Week 12 Key Games and Picks

Week 12 Key Games

 

      The season's end is drawing closer and closer. Only a couple more weeks remain for regular season games and then it's conference championships. My record up to this point of the season is 45-19, (70% isn't bad).

 

     This week's picks are going to be a little different. Because there are so many 'weak' games being played, I will have the Key Games to Watch, and the Snoozer Games.

 

     First, the Key Games to Watch:

 

     USC at UCLA. The Trojans have struggled for most of the season. They haven't had the depth to finish the big games, and they have looked sloppy at times. UCLA, on the other hand, has had a surprising season thus far. The have won some big games, but at the same time, they are a team going through growing pains. The Bruins could really screw things up in the PAC-12 with a win on Saturday. USC may not be ranked in the top ten anymore, but this is still a huge game for them, and they will be hungry for the win. UCLA will want this game pretty bad, as well. The Bruins want that respect. It's a tough game to pick. The Trojans' defense is struggling right now, and I feel that the Bruins have an offense capable of keeping the game close. However, the Bruins' defense will have to shut down a certain Heisman candidate (or two). USC has playmakers all over the field on offense. That will be the difference in the game down the stretch. USC wins 35-24.

 

 

    

      Stanford at Oregon. This game, by far, may be the biggest because it does have national implications. With a convincing win, Oregon could find itself on top of the BCS. That's right, we could see a flip-flop at #1 and #2. Kansas State faces Baylor and that could end up hurting the strength of schedule points this week. Oregon has the best offense in the country, and I think it would take the best defense in the country to slow them down...... I think that is about all somebody could do right now. There is no stopping it. A team could only hope to slow them long enough to keep it close. USC tried playing that game with them, and we saw how that turned up. What makes this game a little more interesting; seeing how a team that beat USC earlier in the season (Stanford) plays against this Oregon team. While both teams have beaten the Trojans, only one of them did it with great defense. Stanford kept USC from throwing the crazy numbers. I'm not sure the Cardinal can do it here, but it should still be a fun game to watch. Ducks win, 49-30.

 

 

   

      Oklahoma at West Virginia. Where in the world did West Virginia go? Can you remember the last time they won a game? October 6th. Since then, they have dropped 4 straight games. Why? Well, it may have something to do with their defense that ranks 121 in scoring. The Mountaineers are giving up an average of 40+ points a game. This was supposed to be the year for them, right? Maybe they should have stuck with the 3-3-5 defense? Who knows? Things don't get any easier this week for them. Oklahoma has a pretty good offense, and to make matters worse for West Virginia.......the Sooners have a respectable defense as well. There is always that possibility that it could turn into a shoot-out, but I think the Sooner's defense will keep Geno Smith contained. West Virginia will drop their 5th game in a row. Sooners win, 45-28. (Hey Mountaineer fans, you ever see the movie Titanic?)

 

 

 

     Tennessee at Vanderbilt. Oh boy, what a game this could turn out to be for Vandy. They are already bowl eligible, but Coach Franklin says that's not enough. While the future is uncertain at UT, Vandy's future has never looked better. Coach Franklin says his team still has a long way to go, but they are on the right track. Can Tennessee's season get any worse? What if I said Dooley was still your coach for next season? That may be worse than a loss to Vanderbilt. Still, it should be a very exciting game to watch. I'm not sure what Dooley is coaching for, whether it's to remain the coach at least until the end of the season, or to see if he can get fired before the end of the season. Vanderbilt is the favorite (by 3 the last I checked). However, I am not sold on Vandy. I guess the bigger question is: which Vols team will show up? You know what? I'm taking Vandy. They are the positive team coming into the game, and maybe that will be the difference. Vanderbilt wins, 27-21.

 

 

    Well, that's really all I have on my radar for this weekend (for games that really matter, anyway) One game that has meaning but should be a blow-out is FSU vs Maryland. FSU secures its place in the ACC Championship game with a win on Saturday. To make things interesting, Maryland is all out of QBs. Read that again. They are down to their 5th choice at QB. Their 5th choice happens to be listed as a linebacker on the depth chart. Injury after injury has forced the Terrapins to take the next best QB on the team, and it just so happens he plays linebacker. His jersey number is 31. Shawn Petty is the starting QB for Maryland this week. That should make things interesting. Seminoles win, 42-10.

 

 

 The Snoozer Games of the Week

Two Minute Drill

 

Jacksonville State at Florida. (Really?)

 

Georgia Southern at Georgia. (Come on! That's a huge rivalry!)

 

Ole Miss at LSU. (At least it's a Conference game, right?)

 

Wofford at South Carolina. (Wofford, again?)

 

 Sam Houston State at Texas A&M (Who? Oh, It's another rivalry)

 

Wake Forest at Notre Dame. (Meh)

 

Alabama A&M at Auburn (I think Auburn got their Alabama's mixed up)

 

And the SNOOZER OF THE WEEK.........................

 

Western Carolina vs the #4 team in the BCS, Alabama!

(I guess Bama needed a 'Get Well Soon' game after Texas A&M)

 

Way to go, SEC! You managed to have EIGHT teams represented in the SNOOZER GAMES OF THE WEEK....oh and it's WEEK 12. Nothing like padding the stats late in the season.

 

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Also, submit your questions/comments to jeremy.cf2d@yahoo.com for my Reader Question Segment next Wednesday. Any team, any conference, you pick.