Kam Pettway is good to go with his 1,106 yards and 7 touchdowns, a huge boost to the Auburn offense as he’ll team up with Kerryon Johnson, who has battled some injuries this season, but looks close to 100% and rushed for 823 yards and 11, sevens. Sean White is up in the air. It may be Jeremy Johnson under center with stuff for John Franklin III. The Crimson Tide looks good to go for the most part. Don’t know of any serious injuries, though there have been some injury issues on the offensive line. Should be another classic. Rivalry games abound throughout the country with conference championship and playoff implications all on the line. Should be quite a Thanksgiving weekend of college football. Here’s a look at the action with predictions enclosed.

Last week: 19-9

Overall: 186-83, 69%

 

The 81st Iron Bowl

No. 13 Auburn (8-3, 5-2) @ No. 1 Alabama (11-0, 7-0)

Bryant-Denny Stadium, T-town, 101, 821

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET

CBS 

Verne, Gary, Allie

The Crimson Tide struggled some in the first half against Chattanooga last Saturday, but the Mocs had a good defense. Jalen Hurts and the offense got it together in the second half with Jalen completing 15 of 21 passes for 136 yards and three, 7’s for the game. He also ran for 68 yards. Damien Harris played well, running for 91 yards and a 7. Alabama holds a 44-25-1 advantage over Auburn, and this one is in Tuscaloosa, so it’s a major advantage for the Crimson Tide. But Kirk Herbstreit said before the season that Auburn’s defense would keep them in every football game and it has. Kam Pettway has developed into an outstanding running back and Kerryon Johnson is one of my favorite players in the SEC. I love his effort and energy. The Crimson Tide’s defense is as good as S has ever had and that’s an extremely high bar. But I’m expecting a good, competitive football game. Jeremy Johnson could get the call for the Tigers with Sean White questionable. I like the Crimson Tide like everybody else, but the Tigers’ defense will keep it close, and give Auburn a shot. They’ll have to figure out how to run the ball and move it against the best defense in the country in the last several years, but if they do, they’ll give themselves a chance.. 

Bama 24, AU 13

 

The Game

No. 3 Michigan (10-1, 7-1)  @ No.2 Ohio State (10-1, 7-1)

Ohio Stadium, Columbus, 104,944

11 AM CT/Noon ET

ABC

Chris, Herbie, Sam

Stellar matchup between two teams in the thick of things for the college football playoff. Jim Harbaugh’s starting quarterback, Wilton Speights, has a broken collarbone, but Jim wants him to play if at all possible. It’ll be hard, so he’ll probably have to go with John O’Korn, who struggled last week against Indiana at the Big House. But Michigan’s defense will keep them in it. Ohio State plays good defense as well, and the quarterback and skilled players edge goes to J.T. Barrett, redshirt freshman running back Mike Weber, who has rushed for 1,046 yards and eight TDs, and  junior tailback Curtis Samuel, who has rushed for 650 yards and 7 TDs. I like this to be a hard fought, highly physical, defensive contest, with the Buckeys a few more plays than the Wolverines. If Ohio State wins and Penn State loses to Michigan State, Ohio State will go to Big Ten Championship game. If Michigan wins, they go to Indianapolis the following Saturday to play Wisconsin or Nebraska. If Wisconsin beats Minnesota, they’ll be the west representative. If Nebraska wins and Wisconsin loses, they’ll go. I expect a backyard brawl in Columbus Saturday. 

Ohio State 14, Michigan 10

 

No. 15 Florida (8-2) @ No. 17 Florida State (8-3)

Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, 82, 300 

7 PM CT/8 PM ET

ABC

Tess, Todd, Holly

Coach Jim McElwain and his Gators went into Baton Rouge last Saturday as a double digit underdog and upset LSU improbably. It was poetic justice as LSU athletic director Joe Alleva had jerked Florida around about the game. The game was supposed to be at Florida originally, but the Hurricane postponed it and LSU wouldn’t play it unless it was at their stadium. The Gators got the last laugh though. They only play 11 regular season games this season because, like LSU, they had to cancel another regularly scheduled game, Florida against Presbyterian and LSU against South Alabama. Glad they did. That was an epic last Saturday. Now they get to play the LSU game in Gainesville the next two years, so it really worked out well for the Gators. Coach Mac can be a little uncomfortable to listen to in interviews, but I like him a lot and he’s a really good football coach. I like the 7 1/2 point underdog Gators to get it done over the Noles Saturday Night. 

