NFL 2024 Week 12 Power Rankings and Week 13 picks

 Not too much shake-up higher on the rankings, but the lower levels faced some chaos.

Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  DETROIT LIONS (10-1) [1]

2.  Buffalo Bills (9-2) [2]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (10-1) [3]

4.  Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) [4]

5.  Minnesota Vikings (9-2) [6]

5.  Green Bay Packers (8-3) [10]

7.  Baltimore Ravens (8-4) [9]

8.  Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) [5]

9.  Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) [7]

10. Denver Broncos (7-5) [11]

11. Washington Commanders (7-5) [8]

12. Houston Texans (7-5) [12]

13. Arizona Cardinals (6-5) [13]

14. Tampa Bay Bucs (5-6) [15]

Divisional Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  NFC NORTH [1]

2.  AFC East [2]

3 . AFC East [3]

4 (tie). NFC West [4]

4 (tie). NFC East [5]

6.  AFC East [6]

7.  NFC South [7]

8.  AFC South [8]

Thanksgiving Day games

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions : The Bears have fallen just short in the last two weeks.  The Lions won't let them get that close.  LIONS, 31-20

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys : Despite their struggles this year, the Cowboys are always tough at home on Thanksgiving.  The Giants faltered last week, but the late change at QB probably threw them off.  They should better this week, but I don't think they can beat the team with the best Thanksgiving Day record.  COWBOYS, 17-13

Miami Dolphins at Green Bay Packers : The Pack have sometimes played on Thanksgiving Day, but not at night.  That won't chill the home crowd, nor will it slow Jordan Love and company.  PACK, 24-16

Friday afternoon

Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs : Yes, you see that title right.  The NFL throws their hat into the "day after Thanksgiving" ring, competing with some of college football's biggest rivalries.  So, they decide to put together an intense rivalry game of their own.  The Chiefs may not win big, but they find ways to win this season.  CHIEFS, 24-17

Sunday early games

Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings : The Cardinals can be dangerous on a streak, and they are on a winning streak.  The Vikings have been a dangerous team all season long, and that will continue.  VIKINGS, 24-17

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars : The Texans have slipped a bit, but facing the struggling Jaguars is a great way to rebuild their momentum.  TEXANS, 17-7

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots : The Colts have been inconsistent this season, but the Patriots have rarely come through.  I don't see them doing it here, either.  COLTS, 20-13

Los Angeles Chargers at Atlanta Falcons : Justin Herbert really rolled on Monday.  He couldn't quite get past the Ravens, but the Falcons defense isn't as intense.  Kirk Cousins has the Falcons offense roaring, so this will be a tight contest.  Either team will win, but I think the tricky ball-hawing Chargers defense will make the difference.  CHARGERS, 24-23

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals : The Steelers defense will stop Cincy cold.  STEELERS, 20-13

Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets : The Jets have fallen apart this season.  SEAHAWKS, 23-9

Tennessee Titans at Washington Commanders : The Commanders have lost three games in a row and need to reverse that.  The Titans can be tricky, but the Commanders should get themselves righted.  COMMANDERS, 27-20

Sunday late games

Los Angeles Rams at New Orleans Saints : The Saints had an extra week to prepare for this game, while the Rams took a huge hit last week.  SAINTS, 24-17

Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens : The Ravens won the battle of the Harbaughs, but overcoming the dynamic Eagles offense will be more of a challenge.  EAGLES, 27-24

Tampa Bay Bucs at Carolina Panthers : The Panthers may have won last week, but they are still the worst team in the league.  BUCS, 20-10

Sunday night

San Francisco 49ers at Buffalo Bills : The Bills are a high-powered team.  The 49ers, through injuries, is not right now.  BILLS, 34-20

Monday Night Football

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos : The Browns are struggling, while the Broncos are rolling.  BRONCOS, 27-13

NCAA 2024 Week 14 picks

 Thurs Nov 28

#24 Memphis Tigers at #21 Tulane Green Wave : This is an interesting matchup, and I don't think either team expected to be ranked when they faced.  Tulane is the offensive powerhouse, while Memphis wins via a strong defense.  I usually pick the defense in situations like this one, but somehow I think the Tulane offense will be a bit too much.  TULANE by eight

Fri Nov 29

Oregon State Beavers at #10 Boise State Broncos : The Broncos will dominate in this game.  BOISE STATE by 20

Oklahoma State Cowboys at #23 Colorado Buffaloes : The Buffs are hoping to rebound from their loss last week to Kansas, but two things may make that tough:  the talent of the Cowboys, and the cockiness of the Buffs.  They still believe that last week's game was "rigged" against them.  Without examining what might have gone wrong,, it is likely to go wrong again.  If Coach Prime gets them on track, they have the talent to win this one, but watch for a Cowboy upset.  COLORADO

Minnesota Golden Gophers at Wisconsin Badgers : The Badgers want to make up for their loss last week.  Minnesota may make that difficult, but the Badgers have a tough enough defense to make the fourth quarter theirs.  WISCONSIN by six

Mississippi State Bulldogs at #12 Ole Miss Rebels : The Battle for Mississippi will go to the home team.  The Rebs just have too much power, and they are anxious to wipe out the sting of last week's loss.  OLE MISS by 18

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at #6 Georgia Bulldogs : No contest.  GEORGIA by lots

Nebraska Cornhuskers at #25 Iowa Hawkeyes : Nebraska pulled off a nice upset last week, but the Hawkeye defense will prevent another one.  IOWA by ten

Sat Nov 30

Top 25

Washington Huskies at #1 Oregon Ducks : Two former Pac-12 opponents face off, but it won't be close.  OREGON by lots

Michigan Wolverines at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes : It's time for "The Game".  Michigan has been victorious over the past few years, but it's time for the tables to turn.  The Buckeyes have been the most dominant team in the conference, if not the country, since their loss to Oregon.  OHIO STATE by lots

#3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at USC Trojans : This game is often a close grudge match, but the Trojans are undergunned this year.  NOTRE DAME by lots

#4 Texas Longhorns at #22 Texas A&M Aggies : This intense rivalry game has become a conference game again.  The stakes are high this year, as the winner advances to the SEC title game.  Certainly Texas is the favorite, but the Aggies won't make it easy.  TEXAS by eleven

Maryland Terrapins at #5 Penn State Nittany Lions : A Penn State win here practically guarantees them a spot in the playoffs.  They'll get it.  PENN STATE by 26

#7 Tennessee Volunteers at Vanderbilt Commodores : The Commodores have pulled off some interesting upsets earlier this season, but the Vols will prevent that from happening here.  TENN by 16

Purdue Boilermakers at #8 Indiana Hoosiers : The Hoosiers were thoroughly routed last week, so they want a big victory to reverse that.  The Boilermakers have not won a conference game all season.  They won't here, either.  INDIANA by lots

