Saturday Predictions: Week 13

Historically, the Red Raiders have been dominated by the
Longhorns; currently, they have lost the last six-straight. Tech
could turn the tide if they find a way to pass against the Texas
defense.

The culmination of our regular season is at hand, for we have arrived at "Rivalry Week". College football's saved the best for last, as nearly the entire Top 25 is at risk of upset this weekend. Schools will gain annual bragging rights and teams will earn conference and divisional championships. There will be many hard-fought, emotional games played over the next few days, and not all will be discussed in this preview. As always, keep an eye out for developing thrillers across the country.

The action starts tonight, this Thanksgiving, when the South Florida Bulls take on their rivals, the UCF Knights. The Bulls have won six of their last seven while the Knights have lost each of their 11 games this season. Understandably, USF is favored by several touchdowns, even on the road. UCF should be too young and their roster too shallow to compete with USF this year. At the same time, Texas Tech will battle Texas in Austin. Texas has been inconsistent but mostly mediocre this season, while Tech has also been inconsistent but mostly good. An inspired effort could lift the Longhorns to victory, but Tech should be at an advantage.

You can spend your day after feasting watching football from noon until midnight. Pitt hosts Miami at midday, hoping to win their ninth game of the season. The Hurricanes have struggled this season, but can still give the Panthers a fight if they're not properly prepared.

Marshall heads west to face the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in a matchup of two of Conference USA's best teams. The Thundering Herd will attempt to contain WKU's prolific offense.

Houston hosts a huge game against Navy to decide the winner of the American West. Houston will be looking for some answers after dropping their first game of the year last week against UConn. Likewise, Navy has lost just a single game (to Notre Dame) and has an excellent team this season. All of Navy's wins have come by 10 points or more (the only time Navy won by as little as 10 was against UConn). Houston may find it difficult to stop Navy's option-attack offense.

The final Friday noon game to look out for features Western Michigan and Toledo. Toledo can clinch the MAC West with a home win against the Broncos. Despite their five losses, WMU is one of the MAC's tougher teams, and should provide a challenge for the Rockets.

At 2:30, Missouri visits Fayetteville, Arkansas for the first time in history. Mizzou is fighting for bowl eligibility, but should have a hard time reaching it. Despite possessing an excellent defense, the Tigers might not have enough on offense to challenge the Razorbacks.

Washington is just one of many teams that must win this
weekend to ensure their bowl eligibility.
AP Photo/Timothy J. Gonzalez

Washington and Washington State are in a similar situation. The Huskies are trying to become bowl eligible, but must overcome their below-average offense against a more balanced rival. Home-field-advantage might inspire the Husky defense to play well against Wazzu's dangerous passing attack.

Looking to enter the Big Ten Championship Game undefeated, the Iowa Hawkeyes have one final hurdle in the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Hawkeyes are not unbeaten without reason – their steady defense and conservative-but-effective offense have been a recipe for success. The Huskers are another team looking to reach bowl eligibility with a win in their season finale. Heartbreak has oft-struck the Cornhuskers this season, although their season should also be remembered for a shocking upset against Michigan State. Nebraska may need their best defensive performance of the year to complete another incredible coup.

Friday's final game of particular interest will pit Baylor against TCU. TCU has already been eliminated from contention for part of the Big 12 title, but can ruin rival Baylor's hopes for a conference title (or potential playoff bid) with a victory in their home finale. Injuries to key players have plagued both teams. The Bears have fewer such injuries, but have been hit hard at the quarterback position. The Frogs can upset the Bears if their quarterback excels once again.

Saturday arrives and with it the big game between Michigan and Ohio State. The Buckeyes will head to Michigan Stadium fresh of their loss to Michigan State. The Spartan defense dominated Ohio State, and the Wolverines will be keen to reproduce their in-state rival's performance. As a matter of fact, the strength of both teams is their defenses, so expect a physical and low-scoring contest. Only the winner can have any hope of winning the Big Ten East.

Two pairs of SEC and ACC teams will face another for their yearly rivalries. In Atlanta, Georgia will look to extend the misery of Georgia Tech's 2015 season. The Yellow Jackets have only won three games this year, but could find some relief upsetting their arch-nemeses from Athens. Both teams depend heavily on the run, although Georgia has the better defense. In Lexington, Kentucky and Louisville will battle for the title of "best in the Bluegrass". Before their win last week, Kentucky had lost five games in-a-row. Louisville, on the other hand, has won six of their last eight. In addition, Louisville has not lost to Kentucky since 2010. However, this game tends to bring the best out of the Wildcats, so watch for another close game here.

Soldier Field will host this year's game between Northwestern and Illinois. The Wildcats are ranked while the Illini, like so many teams, are a win away from reaching bowl eligibility. The Illini have lost five of their last six, but can make this season some type of success with one win over their in-state rivals. Although the Wildcat offense is mediocre, their defense should cause problems for Illinois.

Michigan State must defeat Penn State to earn a spot against
Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game.
Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Michigan State can clinch the Big Ten East with a victory over Penn State. The Spartan defense should hold the Nittany Lions in check, although PSU is certainly capable of keeping the game close and sneaking out a win in East Lansing. If MSU loses, the winner of the Michigan-Ohio State game will advance the the conference title game.

In the western division of the conference, Minnesota will look to snap an 11-game losing streak against their border-rivals, the Wisconsin Badgers. A win would also grant the Golden Gophers bowl eligibility. Wisconsin has a good defense, but will nonetheless be vulnerable on the road against a spunky Gophers team. An improbable victory may end a decade of heartbreak for the Land of 1,000 Lakes.

