College Football 2011: Week 13

Stakes are high this weekend in the Pac-12, Big Ten, and SEC, as big games will help shape up the BCS landscape in Palo Alto, Eugene, Ann Arbor, Madison, Baton Rouge, and Auburn among cities.

THANKSGIVING NIGHT GAME:
Texas Longhorns (6-4, 3-4) at Texas A&M Aggies (6-5, 4-4)
Tomorrow night in College Station, Texas is one of the biggest rivalries in all of college sports as the Aggies of Texas A&M (6-5, 4-4) play the Texas Longhorns (6-4, 3-4) in what is the final scheduled game between these two schools, one of the longest rivals in college football history, having played 117 times since 1894. The Aggies move to the Southeastern Conference next year, thus ending one of the historic rivalries in all of college football.
Pick: Texas 17, Texas A&M 13

BIG GAME OF THE WEEK:
Ohio State Buckeyes (6-5, 3-4) at # 17 Michigan Wolverines (9-2, 5-2)
Pick: In the "Ohio"-Michigan Post

BIGGER GAME OF THE WEEK:
# 3 Arkansas Razorbacks (10-1, 6-1) at # 1 LSU Tigers (11-0, 7-0)
For the first time in 40 years, and only the second time in NCAA FBS history, an athletic conference has the top three teams in the country, and the # 1 and # 3 teams square off in Baton Rouge. Nothing can stop the Tigers, not even Alabama, and it is possible that LSU and Alabama meet again in the National Championship. Until then, the winner of this game will play Georgia in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta next weekend.
Pick: LSU 27, Arkansas 7

BIG RIVALRY GAMES THIS WEEKEND:
Iowa Hawkeyes (7-4, 4-3) at # 22 Nebraska Cornhuskers [8-3, 4-3)
Pick: Nebraska 31, Iowa 13

Boston College Golden Eagles (3-8, 2-5) at Miami Hurricanes (6-5, 3-4)
Last week, Miami announced that it was not going to a Bowl game (given the Nevin Shapiro scandal), so this is the Hurricanes' bowl game. Ditto for BC, whom 27 years ago this weekend shocked the Canes with a "Hail Mary" from a quarterback named Douglas Richard Flutie- Doug for short, who would have a long, successful career in both the Canadian Football League and the National Football League.
Pick: Miami 24, BC 7

# 13 Georgia Bulldogs (9-2) at # 25 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets [8-3)
Pick: Georgia 27, Georgia Tech 20

Florida State Seminoles (7-4) at Florida Gators (6-5)
Pick: Florida State 31, Florida 20

# 18 Clemson Tigers at # 14 South Carolina Gamecocks (both 9-2)
Pick: Clemson 21, South Carolina 14

Washington State Cougars (4-7) at Washington Huskies (6-5)
Pick: Washington 28, Wazzu 17

# 22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish [8-3) at # 4 Stanford Cardinal (10-1)
Pick: Stanford 41, Notre Dame 14

UCLA Bruins (6-5) at USC Trojans (9-2)This is USC's Bowl Game for the second straight year, due to their two-year bowl ban. This could also be the final game for Matt Barkley at quarterback for the Trojans as well.
Pick: USC 35, UCLA 10

# 6 Virginia Tech Hokies (10-1, 6-1) at # 24 Virginia Cavaliers [8-3, 5-2)
Pick: Virginia Tech 38, Virginia 24

Purdue Boilermakers (5-6, 3-4) at Indiana Hoosiers (1-10, 0-7)
Why am I picking this game? Because, Purdue upset both Illinois and Ohio State, that's why.
Pick: Purdue 37, Indiana 27

(38th Annual State Farm Bayou Classic)- Grambling Tigers (6-4, 5-3) vs. Southern Jaguars (4-6, 4-4)- at the Superdome
Pick: Grambling 30, Southern 21

and
(The Civil War)- Oregon State Beavers (3-8, 3-5) at # 9 Oregon Ducks (9-2, 7-1)
Pick: Oregon 55, Oregon State 6

OTHER BIG GAMES THIS WEEKEND:
# 20 Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2, 6-1) at # 15 Wisconsin Badgers (9-2, 5-2)
This is probably the most important game of this weekend (not OSU-Michigan, LSU-Arkansas, or the Iron Bowl), because this is the first-ever Big Ten Leaders Championship game, as the winner of this game will play Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium next weekend.
Pick: Wisconsin 42, Penn State 14

Vanderbilt Commodores (5-6) at Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6-5)
This is Vanderbilt's bowl game, because the Commodores need a win to be bowl eligible. Only problem is they are 0-4 outside of Nashville this year.
Pick: Wake 35, Vandy 13

Iowa State Cyclones (6-4, 3-4) at # 12 Oklahoma Sooners [8-2, 5-2)
Last week, the Cyclones knocked off the then-# 2 Oklahoma State Cowboys in a thriller, and this week, the Cyclones travel to Norman to face an Oklahoma team that was upset by Baylor.
Pick: Oklahoma 41, Iowa State 13

# 11 Michigan State Spartans (9-2, 6-1) at Northwestern Wildcats (6-5, 3-4)
Pick: Michigan State 52, Northwestern 14

Pitt Panthers (5-5, 3-2) at Syracuse Orangemen (7-3, 3-2)
Pick: Syracuse 31, Pitt 24

Colorado Buffaloes (2-10, 1-7) at Utah Utes (7-4, 4-4)
Pick: Utah 48, Colorado 6

# 8 Houston Cougars (11-0, 7-0) at Tulsa Golden Hurricane [8-3, 7-0)
Pick: Houston 65, Tulsa 21

Wyoming Cowboys (7-3, 4-1) at # 9 Boise State Broncos (9-1, 4-1)
Pick: Boise State 49, Wyoming 7

CENTRAL OHIO HIGH SCHOOL STATE SEMI-FINALS:
Division I- Pickerington Central Tigers (10-2) vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier Blue Bombers (11-2)- at University of Dayton Welcome Stadium
Division II- Columbus Marion-Franklin Red Devils vs. Trotwood-Madison Rams (both 13-0)- at Clayton Northmont H.S.
Division IV- Johnstown-Monroe Johnnies (13-0) vs. Creston Norwayne Bobcats (12-1)- at New Philadelphia H.S.

Picks: St. X, Trotwood-Madison, and Norwayne