#9 Miami Hurricanes at Syracuse Orange : Syracuse has some strength, but they are overmatched in this game. MIAMI by 20

Cal Golden Bears at #11 SMU Mustangs Easy win for the Mustangs.  SMU by lots

#17 South Carolina Gamecocks at #13 Clemson Tigers : This might be most competitive game of all of the rivalries this weekend.  I figure the lead will change hands several times.  The last team with the ball will win the game, and I think the Tigers have a better sense of clock management to make that happen.  CLEMSON by four

Auburn Tigers at #14 Alabama Crimson Tide : This version of the Iron Bowl will likely be closer than Bama fans would like, but the Tide should roll when it is all over.  ALABAMA by eleven

UTSA Roadrunners at #15 Army Black Knights : The Roadrunners can be tough, but the Knights will wear them down.  ARMY by 18

Nevada Wolfpack at #16 UNLV Running Rebels : Nevada can be tough, but they seem to have lost some steam.  UNLV by 20

Kansas State Wildcats at #18 Iowa State Cyclones : The Cyclones have a challenge, and the Wildcats will bite hard, but I think the Cyclones will hold them off in the fourth quarter.  IOWA STATE by five

#19 Arizona State Sun Devils at Arizona Wildcats : Another fierce in-state rivalry game pits the Sun Devils against the Wildcats.  Arizona will fight hard, but they will fade late in the third, giving the Sun Devils their chance.  ARIZONA STATE by eight

Houston Cougars at #20 BYU Cougars : The battle of the Cougars will go to the home team, although Houston will drive strong early.  BYU by 15

Big Ten

Illinois Fighting Illini at Northwestern Wildcats : The Illini will close out their season with a win over their in-state rival.  They won't need a fourth quarter comeback, like the last two weeks.  ILLINOIS by 16

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Michigan State Spartans : Rutgers still has power remaining (just ask Illinois), so they will pound the Spartans all day.  RUTGERS by 18

Fresno State Bulldogs at UCLA Bruins : The Bulldogs get to play in the Rose Bowl, and they will go home with a win.  FRESNO STATE by 16

Other Games of Interest

Louisville Cardinals at Kentucky Wildcats : This will be a close game.  The Cardinals have the strength to win, if they can avoid hurting themselves.  LOUISVILLE by six

Arkansas Razorbacks at Missouri Tigers : Arkansas can be a tricky team, so the Tigers should be careful, but they have trouble keeping up with most SEC teams.  MISSOURI by 13

Wyoming Cowboys at Washington State Cougars : Nice strong win for the Cougs to close their season.  WASHINGTON STATE by 23

NCAA 2024 Week 13 results and Top 25

 Once again, very little movement into and within the Top 25.  Things seem to be settling.

Top 25  [Last week's rank]

1.  OREGON DUCKS (11-0) [1]

2.  Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1) [3]

3.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-1) [2]

4.  Texas Longhorns (10-1) [5]

5.  Penn State Nittany Lions (10-1) [4]

6.  Georgia Bulldogs (9-2) [7]

7.  Tennessee Volunteers (9-2) [9]

8.  Indiana Hoosiers (10-1) [6]

9.  Miami Hurricanes (10-1) [14]

10. Boise State Broncos (10-1) [12]

11. SMU Mustangs (10-1) [15]

12. Ole Miss Rebels (8-3) [8]

13. Clemson Tigers (9-2) [13]

14. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-3) [10]

15. Army Black Knights (9-1) [11]

16. UNLV Running Rebels (9-2) [19]

17. South Carolina Gamecocks (8-3) [17]

18. Iowa State Cyclones (9-2) [21]

19. Arizona State Sun Devils (9-2) [23]

20. BYU Cougars (9-2) [16]

21. Tulane Green Wave (9-2) [22]

22. Texas A&M Aggies (8-3) [20]

23. Colorado Buffaloes (8-3) [18]

24. Memphis Tigers (9-2) [24]

25. Iowa Hawkeyes (7-4) [28]

Dropped off: Washington State Cougars [#25]

On the Edge: Louisville Cardinals (7-4), Kansas State Wildcats (8-3), Missouri Tigers (8-3), Illinois Fighting Illini (8-3)

Upset Results

The SEC was struck the hardest by the upset demon.  Ole Miss fell to Florida, Oklahoma toppled Alabama, and Auburn spanked the Aggies in triple overtime.  For Ole Miss and Alabama, they fell out of contention for the conference championship, as well as likely falling out of the playoffs.

The SEC wasn't the only victimized conference, though.  Conference USA doormat New Mexico State shocked Middle Tennessee.  Surging Big Ten team Wisconsin was completely skunked by Nebraska, and Kansas upset their third ranked opponent in a row, thoroughly embarrassing Colorado.

Big Ten Report

I'll cover the scenarios for the conference title game in the next section.  Four teams are in contention, and those four will be the top four teams at the end of the season, as they are two games apart from fifth place Illinois.  If Illinois wins, they are the fifth place team.  Iowa follows, who can move up a slot if they win and Illinois loses.

The conference currently has eleven teams that are bowl eligible, with four teams likely to reach the playoffs.  USC may reach the playoffs by the end of Week 13 (this column is being written while the game is still being played).  Two other teams have 5-6 records and could reach that level next week.  If UCLA beats USC, they would achieve a 5-6 record and become the third team that could reach bowl eligibility with a win next week.  Only three teams (four if UCLA loses) will not attain bowl eligibility.

Conference Championship scenarios and playoff contenders

AMERICAN ATHLETIC -- Army will face Tulane

ACC -- SMU is in.  Miami will be their opponent if they win.  If they lose, Clemson will face SMU

BIG XII -- Four teams have a shot:  Arizona State, BYU, Colorado, and Iowas State.  Arizona State and BYU have the best shot, as they face easier opponents this week.  Scenarios get strange and disparate, depending upon how many of the four teams win.  If ALL of them lose, then the number of potential teams increase, as teams with three conference losses are eligible.  It is easy to see why only the conference winner will reach the playoffs.

BIG TEN -- Oregon will play in the title game.  If Ohio State beats Michigan, they play.  Penn State would need to win AND have Michigan beat Ohio State.  Indiana would require a win AND losses by both Ohio State and Penn State.  If all three teams win, all of the top four teams will play in the playoffs.  Penn State is likely in the playoffs regardless.  Indiana might get in with a second loss, but they really need a win to be sure.

CONFERENCE USA -- Jacksonville State is in.  Liberty is in if they beat Sam Houston.  Western Kentucky would need Liberty to lose AND to upset Jacksonville State.  They seem least likely.  Sam Houston gets in if they win and Jacksonville State wins.

