committee into chaos.
Prime Time also sees #1 Ohio State host Michigan State at 7:30 on NBC. The Spartans and hemorrhaging commitments, and a trip to Columbus probably doesn't help matters in holding whatever standing they have so long as they don't have a coach.
#7 Texas looking to keep pace in the CFP hunt, with Oklahoma now likely out of the way. They haven't convinced the committee that their resume is better than Oregon's despite a win over another top 10 team, but with Maalik Murphy still the starter after a high-wire act beating Kansas State last week, they are only favored by 10 and on the road at TCU on ABC.
Pac 12 After Dark this week has probably one of the best matchups we've ever seen in the 10:30 eastern slot. Of course, if USC could've stayed in the top 10, or even top 25, it probably wouldn't be here, and it will make it that much more difficult for Caleb Williams to get back into the Heisman discussion, which wwith every week seems unlikely. They go to #6 Oregon, who are favored by 15 on ESPN.
I think they get the job done. 
