Week 12 Precap

I won't lie to you, it's pretty barren out there this week. The most dangerous games are really just teams in danger of looking ahead... well, except for one. And that is the first one on the list.

Ohio State - Michigan

Contrary to what some may be saying, this is still a big game. Michigan will be fighting for bowl eligibility and Ohio State... well... I think Ohio State's opinion on this game is pretty clear to anybody even remotely familiar with the scarlet and gray.

As I have frequently stated, I am an Ohio State fan and a pessimist, so I tend to view every game as dangerous for the Buckeyes. And I have seen some very good Ohio State teams lose to some not very good teams from That State Up North, so I will, personally, be stressing during this game.

Among the tidbits I read about coming up to this game is an issue where Ohio State's offensive line will be wearing shoes that they don't like very much. It seems that they tend to roll their ankles in these shoes. So if Ohio State loses this game, it may not even be due to complacency, it may be due to footwear. I'm hoping that the game will not hinge on something that ridiculous. Michigan, however, would probably take anything they can get if it means breaking their losing streak against Ohio State.

Anyway, for as many problems as Michigan has had this year, their defensive line is excellent. If you get a chance to see Brandon Graham in action, do so—he is a man against boys. And Ohio State's offensive line has not been stellar as of late, though they seem to be getting healthy for really the first time all year. Nothing surprises me in The Game, but I'd be a damned fool to pick against Ohio State in this game. So I won't.

California-Stanford

And after The Game, we have The Big Game. Stanford and Cal meet up in an annual rivalry that always ends up with more rehashing of The Play, complete with the running-over of a trombone player. And who doesn't get tired of that? Stanford fans, that's who.

Anyhoo, Cal has been muddling through a season where they were supposed to challenge USC for league surpremacy. Unfortunately for the Bears, they seem to be the only team NOT challenging USC for league surpremacy right now. Stanford, on the other hand, finds itself the flavor of the month, even though they do not control their own Rose Bowl destiny. But they have a coach who is suddenly the hot man to hire, which means that they'd better extend his contract if they want to make sure they get reimbursed if someone hires him away.

Here's the thing: this is a rivalry game. Rivalry games can do strange things to teams. They can clench up, they can get antsy, they can try to do too much, they can get cocky, they can get sloppy. In my estimation, I don't think the gulf between these two teams is all that great. But Stanford is riding a high right now, even as Cal has starting pulling themselves out of the doldrums. If Cal can jump to an early lead, Stanford might start passing more, rather than sticking with Toby Gerhart to grind the Bears down over the course of the game.

I really want to pick the Bears to do that. I almost made the pick for the Bears to do that. But my instincts are telling me "No!!" So I'll pick Stanford to keep things muddled and wonderful confusing in the Pac-10.

Nebraska-Kansas State

Nebraska will also be wearing their throwback uniforms this week (heh, heh, it's funny because... oh, never mind), as they play a throwback game against Kansas State for the Big XII North title. Kansas State has made a dramatic return this year with the return of Bill Snyder to the head coaching spot. Meanwhile, Nebraska has made significant advances this year under Bo Pelini as they are threats once again in the North. I'll take Kansas State for reasons that are too ridiculous to describe. But if they do win this game, I will describe them.

Oklahoma-Texas Tech

This should have been a big game. It isn't. Texas Tech has been off and on all year, while Oklahoma has been off anytime it mattered, and on when nobody was around to notice. So it's a good thing for Oklahoma that this isn't a big game. Oklahoma wins.

Connecticut-Notre Dame

This shouldn't be a big game. It is, but for all the wrong reasons. Everyone around the country is wondering if this is the game that finishes off Charlie Weis. Meanwhile, Connecticut has not had any time to take stock of things after the death of Jasper Howard. Notre Dame wins a squeaker, because they don't seem to win any other way.

TCU-Wyoming

Oh yeah, TCU's season isn't over is it? Not sure why I put this game in here, since it's really not that big a game. Except that it is gnawing at me for some reason. Honestly, it's probably nothing, but I still can't shake a nagging itch when I think about this game. Keep this one on the radar, just in case.

Indiana-Purdue

I just wanted to point out the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket could have been Purdue's chance to get bowl eligible, had they not duffed a chance to upset Michigan State at home. But they lost in overtime and the Boilermakers will have to live with beating Michigan and Ohio State in the same year, and still missing a bowl. Oh, and they'll have to live with losing to Indiana, that's pretty embarassing too. But I do dig the bucket. It's no Floyd of Rosedale, but it's pretty cool.

Iowa-Minnesota

And speaking of old Floyd, look for Iowa to get off the schneid against the Gophers. And if Vandenberg plays as well as he did last week, Iowa will find themselves without a quarterback controversy. As in, this sentence may be the last time I mention the name "Stanzi".

Air Force-Brigham Young

I just wanted to point out that this is one of the biggest games of the weekend. That's how much of a dud this weekend is. With the late start to the season, rivalry week was almost entirely pushed back to the weekend after Thanksgiving, so the week before is a lot of teams tuning up and taking it easy before their annual grudge matches. Oh well, it happens. As does Air Force beating BYU.

LSU-Mississippi

Here we have an old-style SEC matchup. Old-style in that it is a largely meaningless game between two somewhat-above-average teams not named "Alabama". Which means that it has absolutely no bearing on anything nationally, or even in the SEC race. Mississippi will at least get the consolation of winning, as they are finally living up to some of the potential they showed last season, while LSU is starting to resemble a hospital ward.

Penn State-Michigan State

Penn State has been something of an enigma this year, in that they have little trouble against the lower-level teams, but have been largely punchless against the two truly good teams they've played: Ohio State and Iowa. Michigan State, on the other hand, has been ingenious in its ability to find ways to lose games. I think Michigan State figures out how to finally win this weekend.

Oregon-Arizona

Now here is a game that is worth watching! Control of the Pac-10 race is at stake here, as the Ducks and the Wildcats battle it out for the right to wear a target on their chest next weekend. I could make a few predictions concerning this game, but I will keep my mouth shut on some matters. However, I will pick the Ducks to knock Arizona mostly out of the Rose Bowl race with a win here.

Kansas-Texas

Texas is in an odd position here, where they may looking ahead to their rivaly game next weekend with... oh who am I kidding here? Texas plays Babe Ruth and lays the wood to the Jayhawks.