MAC -- The winner of the Miami Ohio - Bowling Green game will be one team in the title game.  Ohio will be the second if they win.  If they lose, we get a quick rematch.  

MOUNTAIN WEST -- Boise State is in both the championship game and the playoffs (unless they lose the conference title game and Army wins theirs).  UNLV will be in with a win.  If they lose and Colorado State wins, the Rams are in.  

SEC -- The title game just got easier after this week's upsets.  Georgia is in, and the winner of the Texas - A&M matchup is the other team.  As far as the playoffs, both Texas and Georgia are likely in.  If Tennessee wins this week, they will be the third team, unless A&M upsets both Texas and Georgia to win the conference title.

NFL 2024 Week 11 Power Rankings and Week 12 picks

 Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  DETROIT LIONS (9-1)     [1]

2.  Buffalo Bills (9-2) [3]

3.  Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) [2]

4.  Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) [4]

5.  Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2) [5]

6.  Minnesota Vikings (8-2) [6]

7.  Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) [9]

8.  Washington Commanders (7-4) [7]

9.  Baltimore Ravens (7-4) [8]

10. Green Bay Packers (7-3) [10]

11. Denver Broncos (6-5) [13]

12. Houston Texans (7-4) [15]

13. Arizona Cardinals (6-4) [12]

14. San Francisco 49ers (5-5) [11]

Divisional Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  NFC NORTH [1]

2.  AFC West [2]

3.  AFC North [3]

4.  NFC West [5]

5.  NFC East [4]

6.  AFC East [6]

7.  NFC South [7]

8.  AFC South [8]

Thursday night

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns : Cleveland is struggling.  For Pittsburgh, despite rotating QB concerns, their defense and offensive line keep them winning.  STEELERS, 24-13

Sunday early games

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders : Dallas is having a tough season,  Now with the seasonal loss of Dak Prescott, they don't have a chance of coming back.  COMMANDERS, 31-16

Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts : The Lions are the hottest team in the league!  LIONS, 34-17

Kansas City Chiefs at Carolina Panthers : How does KC bounce back from their first loss of the season? Given how poorly the Panthers have been playing, I'm not sure this game will be a really accurate answer.  Even Dallas could beat Carolina!  CHIEFS, 24-16

Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears : If not for a blocked field goal, the Bears would have beaten the Packers last week.  This game won't be that close.  VIKINGS, 27-17

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins : Maye is still getting his bearings in the league.  Since returning from concussion, Tua seems to have something to prove.  DOLPHINS, 23-13

Tampa Bay Bucs at New York Giants : QB Daniel Jones has been benched, and the Giants are hoping that Tommy DeVito will spark them as effectively as he did in a three-game stretch last season.  He might, which is why I am putting an Upset Alert on this game.  BUCS, 23-20

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans : The Texans will roll over the struggling Titans.  TEXANS, 24-16

Sunday late games

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks : The Cards are on a roll, and definitely seem the favorite to win, but never count out Seattle when they play at home.  CARDS, 20-16

Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders : The Broncos are a bit up and down, but the Raiders are mostly down.  BRONCOS, 23-13

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers : The Pack escaped with a scare last week.  They will play much more sharply in the fourth quarter.  The 49ers defense will look to slow the Pack, so advancing the ball in the fourth quarter will be tough for each team.  That gives the team who scores early the advantage, and I think that is the Pack.  PACKERS, 24-17

Sunday night

Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams : The Eagles are hot again.  They have the talent to sustain it, and a fairly favorable schedule, too.  EAGLES, 27-17

Monday Night Football

Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers : These two defensive beasts have streaky offenses.  Likely, whichever team's offense shows up better will likely be the winner.  The Ravens just lost to Pittsburgh, so they have likely been working hard this week to improve their offenses.  Let's see all of that work pay off.  RAVENS, 27-24

NCAA 2024 Week 12

 Tues Nov 19

Northern Illinois Huskies at Miami Ohio Redhawks : This is the time of the year when the Huskies get tough, but they face one of the best teams in the conference.  MIAMI OHIO by 13

Wed Nov 20

Ohio Bobcats at Toledo Rockets : Ohio is playing for a spot in the conference championship game, but never ignore the threat of the Rockets.  Toledo is always a tough team, especially at home.  This game could go either way.  OHIO by six

Thurs Nov 21

NC State Wolf Pack at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets : Tech considers this a warmup for their battle with Georgia next week.  The Wolf Pack becomes tackling dummies.  GEORGIA TECH by 16

Fri Nov 22

Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan State Spartans : Purdue is on track to have a winless conference record.  This one doesn't look promising, either.  MICHIGAN STATE by 14

#19 UNLV Running Rebels at San Jose State Spartans : San Jose State has had a good season, but UNLV has had a great season.  UNLV by 17

Sat Nov 23

Top 25

#11 Army Black Knights at #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish : The unbeaten season of the Army Black Knights ends here, as does their chances for reaching the playoffs.  The Black Knights are a strong team, but they don't come back from behind.  The Irish will score quickly and early, putting Army behind for the whole game.  NOTRE DAME by 20

#6 Indiana Hoosiers at #3 Ohio State Buckeyes : Another unbeaten is likely to fall.  While Indiana has the offense firepower to pull off the upset, I don't think the Buckeyes defense will allow it.  OHIO STATE by ten

#4 Penn State Nittany Lions at Minnesota Golden Gophers : Minnesota is slipping, while the Lions are carving their place into the playoffs.  PENN STATE by 23

Kentucky Wildcats at #5 Texas Longhorns : Kentucky loves to upset conference opponents at this point in the season, but I don't think they have the power to do it here.  TEXAS by 18

UMass Minutemen at #7 Georgia Bulldogs : Easy win, as many of the SEC top teams will have.  GEORGIA by lots

#8 Ole Miss Rebels at Florida Gators : Florida can be tough at home, but their team has been pretty decimated this season.  OLE MISS by 20

UTEP Miners at #9 Tennessee Volunteers : Another one of those easy SEC wins.  TENN by lots

#10 Alabama Crimson Tide at Oklahoma Sooners : Alabama had their easy win last week.  I don't think that game was tough enough to help them prepare for this one.  Oklahoma may be struggling more than usual this season, but they are capable of an upset here.  I'm just not sure they'll quite do it, but a close game is likely.  ALABAMA by eight

#12 Boise State Broncos at Wyoming Cowboys : The Broncos further cement their likely playoff berth.  BOISE STATE by 24

The Citadel at #13 Clemson Tigers : SEC teams aren't the only ones with easy games this week.  CLEMSON by lots

Wake Forest Demon Deacons at #14 Miami Hurricanes : Miami gets one step closer to an ACC Championship berth.  MIAMI by 18

#15 SMU Mustangs at Virginia Cavaliers : And Miami's likely opponent gets closer, too.  SMU by 20

