Thanksgiving weekend means great food, great relaxation time with family and friends and great football as the all important rivalry week is here. Everybody knows what’s going down on the Plains this weekend. A very important game for the No.8 Crimson Tide, which tries to play its way into the Playoff, while the Auburn Tigers want bragging rights and an Iron Bowl victory at home in the most intense rivalry in college football. Michigan hosts Ohio State. Can the Wolverines win one more game before their coach returns from the unable to perform list, or can the Buckeyes pull off the slight upset on the road. Some other key SEC and national contests on the docket this weekend. Should be fun.

Here’s a look at this week’s tilts.

Last week, 17-4, Overall: 175-43, 80%.

ATS: 12-9, 103-111, 48%

No. 8 Alabama (10-1, 7-0 SEC) @Auburn (6-5, 3-4)

Jordan-Hare Stadium

2:30 PM

CBS

Brad, Gary, Jenny

Bama by 14 1/2

This game is always filled with twists and turns, but I gotta go with the superior talent advantage here. The Tide has so much to play for right now. Win out, which means winning at Jordan-Hare, and then figuring out some way to knock off the two time defending national champions and the No.1 team in the country, and I see the Crimson Tide making the playoff. If you make it through the SEC gauntlet unscathed and knock off the Dawgs, are you kiddin’ me? How would the committee ever leave a team out with the Crimson Tide’s history and the way they’ve been playing lately. They definitely pass the eye test with flying colors and two more wins and they’re in, in my eyes. I like them to have a good day on Saturday.

Alabama 35, Auburn 14

No.1 Georgia (11-0, 8-0) @ Georgia Tech (6-5)

Bobby Dodd Stadium, Hot ‘Lanta

6:30 PM

ABC

Sean, Gregory, Molly

Them Dawgs by 24 1/2

The dominance continues for this superb football team.

Georgia 51, Ramblin’ Wreck 10

No.2 Ohio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) @ No.3 Michigan (11-0, 8-0)

Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor

11 AM

FOX

Gus, Joel, Jenny

Michigan by 3 1/2

I like the Wolverines to advance here and the Buckeyes to not be totally done for the playoff, but it’ll be hard if they can’t get over the top at the Big House.

Michigan 24, Ohio State 20

Texas A&M (7-4, 4-3) @ No. 14 LSU (8-3, 5-2)

Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge

11 AM

ESPN

Bob Wischusen, RGIII, Kris Budden

Bengal Tigers by 11 1/2

I like Jayden Daniels to put on another quarterback clinic. He’ll be in New York. Can he win it on a three loss team? That’ll be tough. Bo Nix is putting up massive numbers at Oregon and Michael Pennix Jr., Marvin Harrison Jr. along with Carson Beck and Jalen Milroe are strong candidates on excellent teams. So it’ll be hard for Daniels. Doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s the most electric player in college football and should be at the Heisman Ceremony on Saturday, December 9th at 7 PM CT on ESPN.

LSU 38, A&M 21

Other scores

Friday

No. 9 Missouri 28, Arkansas 24

Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR.

3 PM

CBS

Rich Waltz, Aaron Taylor, Amanda Guerra

Mizzou by 7 1/2

The Missouri Tigers just got by Florida at home last Saturday night, 33-31, on a last second field goal by the great Harrison Mevis. I like Sam and Arkansas to keep this one close though.

Mizzou 28, Arkansas 24

Saturday

No. 5 Florida State 31 Florida 24

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville

6 PM

ESPN

Chris, Kirk, Holly

‘Noles by 6 1/2

Florida State dropped a spot in the CFP rankings, but if they win out, even with quarterback Jordan Travis gone for the season with a knee injury, they still have a great case for making the playoff. With either Ohio State or Michigan canceling themselves out, and the Alabama-Georgia loser possibly canceling themselves out, in Georgia’s case, and Washington playing Oregon in the PAC-12 Championship Game, along with the Big 12 Championship Game, if it’s Texas, some chaos could ensue. And FSU victories over the Gators on the road, and in the ACC Championship Game versus No. 10 Louisville on Saturday, December 2nd at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte at 7 PM CT on ABC, would be very persuasive. The ‘Noles are playing with backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker, who came into the Louisville game in 2022 with the ‘Noles down by a TD and led them to victory. He also threw for 2 TDs and 0 ints last Saturday night versus North Alabama after Travis was injured. So it’s still positive in Tallahassee. But I expect the Gators to give them a tough game even without their starting quarterback Graham Mertz, who got knocked out for the rest of the season with a fractured collarbone last Saturday night at Missouri.

No. 24 Clemson 27, South Carolina 24

Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia

6:30 PM

SEC Network

Taylor, Stinch, Alyssa

Clemson by 7

The Gamecocks are playing for a bowl game, but Clemson just slips by on the road.

Thursday

No. 12 Ole Miss 45, Mississippi State 17

Davis Wade Stadium, Starkvegas

6:30 PM

ESPN

To, JRodg, Cole

Rebels by 10

Long night for the Bullies.

Saturday

No. 10 Louisville 30, Kentucky 21

Cardinal Stadium, ‘Ville

11 AM

ABC

Tess, Jess, Katie

Louisville by 7

Like the Cardinals to keep it rolling with a shot to make it interesting for themselves if they win at home and then win the ACC Championship Game over FSU. They’d need a lot of help. They lost to Pitt for their only loss this season, but that’s a bad loss. So it’ll be very tough, but a New Year’s Six Bowl is still a lot to be proud of for teams that haven’t ever experienced that before.

Vanderbilt @ No.21 Tennessee

Neyland Stadium, Knoxville

2:30 PM

SEC Network

Dave, Derek, Taylor Davis

Vols by 27

It’s been a long year for the Commodores, and it’s going to be a long afternoon in Knoxville.

Tennessee 45, Vanderbilt 14

No. 4 Washington 38, Washington State 24

Husky Stadium, Seattle

3 PM

FOX

Jason Benetti, Brock Huard, Allison Williams

Huskies by 16 1/2

The Huskies aren’t playing as prolifically as they were earlier in the season, so I like this one to be closer than expected. But the Huskies survive and advance and wait for the PAC-12 Championship Game on Friday, Dec.1st, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas at 7 PM CT on ABC. If they win out, they’re in.

Friday

No.6 Oregon 34, Oregon State 24

Autzen Stadium Eugene

7:30 PM

FOX

Jason, Brock, Allison, act 1

Ducks by 14

Another team that controls its own destiny. They’ve really passed the eye test the latter half of this season, and are primed for a rematch with the Huskies and their shot at the Playoff. They’d be hard to keep out if they win out. I’d say win out and the Ducks are in.

Friday

No. 7 Texas 34, Texas Tech 21

DKR-Texas Stadium, Austin

6:30 PM

ABC

Dave, Dusty, Lugues

‘Horns by 12 1/2

Like the Longhorns to advance and keep their playoff hopes very much alive. If chaos doesn’t ensue, it might get a little complicated for the committee, though it usually works itself despite a little controversy seemingly every year.

Utah 33, Colorado 10

Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City

2 PM’

PAC-12 Network

Utes by 22

Like Utah to finish their regular season strong at 8-4, get ready to win another bowl game under Kyle Whittingham, then welcome back injured quarterback Cam Rising next season for his seventh season at quarterback. Rising’s been out all year with a terrible knee injury he suffered in the Rose Bowl last year against Penn State in which he suffered three torn ligaments. He’s been at Texas for one year and at Utah in the following years. That will be huge and season changing to get Rising back in 2024.