Some great rivalry games this weekend to wrap up the regular season in most cases. Remember to look elsewhere on this site for Colin’s take on additional games, including Stanford/Notre Dame.
SATURDAY NOON ET ABC
OHIO STATE (10-1) by 4 @ MICHIGAN (9-2)
This is a tough one to call. The Wolverines have actually been playing better overall than the BUCKEYES this season IMO. But my gut says that URBAN will find a way to re-energize that locker room. In fact, he may whip them into a frenzy to bounce back on the road. A big key will be whether Ohio State can have a better passing attack than last week, come rain or shine. The Buckeyes have an excellent corps of receivers in THOMAS, MARSHALL & VANNETT, but they will he tested by the Wolverine secondary headlined by CB/JOURDAN LEWIS & S/JABRILL PEPPERS. This could be a much lower scoring game than we have all come to expect. Bad weather would likely favor the home team here. THis should be a very physical contest! Prospects to watch:
MICHIGAN OHIO STATE
#61 GRAHAM GLASGOW/OC 6’5/303 #3 MICHAEL THOMAS/WR 6’3/210 JR
#39 SIONE HOUMA/FB/ST 6’0/243 #15 EZEKIEL ELLIOTT/RB 6’0/225 JR
#82 AMARA DARBOH/WR 6’2/215 JR #68 TAYLOR DECKER/OT 6’7/315
#43 CHRIS WORMLEY/DT 6’4/300 JR #11 VONN BELL/FS 5’11/205 JR
#26 JOURDAN LEWIS/CB 5’10/180 JR #37 JOSHUA PERRY/LB 6’4/254
#35 JOE BOLDEN/LB 6’3/232 #92 ADOLPHUS WASHINGTON/DT 6’4/300
#48 DESMOND MORGAN/LB 6’1/235 #97 JOEY BOSA/DE 6’6/275 JR
SATURDAY 4:30 ET ABC
NORTH CAROLINA (10-1) by 8 @ NC STATE (7-4)
The Tar Heels have really developed into a top notch team this season. Indeed, UNC has already earned a spot in the ACC championship game next week against top-ranked Clemson. Win that game and North Carolina will have a case to make that they deserve to be in the national playoff, but first they must take care of business against their in-state rivals. North Carolina has solid players at every position and their QB/MARQUISE WILLIAMS has blossomed into one of the best run/throw options in the country. He can make it happen and has turned their O into quite a scoring machine. Then again QB/JACOBY BRISSETT of the Wolfpack is an accomplished performer himself, though he lags behind WILLIAMS as a running threat. With the game being played in Raleigh that may level the playing field a bit. But I am of the opinion that UNC, under HC LARRY FEDORA has hit its stride and is a legit Top 10 team right now. Prospects to watch:
NORTH CAROLINA NORTH CAROLINA STATE
#11 MARQUISE WILLIAMS/QB 6’2/220 JR #12 JACOBY BRISSETT/QB 6’4/235
#14 QUINSHAD DAVIS/WR 6’4/210 #54 JOHN THUNEY/G/T 6’5/290
#78 LANDON TURNER/OG 6’4/325 #90 MIKE ROSE/DE 6’3/280
#98 JUSTIN THOMASON/DT 6’4/290 #11 JUSTON BURRIS/CB 6’1/207
#10 JEFF SCHOETTMER/LB 6’2/235 #20 HAKIM JONES/FS 6’2/200
#42 SHAKEEL RASHAD/OLB 6’2/242
SATURDAY 7:15 ET ESPN2
OLE MISS (8-3) @ MISSISSIPPI STATE (8-3) by 2
If State has a chance in this one it will be for two reasons: they are at home and OLE MISS which can only dream of having a QB as good as DAK PRESCOTT. But instead of fading into obscurity like in recent years the Rebels have rallied since their stunning loss to Memphis and won 3 of 4. State needs this one and a Bowl win to boost recruiting. With PRESCOTT graduating DAN MULLEN will have lots of work to do between now and the 2016 season. I’m gonna take State in a close one because I think PRESCOTT can get some points on the board and I think the Bulldogs DL will make CHAD KELLY run for his life all day long. That is not a strength of KELLY’s game. If KELLY somehow gets time he can torch the beat up State secondary with his excellent corps of receivers. Prospects to watch:
MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI STATE
#88 CODY CORE/WR 6’3/200 #15 DAK PRESCOTT/QB 6’2/230
#1 LAQUON TREADWELL/WR 6’2/220 JR #70 JUSTIN MALONE/OG 6’6/320
#74 FAHN COOPER/OT 6’5/312 #48 RYAN BROWN/DE 6’5/262
#78 LAREMY TUNSIL/OT 6’5/305 JR #96 CHRIS JONES/DT 6’5/310 JR
#5 ROBERT NKEMDICHE/DT 6’4/295 JR #23 TAVEZE CALHOUN/CB 6’1/185
#7 TRAE ELSTON/S 6’0/195
SATURDAY 7:30 ET ESPN
FLORIDA STATE (9-2) by 5 @ FLORIDA (10-1)
Like UNC above, Florida is already in the SEC championship game, but need a win against FSU to keep alive any national playoff hopes before they get to Atlanta. However, if you go back and watch game film of Florida and then scan their roster you realize what a miracle worker new Head Coach JIM McELWAIN has been for the GATORS. THey have very little Offense especially without suspended QB/ WILL GRIER. Their depth is marginal everywhere. And McELWAIN has had to deal with some serious discipline issues in his locker room. Meanwhile JIMBO FISHER has more 5-star recruits than he can find starting jobs for and perhaps the best RB in the country in DALVIN COOK. The only issue with the Seminoles is lack of experience throughout the lineup. My gut tells me to go with the magic act in Gainesville, but I think FSU is improving with each game and they will salvage a retooling regular season with a victory as long as COOK can carry the ball 20 times and gain over 150 yards. The frosting on the cake here could be that FSU has perhaps the best Kicker in college football in ROBERTO AGUAYO. Prospects to watch:
FLORIDA STATE FLORIDA
#8 JALEN RAMSEY/CB 6’1/200 JR #11 DEMARCUS ROBINSON/WR 62/200 JR
#5 REGGIE NORTHRUP/LB 6’1/230 #83 JAKE McGEE/TE 66’6/245
#24 TERRANCE SMITH/OLB 6’4/230 #3 ANTONIO MORRISON/LB 6’1/225
#38 CARSON BEATTY/P 6’3/215 #90 JON BULLARD/DL 6’3/283
#11 DERRICK MITCHELL/DT 6’4/310 INJ #1 VERNON HARGREAVES/CB 5’11/198 JR
#99 NILE LAWRENCE-STAMPLE/DT 6’1/323 #24 BRIAN POOLE/CB 5’10 208
#19 ROBERTO AGUAYO/K 6’1/205 JR
SATURDAY 8:00 ET ABC
OKLAHOMA (10-1) by 4 @ OKLAHOMA STATE (10-1)
The STOOPS regime in Norman has lost a bit of luster this decade, but BOBBY is poised to get some of his mojo back this weekend. I still don’t understand how they were so flat against rival TEXAS back in early October, but they have been rolling since that loss. QB/BAKER MAYFIELD, ex-TX TECH, has been dynamic leading this team and young units like the OL have progressed with each game. RBs SAMAJE PERINE & JOE MIXON are as good as any duo in the country. The Defense features multiple playmakers. But watch out for HC MIKE and his Fighting Gundies. There is talent here but team chemistry is the thing for the Cowboys. They stumbled against Baylor last week and are looking for redemption. This could be he most exciting game of the weekend. I’m giving the nod to the Sooners because I believe their preponderance of play makers will tip the scoreboard in their favor. Prospects to watch:
OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA STATE
#3 STERLING SHEPARD/WR/RS 5’10/195 #7 BRANDON SHEPERD/WR 6’1/195
#54 NILA KASITATI/OG 6’4/315 #44 JIMMY SEATON/TE 6’2/250
#91 CHARLES TAPPER/DE 6’4/281 #38 EMMANUEL OGBAH/DE 6’4/275 JR
#19 ERIC STRIKER/LB 6’0/221 #1 KEVIN PETERSON/CB 5’11/190
#15 ZACH SANCHEZ/CB 5’11/180 JR #13 JORDAN STERNS/FS 6’1/205 JR
Enjoy folks, the pickings get pretty slim starting next weekend. Another rousing college football season is just about done and we should expect a few surprises as usual.