#16 BYU Cougars at #23 Arizona State Sun Devils : BYU needs to redeem themselves for their loss last week.  They certainly could, but watch out for the Sun Devils.  If they beat BYU, THEY get the inside track to advance to the Big XII Championship.  BYU by six

Wofford at #17 South Carolina Gamecocks : Another easy SEC game.  SOUTH CAROLINA by lots

#18 Colorado Buffaloes at Kansas Jayhawks : The Buffs should watch out for Kansas!  They are on a two-week streak of beating ranked teams.  Could the Jayhawks make it three?  Maybe, but I'll still Colorado.  COLORADO by eight

#20 Texas A&M Aggies at Auburn Tigers : Both teams are using this game as a warm-up for heated rivalry games next week.  The Aggies have the power advantage.  TEXAS A&M by 16

#21 Iowa State Cyclones at Utah Utes : The Utes can be tricky, so the Cyclones have to watch out for a possible upset here.  IOWA STATE by eight

#25 Washington State Cougars at Oregon State Beavers : The last two remnants of the Pac-12 face off this week.  The Beavers can be tough at home, but I think the Cougs will overcome them.  WASHINGTON STATE by 13

Big Ten

Illinois Fighting Illini at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : The Knights have been getting tough lately, and they have home field advantage.  The Illini let the Spartans have some big plays last week, but their red zone defense is intense.  They may have to lean on that again this week.  ILLINOIS by eleven

Iowa Hawkeyes at Maryland Terrapins : The strangling Hawkeye defense will just frustrate the Terrapins.  IOWA by nine

Northwestern Wildcats at Michigan Wolverines : Michigan has had a tough season, but they should win this game.  They need to, as next week is "The Game".  MICHIGAN by 12

Wisconsin Badgers at Nebraska Cornhusker4s : After a good beginning to the season, the Cornhuskers are fading.  The Badgers are on the rise, though.  WISCONSIN by 14

USC Trojans at UCLA Bruins : It's hard for me to put the Tinseltown crosstown rivalry among the Big Ten games, but it is.  USC is the stronger team, but this is one of those rivalries where the intensity often outweighs the records and skill.  In other words, this is anyone's game.  USC by four

Other Games of Interest

James Madison Dukes at Appalachian State Mountaineers : The Dukes are back and pummelling opponents.  JAMES MADISON by 18

Pitt Panthers at Louisville Cardinals : Two recent Top 25 go at it to see if either can get back there.  This will be a close game, too close for the winner to move up.  LOUISVILLE by six

NCAA 2024 Week 12 results and Top 25

 Very few upsets this week, so wasn't much movement in the Top 25

Top 25  [Last week's rank]

1.  OREGON DUCKS (11-0) [1]

2.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-1) [2]

3.  Ohio State Buckeyes (9-1) [3]

4.  Penn State Nittany Lions (9-1) [4]

5.  Texas Longhorns (9-1) [5]

6.  Indiana Hoosiers (10-0) [6]

7.  Georgia Bulldogs (8-2) [9]

8.  Ole Miss Rebels (8-2) [8]

9.  Tennessee Volunteers (8-2) [7]

10. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2) [11]

11. Army Black Knights (9-0) [12]

12. Boise State Broncos (10-1) [13]

13. Clemson Tigers (8-2) [14]

14. Miami Hurricanes  (9-1) [15]

15. SMU Mustangs (9-1) [16]

16. BYU Cougars (9-1) [10]

17. South Carolina Gamecocks (7-3) [17]

18. Colorado Buffaloes (8-2) [18]

19. UNLV Running Rebels (8-2) [20]

20. Texas A&M Aggies (8-2) [22]

21. Iowa State Cyclones (8-2) [21]

22. Tulane Green Wave (9-2) [27]

23. Arizona State Sun Devils (8-2) [25]

24. Memphis Tigers (9-2) [NR]

25. Washington State Cougars (8-2) [19]

Dropped off: Louisville Cardinals [#23], Kansas State Wildcats [#24]

On the Edge: James Madison Dukes (8-2), Iowa Hawkeyes (6-4), Wisconsin Badgers (5-5)

Upset Results

For this point in November, we had surprisingly few.  Tulane beat Navy to jump into the Top 25.  The Cardinal battle had Louisville fans seeing red, as Stanford came back in the fourth quarter to knock them off.  But it was Saturday night where most of the slaughter occurred, as first Washington State fell to lowly New Mexico, and then Kansas knocked off their second Big XII title contender in two weeks by handing BYU their first loss of the season.

Big Ten Report

No real shocking results.  We had many teams taking their last bye week, so we had fewer games.  The biggest surprise was a near loss to Oregon.  The Ducks have only one game remaining, so finishing 12-0 seems nearly a lock.  Ohio State and Penn State continued their dominance, and Indiana had a bye.  Illinois vaulted back to fifth place.  Rutgers has been playing well recently.  If the Illini can prevent an upset this coming week, they should finish with a great ten-win record.

Playoff Predications

With only two more weeks of play, some of the likely conference championship matchups are taking shape, but the playoff teams remain a bit murky.  Unless Army pulls off an upset of Notre Dame, it seems likely that Boise State will be the highest ranked Group of Five champ, advancing to the playoffs along with Notre Dame.  It is very clear that the Big XII will only contribute one team to the playoffs.  BYU's loss opens possibilities for both Arizona State and Iowa State, but each team has a tough opponent remaining.  It seems obvious that the Big XII Championship will feature BYU and Colorado, and only the winner reaches the playoffs.

Two teams from the ACC seem likely.  Despite Clemson's win this week, they still have to face South Carolina, which will be their third loss.  Even a close win against the Gamecocks will not impress the committee, leaving the two championship contenders of SMU and Miami as the playoff representatives.

The Big Ten remains the likely source of four playoff teams.  Unless Indiana upsets Ohio State, the championship game seems likely to feature the Oregon-Ohio State rematch.  Both Indiana and Penn State should finish with only one loss.

In the SEC, Georgia has finished their conference play.  It seems unlikely they will lose either of their two remaining games, which seems to advance Georgia to the playoffs.  It also advances Ole Miss to the SEC Championship, so long as they can win both of their remaining games (a likely scenario).  The winner of the Texas-Texas A&M game will be the other championship team.  If Ole Miss shocks Texas, both of those two-loss teams will be the remaining SEC playoff representatives.  If Texas wins, Ole Miss will miss the playoffs with three losses.  That opens the door for either Tennessee or Alabama, provided both of them win out.  Tennessee beat Alabama, so you would think that gives them the edge, but face-to-face results are not the only factor the committee uses.  Depending upon the results of the Iron Bowl, Alabama could be the third team.  If Auburn plays them close, then Tennessee will likely play in the playoffs.

