It’s rivalry week in college football! Earlier this week we gave you our rankings for best rivalries, now we give you our picks for the week ahead.
Our guest picker for this week is one of the top curators of Michigan content on Twitter, @SwankyWolverine.
Michigan +7.5 @ Ohio State
Both teams 11-0 going to battle for a spot in the B1G Championship game and CFP? Give me this game with a winner take all every year. The Wolverines haven’t won in Columbus since 2000 but the Michigan defense and offensive ground game will give them a slim victory over the Buckeyes.
Penn State -18.5 vs Michigan State
Aside from losses to #2 Ohio State and #3 Michigan, Penn State has been impressive and deserving of a top 10 ranking. James Franklin will prove that when the reeling Spartans come to Happy Valley and this one won’t be close.
Georgia -35.5 vs Georgia Tech
A classic in-state rivalry but Georgia won’t lose in Athens to a 5-6 Georgia Tech team. Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate. Stetson Bennett should be done for the day by mid-third quarter in this one with the Bulldogs getting their 5th in a row in the series.
UCLA -10 @ Cal
Expecting a huge bounce back game from UCLA after losing the Victory Bell to their big brother, USC. DTR will want to go out in style, and I think Chip lets him run wild and have fun.
Oregon State +3 vs Oregon
Jonathan Smith is one of the best coaches at scheming in all of college football. They will identify and exploit Oregon’s defense while providing key stops to Oregon’s offense with a hobbling Bo Nix. Dan Lanning loses his first Civil War.
Washington -2 @ Washington State
Washington is firing on all cylinders after beating Oregon at Autzen Stadium. I don’t think there’s much chance for a letdown here on The Palouse. Washington wins big.
NC State +6.5 @ North Carolina
The Tar Heels really Munson’d themselves against Georgia Tech and killed off any slight playoff chance they had. NC State has underperformed again this season but I think they have enough of a team to keep it close.
Arkansas -3 @ Missouri
Sam Pittman’s Hogs might’ve finally gotten things on track against Ole Miss last week. If that carries over to the game in Columbia, Mo., the Tigers could face danger early. Surely they can win by more than that, right?
LSU -10 @ Texas A&M
Jayden Daniels and Harold Perkins are two of the nation’s most exciting players on a team heading to the SEC championship game. Meanwhile, Jimbo Fisher & Co. are probably trying to keep a lot of players from last year’s top recruiting class from transferring. Two teams, two opposite directions. Take the Tigers.
Ohio State -7.5 vs Michigan
Ohio State will put it all together this week on their way to winning the National Championship.
TCU -10 vs Iowa State
Iowa State will not be able to score enough points to keep this close
Clemson -14.5 vs South Carolina
South Carolina will turn back into South Carolina this week. Clemson rolls.
Iowa -10.5 vs Nebraska
This is an emotional pick to ride a picks streak that I have, but it admittedly would break a bunch of other trends in this series. Maybe Scott Frost actually kept it close?
Michigan +7.5 @ Ohio State
Why do we assume that so much has changed from last year? I know that my tweet would indicate that I’m picking Ohio State to win by 10+, but I just don’t think this is a game that is decided by more than 7.
Penn State -18.5 vs Michigan State
I am still not convinced by Penn State, but Michigan State just lost to Indiana. Not Indinia, bizarro-Indiana that was good in 2020 – Indiana. Take Penn State by more than 18.
Ole Miss -2.5 vs Mississippi State
Is there a better matchup of college football coaches than the Egg Bowl? Not necessarily talent or acumen, but personality wise if I was putting together a dinner party Mike Leach and Lane Kiffin are getting invites. Anyways, at home and in the (his?) last regular season game for the Rebs, Kiffin wins and covers.
Iowa State +10 @ TCU
TCU loves to keep it close and I see this one going the same way. Xavier Hutchinson is an NFL talent and Dekkers will get him involved early. Duggan also might be without his top 3 playmakers as Quentin Johnston, Kendre Miller, and Derius Davis are battling injuries. TCU stays undefeated but ISU covers.
Notre Dame +5.5 @ USC
Caleb Williams is my heisman (if I had a vote). But like TCU, the Trojans have a habit of finding themselves in closer games than they probably should. Marcus Freeman has quieted a lot of the noise from earlier in the year and the Fighting Irish are clicking. I think Notre Dame pulls off the upset on the road.
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