North Carolina has won 10 consecutive games and hopes to possibly earn a playoff bid. Their rivals from Raleigh will look to spoil their hopes. NC State has not played as well as the Tar Heels this season, but can earn a memorable win for their program by defeating UNC. The Tar Heels have one of the ACC's best offenses, so the Wolfpack defense will need their best performance to earn a win.

While Alabama can clinch the SEC West with a win in the Iron Bowl, the winner of the USC-UCLA game will earn a berth to the Pac-12 title game. These cross-town rivals have gone up and down this season, varying from big wins to embarrassing losses. UCLA's slightly superior defense and running game may prove the difference between these two evenly-matched squads.

Temple clinches the American East and the right to play the winner of the Navy-Houston game if they manage to get by UConn at the Linc. Both teams possess good defenses, although Temple has a superior, if not exactly stellar, offense. The key to Temple's success is scoring off good opportunities and field position. They'll likely find a way to get it done against UConn, but don't be too surprised to see another good showing from the Huskies.

Two bitter rivals do battle for the Egg Bowl trophy when Ole Miss faces Mississippi State in Starkville. Both teams have fared well this year against difficult schedules, but this game is as (or more) important than any that have preceded it. Both schools posses what are probably the two best quarterbacks in the SEC, but they will both face competent defenses. However, if both gunslingers find "their zone", this could turn to a barn burner. Ole Miss could find an edge if they can get the ball to their speedy playmakers.

The Gators must exploit their opportunities to upend the
Seminoles in Gainesville. Rob Foldy/Getty Images

The Swamp will host Florida and Florida State for the 60th edition of their Sunshine State rivalry game. The Gators have one of the nation's better résumés, having swept their division and gone undefeated at home. However, they have hardly impressed in recent weeks with narrow wins over Vanderbilt and Florida Atlantic (who have six wins combined). Moving the ball and scoring in the redzone has been a particular trouble for the Gators, who also have inconsistent placekickers. Yet, the Gator defense, regarded as one of the best in the country, has kept every game close and has been key in Florida's 10 victories. The Seminoles also have a great defense, and are strong at every position at that side of the ball. However, FSU is also known to struggle at times with their offense, particularly when playing away from Tallahassee. Florida will have to limit Florida State's phenomenal running back and win the battle of field position to gain an edge over the Seminoles.

LSU is set to combat Texas A&M in the former's famed Tiger Stadium. LSU has unexpectedly lost three consecutive games, and rumors of their coaches' job security swirl around their program. The Aggies are not one of the SEC's best teams, but could take advantage of LSU's apparent fall from grace. On the other hand, LSU might rally in their moment of crisis and win an emotional game for their head coach. To do this, LSU must find some sort of success on offense; the failure to do so has been their downfall in their last three losses.

But the intriguing matchups don't end there. Notre Dame and Stanford both have long-shot hopes of being granted a playoff berth, but must get past the other to get there. The Cardinal will host the Irish after winning their last game against rival Cal. Stanford usually finds ways to win games with their steady ground game and solid defense. Notre Dame has respectable units on both sides of the ball, which is remarkable considering the number of injuries they've overcome. This should be another close game between these two high-quality programs.

Bedlam breaks loose when Oklahoma and Oklahoma State draw their guns. This year, these two in-state rivals are fighting for at least a share of the Big 12 title (and the title outright if TCU beats Baylor). This may also coincide with the first playoff berth for a Big 12 team. Both teams are best on the offensive side of the ball, with particularly good passing attacks by both squads. Unlike the Cowboys, the Sooners complement their aerial attack with a potent ground game. The Sooners also have a better defense, so they will have a marked advantage in this ballgame. Even home-field-advantage may not be enough for the Cowboys this year.

State of Florida:

• South Florida (7-4) over UCF (0-11), 42-14
• Pittsburgh (8-3) over Miami (7-4), 27-24
• Florida Atlantic (2-9) over Old Dominion (5-6), 20-13
• 12 Florida (10-1) over 13 Florida State (9-2), 21-17
• FIU (5-7), END OF SEASON

Southeastern Conference:

• Arkansas (6-5) over Missouri (5-6), 28-14
• Georgia (8-3) over Georgia Tech (3-8), 24-14
• Kentucky (5-6) over Louisville (6-5), 34-30
• 1 Clemson (11-0) over South Carolina (3-8), 52-20
• 2 Alabama (10-1) over Auburn (6-5), 35-14
• Tennessee (7-4) over Vanderbilt (4-7), 17-10
• 18 Mississippi (8-3) over 21 Mississippi State (8-3), 38-35
• LSU (7-3) over Texas A&M (8-3), 31-17

Top 25:

• 3 Oklahoma (10-1) over 11 Oklahoma State (10-1), 31-24
• Nebraska (5-6) over 4 Iowa (11-0), 24-21
• 5 Michigan State (10-1) over Penn State (7-4), 27-13
• 9 Stanford (9-2) over 6 Notre Dame (10-1), 35-27
• 19 TCU (9-2) over 7 Baylor (9-1), 45-42
• 10 Michigan (9-2) over 8 Ohio State (10-1), 28-21
• 14 North Carolina (10-1) over North Carolina State (7-4), 31-21
• 15 Navy (9-1) over Houston (10-1), 35-31
• 16 Northwestern (9-2) over Illinois (5-6), 20-17 
• 17 Oregon (8-3) over Oregon State (2-9), 49-21
• Washington (5-6) over 20 Washington State (8-3), 23-21
• 22 UCLA (8-3) over USC (7-4), 31-27
• 23 Utah (8-3) over Colorado (4-8), 24-10
• 24 Toledo (9-1) over Western Michigan (6-5), 37-30
• 25 Temple (9-2) over Connecticut (6-5), 31-17