NFL 2024 Week 10 Power Rankings and Week 11 picks

 Power Rankings

1.  DETROIT LIONS (8-1) [1]

2.  Kansas City Chiefs (9-0) [2]

3.  Buffalo Bills (8-2) [3]

4.  Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) [9]

5.  Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) [6]

6.  Minnesota Vikings (7-2) [5]

7.  Washington Commanders (7-3) [4]

8.  Baltimore Ravens (7-3) [7]

9.  Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) [8]

10. Green Bay Packers (6-3) [10]

11. San Francisco 49ers (5-4) [14]

12. Arizona Cardinals (6-4) [18]

13. Denver Broncos (5-5) [11]

14. Atlanta Falcons (6-4) [11]

15. Houston Texans (6-4) [15]

Divisional Power Rankings

1.  NFC North [1]

2.  AFC West [2]

3.  AFC North [2]

4.  NFC East [4]

5.  NFC West [5]

6.  AFC East [6]

7.  NFC South [7]

8.  AFC South [8]

Thursday night

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles : Last week I would have picked this game differently.  The Eagles have toughened up and Jaylen Daniels have become human again.  I'll pick the home team, but acknowledge that Washington can win this one.  EAGLES, 28-27

Sunday early games

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers : Like the previous game, we have a divisional contest between two similarly-strengthened teams.  Again, I favor the home team, but the Steelers are having some QB issues, so the Ravens could easily flip this game.  STEELERS, 23-20

Cleveland Browns at New Orleans Saints : The Saints are starting to find themselves again.  If they can continue that, this game will be a breeze.  SAINTS, 17-13

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears : The Bears offense is non-existent, and that vaulted defense has fallen to Earth.  PACK, 24-6

Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets : This is not the season the Jets predicted.  They can't seem to figure out what is happening, either, so their woes will continue.  COLTS, 16-10

Jacksonville Jaguars at Detroit Lions : The Lions engineered a phenomenal comeback last week.  They won't need to do that this week.  LIONS, 31-13

Las Vegas Raiders at Miami Dolphins : Tua is bringing the Dolphins back.  The question to be asked is "How long will it take?"  The Raiders might be the next victim, but they won't make it easy.  DOLPHINS, 20-16

Los Angeles Rams at New England Patriots : Another close game.  Both teams struggle with consistency, and they both have a tendency to fizzle in the middle of crucial drives.  Who will hold it together long enough to win?  Perhaps the team who more needs the win.  RAMS, 17-16

Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans : The Jags held the Vikings offense to limited results last week.  They want to explode.  This is a good game to do that.  VIKINGS, 27-17

Sunday late games

Atlanta Falcons at Denver Broncos: Kurt Cousins has the Falcons soaring.  Denver is no easy target, but they may be slipping.  Certainly the home team has a chance to win, but I like the upswing that Atlanta is on.  FALCONS, 27-23

Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills : Man, we have a lot of games this week that could really go either way; none no greater than this one.  The rivalry between Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes is intense, and it is reflected on the field.  Buffalo is used to winning big this season.  This will be a close game, and that is the Chiefs' specialty this season.  CHIEFS, 24-20

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers : The Seahawks have trouble away from home, and the 49ers defense will make that worse.  49ERS, 20-17

Sunday night

Cincinnati Bengals at Los Angeles Chargers : The Chargers defense will keep the Bengals down.  CHARGERS, 23-16

Monday Night Football

Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys : The Battle of Texas occurs without Dak Prescott. Detroit came back from a big deficit to Houston.  Without Dak, the Cowboys won't be able to do that.  TEXANS, 20-13

NCAA 2024 Week 12 picks

 Tuesday Nov 12

Western Michigan Broncos at Bowling Green Falcons : The Broncos should bounce back from their loss last week and regain their status in the conference.  WESTERN MICHIGAN by 13

Central Michigan Chippewas at Toledo Rockets : The Chippewas have struggled ever since conference play has begun, and that will continue here.  TOLEDO by 24

Wed Nov 13

Akron Zips at Northern Illinois Huskies : Their win last week turned around their season.  They want to continue that trend.  NORTHERN ILLINOIS by 16

Fri Nov 15

UCLA Bruins at Washington Huskies : This still seems like a Pac-12 game in my mind, but it's Big Ten.  UCLA is turning around their season, but the Huskies still have more firepower.  WASHINGTON by 10

Sat Nov 16

Top 25

#1 Oregon Ducks at Wisconsin Badgers : It can be tough to play at Camp Randall Stadium, but the Ducks will prevail.  It may be closer than their fans would like, as Wisconsin has a decent defense, but the Ducks will make some interesting offensive adjustments.  OREGON by 16

Virginia Cavaliers at #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish : The Cavs knocked off Pitt last week, but the Irish won't be taken.  NOTRE DAME by lots

#3 Ohio State Buckeyes at Northwestern Wildcats : Easy win for the Buckeyes.  OHIO STATE by lots

#4 Penn State Nittany Lions at Purdue Boilermakers : Penn State may not win as much as Ohio State did last week, but it'll still be a wipeout.  PENN STATE by lots

#5 Texas Longhorns at Arkansas Razorbacks : Arkansas was competitive early in conference play, but they have lost steam.  Texas will roll.  TEXAS by lots

#7 Tennessee Volunteers at #9 Georgia Bulldogs : The Bulldogs rarely lose two in a row, but the Vols are a tough team.  Ole Miss gave the Vols some hints to beat Georgia, but they have likely been preparing for this game for weeks.  Either team could win this game, but I like the strength of the Vols.  TENNESSEE by two

 Kansas Jayhawks at #10 BYU Cougars : The Cougars barely escaped against their state rival, but they won't need last minute heroics to beat the Jayhawks.  BYU by 13

Mercer at #11 Alabama Crimson Tide : Other than a win, this game won't count in my rankings.  ALABAMA by lots

#13 Boise State Broncos at San Jose State Spartans : The Spartans are good, but the Broncos are stronger.  BOISE STATE by 18

#14 Clemson Tigers at Pitt Panthers : Pitt has lost two games in a row, and want to rebound.  They have the talent to make things hard for Clemson.  The Panthers could win, but I'll give a slight edge to the Tigers.  CLEMSON by four

Boston College Eagles at #16 SMU Mustangs : The Mustangs should win handily, although they rarely win big.  SMU by 20

Missouri Tigers at #17 South Carolina Gamecocks : The Gamecocks are getting hot.  Somehow, the two hottest SEC teams right now are South Carolina and Ole Miss.  Who would have thought?  SOUTH CAROLINA by eight

Utah Utes at #18 Colorado Buffaloes : Utah gave BYU fits, but the couldn't close.  The fourth quarter is the best for the Buffs.  COLORADO by nine

#19 Washington State Cougars at New Mexico Lobos : Easy win.  WASHINGTON STATE by lots

