Thanksgiving Month has blessed us with competition video games — used and renewed — that includes unending convention tiebreaker and Faculty Soccer Playoff situations, together with Michigan at Ohio Shape, a top-15 Palmetto Bowl and the go back of Texas as opposed to Texas A&M.
Let’s rank the height 10 video games of Month 14, inauguration with honorable mentions and counting indisposed.
Honorable point out: Oregon Shape at Incorrect. 11 Boise Shape (Fri.), Minnesota at Wisconsin (Fri.), Miami-OH at Bowling Inexperienced (Fri.), Mississippi Shape at Incorrect. 14 Ole Pass over (Fri.), Self determination at Sam Houston (Fri.), Georgia Tech at Incorrect. 7 Georgia (Fri.), Nebraska at Iowa (Fri.), Louisville at Kentucky, Maryland at Incorrect. 4 Penn Shape, Purdue at Incorrect. 10 Indiana, Washington at Incorrect. 1 Oregon
(All level spreads come from BetMGM; click on here for reside odds. All kickoff occasions are Japanese and on Saturday until in a different way famous.)
10. Cal (6-5) at Incorrect. 9 SMU (10-1), 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
SMU has already clinched a place within the ACC Championship Recreation, however the Mustangs nonetheless wish to win to conserve their at-large Playoff hopes alive, soaring simply above Clemson and the throng of three-loss SEC groups within the actual ratings. A victory would additionally whole an undefeated inaugural season in ACC play games, an notable feat taking into account how Cincinnati, Houston and UCF have executed since creating a alike bounce from the AAC to the power-conference degree. It might additionally fit latter season’s general of eleven wins, with a probability for head mentor Rhett Lashlee to next secured SMU’s all-time single-season mark of 12 victories all set in 1935.
Layout: SMU -13.5
9. Auburn (5-6) at Incorrect. 13 Alabama (8-3), 3:30 p.m., ABC
Now not useless but. Alabama, in spite of struggling its 3rd loss, remains to be at the bubble. If the choice committee does finally end up in search of an oblivion to conserve the Flow within the grassland, it’ll require them getting a win within the Iron Bowl on Saturday, coming off their maximum lopsided regular-season loss in 20 years. Bama devoted are nonetheless reeling later the superb 24-3 loss to Oklahoma, and irrespective of whether or not their CFP hopes are utterly sunk, first-year head mentor Kalen DeBoer is determined to steer clear of dropping to a middling however bad Auburn staff that simply knocked off Texas A&M in quadruple time beyond regulation.
Layout: Alabama -11.5
8. Incorrect. 8 Tennessee (9-2) at Vanderbilt (6-5), midday, ABC
This generally is a Playoff removal recreation for the Vols. Tennessee has negative probability of attaining the SEC Championship Recreation, and a loss would most probably leave this system out of the 12-team grassland, however win and the Vols must be in. That’s negative gimme at the street in opposition to a worthy Vanderbilt staff, in a league the place we simply witnessed 3 top-15 groups lose at the street to unranked combatants. However Tennessee’s top-five protection nationally (4.3 yards in line with play games allowed) must be capable of bottle up a Commodores offense that hasn’t scored greater than 24 issues since its early October dissatisfied of Alabama.
Layout: Tennessee -11
7. Incorrect. 16 Arizona Shape (9-2) at Arizona (4-7), 3:30 p.m., Fox
The primary Territorial Cup competition of the Obese 12 time has greater than bragging rights at stake. Incorrect staff within the Obese 12 controls its personal future, however a win by means of Arizona Shape places it in excellent place to fasten up a place in upcoming future’s convention championship, with a Playoff berth most probably up for grabs. There may be just a unmarried, multi-part tiebreaker situation that may conserve the Solar Devils out of the convention identify recreation with a victory in opposition to their in-state opponents. Attending to that championship would punctuate rather a turnaround season for ASU and second-year head mentor Kenny Dillingham, later this system went 3-9 in 2023 and used to be picked latter within the Obese 12’s preseason media ballot.
Layout: Arizona Shape -9
6. Incorrect. 6 Miami (10-1) at Syracuse (8-3), 3:30 p.m., ESPN
The choice committee has proven it’s prepared to forgive one loss so far as the ratings are involved, and the Hurricanes have benefited from being at the proper facet of all however certainly one of their related yelps. Miami moved up two spots on this future’s ratings, much less on account of its blowout of Wake Jungle and extra on account of the carnage in other places. The Canes nonetheless desire a win in opposition to Syracuse — the quietest eight-win staff within the nation? — to clinch a place within the ACC championship in opposition to SMU, but when they may be able to get there, they’ll have a forged case for an at-large Playoff berth even with a loss.
