We are heading down the home stretch of the college football regular season and the games are getting bigger each week. We have more Top 25 matchups this weekend including a showdown with in the Top 5 that will shake up the playoff picture yet again.
#1 Mississippi State vs. #5 Alabama
The games don’t get much bigger than this. The winner of this game punches their ticket to the SEC championship game and more than likely punches their ticket into the college football playoff. I don’t expect this game to be anything less than a thriller, both teams are more than aware what this game means as far postseason hopes, so I expect many body blows to be exchanged once the game kicks off. Alabama is coming off an emotional roller coaster of a victory in Baton Rouge and now they have to turn around and host the #1 team in the land that features a Heisman trophy candidate. This reminds me of a very similar situation a couple years ago when Alabama beat LSU then came home and hosted Texas A&M, we all know how that turned out. I’ve said for a couple weeks now that I expect MSU to win this game, I think they pose an even bigger challenge offensively than anything Alabama has seen to date. Dak Prescott and Josh Robinson will give the Tide plenty to prepare for and I think the offensive balance LSU was unable to achieve last week will be what gets MSU the win in Tuscaloosa. Don’t take the bait on the 9 point spread Vegas is giving you, I don’t see either team winning this by double digits.
Prediction: Mississippi State
#9 Auburn vs. #15 Georgia
This game is circled on the calendar for multiple reasons, but the main story line for this game will be the return of former Heisman front runner Todd Gurley. Georgia’s star running back will be back in the saddle after serving his suspension and he is back just in time to feast on Auburn defense that is still staggering from a home loss to Texas A&M. I can’t recall off the top of my head the last time a Gus Malzahn coached Auburn team lost back to back games, but with Gurley back and Nick Chubb sure to spell him at times, I am riding with the Bulldogs to pull off the upset between the hedges in Athens.
Prediction: Georgia
#8 Ohio State vs. #25 Minnesota
After pulling off an impressive upset on the road against Michigan State, the Buckeyes will roll into Minneapolis to take on the Golden Gophers who broke into the Top 25 this week. JT Barrett is playing some great football and has shown he can more than fill in for Braxton Miller this year. While Jerry Kill has the Gophers playing some great football this year, I expect the Buckeyes to take the momentum from last week and apply it to this weekend.
Prediction: Ohio State
#16 Nebraska vs. #20 Wisconsin
This game will feature two of the best running backs in all of college football in Ameer Abdullah and Melvin Gordon. I expect this to be a very physical football game and expect to see both teams work the ground and pound, but in the end I expect this will come down to a quarterback having to make a play to win this game. From what I’ve seen from Wisconsin’s quarterback play this year I haven’t been very impressed at all and they have tended to lean on their run more than anything. I am taking Nebraska to go into Camp Randall and get the W; I expect to see at least 400 yards rushing between the two teams.
Prediction: Nebraska
#19 Clemson vs. #22 Georgia Tech
As a player I always recall coaches saying they hate preparing for teams that run the old school option style offenses, because of hard it is to give your defense a good look to get ready for it. With everyone going to spread and air raid concepts these days, Georgia Tech is a throwback to the old school and they seem to always beat someone they aren’t supposed to because of their offense. After watching Clemson play last week against Wake Forest on the road I wasn’t very impressed by them and now with a pending trip to Atlanta I think they are ripe for a loss in this one. The Clemson defense has played well this year, but I think all bets are off with this one because this style offense takes away your strengths. I’m taking Tech.
Prediction: Georgia Tech