San Diego State Aztecs at #20 UNLV Running Rebels : The Aztecs are struggling this season.  The Rebels aren't flashy,but they get the job done.  UNLV by 16

Cincinnati Bearcats at #21 Iowa State Cyclones : The Cyclones have lost two in a tow, and Cincy would love to make it three.  I think the Cyclones will reverse things, but the Bearcats won't make it easy.  IOWA STATE by six

New Mexico State Aggies at #22 Texas A&M Aggies : We don't usually get a battle of two Aggies.  It won't be close.  TEXAS A&M by lots

#23 Louisville Cardinals at Stanford Cardinal : This is the game I've eagerly awaiting every since Stanford joined the conference!  The birds versus the tree, and I challenge ANYONE to get through this game without thinking about the "12 Days of Christmas"!  The bird will win, as Stanford's offense is almost as immobile as a tree.  LOUISVILLE by 20

#25 Arizona State Sun Devils at #24 Kansas State Wildcats : Whoa, this will be a thriller!  Normally I would pick the Sun Devils, but the home team had an extra week to prepare.  Still, the Sun Devils will put a massive scare into the Cats.  KANSAS STATE by five

Big Ten

Michigan State Spartans at Illinois Fighting Illini : The Illini need a good game to redeem themselves from the embarrassment against Minnesota.  If anyone can do that, it's Bret Bielema.  ILLINOIS by ten

Nebraska Cornhuskers at USC Trojans : It's been hard for much of the Big Ten to travel to the West Coast and play the former Pac-12 teams, but that may not be so hard for Nebraska.  After all, they are already halfway there!  NEBRASKA by six

Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Maryland Terrapins : Maryland is struggling this season, but Rutgers stinks on the road.  I'm picking the upset here.  MARYLAND by nine

Other Games of Interest

Tulane Green Wave at Navy Midshipmen : Both teams are doing very well right now.  Tulane has quietly been moving up the ranks, and now they might break into the Top 25.  Standing in their way is the Navy team.  They control the clock better than most, and that might make things hard for Tulane.  NAVY by six

Syracuse Orange at Cal Golden Bears : The Bears are peaking, while Syracuse is chaotic.  CAL by nine

NCAA 2024 Week 11 results and Top 25

 We entered the week with five unbeaten teams.  We lost one and nearly lost another.  We now have four unbeaten teams, and half of them are located in the Big Ten.  The Big Ten also has three teams in the Top Five and four in the Top Ten.  Now which is the best conference this season?

Top 25  [Last week's rank]

1.  OREGON DUCKS (10-0) [1]

2.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-1) [2]

3.  Ohio State Buckeyes (8-1) [3]

4.  Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) [5]

5.  Texas Longhorns (8-1) [6]

6.  Indiana Hoosiers (10-0) [7]

7.  Tennessee Volunteers (8-1) [9]

8.  Ole Miss Rebels (8-2) [11]

9.  Georgia Bulldogs (7-2) [4]

10. BYU Cougars (9-0) [10]

11. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2) [13]

12. Army Black Knights (9-0) [12]

13. Boise State Broncos (9-1) [15]

14. Clemson Tigers (7-2) [14]

15. Miami Hurricanes (9-1) [8]

16. SMU Mustangs (8-1) [16]

17. South Carolina Gamecocks (6-3) [21]

18. Colorado Buffaloes (7-2) [26]

19. Washington State Cougars (8-1) [28]

20. UNLV Running Rebels (7-2) [20]

21. Iowa State Cyclones (7-2) [18]

22. Texas A&M Aggies (7-2) [22]

23. Louisville Cardinals (6-3) [23]

24. Kansas State Wildcats (7-2) [24]

25. Arizona State Sun Devils (7-2) [29]

Dropped off: LSU Tigers [#17], Iowa Hawkeyes [#19], Pitt Panthers [#25]

On the Edge: Navy Midshipmen (7-2), Tulane Green Wave (8-2), Cal Golden Bears (5-4)

Upset Results

The upsets started on Wednesday, when the Western Michigan Broncos fell to Northern Illinois.  Three of Friday's games were upsets, including two California teams (Cal and UCLA) winning.  Saturday saw another upset in the Big Ten, as Rutgers beat Minnesota, and other Iowa team falling, as the Cyclones lost their second consecutive game.  Then the flurry of upsets subsided, and it seemed like the day would finish smoothly.  The Virginia Cavaliers had other ideas.

Big Ten Report

Iowa's loss was a surprise, but the rest of the top teams performed as expected.  Oregon and Indiana remain undefeated, Ohio State just keeps looking better, and Penn State looks strong.  Those are the only four teams with any real chance at the conference championship.  Penn State and Oregon have the easiest schedules, and likely to win out.  Ohio State faces Indiana, the only tough opponent either team has left.  Ohio State looks like they will win.  If so, they advance to the conference championship game to face the Ducks again, as they hold the tiebreaker over Penn State.

Playoff Predictions

With three weeks remaining, things are starting to clear up.  The number of "at large" slots available to Power 4 teams will depend upon the continued success of some other teams.  If Notre Dame wins out (and it appears they will), the one-loss Irish will be in.  Remember, they do NOT count as a Group of Five team, since they are Independent, so that is IN ADDITION to the top Group of Five team.  If Boise State wins out, which means getting past Oregon State and then Colorado State (easy) or UNLV (highly likely) in the conference championship, they will gain that automatic slot.  Now, what about Army?  Well, they still have to face Notre Dame and Navy.  I don't think they will finish unbeaten, and that would be required to get in.  So, two playoff slots go to non-Power 3 teams, leaving six slots for "at large" teams.

Who will those be?  First of all, the Big XII is likely to provide only the conference champ.  It looks like the game will feature BYU and Colorado.  Colorado already has two losses, so the only way they are getting in would be to win the game.  If BYU doesn't lose again, a loss would give them two losses.  Is that good enough?  Let's see.

Who will the ACC provide?  Miami and SMU seem poised to win out, although Miami has some vulnerabilities exposed this week, so that's not certain.  Clemson still has to face both Pitt and South Carolina, so they will likely have another loss.  So the ACC runner-up will have two losses.  The ranking of that runner-up would exceed a BYU team losing to Colorado, due to the respective ranks of the ACC Champ and Colorado.  So, the Big XII and ACC will provide only THREE teams TOTAL, or only one "at large".

That leaves five "at large" teams.  How many come from the Big Ten?  As I detailed in the Big Ten Report, the championship game will likely be the rematch between Ohio State and Oregon.  The Buckeyes have toughened up since their loss to Oregon, while the Ducks are coasting.  I think the Buckeyes could win that rematch, leaving the Big Ten with FOUR one-loss teams.  ALL of those should make the playoffs, meaning the Big Ten will provide three "at large" teams.  That leaves two from the SEC.  Both of the those will have two losses.