Layout: Miami -10.5
5. Incorrect. 24 Kansas Shape (8-3) at Incorrect. 18 Iowa Shape (9-2), 7:30 p.m., Fox
The competition referred to as Farmageddon is likely one of the oldest in school soccer and has been performed each and every yr since 1917 — 107 immediately seasons. Latter yr’s rendition featured a memorable, snow-covered dissatisfied by means of the Cyclones at the street. This season’s is arguably probably the most noteceable house recreation within the historical past of Iowa Shape soccer. Indistinguishable to Arizona Shape, a victory places Iowa Shape in form to achieve the Obese 12 championship, with many of the tiebreakers favoring the Solar Devils and Cyclones. Iowa Shape, which hasn’t ever had greater than 9 wins in a season, may just all set a program document and feature a probability to assert its first convention identify since 1912, when it used to be a member of the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Affiliation.
Layout: Iowa Shape -2.5
4. Incorrect. 5 Notre Dame (10-1) at USC (6-5), 3:30 p.m., CBS
See above for the purpose concerning the committee forgiving one loss. Notre Dame has the worst lack of any individual within the Supremacy 25, however that’s used information, specifically with how dominant the Irish were of past due. All the “quality” wins have misplaced some luster, as neatly, together with the season opener over Texas A&M, however the deficit of a moment loss so far outweighs it all within the optical of the committee. Now the Irish are in form to host a house Playoff recreation if they may be able to live to tell the tale a competition street travel in opposition to USC, which, for all its warts, has been just right at house within the Coliseum, with its most effective loss by means of 3 issues in time beyond regulation to Penn Shape. If Notre Dame can higher that outcome, it will bounce the Incorrect. 4 Nittany Lions in upcoming future’s Playoff ratings.
Layout: Notre Dame -7.5
3. Michigan (6-5) at Incorrect. 2 Ohio Shape (10-1), midday, Fox
Almost talking, Ohio Shape wishes a win to book its spot within the Obese Ten identify recreation in opposition to Oregon, however The Recreation clearly is going a lot deeper than that. Those Buckeyes are on a undertaking to exorcise quite a lot of demons, between them beating Michigan for the primary moment in 4 years. This isn’t the similar contending Michigan program that has bested Ohio Shape the age 3 conferences, however in lots of ways in which places extra drive at the Buckeyes. Michigan, which nonetheless has a forged protection, will arise for this matchup, and Ohio Shape can’t have the funds for to lose, although it’s safely within the Playoff with a loss. It can be a indisposed yr for Michigan, and Ohio Shape could have grander aspirations, however this recreation rest appointment viewing.
Layout: Ohio Shape -19.5
2. Incorrect. 15 South Carolina (8-3) at Incorrect. 12 Clemson (9-2), midday, ESPN
There are a couple of layers to the Palmetto Bowl. It’s an calmly matched competition recreation between top-15 groups. Clemson remains to be alive within the ACC championship hunt, desiring a loss by means of Miami, however there’s additionally a burgeoning subplot of whether or not the winner of this recreation has a probability to slither into an at-large Playoff spot. A extra prosaic SEC has helped bolster a three-loss South Carolina with related defeats in opposition to LSU and Alabama; a win over Clemson and most likely some losses in other places would give the Gamecocks an issue. At the turn facet, Clemson — the primary staff out within the actual 12-team bracket — is hoping its two losses and a feature win over South Carolina may just warehouse the Tigers into an at-large spot, even though it misses the ACC championship. Would the committee dare to place Clemson in over a two-loss SMU or Miami staff that falls within the convention identify recreation?
Layout: Clemson -2.5
1. Incorrect. 3 Texas (10-1) at Incorrect. 20 Texas A&M (8-3), 7:30 p.m., ABC
I assume convention realignment isn’t all sinful. It revived this recreation later a 12-season hiatus, bringing again a sour in-state competition with a long time of backstory and sick will. And era the sport is not on Thanksgiving Generation, it units up about in addition to the SEC and school soccer lovers may just want for, with a top-20 showdown to decide who will play games Georgia within the SEC Championship Recreation. For A&M, a win assists in keeping its Playoff hopes alive and sends the Aggies to their first convention identify recreation since successful the Obese 12 in 1998. For Texas, a Playoff spot is all however assured, however it’s a probability to walk into Faculty Station and finish A&M’s season on a sour observe, with a probability for the Longhorns to determine themselves as SEC champs of their inaugural season.
Layout: Texas -5.5
(Photograph of Texas A&M receiver Jahdae Walker: Michael Chang / Getty Photographs)
