I wasn’t kidding when I said last week was filled with traps. Heck, I was at Provo and Oklahoma nearly stepped into one. GGs to BYU and what a great fanbase they are. I had a fantastic time out there. Thank you, Provo! Thank you, Utah! Hours later at Tallahassee, Florida State lost quarterback Jordan Travis for the season with a leg injury. Can they survive without him? Ohio State in the first season of the CFP era did and won the whole thing. Stay tuned for this weekend and onward for the Seminoles. Outside of Seattle, Washington proved everyone and the books wrong for seeing them as underdogs. They are in the Pac-12 title game and await either Oregon or Arizona after next weekend. The Big 12, AAC, and Mountain West will have an insane finish to see who advances to the conference championship. ACC, C-USA, MAC, and SEC are already set for next weekend’s conference championship. The Big Ten East and the Sun Belt East will be sorted out by the end of this weekend (minus JMU due to a dumb postseason ban for one more season thanks to the NCAA).

I’m doing something different for this week’s rivalry/regular season finale. I’m going through each conference trying to clinch a conference championship spot. I’m not including the college football playoff scenario or anything like that. I’ll also list teams that are in desperate need of a sixth win (or maybe seventh based on NCAA rules in order to qualify for a bowl season). The Ohio State vs. Michigan game by itself decides who’ll be in the Big Ten title game and compete for the playoffs outright. This should be one of the craziest final regular season weekends to end all weekends. Buckle your seatbelts for a wild ending!!!

BIG TEN

Of all games with roads to the conference championship, this matchup simply is a win and you’re in scenario for the Big Ten East juggernauts. It’s also a do-or-die playoff contention matchup. Michigan and Ohio State once again collide to see who’s playing against woeful Iowa in the Big Ten championship next week. Michigan and Ohio State garnered attention in two completely different ways like they were on opposite ends of the planet with positives and negatives.

Ohio State’s offense hasn’t played up to the elite level this year but having Heisman hopeful Marvin Harrison Jr. and a stingy defense under coordinator Jim Knowles kept the Buckeyes afloat. Ohio State’s major road win at Notre Dame still holds up as the best win in college football. Throughout the season, Ohio State’s the only team to not allow 20 points through 11 games this season. Not even Michigan (1) or Iowa (1) could pull it off. If this doesn’t say their defense improved, I guess Jim Knowles doesn’t deserve to keep his job. Give this man an award!!!

Michigan went through a lot of off-the-field issues, and I mean A LOT. Plenty was against Jim Harbaugh for buying a recruit a burger and Connor Stalions being involved in an illegal scouting activity on the opponents’ side of the field and stealing signs and information in favor of Michigan. Harbaugh’s suspension this year tallied up to half of the season due to these issues. And yet, Michigan virtually dominated their schedule and allowed double-digit points against 1/3 of their schedule and unfortunately allowed over 20 points once against Maryland last week. Otherwise, who’s stopping these resilient and potentially angry Wolverines. Charles Woodson from the Heisman commercial can’t explain how to stop an actual Wolverine. Watch out for the most dominant backfield in college football led by quarterback JJ McCarthy and running back Blake Corum.

Three seasons ago, Michigan cancelled their bout with Ohio State due to COVID, thinking this was a win to keep Ohio State out. Unfortunately, that failed. For whatever reason the Buckeyes advanced with five wins to the Big Ten title game, playoffs, and National Championship. Since then, the Wolverines bludgeoned the Buckeyes for a combined 87-50 in two seasons which advanced them to the Big Ten title game and college football playoffs. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles finally solidified his defense in Year 2 to hopefully match wits with the best backfield that ran all over them for two straight seasons (549 total rush yards and 9 total TDs). This will also hopefully be Blake Corum’s first full game since he didn’t play much due to injury last season and played behind Hassan Haskins in 2021. The goal would be for Ohio State to shut down the run game and test McCarthy in the passing game. The next goal would be to play a strong second half which they failed in the last two meetings. However, it’s not enough when Ohio State’s offensive options are limited compared to Michigan. Ohio State keeps the game close and the points potentially low, but they eventually collapse for their third straight loss.

MY PICK: MICHIGAN

AAC

In order for UTSA and Tulane to potentially meet up again, SMU simply must lose to Navy. Otherwise, SMU awaits either UTSA or Tulane in the AAC title game. Tulane hosts if they win or SMU hosts if the hottest team in the AAC UTSA wins.

MY PICK: UTSA

MY PICK: SMU

BIG 12

Texas wins and they’re in or they need Oklahoma to lose. Oklahoma State wins and they’re in or needs Oklahoma and Kansas State to lose. Oklahoma must win and needs either Texas or Oklahoma State to lose. Kansas State must win, and the state of Oklahoma must lose in order for the Wildcats to defend their Big 12 title.

MY PICK: TEXAS

MY PICK: BYU

MY PICK: OKLAHOMA

MY PICK: KANSAS STATE

MOUNTAIN WEST

Four teams are in a four-way battle for the right to play in the Mountain West championship and a win by two of the four teams advances to the title game. UNLV, Air Force, and Boise could host if they win their games this weekend.

MY PICK: UNLV

MY PICK: AIR FORCE

PAC-12

Oregon State’s eliminated after the loss to Washington last week. How the heck the Beavers were favored is beyond me. Anyway, Oregon’s win sends them to the Pac-12 championship. An Arizona win, and an Oregon loss sends the Wildcats to the Pac-12 championship.

MY PICK: OREGON

MY PICK: ARIZONA

SUN BELT

Since James Madison’s appeal for a Sun Belt championship and a postseason bowl was denied by the NCAA, we’re focusing on Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State, and their matchups are no cakewalks. Whoever wins plays at Troy down in Alabama in the Sun Belt championship. Coastal Carolina’s win sends them to the Sun Belt championship while Appalachian State’s win with a Coastal Carolina loss sends the Mountaineers to the Sun Belt championship.

MY PICK: JAMES MADISON

MY PICK: APPALACHIAN STATE

WEEK 12 RESULTS: 6-4

TOTAL RESULTS: 65-35

Honestly, I thought I had my worst outing this past weekend, but UNLV’s comeback, Arizona’s grit, and Washington proving the books wrong saved my bacon to stay positive. See the teams below that need their sixth win to qualify for bowl season.

TEAMS NEEDING SIXTH WIN