NFL 2024 Week 9 Power Rankings and Week 10 picks

 We had quite a bit of shake-up in the Power Tankings.

Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  DETROIT LIONS (7-1) [1]

2.  Kansas City Chiefs (8-0) [2]

3.  Buffalo Bills (7-2) [3]

4.  Washington Commanders (7-2) [4]

5.  Minnesota Vikings (6-2) [9]

6.  Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) [7]

7.  Baltimore Ravens (6-3) [13]

8.  Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) [11]

9.  Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) [10]

10. Green Bay Packers (6-3) [6]

11. Atlanta Falcons (6-3) [17]

12. Denver Broncos (5-4) [5]

13. Chicago Bears (4-4) [8]

14. San Francisco 49ers (4-4) [14]

15. Houston Texans (6-3) [12]

Divisional Power Rankings  [Last week's rank]

1.  NFC North [1]

2 (tie).  AFC West [2]

2 (tie). AFC North [3]

4.  NFC East [4]

5.  NFC West [5]

6.  AFC East [6]

7.  NFC South [7]

8.  AFC South [8]

Thursday night

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens : This divisional contest won't even be close.  RAVENS, 31-14

Sunday morning

New York Giants at Carolina Panthers : Neither team is doing well, so which one will find new life overseas?  Who knows?  I'll pick the Giants only because they've been closer in losing efforts, so their offense has some punch.  GIANTS, 16-13

Sunday early games

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints : Kurt Cousins has the Falcons offense flowing very well.  The Saints, on the other hand, are frequently off-rhythm.  The Falcons will soar.  FALCONS, 27-16

Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts : The Colts can fight, but the Bills find ways to win.  This game will be close, but it will go the Bills' way.  BILLS, 31-23

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs : This will likely be a close game.  The Broncos might be able to win, but the Chiefs seem to find ways to win in the fourth quarter.  CHIEFS, 30-27

Minnesota Vikings at Jacksonville Jaguars : Easy win for the Vikings.  VIKINGS, 34-13

New England Patriots at Chicago Bears : The Bears offense is still struggling.  So is the Patriots,  The difference in this game will be the Bears defense.  BEARS, 20-16

Pittsburgh Steelers at Washington Commanders : The most high-powered offense in the league resides in Washington.  I don't think the Steelers defense will slow them down enough to give their offense a chance to stay close.  COMMANDERS, 27-17

San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Bucs : Both of these teams are inconsistent this season.  The winner will be the one with the more consistent play, but we're not sure which one that will be.  In cases like this, I usually go with the home team.  BUCS, 23-20

Sunday late games

New York Jets at Arizona Cardinals : The Cards are surging at the right time.  CARDINALS, 20-16

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys : Normally a hard-fought game, the Cowboys are lacking cohesion this season.  They also have a tendency to make critical mistakes at the wrong time, be them penalties, miscommunications, or poor clock management.  EAGLES, 27-17

Tennessee Titans at Los Angeles Chargers : The Chargers have become a real force.  They have a strong defense and a capable offense.  That offense sometimes sputters, but the Titans offense sputters more.  CHARGERS, 23-16

Sunday night

Detroit Lions at Houston Texans : CJ Stroud can work some magic, but the Lions offense is red hot.  LIONS, 27-20

Monday Night Football

Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Rams : Tua is back, but the Fins are still struggling.  He doesn't quite seem to have the same ZING! on this passes as he did before his injury.  So long as that is the case, the Fins offense will sputter.  RAMS, 24-20

NCAA 2024 Week 11 picks

 We're back to the Mid-American Conference playing mid-week -- that's what I'm used to.

Tuesday Nov 5

Bowling Green Falcons at Central Michigan Chippewas : The Chippewas played well early in the season, but they have collapsed in conference play.  BOWLING GREEN by 16

Miami Ohio Redhawks at Ball State Cardinals : It has not been a great year for the Cardinals.  MIAMI OHIO by 18

Wed Nov 6

Ohio Bobcats at Kent State Golden Flashes : Ohio is competing for the division title, and a spot in the conference championship game.  This game will help.  OHIO by 20

Northern Illinois Huskies at Western Michigan Broncos : Speaking of divisional leadership, the Broncos are leading their division, and they intend to stay there.  WESTERN MICHIGAN by 17

Thurs Nov 7

Florida Atlantic Owls at East Carolina Pirates : I always enjoy watching the Pirates play, and I haven't had a chance so far this season.  It's nice to get them on Thursday night.  EAST CAROLINA by 15

Fri Nov 8

Cal Golden Bears at Wake Forest Demon Deacons : Cal is struggling in their first season in the ACC.  WAKE FOREST by 13

#19 Iowa Hawkeyes at UCLA Bruins : Big Ten teams have not faired well traveling to the West Coast this season, but Iowa is set up for this.  Their offense doesn't need to feel comfortable, they'll just lean on their stiff defense to hassle the struggling Bruins offense.  IOWA by 12

Rice Owls at Memphis Tigers : Rice fought hard last week, and Memphis fell.  I think both teams will regain their rightful place this week.  MEMPHIS by 14

Sat Nov 9

Top 25

Maryland Terrapins at #1 Oregon Ducks : No chance for the Terrapins.  OREGON by lots

Florida State Seminoles at #2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish : Same for the Seminoles.  NOTRE DAME by lots

Purdue Boilermakers at #3 Ohio State Buckeyes : The Boilermakers haven't won a Big Ten game yet.  That will remain.  OHIO STATE by lots

#4 Georgia Bulldogs at #11 Ole Miss Rebels : We have the first real challenge to a Top Five team this week, and it's a potential upset.  The Rebs are playing very well right now, while the Bulldogs offense has struggled a bit recently.  Georgia's QB is the only QB in FBS with more than two games with multiple interceptions.  If the Rebels defense force that, the Bulldogs could lose.  GEORGIA by four (and watch for an upset)

Washington Huskies at #5 Penn State Nittany Lions : The Huskies won't survive against the Penn State stifling defense.  PENN STATE by 17

Florida Gators at #6 Texas Longhorns : Florida gave Georgia fits last week, but they had the incentive of an intensive rivalry.  That edge is lacking here.  TEXAS by lots

Michigan Wolverines at #7 Indiana Hoosiers : The Wolverines are still figuring out their new offense.  The Hoosiers can score quickly.  By the half, Michigan will be behind too much for them to come back.  INDIANA by 20

#8 Miami Hurricanes at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets : There is a small chance of an upset, as Georgia Tech has the talent to do so (and they demonstrated that early in the season), but they haven't been playing up to that level recently.  MIAMI by 18

