The final week of the regular season brings several battles for position in the conference title and College Football Playoff races.
None of those are more compelling than the Big 12, which could have as many as eight teams tie for first. There are 256 possible tiebreaker scenarios in play and nine teams are still alive for a berth in the conference title game. Arizona State and Iowa State are in the driver's seats for the title game, but anything can still happen.
In the Big Ten, Penn State and Indiana are hoping for Michigan to beat Ohio State for the fourth straight time. I wouldn't hold my breath, but stranger things have happened.
Look also for Alabama to try to send the committee a message that they are not as bad as they looked against Oklahoma or Vanderbilt.
Each week, I use this space to tell you what I think are a few of the best bets heading into the weekend. I will also throw in an upset of the week, which will be a team that is at least a touchdown underdog that I am picking to win outright.
I will also give you picks on other games involving potential College Football Playoff teams. Now that we are in the home stretch, I have expanded the "other CFP candidates" list to the CFP top 16 plus the highest-ranked Group of Five team, if not already in the top 16.
Games against FCS opponents are not considered.
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Week 14 Picks
Purdue at No. 10 Indiana (-28.5): Speaking of sending messages, the Hoosiers will try to deliver one as well after Ohio State flexed on them last week. There isn't much reason to believe Purdue can do anything about it. It looks like Boilermakers coach Ryan Walters will be back next year regardless. This is a double best bet. I like the spread and the over on sports betting apps, even if Purdue gets shut out. Pick: Indiana -28.5, Over 56.5
Cal at No. 9 SMU (-13.5): This would be a good place for SMU to send a message to the selection committee. There is just one problem with that: Cal does not get beat badly. The Bears' five losses have come by a total of 17 points. Eight of those were in the loss to Syracuse two weeks ago. SMU is certainly capable of putting up a big number, but I like Cal to hang around and stay under the betting line. Pick: SMU -13.5
No. 23 Illinois at Northwestern (+14): Illinois is coming off a miraculous road win at Rutgers that saw the Illini score on a 40-yard touchdown pass after Scarlet Knights coach Greg Schiano called a timeout to freeze the kicker. Northwestern has not come within this margin against a ranked team all season. Unranked Michigan just beat the Wildcats 50-6. The wheels seem to have come off. Pick: Illinois -14
Upset of the Week
No. 5 Notre Dame at USC (+7.5): Nothing like a big rivalry game to get the juices flowing. USC has been feeding off home cooking this season. The only team to beat them at the Coliseum this season is No. 4 Penn State, in a game that went down to the wire. Not that the Trojans are super talented, but Notre Dame has not played a team with this level of talent since the opener with Texas A&M. Pick: USC (+7.5)
Other CFP candidates
- No. 1 Oregon (-19.5) at Washington Pick: Oregon
- Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State (-21) Pick: Ohio State
- No. 3 Texas (-5.5) at No. 20 Texas A&M Pick: Texas
- Maryland at No. 4 Penn State (-24.5) Pick: Penn State
- No. 6 Miami (-10.5) at Syracuse Pick: Miami
- Georgia Tech at No. 7 Georgia, Friday (-19.5) Pick: Georgia Tech
- No. 8 Tennessee (-11) at Vanderbilt Pick: Tennessee
- Oregon State at No. 11 Boise State, Friday (-20.5) Pick: Oregon State
- No. 15 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson (-2.5) Pick: Clemson
- Auburn at No. 13 Alabama (-11.5) Pick: Auburn
- No. 16 Arizona State (-9) at Arizona Pick: Arizona State
- No. 24 Kansas State at No. 18 Iowa State (-3) Pick: Iowa State
SportsLine's proven computer model is calling for several outright upsets in Week 14 of college football. Visit SportsLine now to see them all, plus get spread picks for every game from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times.
