With several teams in hot pursuit of a playoff spot and others in pursuit of a New Year’s Six Bowl, a quality bowl or just competing in a bowl, rivalry week in College Football, as Playoff Committee Chair Boo Corrigan stated on the College Football Playoff Show on ESPN, “Always delivers.”

There is no doubt about that. There are weather issues this weekend in the southeast that could impact several games. In Tuscaloosa, the chances of rain all day Saturday are high. I always believe that rain helps the underdog or the team that runs the football better. Here’s a look at the Iron Bowl and the other key rivalry games along with predictions on this stellar Thanksgiving Day weekend in College Football.

Last Week, 11-7, overall, 141-51, 73%, ATS, 6-12, overall, 98-92, 52%

Auburn (5-6, 2-5) @ No.7 Alabama (9-2, 5-2)

Bryant-Denny Stadium

2:30 PM CT

CBS

Brad, Gary, Jenny

Crimson Tide by 22

With rain in the forecast, Auburn’s running game, with the superb tandem of Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter, gives them an advantage in that area, which is huge. Ball security will be at a premium in the conditions. This is a forecast that is two days out, so it could change by game time, but I’m going to go with Weather.com and see a lower scoring contest with Bryce Young and company surviving a strong effort by Carnell and the Tigers. Carnell’s impact on the Tigers and his coaching job the last 3 games of this season have been nothing short of remarkable The question is, will Auburn have a new coach by then and will it be Lane Kiffin. Should be interesting conversation after the Thursday Night Egg Bowl in Oxford, as one report by a TV station in Mississippi earlier this week had Kiffin heading to Auburn on Friday. He’s denying of course, but we’ve heard that rope a dope several times before a coach leaves.

Alabama 21, Auburn 14

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

Sanford Stadium, Athens

11 AM CT

ESPN

Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Kris Budden

Dawgs by 35 1/2

The Dawgs have been dominant at times this season and not as swift at other times. I guess they’re the best team in the country right now, but not positive about that. Georgia Tech upset North Carolina last Saturday at Chapel Hill, when Carolina was the No.13 team in the country and with a shot of at least a New Year’s Six bid. Quite an effort by the Ramblin’ Wreck. I’ll take Georgia in Clean Old-Fashioned Hate, but I’m not coronating them national champions yet. They’ve got several challenges ahead and it’s tough to repeat.

Georgia 34, Georgia Tech 10

Thursday

No. 20 Ole Miss 24, Mississippi State 21

Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford

6 PM CT

ESPN

Matt Barrie, Louis Riddick, Harry Lyles Jr.

Rebels by 2

Kiffin and the Rebels survive this and the state of Mississippi holds their collective breath after that hoping they can keep their coach.

Saturday

No. 5 LSU 24, Texas A&M 13

Kyle Field, College Station

6 PM CT

ESPN

Tess, Gregory, Katie

LSU by 10

The Bengal Tigers take care of business again and keep their hopes for a playoff spot alive. They’ll have to also get by Georgia to have a shot and that’s no Saturday afternoon stroll in the park.

South Carolina 17, No. 8 Clemson 14

Memorial Stadium, Clemson

11 AM CT

ABC

Sean, Todd, Molly

Clemson by 14 1/2

I’m going to throw a Hail Mary and pick the Gamecocks, which hammered Tennessee last Saturday Night in Columbia, 63-38. I like them to pull off an improbable upset on what I consider an overrated Clemson team. Shane Beamer is the man.

Vanderbilt 17, Tennessee 13

FirstBank Stadium, Nashville

6:30 PM CT

SEC Network

Tom, JRodg, Cole

Vols by 14

I’m going to throw another Aaron Rodgers’ Hail Mary, haymaker here. Kirk Herbstreit predicted my Dores to knock off the Vols last night on the Playoff Show. I had already decided to go with the Dores, but I’m happy Kirk is on board. The Dores are hot, and the Vols have locker room dissension along with the fact that Hendon Hooker tore his ACL last Saturday Night in the disaster at Columbia. It was reported that Hooker and defensive back Jeremy Banks got into a fight last week after Banks had stomped on the Tennessee logo and didn’t do push-ups after it as is customary if you disrespect the team’s logo. Hooker is reported to have broken Banks’ jaw. Banks did not play last Saturday Night and the Vols secondary got torched. I like a lower scoring game here with rain forecasted at game time. I’ll Anchor Down for this one as VU becomes bowl eligible with the victory. What a job Clark Lea has done in reinventing the culture for this football program. I was getting a little frustrated earlier this season, but Coach Lea has changed my opinion dramatically. Totally on board with what Clark Lea is building in Nashville. He has one good football team right now.