Florida 24, FSU 21

 

“Clean, Old Fashioned Hate”

Georgia Tech (7-4) @ Georgia (7-4)

Sanford Stadium, Athens, 92,746

11 AM CT/Noon ET

SEC Network

Dave Neal, Stinch, Olivia Harlan

This should be quite a football game between the Hedges on Saturday. I’m going with the upset here.

Tech 35, Georgia 31

 

The Palmetto Bowl

South Carolina (6-5) @ No. 4 Clemson (10-1)

Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC, “Death Valley”, 81,500

6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET

ESPN

Dave Pasch, Greg, Lugues

This game has major playoff implications for the Tigers, and means a ton to the Gamecocks, who, under first year coach Will Muschamp, are going bowling. Will has needed to change the culture of the program that really floundered at the end of the Steve Spurrier regime. I see Will getting it done in Columbia in the upcoming years, but I like the Tigers of Clemson to get the job done on Saturday Night and survive and advance.

Clemson 31, South Carolina 17

 

No. 17 Tennessee (8-3, 4-3) @ Vanderbilt (5-6,2-5)

Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, 39, 790

6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET

SEC Network

Tom Hart, Andre, Cole 

I love what Derek Mason is doing at VU. Huge victory last Saturday over Ole Miss, 38-17. I’m going with my Dores to pull off the upset.

Vandy 31, UT 28

 

The Egg Bowl

Mississippi State (4-7, 2-5) @ Ole Miss (5-6, 2-5)

Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, 64, 038

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET

SEC Network

Brent, Jess, Kaylee

The Rebs looked like they had it together two weeks ago when super freshman Shea Patterson led them to an electric victory over A&M at College Station with an amazing fourth quarter comeback. But last week, the Vandy defense had Shea running all over the field and his receivers dropped a massive number of passes. But I like the home team here. State’s had a tough year, but I like their program. They will be back, but it’ll be interesting to see if Dan Mullen stays or leaves for what he’d consider a greener pasture, though I think he’s lucky to have the job in Starkville.

Ole Miss 38, Mississippi State 31

 

Thursday

LSU (6-4, 4-3) @ Texas A&M (8-3, 4-3)

Kyle Field, College Station, TX., 102, 733

6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET

ESPN

Dave Flemming, Jess, Laura Rutledge

I’m not sure what to think about this game. Two teams pretty much reeling. I’ll take the favorite here.

LSU 24, A&M 14

 

The Governor’s Cup

Kentucky (6-5) @ No. 11 Louisville (9-2)

Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY 55, 000

11 AM CT/Noon ET

ESPN

Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham, Dr. Jerry Punch

The Cardinals looked to me like an elite team heading into the Houston game last Thursday Night, but the Cougars blasted them and dispelled the belief that they are elite and that Bobby Petrino is an elite coach. He’s a good coach, but not a great coach. He’s not on S’s, Urb’s, or Jim’s level, And many others for that matter. He’s also a pretty lousy guy. He’ll win here because he’s a better coach than Mike Stoops and his team is better.

Louisville 48, Kentucky 21

 

Friday

Arkansas (7-4, 3-4) @ Missouri (3-8, 1-6)

Faurot Field, Columbia, MO., 71,004

1:30 PM CT/2:30 PM ET

CBS

Brett Bielema’s team has confused me with their inconsistency. I’ve picked them to beat Auburn and LSU and they’ve gotten blasted. And then I pick against them at State last Saturday, and they blast State. They’re a confusing team. I do like their team though. They blasted Florida at home and had a really good victory earlier in the season at TCU, which, at the time, looked very good. Brett does a good job in Fayetteville. To make Arkansas elite is a challenge, but he’s doing a really good job there overall.

