College Football Week 12 Preview: 5 Key Matchups
College Football Week 12 Preview: 5 Key Matchups
While lacking marquee matchups, the Week 12 college football slate still offers compelling games to keep an eye on.
The No. 5 Washington Huskies will be battling it out against the Oregon State Beavers while the No. 25 Kansas Jayhawks and No. 21 Kansas State Wildcats prepare for the Sunflower Showdown. The conference championships and the Playoffs are at stake in each game, adding to the significance.
Despite the lack of highly anticipated matchups, there are still standout games to look forward to in the Week 12 college football schedule. There are many teams in the race for bowl eligibility or even greater rewards, and with November already here, the clock is ticking. The chance of a cataclysmic upset is forever lurking, waiting to unsettle conference championships and the College Football Playoff.
The results of the games could bring more clarity to the conference races or plunge them into absolute chaos. To earn their spot in the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte, Louisville needs to win against Miami and secure their tickets. Furthermore, the Big 12 conference resembles a gridlocked intersection, as four teams trail closely behind Texas (just think about the implications if K-State had managed to beat Texas a few weeks ago). Iowa State has the honor of hosting the Longhorns in a highly anticipated prime-time showdown.
In addition to the Washington Huskies and Georgia Bulldogs, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida State, James Madison, and Liberty will also strive to maintain their flawless records on Saturday.
In the 121st Sunflower Showdown, No. 25 Kansas will be hosting No. 21 Kansas State. The Wildcats still have a shot at the Big 12 Championship, so long as they win out and Texas loses at least once. Kansas would love nothing more than to eliminate its biggest rival from contention.
No. 18 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Georgia
When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET | Where: Neyland Stadium -- Knoxville, Tennessee
Following a resounding win against Ole Miss, Georgia is once again at the top, where it rightfully belongs. Now, the Bulldogs travel to Knoxville, where they will face a Tennessee team still reeling from a crushing 36-7 defeat at the hands of Missouri.
Tennessee is clearly outclassed by Georgia in nearly every aspect of the game. With his newfound confidence, quarterback Carson Beck is eager to face a depleted Tennessee secondary that has surrendered a minimum of 270 yards in their past two matchups against SEC opponents. Despite high expectations, the Vols' rushing offense was limited to just 83 yards against Missouri. Among SEC teams, Georgia's rushing defense comes in at a strong second place. In addition to that, Tennessee has suffered the loss of two key wide receivers due to injury, and quarterback Joe Milton's performance has been underwhelming. Taking into account the Bulldogs' high stakes in the College Football Playoff, a loss here would significantly hinder their progress. Therefore, Georgia should easily cover the double-digit spread, regardless of the game's location.
No. 2 Ohio State vs. Minnesota
When: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET | Where: Ohio Stadium -- Columbus, Ohio
Let me share a fascinating fact about Ohio State that directly relates to this entry: Their games this season have only exceeded 50 points three times. One of the victories was a dominant 63-10 win against Western Kentucky, leaving no doubt about their superiority. Minnesota does not. Over the last few weeks, the Gophers have witnessed a surge in their average scoring total. This increase has been achieved by putting up impressive point totals against the defenses of Illinois and Purdue. Notably, both Illinois and Purdue rank 12th and 14th in the Big Ten in points allowed, respectively.
Minnesota's scoring struggles become evident when facing Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan—all three ranking in the top five for scoring defense in the conference—as they average just 11.7 points against them. Expect more of the same against an Ohio State defense that boasts the second-best scoring defense in the Big Ten, allowing only 9.9 points per game.
No. 25 Kansas vs. No. 21 Kansas State
When: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET | Where: David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium — Lawrence, Kansas
It has been 26 years since both Kansas and Kansas State last experienced winning seasons in the same year, making this year's achievement all the more significant. Both teams enter with 7-3 records and Kansas State is still in the running to win its second straight Big 12 title. This meeting of Sunflower State schools is bound to leave a lasting impression. Kansas State is heavily favored, with a spread of more than seven points, as they play away from home.
Kansas is recovering from a hard-fought loss against Texas Tech. The Jayhawks managed to even the score at 13-13 with a mere 25 seconds remaining, but their defense collapsed, resulting in a last-second field goal that concluded regulation. A major factor contributing to Kansas' significant struggles is the premature departure of quarterback Jason Bean, who assumed the starting position in the absence of Jalon Daniels due to injury, on account of a head injury. That resulted in the Jayhawks having a walk-on freshman, Cole Ballard, playing the pivotal role on the field. Kansas coach Lance Leipold has expressed considerable confidence this week in his conviction that Bean should be eligible to participate on Saturday.
With Bean at the helm of the offense for an entire game, the Jayhawks are maintaining an average of over 35 points per match. Despite facing two of the top five scoring defenses in the Big 12, Kansas still scored a minimum of 28 points against both Iowa State and Oklahoma.
In the meantime, Kansas State has managed to score a minimum of 40 points in three of its previous four Big 12 matchups and is now up against an average Jayhawk defense. Prepare for a substantial amount of points in this game.
No. 11 Oregon State vs. No. 5 Washington
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET | Where: Reser Stadium -- Corvallis, Oregon
Washington has glided by on a razor-thin margin since its win against Oregon. The Huskies narrowly escaped potential upsets against Stanford and Arizona State, prevailing with an average margin of victory of 8.5 points. They subsequently did the bare minimum to outperform USC and Utah. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. exhibited a noticeable decline in form for a few weeks, while the defense experienced a significant drop following strong showings earlier in the season. That has led certain individuals to speculate that the Washington bubble will finally rupture on Saturday.
Nonetheless, this matchup presents a favorable opportunity for the Huskies. Penix has bounced back and is performing at his best again in recent weeks. With a duo of NFL-quality wide receivers like Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan at his disposal, he stands as the finest quarterback Oregon State has encountered this year. While generally formidable, the Beavers' defense has proven to be exploitable by talented quarterbacks this year. Their two losses this year saw them give up a total of 697 yards passing and seven touchdowns, while in their last three games, they have allowed at least 240 yards through the air. There is a possibility for this to escalate into a shootout.
No. 22 Utah at No. 17 Arizona
When: 3:30 p.m. ET | Where: Arizona Stadium—Tucson, Arizona
Despite both Utah and Arizona having identical 7-3 records, Utah is likely more disheartened by their performance compared to Arizona, which is relishing one of its most triumphant seasons in recent memory.
The Utes' likelihood of winning the Pac-12 has disappeared after their defeat to Washington. Utah's uninterrupted reign as Pac-12 champion will conclude, nevertheless, the Utes continue to pose a formidable challenge and deserve appropriate recognition. Despite going up against strong offenses such as Washington and Oregon, Utah's scoring defense stands 16th nationally, limiting opponents to just 17.8 points per game. Scoring has been the Achilles' heel for the Utes. In last week's game, they were unable to score any points in the second half after initially leading the Huskies 28-24 at halftime. If they are at a disadvantage due to multiple scores, they struggle to stage a comeback, as playing from a deficit is not their forte.
Arizona has had its first winning season since 2017 and could potentially reach eight wins, which hasn't happened since 2014. That’s far from 0-5 in 2020 and 1-11 in 2021. Wide receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Jacob Cowing have proven to be dangerous options for freshman quarterback Noah Fifita. The Wildcats, displaying their dominance on the field, have secured four consecutive wins.
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