By DaVince “Dino” Wright
College Football this Week
With four remaining college football is slowly bringing to an end its regular season. Teams are positioning themselves in conference for championships or are trying to get to 6 wins to become bowl eligible right now. There are teams bubble teams that need just a few more wins to make it to bowl season around the country. Keep an eye on the Top 25 teams in the country, the playoff field has been extended for four more teams to play in the College Football Playoff. Check out our four games for this week that will have implications in their conference trying to get a spot in the playoff system this year.
UNT Mean Green (8-1, 4-1 American) vs UAB Blazers (3-6, 1-4 American)
Saturday – November 15 – 1:00 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Protective Stadium – Birmingham, AL
UNT is in 4th place in the American Conference with 4 games left. They sit right behind Tulane and ahead of East Carolina. It’s sad that the powers that be haven’t ranked the Mean Green yet this season. There are teams with 2-3 losses ranked nationally. Keep an eye on UNT’s Drew Mestemaker since he will be the x-factor for the Mean Green on the road. ESPN has the Mean Green with an 89.7% chance of winning on the road this week. I’m taking UNT by 10+.
Final Score
Mean Green – 34
Blazers – 16
TCU Horned Frogs (6-3, 3-3 Big 12) vs #7 BYU Cougars (8-1, 5-1 Big 12)
Saturday – November 15 – 9:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
LaVell Edwards Stadium – Provo, UT
The Big 12 is jumbled up in the standings. There are 5 teams that separate these two teams in the standings. TCU really needs this win and it will be a tough on the road in Provo. The Cougars are 4-1 in their last 5 games with their only loss coming to Texas Tech on the road last week. TCU is 3-2 in that same span. They will need to play physical on the defensive side of the ball in order to steal a victory on the road. ESPN has the Cougars with a 73.8% chance of winning at home. I’m taking BYU by 6!
Final Score
#7 Cougars – 33
TCU – 27
UCF Knights (4-5, 1-5 Big 12) vs #9 Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-1, 5-1 Big 12)
Saturday – November 8 – 2:30 p.m.
TV: FOX
Jones AT&T Stadium – Lubbock, TX
The Knights will be in Lubbock trying to salvage their season with a big win over a Top 10 team while getting one game closer to a bowl berth. They are led by QB Tayven Jackson who has passed for almost 1,500 yards so far this season. The run game is handled by Myles Montgomery. He compliled about 600 yards on the ground. Tayven likes to target WR Duane Thomas Jr. through the air as well as TE Dylan Wade. What can I write about Texas Tech? Everyone knows they are red hot. They look to take the Big 12 title and not look back. The Red Raiders put up points big time in almost every game they play. QB Behren Morton has close to 2,000 passing yards this season. I believe the Red Raiders will lay it on thick at home and give UCF all that the Knights can handle.
Final Score
#8 Red Raiders – 38
Knights – 14
#12 Oklahoma Sooners (7-2, 3-2 SEC) vs #4 Alabama Crimson Tide (8-1, 6-0 SEC)
Saturday – November 15 – 2:30 p.m.
TV: ABC
Bryant-Denny Stadium – Tuscaloosa, AL
The SEC conference is one of the top conferences in country. The SEC will have at least 5 teams in the playoffs this year. Here’s the thing, the winner of the conference will play each other in the brackets this year. This game will be huge if OU comes out and jumps on top of the Crimson Tide. Alabama is favored to win at home, but OU is a scary team. ESPN has the Crimson Tide with a 71.% chance of winning at home and staying in the number 2 spot in conference. I’m taking OU in an upset by 10!
Final Score
#12 Sooners – 34
#4 Crimson Tide – 24
#11 Texas Longhorns (7-2, 4-1 SEC) vs #5 Georgia Bulldogs (8-1, 6-1 SEC)
Saturday – November 15 – 6:30 p.m.
TV: ABC
Sanford Stadium – Athens, GA
This will the trap game for the SEC this weekend. Trap games are usually the games where the favored teams have an easy win. Not this weekend in Georgia! The Bulldogs are in position to play in the conference championship with a win and a loss from Texas A&M and Alabama. Texas has been a sneaky team. Quarterback Arch Manning started off slow but has picked up some steam as of late. ESPN has the Bulldogs with a 59.8% chance of winning at home, but I’m taking Texas by 4!
Final Score
#11 Longhorns – 28
#5 Bulldogs – 24
