Connor Cook and Michigan State can make a move in the College Football Playoff picture with a win over Ohio State. (
Welcome to Week 11 of The Lowe Down.
Earlier in the year I mentioned that championships aren’t won in September, they’re won in November and early December.
Well, here we are in the first weekend of November with a number of teams’ College Football Playoff hopes hanging in the balance. In fact Baylor, TCU, Kansas State, Alabama, Auburn, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Ohio State, Michigan State and Oregon could all be eliminated from playoff contention this week if they lose.
Now granted, all won’t lose. But it just goes to show you how fickle all this playoff talk is at the moment with so many big games left to be played. So sit back, relax and enjoy what should be one of the best month’s in college football history.
The yearly record is 147-49. To the games we go …
Thursday, November 6
No. 21 Clemson (6-2, 5-1 ACC) at Wake Forest (2-6, 0-4 ACC) 6:30 p.m. CT
If Wake Forest has any shot at winning this game, freshman quarterback John Wolford — coming off a 242-yard passing performance in a 23-17 loss to Boston College — will have to play lights out, and the Demon Deacons will have to find a consistent running game. In the narrow loss to the Eagles two weeks ago, Dave Clausen’s team mustered only 19 yards rushing. That won’t cut it against a Clemson team that’s sound defensively. Freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson (finger) is close to coming back, but Cole Stoudt may get the nod for Clemson Thursday night. Stoudt has played well since Watson left the Louisville game with an injury nearly four weeks ago.
The Lowe Down: Clemson 30, Wake Forest 13
Saturday, November 8
No. 12 Baylor (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) at No. 15 Oklahoma (6-2, 3-2 Big 12) 11:00 a.m. CT
The Sooners fell out of the Big 12 title race with their loss to Kansas State but they still have an outside shot at the conference title if they can beat Baylor. Last year the Bears hammered OU in Waco (41-12) and don’t think for a second that Bob Stoops’ team has forgotten that beat-down. If the Sooners want to get redemption, the formula is simple: don’t make mistakes. In the one-point loss to K-State, the Sooners had a pick-six (one of two turnovers), two missed chip-shot field goals and a blocked extra-point. If Oklahoma can avoid critical mistakes, it has the firepower on offense and defense to handle the Bears at home.
The Lowe Down: Baylor 24, Oklahoma 31
No. 20 Georgia (6-2, 4-2 SEC) at Kentucky (5-4, 2-4 SEC) 11:00 a.m. CT
Whoa Nellie! Just when you thought the Bulldogs were on a roll, they get waxed by Florida. Florida? Yes, Florida. Hey, any team is capable of beating any team on any given day, but seeing Georgia get whipped like it did was surprising to say the least. Now Mark Richt’s team will square off against club that has a rising star at quarterback (Patrick Towles) and a defense that can get after the passer with stud ends Z’Darius Smith (3 ½ sacks) and Bud Dupree (5 ½ sacks). The Bulldogs better be fired up to play this week or they may go down again.
The Lowe Down: Georgia 27, Kentucky 24
Virginia (4-5, 2-3 ACC) at No. 2 Florida State (8-0, 5-0 ACC) 5:30 p.m. CT
Regardless of what you think about the FSU program, you have to hand it to the players. Like the song, all they do is win. And winning is all that matters. After throwing two first-half interceptions, Jameis Winston fired three second-half touchdowns in leading the ‘Noles to a 42-31 win over Louisville last Thursday. Despite his off-field antics there’s no better player in the clutch in college football. He’s truly a special player when the game is on the line. Winston banged up his ankle in the win over the Cardinals, but he’s expected to play against a Cavaliers team that allows nearly 30 points per game.
The Lowe Down: Virginia 21, Florida State 48
Texas A&M (6-3, 2-3 SEC) at No. 3 Auburn (7-1, 4-1 SEC) 2:30 p.m. CT
Outside of Winston, it could be argued that no other player in the country does more for his team than Auburn’s Nick Marshall. In last week’s comeback win over Ole Miss, Marshall accounted for four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing), passed for 254 yards and ran for 100 yards in the Tigers’ thrilling 35-31 win. Oh, not to mention the Rebels owned the top-ranked defense in the SEC entering the game. The Auburn offense really looks like it’s picking up steam; and if Marshall continues to perform like he has the last few weeks, he will have a seat in New York come early December. Look for Marshall and Auburn to roll here.