Mississippi State Bulldogs at #9 Tennessee Volunteers : The Vols are still competing for a shot at the conference championship, and they need to win every remaining game to do so.  This is a good start.  TENN by 16

#10 BYU Cougars at Utah Utes : This battle for Utah will not go the home team's way, as BYU strives to remain among the ranks of the unbeaten.  BYU by 23

#12 Army Black Knights at North Texas Mean Green : The Mean Green defense won't be able to stand up against the exhausting "grind it out" ground attack of the Black Knights.  ARMY by 20

#13 Alabama Crimson Tide at #17 LSU Tigers : LSU often plays Alabama tough, and both are fairly evenly matched this season.  Alabama will likely pull this out late in the fourth quarter, but a toughened Tigers defense may prevent that.  Upset Alert!  ALABAMA by two

#14 Clemson Tigers at Virginia Tech Hokies : Another possible upset, as the weakness of Clemson's early season opponents has shown they may not be properly prepared to face the tougher opponents in the ACC.  CLEMSON by six

Nevada Wolf Pack at #15 Boise State Broncos : Boise State should have no problem here.  BOISE STATE by lots

#18 Iowa State Cyclones at Kansas Jayhawks : Iowa State lost for the first time last week.  Now we see how well they bounce back.  Fortunately they face a team who has not lived up to their pre-season hype.  IOWA STATE by 13

#20 UNLV Running Rebels at Hawaii Rainbow Warriors : The time shift playing in Hawaii can often throw off the metabolism of opposing players.  Fortunately they are playing at a reasonable time, so UNLV has a shot.  UNLV by 17

#21 South Carolina Gamecocks at Vanderbilt Commodores : South Carolina pulled off an awesome win last week.  Vandy is interested in doing the same.  They've already established themselves as the "SEC Killer" this season.  Will the Gamecocks be their next victim?  Maybe, but it deserves to be an upset if it happens.  SOUTH CAROLINA by eight

Virginia Cavaliers at #25 Pitt Panthers : Like Iowa State, Pitt also suffered their first loss of the season.  Fortunately, they have a fairly easy opponent this week, so they can get over that upset and right themselves.  PITT by 16

Big Ten

Minnesota Golden Gophers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : The Knight play tough at home, but Minnesota is on an incredible run.  They have confidence and drive, and they produce results.  MINNESOTA by 18

Other Games of Interest

 Syracuse Orange at Boston College Eagles : Syracuse played a strong game last week.  They have been alternating this season, so I fear they may falter this week.  I'll still give them a chance to win this one.  SYRACUSE by ten

West Virginia Mountaineers at Cincinnati Bearcats : The Bearcats have been up and down this season, but an extra week to prepare for this game should have gotten them up well.  CINCY by 12

Colorado Buffaloes at Texas Tech Red Raiders : Colorado is having a great season, but the Raiders would love to stop it, just like they stopped the unbeaten season of Iowa State last week.  I'm not sure they have it in them to slow down the strong Buffaloes offense.  COLORADO by 13

UCF Golden Knights at Arizona State Sun Devils : UCF can often be a threat, but they are bit declawed this season.  The Sun Devils, on the other hand, are doing quite well.  ARIZONA STATE by 17

Utah State Aggies at Washington State Cougars : Easy win for the Cougs.  WASHINGTON STATE by lots

NCAA 2024 Week 10 results and Top 25

 Some interesting game results created some interesting changes in the Top 25

Top 25  [Last week's rank]

1.  OREGON DUCKS (9-0) [1]

2.  Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-1) [2]

3.  Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1) [5]

4.  Georgia Bulldogs (7-1) [4]

5.  Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1) [3]

6.  Texas Longhorns (7-1) [6]

7.  Indiana Hoosiers (9-0) [8]

8.  Miami Hurricanes (9-0) [7]

9.  Tennessee Volunteers (7-1) [10]

10. BYU Cougars (8-0) [11]

11. Ole Miss Rebels (7-2) [16]

12. Army Black Knights (8-0) [12]

13. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2) [14]

14. Clemson Tigers (6-2) [9]

15. Boise State Broncos (8-1) [18]

16. SMU Mustangs (8-1) [22]

17. LSU Tigers (6-2) [17]

18. Iowa State Cyclones (7-1) [13]

19. Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2) [30]

20. UNLV Running Rebels (6-2) [20]

21. South Carolina Gamecocks (5-3) [24]

22. Texas A&M Aggies (7-2) [15]

23. Louisville Cardinals (6-3) [31]

24. Kansas State Wildcats (7-2) [21]

25. Pitt Panthers (7-1) [19]

Dropped off: Navy Midshipmen [#23], Wisconsin Badgers [#25]

On the Edge: Colorado Buffaloes (6-2), Arizona State Sun Devils (6-2), Washington State Cougars (7-1), Tulane Green Wave (7-2), Vanderbilt Commodores (6-3)

Upset Results

The week started smoothly.  The first upset didn't occur until mid-afternoon on Saturday, when UTSA spanked Memphis.  Then the upsets came faster, and in a strange conference order.  The next two affected the Big XII, as both Iowa State and Kansas State fell.  UCLA won only their second Big Ten game when they upset Nebraska.  Navy lost their second game in a row before the ACC suffered two upsets that night:  Clemson fell, and so did Pitt.

Big Ten Report

Both Oregon and Indiana won, keeping them unbeaten atop the conference.  Penn State fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, failing to beat a Top 5 team for the 24th time in their last 25 tries.That puts Ohio State squarely in third place.  Iowa and Minnesota rose to fifth and sixth place with their wins, while Illinois fell to seventh.

Playoff Predictions

It got a little crazier this week, and the distribution of likely representatives from conferences got shifted.  The Big XII may only contribute one team.  The conference title appears that it will contain an unbeaten BYU and one-loss Colorado team.  Iowa State may end up with two conference losses, as will Colorado after they lose the conference title.  BYU might be the only representative.

The SEC has also likely lost one.  A&M scored their first conference game, second game overall.  They will likely lose to Texas, knocking them out of the conference title game and out of the playoffs.  Tennessee will lose their second conference game to Georgia.  LSU has a loss coming.  That means the SEC title game will feature the rematch of Texas and Georgia.  Both teams will advance to the playoffs, but I don't think any other SEC team will.

The Big Ten championship game will also feature a rematch, bringing back together Oregon and Ohio State.  Penn State should run the table, leaving them with one loss.  Indiana has a loss to Ohio State ahead of them.  That likely escalates both of them to the playoffs, allowing the Big Ten to contribute four teams.

The ACC should provide three.  Pitt is out, but Clemson should run the table and might get in with two losses.  Miami and SMU will compete for the conference title, and both will advance to the playoffs.

That leaves three slots.  The best Group of Five will be one, and Notre Dame will be the other.  If both Boise State and Army run the table, both teams should make the playoffs, filling the bracket.