NCAA Week 13 picks

I didn't get this done in time for Tuesday's game, but I can continue from there.

Thurs Nov 25
#20 Texas A&M Aggies at Texas Longhorns:  This Thanksgiving tradition usually determines a division title.  Not so this year, but it will help give the Aggies a good bowl game.  While the Longhorns will fight hard, this year is a rebuilding year for the Horns, and they won't be able to hold back A&M.  TEXAS A&M

Fri Nov 26
#1 Boise State Broncos at #9 Nevada Wolfpack:  This might be the best chance someone has to beat Boise State.  The Broncos offense is fierce, though, and I don't think the Nevada defense can slow them enough.  Nevada doesn't move the ball as quickly, so they get to rest their defense when the offense is on the field.  Can winning the ball control factor give Nevada a win?  I don't think so, but this game might be closer than the Broncos would like.  BOISE STATE

Arizona Wildcats at #2 Oregon Ducks:  Oregon is the hottest offense in the conference, and they had a bye week to prepare more surprises.  Arizona is good, but not that good!  OREGON

#4 Auburn Tigers at #12 Alabama Crimson Tide:  This rivalry gets hot, and this year it gets interesting!  While Alabama is out of contention for the division title, they'd love to play spoiler and ruin Auburn's unbeaten season.  Alabama has been a tough team at home, and Auburn hasn't been a great road team this season.  While Mark Ingram healthy, I think the Tide can control the pace of the game and frustrate Auburn.  ALABAMA in an upset!

Colorado Buffaloes at #16 Nebraska Cornhuskers:  The Cornhuskers get to recover from their loss last week by beating on the conference doormat.  NEBRASKA

#19 Northern Illinois Huskies at Eastern Michigan Eagles:  Eastern isn't having a good year, while the Huskies will simply use this as a warmup for the conference title game.  Unlike the NFL, though, they won't rest their starters for the whole game, but will keep them in long enough to establish a large lead.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS

#25 West Virginia Mountaineers at Pittsburgh Panthers:  Pitt can practically seal the title with a victory.  However, the Big East is rarely so easily settled.  I think the Mountaineers will beat Pitt, once again sending the Big East into the final week with three teams vying for the title.  WEST VIRGINIA

Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Tulsa Golden Hurricane:  Both teams have division title asperations, so this will be an exciting game.  The winner could be the last team with the ball.  I usually favor home teams in this circumstance, but I think Southern Miss is peaking at the right time, and could pull off the win here.  SOUTHERN MISS

Top 25
#3 TCU Horned Frogs at New Mexico Lobos:  New Mexico has as many wins as TCU has losses -- none.  This game will be over by the end of the first quarter.  TCU

Michigan Wolverines at #5 Ohio State Buckeyes:  This used to be the battle for the conference, but it hasn't been that way for nearly a decade.  Ohio State has owned Michigan, whether this game is played at the Big House or the Horseshoe.  Ohio State will wrap up their season with this win, but will need help to get a conference title.  OHIO STATE

Oregon State Beavers at #6 Stanford Cardinal:  The Beavers have a tendency to pull off an upset sometime during each season, but I don't think it'll be here.  The Cardinal have a strong defense, Andrew Luck is leading a strong offense, and Jim Harbough has the team highly disciplined.  It's Stanford's year for a New Years bowl, or perhaps an at large BCS bid.  STANFORD

Northwestern Wildcats at #8 Wisconsin Badgers:  Both Michigan State and Ohio State will have played by the time Wisconsin does, so the Badgers will know if they have a chance at the conference title.  Even so, I don't think they'll need such impetus to beat Northwestern.  The Wildcats, already hampered by injury, lost a couple of key players in their battle against Illinois last week, so the Badgers shouldn't have much trouble knocking off Northwestern.  WISCONSIN

#10 LSU Tigers at #15 Arkansas Razorbacks:  I seem to be picking SEC upsets this week!  LSU has had a good season, but I think Ryan Mallet and company are saving one of their best performances for the last week.  ARKANSAS

#11 Michigan State Spartans at Penn State Nittany Lions:  The Spartans need this win to capture the Big Ten title.  They have the power to do it.  Perhaps JoePa should have insinuated that he was thinking of retiring; that would have inspired his players to win this game for their coach.  Without that incentive, I think the Spartans will capture their first Big Ten title in twenty years.  MICHIGAN STATE

Virginia Cavaliers at #14 Virgnia Tech Hokies:  This in-state rivalry has been owned by the Hokies for years.  That streak will continue.  VIRGINIA TECH

#17 Missouri Tigers at Kansas Jayhawks:  Missouri shouldn't have much trouble beating the Jayhawks.  They'll know the outcome of the previous day's Nebraska game, and know whether the win advances them to the conference title game or not.  MISSOURI

BYU Cougars at #18 Utah Utes:  Utah ended the losing streak last week.  Can they capture their tenth victory?  I think so, as BYU has not been doing very well this season.  UTAH

#21 South Carolina Gamecocks at Clemson Tigers:  This non-conference game will serve as a perfect warmup for the Gamecocks' next game -- the SEC Championship Game.  SOUTH CAROLINA

Florida Gators at #22 Florida State Seminoles:  For most of the Eighties and into the Nineties, the Seminoles owned this rivalry.  In this century, it has been Florida doing the beating.  The Seminoles look forward to turning the tables on the Gators in this season, when the Gators are struggling and the Seminoles are strong.  FLORIDA STATE

#23 Central Florida Golden Knights at Memphis Tigers:  The Knights need a win to capture the division title.  That incentive will make them play harder, not that they need the additional incentive to beat the Tigers.  Memphis is having a tough year.  CENTRAL FLORIDA

#24 NC State Wolf Pack at Maryland Terrapins:  Maryland now longer has a chance at the title, but they'd love to play spoiler.  I think this game will be very close, but the Wolf Pack should be able to pull this one out, and win a trip to the ACC Championship Game.  NC STATE

Big Ten
Indiana Hoosiers at Purdue Boilermakers:  Since Minnesota upset my beloved Illini, Indiana is the only team to have lost all of their conference games.  I think Purdue will keep that status intact.  PURDUE

Iowa Hawkeyes at Minnesota Golden Gophers:  I think the Illini upset was the Gophers' only chance.  They caught the Illini exhausted after the multi-overtime heartbreaker against Michigan.  Iowa wants a bid at a good bowl game; a win is necessary.  IOWA

Game of the Week:  #13 Oklahoma Sooners at #7 Oklahoma State Cowboys:  This normally heated rivalry gets even more interesting this year.  Not only are both teams ranked, but the winner of this game plays in the Big XII Championship Game.  If there was ever a game that the Sooners would get up for, it would be this one (except possibly the Red River Rivalry).  They already beat Texas, so beating State would be a great year.  Somehow, though, I think the Cowboys will prevail.  Oklahoma will come out shooting, and might even lead going into the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys offense will prove just a bit too much.  OKLAHOMA STATE

Other Games of Interest
Hawaii Warriors at New Mexico State Aggies:  The Aggies have a couple more wins than their cross-state rival Lobos, but they still will be horribly overmatched.  The Warriors ususally struggle away from home, but they've played well on the road this season.  HAWAII