The Lowe Down: Texas A&M 17, Auburn 48
No. 10 Notre Dame (7-1, 1-1) at No. 9 Arizona State (7-1, 3-1 Pac-12) 2:30 p.m. CT
Don’t look now but the Sun Devils are in prime position to win the Pac-12 South and potentially play Oregon in the conference championship game — with a potential College Football Playoff berth on the line — if they continue to win. But before all that talk can come to fruition a good Notre Dame team awaits ASU. The loss of middle linebacker Joe Schmidt, the team’s leading tackler, is a major blow to the Irish entering this game, but Notre Dame has the offensive firepower to give Todd Graham’s team problems defensively. Quarterback Everett Golson is one of the nation’s top players, tailback Tarean Folston is a quality back and wideout Corey Robinson (son of former NBA star David) is a matchup nightmare at six-foot-five, 210 pounds. Look for scoring in this game, but look for Arizona State to pull out a thriller at home.
The Lowe Down: Notre Dame 28, Arizona State 35
No. 7 Kansas State (7-1, 5-0 Big 12) at No. 6 TCU (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) 6:30 p.m. CT
All the talk around this game seems to be centered on TCU but there’s something about this K-State team that I like. The Wildcats can move the football on the ground or through the air behind a veteran quarterback (Jake Waters) and a sound offensive line and dynamic wideout (Tyler Lockett) is one of college football’s top playmakers. And unlike other teams in the Big 12, K-State actually plays defense (18.6 ppg). TCU’s offense is red-hot and it has a host of playmakers on both sides of the ball, but I like the Wildcats to enter Fort Worth and come away with a win.
The Lowe Down: Kansas State 35, TCU 30
No. 5 Alabama (7-1, 4-1 SEC) at No. 16 LSU (7-2, 3-2 SEC) 7:00 p.m. CT
Bama/LSU. At night. In Baton Rouge. Man, does it get much better? Every college football season this is one game that I take time out to watch. It embodies what a rivalry game should be and it brings out the best in the players. Although Alabama may be the better team in this spot, LSU is very capable of handing the Crimson Tide its second loss of the season. The Tigers are running the ball effectively with a three-headed attack of Leonard Fournette, Kenny Hilliard and Terrence Magee and John Chavis’ defense has improved dramatically since an embarrassing loss to Auburn a month ago. Throw in the fact that Bama left tackle Cam Robinson (expected to start) is gimpy due to a high-ankle sprain, and all signs point to this being a typical hard-fought, low-scoring Bama/LSU slugfest.
The Lowe Down: Alabama 19, LSU 14
No. 14 Ohio State (7-1, 4-0 Big Ten) at No. 8 Mich. State (7-1, 4-0 Big Ten) 7:00 p.m. CT
Although Ohio State has been playing much better on offense behind the play of quarterback J.T. Barrett, Urban Meyer’s team will face a stiff challenge against the Spartans in East Lansing. Michigan State has the potential to shut down the Buckeyes zone-read run game, which would put the pressure squarely on the shoulders of Barrett on offense. Can he play? Yes. But is he ready to win a big game on his own in an extremely tough place to win at? Eh … I’m not sure. Look for Connor Cook and the Spartans underrated offense to roll in a big MSU win.
The Lowe Down: Ohio State 27, Michigan State 36
No. 4 Oregon (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) at No. 17 Utah (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) 9:00 p.m. CT
This is a tough spot for Oregon and here’s why: Oregon’s offensive line is banged up, the Utes are excellent at defending the run (have allowed only three rushing TDs all year) and they can rush the passer (lead the nation in sacks) and Rice-Eccles Stadium is a very tough place play. Throw in the fact that Utah quarterback Travis Wilson is a playmaker and tailback Devontae Booker is an absolute stud and all signs point to a nail-biter between these two.
The Lowe Down: Oregon 27, Utah 30
In other Saturday games:
La. Tech 24, UAB 21
Penn State 31, Indiana 34
Iowa 24, Minnesota 27
No. 25 Wisconsin 30, Purdue 23
No. 22 Duke 30, Syracuse 20
No. 24 Georgia Tech 33, NC State 30
South Alabama 27, Arkansas State 24
No. 23 West Virginia 34, Texas 27
UT Martin 7, No. 1 Mississippi State 65
No. 18 UCLA 35, Washington 28
Colorado 20, Arizona 38