Friday

No. 16 Florida State 31, Florida 28

Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee

6:30 PM CT

ABC

Anish Schroff, Brock Osweiler, Taylor McGregor

FSU by 9 1/2

I’m seeing this game a lot closer than Vegas sees it. Florida will be up for this one.

Friday

Arkansas 21, Missouri 19

Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field, Columbia, MO.

2:30 PM CT

CBS

Tom McCarthy, Rick Neuheisel, Sherree Burruss

Ark by 3

This will be a tight contest with Arkansas standout quarterback KJ Jefferson, and stellar running back Raheim Sanders doing enough to emerge victorious on the road. Sam Pittman puts together another solid season.

Saturday

Kentucky 21, Louisville 17

Kroger Field, Lexington

2 PM CT

SEC Network

Dave, Deuce, Andraya

Wildcats by 3

Mark Stoops was rewarded an extension and a $6+ million annual salary. They want to keep him in Lexington. He’s done a heckuva job, though this year it’s been a little uglier. I like the Cats to barely outlast the Cardinals.

National Games

Saturday

No. 2 Ohio State 28, No. 3 Michigan 24

Ohio Stadium, Columbus

11 AM CT

FOX

Gus, Joel, Tom Rinaldi

Buckeyes by 7 1/2

Expecting quite a contest in a playoff clinching game for the winner. Michigan’s defense will keep them in it and give them a shot. The Buckeyes survive, but both teams may make the playoff if some other teams fall by the wayside in the upcoming 2 Saturdays.

No. 4 TCU 30, Iowa State 27

Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth

3 PM CT

FOX

Jason Bennetti, Brock, Alliston

Horned Frogs by 10

TCU has lost 3 in a row to the Cyclones and 4 out of the last 5, so this is definitely a trap game for them. If they can survive, they can head into the Big 12 Championship Game with the Playoff clearly in their grasp. If they lose, I’m not seeing them making it. So, they HAVE to take care of business at home. It’s not going to be easy.

No. 15 Notre Dame 31, No. 6 USC 28

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

6:30 PM CT

ABC

Chris, Kirk, Holly

USC by 5 1/2

If Notre Dame can blast Clemson, 35-14, at home, and play Ohio State tough on the road the first game this season and put together a pretty solid season in Marcus Freeman’s first year to go along with the No.3 recruiting class in the country in 2023 behind just Bama and Georgia, I like them to go out to the Left Coast and pull off the upset.

Friday

No.19 Tulane 31, No. 24 Cincinnati 30

Nippert Stadium, Cincy

11 AM CT

ABC

Roy Philpott, Andre, Carc

Bearcats by 2

I like the Green Wave to pull off the slight upset in the Queen City and gallop into the American Conference Championship Game next Saturday versus UCF.

Saturday

No. 21 Oregon State 33, No. 9 Oregon 31

Reser Stadium, Corvallis, OR.

2:30 PM CT

ABC

Dave Flemming, Rod, Tiffany Blackmon

Ducks by 3

Give me the slight upset in Corvallis. The PAC-12 will have some upheaval this Saturday as far as the Playoff goes and who plays in the PAC-12 Championship. USC will go and Oregon will still probably play them. But they’ll take a couple of L’s with them on the way to Allegiant Stadium in Vegas.

Friday

No. 17 North Carolina 35, NC State 28

Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill

2:30 PM CT

ABC

Dave, Dusty, Lugues

UNC by 6 1/2

The Heels had me believing heading into last Saturday, but a bad loss to Georgia Tech, which has played much better lately, has drained my faith in them as far as them being a major player in a New Year’s Six Bowl. But you never know. A victory at home over their arch-rival and an improbable victory over Clemson in the ACC Championship Game next Saturday would vault them right back into contention for a New Year’s Six Bowl. Then it would be up to the committee to decide their fate. The loss to Georgia Tech might still keep them out.

Saturday

No. 11 Penn State 35, Michigan State 14

Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA.

3 PM CT

Fox Sports 1

Noah Eagle, Mark Helfrich

Nittany Lions by 18 1/2

Penn State finishes off a 10-2 campaign, but James Franklin has still not figured out a way to beat Michigan or Ohio State. That’s not a good legacy to have in Happy Valley though they do have a possible shot at a New Year’s Six.