Last Week: 22-4
Overall: 246-80, 75%
All Times Central, games Saturday unless otherwise noted
SEC Championship Game
No.2 LSU 20, No.4 Georgia 10
3 PM CT
CBS
LSU by 7
Like Joe to get enough done offensively. The Georgia offense is not too swift. Jake Fromm is an above average quarterback, but not great. He’s missing star receiver Lawrence Cager due to injury and another key receiver, Hoover’s George Pickens, a freshman, is suspended for the first half for fighting with a GA Tech player last Saturday. Star running back D’Andre Swift is also banged up but will play. Georgia’s defense will keep them in it, but I don’t see them having enough offense. LSU held A&M to 7 points last Saturday in a 51-7 victory, so they’ve improved. Think the Tigers secure their playoff spot and make a strong case for the No.1 ranking as their schedule is the toughest of the top teams and they’ve gone undefeated. That’s a really strong argument the Bengal Tigers have. If LSU wins, the “Committee” should put them on top.
Big 12 Championship
No. 6 Oklahoma 35, No.7 Baylor 30
11 AM
ABC
OU by 9
Baylor gives the Sooners everything they want, but OU holds on. With a Georgia loss and a Utah and Oklahoma victory, I like Oklahoma as the better team and the fourth team in. If Baylor wins I like Baylor. The Big 12 is a stronger conference than the Pac-12.
Friday
Pac-12 Championship
No. 5 Utah 28, No. 13 Oregon 21
7 PM
ABC
Utes by 6 1/2
Not taking anything away from “Duh Utes,” they’ve had a phenomenal season, but Oklahoma and Baylor have stronger cases.
Big Ten Championship
No. 1 Ohio State 42, No.8 Wisconsin 28
7 PM
FOX
Ohio State by 16 1/2
I like Wisconsin to keep it interesting for a while. If LSU takes care of business , they should leapfrog the Buckeyes. Schedule is just so much tougher for the Bengal Tigers and going into Alabama and winning, who does that? That’s the difference right there is LSU defeats Georgia.
ACC Championship
No. 3 Clemson 45, No.23 Virginia 10
6:30 PM
ABC
Clemson by 28 1/2
Clemson is catching a lot of heat for playing such a pathetic schedule and Dabo Swinney is really sensitive about it. There’s no doubt, the schedule has been a joke. Not sure they can help that the ACC is so weak, but if they happen to lose, which as Walt Pittman quoted Barney Fife, “That’s from the movie Fat Chance”,” they’d fall out. They’ll win and win convincingly, but they’ll face stiff competition in the playoff, so we’ll see what Clemson really is then.
American Conference Championship
No.17 Memphis 31, No. 20 Cincinnati 27
2:30 PM
ABC
Memphis by 9 1/2
The Tigers just defeated the Bearcats last Saturday, 34-24, but I like it closer and a tougher game in a rematch. Memphis secures the victory and should very well lock up its spot in the Cotton Bowl playing opposite of maybe the No.12 Crimson Tide on Saturday, December 28th at 11 AM, though the No. 9 Florida Gators and the No.11 Auburn Tigers have made strong cases themselves and are just as deserving. Maybe all 3 can go though it would be tough to take all 3.
Mountain West Championship
No. 19 Boise State 41, Hawaii 30
3 PM
ESPN
Boise by 14
They’re playing on that terrible Blue Turf at Albertson’s Stadium in Boise where Boise is 126-9 since 1999. The blue uniforms should be outlawed on that blue field. It’s an laughable unfair advantage. The Mountain West outlawed them in 2011, but once Boise turned down joining the Big East Conference in 2013, the ban was lifted. The NCAA “thought” about making the Broncos wear different uniforms than the blue, but as usual, flamed out and didn’t do it. Typical do nothing work by NCAA President Mark Emmert and his outfit. They just don’t get much accomplished there. When are they going to hammer these basketball coaches? They talked tough, but as usual are taking forever to get anything done. Boise doesn’t belong in the New Year’s Six because of the uniforms.
Conference USA Championship
Florida Atlantic 38, UAB 28
12:30 PM
CBS Sports Network
FAU by 7 1/2
Don’t see the Blazers getting it done in Boca Raton. They finish the season at 9-4 and go to another bowl game under Bill Clark. Lane Kiffin may be controversial but he is getting it done in Boca Raton. His team will move to 10-3 with the victory.
MAC Championship
Central Michigan 38, Miami of Ohio 27
11 AM
ESPN 2
Central Michigan by 6 1/2
Jim McElwain, known as Coach Mac with Alabama fans and other SEC fans, has done a terrific job for the Chippewas. He’ll go to 9-4 with the victory for a team that was picked to finish last in the conference. That’s some awesome coaching.
Sun Belt Championship
No. 21 Appalachian State 31 Louisiana 14
11 AM
ESPN
App State by 6
App State is close to the New Year’s Six Bowl. They’d have to have a Cincy victory, a Boise State loss and help from the Committee to make it. It’ll be tough, but 12-1 is spectacular. Solid bowl game for the Mountaineers and a lot to build upon.
18 Responses
Thanks as always for the previews DW! You correctly predicted the Auburn victory last week. Well done! Mr. Fun concurs with your selections for this weeks games.
Nice picking last week DW and thanks for the Bernard P. Fife reference! I like your picks to click this week also and agree that LSU will jump the Buckeyes. I think there will be a lot of eyes out of North Mississippi and Arkansas watching that Conference USA game.
Very true, WP. Thanks a lot
Thanks a ton, Fun. Appreciate your support!
Why not keep Boise out of the party on New Years Day? For years, signs were posted at most club houses no Spikes allowed. I know how they feel. Hold it in the road DW!
I like LSU to win as well DW. I think Ohio St and Clemson continue their winning ways but the Utes may be in for a fight. I hope the Blazers can get it done in Boca Raton. Thanks for all the insight!
Thanks Pony!
Thanks Bama G!
DW – Solid job on last week’s picks, as well as the whole season. So many good games on tap for this weekend. Thanks for the analysis. I may not leave my sofa all day on Saturday. JBC
Thanks JBC. Sounds like a great idea. I think I’ll probably join you in that decision on Saturday.
I like LSU big! OSU also big. Clemson too. I think the Utes win and get in. If not the Utes then Jalen Hurts.
I think the Blazers May pull an upset as Kiffin is looking at the three SEC jobs with love in his eyes.
I don’t agree with you on all those opinions, Brownie, but good stuff nevertheless.
Brownie, you could be right about Kiffin and the Blazers could pull it off.
Why do you think Bill Clark isn’t getting more looks?
He’s at UAB and plays an easy schedule in a weak conference every year. The only 3 “tough” games he has played were against Florida, A&M and UT and he got hammered in each of those games. He’s a little unsophisticated, too. Very country. He talks more like a high school than college coach. Not an overly impressive guy in my opinion. He’s done a great job at UAB, but the schedule every year has been weak. Don’t think he’s ready for a bigger job. Not sure he’ll ever be though he may get some chances if he can win big on the Southside next season.
I know Pat Dye was a country boy but he was meant for college coaching. Jeremy Pruitt, another Southerner, has proven he can do well. But Clark didn’t even play college football. Thanks for the great question, Brownie.
Big Oregon win last night.
Geaux LSU today.
Lane Kiffin to Ol Miss,..?
I think all of the fans lost in the hedges have been rescued at Jordan Hare.
Thanks and have a great weekend.
Looks like Kiffin to Ole Miss, SH. Thanks my man!