Both Penn State and Ole Miss want to legitimize their record as more than a product of a soft schedule. The pressure’s really on for Penn State to do so after Friday, given that Missouri wore down Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. If the Nittany Lions also go down to an SEC opponent, it’s not going to be a comfortable offseason in Happy Valley.
Ohio State’s playing with a new quarterback, and coach Ryan Day didn’t exactly give Devin Brown a ringing endorsement. Brown likely will face Missouri without his two best receivers. An opportunistic Missouri defense isn’t what Ohio State needs to see right now, which means an upset could be building.
The Tigers have scored like nobody’s business, with 34 being the lowest total they’ve scored since mid-October. But the Tigers also cannot stop anyone, giving up at least 21 points in 10 straight games. The Tigers will definitely score, making this a potential battle of who has the ball last. Given that Iowa State can get the occasional stop, that favors the Cyclones.
This would have been a fun matchup if both teams came in at full strength. Unfortunately, Oregon State is a shadow of itself and Notre Dame’s not a heck of a lot better.
Is it time to buy on Clemson? Dabo Swinney’s made this case for the past month, as the Tigers have ripped off four wins and covered in all of them since his speech. Swinney’s stubborn refusal to use the transfer portal seemed to be an albatross at Clemson, but he’s now looking a lot better after salvaging the season.
What Jedd Fisch has done in two years has been nothing short of incredible, as Arizona’s gone from 1-11 to a shot at 11 wins. The Wildcats’ rise runs straight into Oklahoma’s future. The Sooners get a good look at what they’ll have next year in the SEC with new quarterback Jackson Arnold, who takes over for the opting-out Dillon Gabriel.
Woody Johnson even confirmed as much by giving Robert Saleh a public vote of confidence and another chance in 2024. It should be a good matchup as Joe Flacco takes on his former team.
The Scarlet Knights have rarely been good, but they’ve at least been competitive. And they’re now at the point where they reasonably believe they can beat a team like Miami.
And the Hurricanes might be ripe for that, given how they finished the season.
Welcome to my Quick Picks column, where I hand out winners, winners, and more winners every day. I fire off picks on everything from college hoops to the NHL.