College Football Week 13 Preview

The weeks are running out in the season and Ahad hold a 2 win lead over Matt and myself (3 wins ahead of Evan). Ahad was a little busy this week so he just sent his picks along without his insightful rationale.

Miami (FL) @ Georgia Tech, Thursday 7:30pm
Evan: Miami needs to win this game to keep the possibility of a watchable Orange bowl alive. Pick: Miami
Mike: I haven’t trusted Georgia Tech this year, but I also haven’t trusted the ACC. Previous events would predict that Georgia Tech will win to change the ACC standings once again. I’m sticking to the fact that Georgia Tech only beat Gardner-Webb 10-7. Pick: Miami
Ahad: G-Tech
Matt: I can see Georgia Tech winning this game, but I am not sure if they will. They have been inconsistent and have lost 2 of their past 3 games. Miami, on the other hand, has also been inconsistent, but they are riding a 5 game win streak. I am going with the hotter team. Pick: Miami

Michigan State @ Penn State, Saturday 3:30pm
Evan: Trip to Pasadena is at stake. Penn State players know this, and they know it might be the last one JoePa might get to. Pick: PSU
Mike: Since the epic battle for the Land Grant Trophy began in 1993, Michigan St has only won 4 times. All 4 of them were in East Lansing. Michigan St could give them trouble but this team is focused on a trip to the Rose Bowl. Pick: Penn State
Ahad: PSU
Matt: If PSU can shut down Javon Ringer, the game could end up being a blowout. It seems like Michigan State had struggled in their previous two games before the bye with Purdue and Wisconsin, so I am not buying that they are legit. I think Penn State will do its thing and secure the Land Grant Trophy and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Pick: Penn State

BYU @ Utah, Saturday 6pm
Evan: No BCS cinderella’s this year. Pick: BYU
Mike: First, don’t forget Boise St is 11-0, so even if Utah loses there could still be a non-BCS team. At the beginning of the year I would have expected BYU to be the undefeated team, but their loss to TCU killed that. I think Utah residents take care of their own, they don’t care much for those outside their borders. I think BYU would be happy with a Utah BCS bid. Its a nice payday for the conference too. Pick: Utah
Ahad: Utah
Matt: The only difference between these two teams is TCU. One was able to beat them, the other didn’t. I say the home team has a slight edge. Pick: Utah

Florida State @ Maryland, Saturday 7:45pm
Evan: Don’t know what to make of this FSU team. They win games you don’t think they will and then stink up joint the next week. I say they handle Maryland. Pick: FSU
Mike: I haven’t trusted Maryland this year, but I also haven’t trusted the ACC. Previous events would predict that Florida State will win to change the ACC standings once again. That sentence sounds familiar? Which Maryland team will show up this week? The decent Maryland team showed up to beat UNC after the bad Maryland team had lost to Virginia Tech. Pick: Florida State
Ahad: FSU
Matt: I don’t trust Maryland either, and I hate rooting for Florida State and Bowden, but I think they pull out the win. Pick: Florida State

Texas Tech @ Oklahoma, Saturday 8pm
Evan: Very excited about this one, mostly because I will be able to watch it from the comfort of my own lazy boy and big screen tv, which i’ve not been able to do for several football weekends in a row. Oklahoma wins, then the question becomes, how does that re-shuffle the numbers 2-5 spots in the BCS (assuming Bama stays number 1). Pick: Sooners
Mike: I see no compelling reason to pick against Texas Tech. They have faced every challenge so far this year. This far in I’m not going to question them. The only way I’d pick OU is because I’ve decided Texas Tech isn’t an undefeated caliber team. I think they are. Pick: Texas Tech
Ahad: Sooners
Matt: Both teams have been playing lights out this year. The way Oklahoma just explodes on offense is just extraordinary. Texas Tech isn’t too shabby, either. Should be a very entertaining game. I think Oklahoma exacts revenge from last season. Pick: Oklahoma

Bonus – This game was too special to pass up.
Washington @ Washington St, Saturday 3pm
Mike: Awesome. Are they even going to get the Apple Cup out of storage? Been looking forward to this one for a while. How much are tickets going for? Now Washington St does have 1 win, which is 1 more than Washington. Of course, that win came against Portland State, not a traditional power. Seeing as my method of picking Pac 10 games is to see the score against these 2 teams, I will do the reverse and see how these teams played against Oregon St and USC. Washington: 13-90, Washington St: 13-132. Wow. I’m blown away. I was heading toward Washington anyway, but wow. Pick: Washington Each of these teams has 1 game remaining next week. Washington heads to Berkeley and Wazzu heads to Hawaii. How is that fair? They should have changed the schedule and let the winner get the trip to Hawaii. Who cares if Wazzu had to play Cal twice? I don’t think it would have an impact on the standings.
Ahad: Washington State
Matt: This game is obviously a very big thing out here, even if both teams royally suck. Will Washington be able to avoid a winless season? I feel that Washington has had tougher competition this year, and that experience (albeit losing) will help them here. Pick: Washington