Hogs 38, Missouri 28

 

Other key games

Saturday

No. 9 Colorado 34, No. 22 Utah 31

6:30 PM CT/7:30 PM ET

FOX

Should be a hard fought, physical football game. These two teams play like SEC schools. These two along with Washington and USC, are SEC-like football teams.

 

Friday

The Apple Cup

No. 5 Washington 38, Washington State 30

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET

Fox Sports 1

Like the Huskies to win here in a good, hard fought game and advance to the Pac-12 Championship game a week from Friday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Cali and keep their hopes alive for getting in the playoff. They have a good shot.  

 

Saturday

No. 6 Wisconsin 28, Minnesota 24

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET

Big Ten Network

The Badgers keep their hopes alive to get in the playoff. It’ll take a victory Saturday, a victory in the Big Ten Championship game and they’re right there. 

 

No.7 Penn State 24, Michigan State 21

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET

ESPN

The Nittany Lions keep their hopes alive for the playoff. If they win out, this week, and next Saturday in the Big Ten Championship game, and the committee is impressed, they’ve got a legitimate shot. I don’t see them as a top four team, but they could get in by winning out. 

Friday

No. 19 Boise State 38, Air Force 35 

2:30 PM CT/3:30 PM ET

CBS Sports Network

The interesting thing about this game is that the Broncos need to win and need Wyoming to lose, so they can be the west representative in the Mountain West Conference Championship game. Wyoming plays at New Mexico, a pretty good team. If Boise State wins, but Wyoming wins, Boise would probably be out of the New Year’s Six bowl.  The highest Group of 5 team at the end of the season in the playoff top 25 rankings goes to the Cotton Bowl. The “Group of Five” is composed of the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West, and the Sun Belt. if Boise loses they would be overtaken by either No. 20 Houston, No. 21 Western Michigan or No. 25 Navy, pending their respective outcomes Saturday. I’m a believer in Houston, but Navy beat them. They’re both better than Western Michigan in my opinion. Navy is the wild card if they win Saturday at SMU, which has become a pretty tough out under Chad Morris, and then beats Army soundly in the Army-Navy game a week from Saturday. I like the Academy to be the Group of 5 rep in the Cotton Bowl if that happens.

 

Friday

Toledo 35, Western Michigan 31

4 PM CT/5 PM ET

ESPN2

Going with the upset here knocking Western Michigan out of the New Year’s Six Bowl.

 

Saturday

No. 25 Navy 42, SMU 38

2:30 PM CT/ 3:30 PM ET

ESPNU

Like the Midshipmen to play well offensively like they always do and survive an explosive offensive team in SMU under Chad Morris. 

 

No. 20 Houston 48, Memphis 24

Friday, 11 AM CT/Noon ET

ABC
 

The Cougars are still a really good football team. Texas is after Tom Herman according to many, but he needs to concentrate on his team. He’s got a good situation with players who are counting on him. 

 

Arizona 42, Arizona State 38

Friday, 8:30 PM CT/ 9:30 PM ET

ESPN

Like Rich Rod to pull off the slight upset at home. 

 

Wyoming 35, New Mexico 31

9:15 PM CT/10:15 PM ET

ESPN2

May be worth staying up later to watch this one. I watched the end of the Wyoming-San Diego State game last Saturday, and it was a classic with Wyoming winning 34-33 after San Diego State scored a touchdown with no time left on the clock, but went for two and didn’t get it as Wyoming knocked the throw back pass down in the end zone to preserve the victory. Craig Bohl, in his second year, has Wyoming at 8-3 and 6-1 in the Mountain West, and with a victory, they earn a trip to the Mountain West Championship game a week from Saturday. But New Mexico is 5-2 in the Mountain Division and 7-4 overall, and a pretty good team under Bob Davie. New Mexico lost to Boise State, so if New Mexico wins, Boise State would host San Diego State in the MWC Championship game. If Wyoming wins, they would host the Mountain West Championship game versus San Diego State, which will win the west. Wyoming could make a case for a New Year’s Six bowl by winning out. So some classic stuff going on in college football this weekend. Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the games.