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Top Three College Football Games to Watch: Week 13

Date: November 26, 2021

By: John Makuch

A Michigan wide receiver catches the ball over an Ohio State defender during a college football game.

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The final week of regular season of college football is upon us, and the games could not be more exciting.

This weekend follows a Week 12 that saw plenty of chaos, and surprising performances by Ohio State and Utah. But today, the stakes are even higher than those, conference championships will be set after Saturday, and each game has influence on conferences and the eventual College Football Playoff.

With this being rivalry week, each game in this list will be a historic clash between teams that have plenty of animosity and experience with each other.

For the final week of football before conference championship games, rivalries take center stage, and they matter so much for Playoff hopes.

3. No. 3 Alabama at Auburn

Alabama and Auburn's football teams are at the line of scrimmage during a college football game.

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The Iron Bowl is a classic that has created a multitude of unforgettable plays regardless of how great either team may be.

Alabama leads the series all time 47-31-1, but Auburn has always been able to hold their own against the powerhouse that is the Crimson Tide.

Auburn is coming off a three-game losing streak, most recently to South Carolina where TJ Finley got his first start of the year. The 6-foot-7 quarterback has a good chance to start yet again and faces a difficult test at home.

While these Tigers are taking on a squad that is fighting to potentially take over the No. 1 spot in the country over Georgia when it’s all said and done, there is still a chance. The defense has only given up 22 points-per-game and outrushes Alabama per game with 177.2 yards-per-game on the ground.

If Auburn can find a way to slow down a Bryce Young-led offense and find the end zone a good number of times, there is always a chance in a rivalry setting.

For Alabama, they are coming off a close 42-35 win against Arkansas, and they still look vulnerable as they prepare for the SEC Championship against Georgia.

The LSU game a few weeks ago was much closer than expected, along with the Arkansas game, and Auburn is in a similar spot as those teams.

Coach Nick Saban voiced his concerns about facing teams on losing streaks, and how Alabama will always get a team’s best game, which is more than true. Auburn always gives them their best game regardless of their record, and with Auburn looking to end a losing streak as well, this could be a bad time for the Tide to roll into this matchup.

Alabama outclasses Auburn in every facet of the game on paper, but an extra motivated Tigers team could catch an early spark with a key turnover early that Alabama cannot put out. While yes, it is more likely that Alabama will blow Auburn out of the water, but that does not mean all hope is lost for Auburn.

In terms of the Playoff, Alabama needs this win, and they would advance to a matchup with Georgia in the SEC Championship game.

Auburn is already bowl eligible, but a win against Alabama would salvage the disappointment that is the 2021 season.

2. No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 7 Oklahoma State

An Oklahoma player tackles an Oklahoma State player during a college football game.

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Bedlam: “a place, scene, or state of uproar and confusion” if you ask Mirriam-Webster dictionary, and that word perfectly encapsulates the chaos that is Sooners vs Cowboys.

Bedlam can also be used to describe the up and down seasons these two one-loss teams have gone through, but they have persevered, nonetheless.

For the Cowboys, their sole loss comes against the Iowa State Cyclones, but other than that, they have made easy work of the Big 12 and have brought something foreign to the conference. Defense, yes, you heard that right, a Big 12 team has an elite defense to boast this season, and that has been the key to Oklahoma State’s success.

The unit gives up the second fewest points-per-game and has been able to shut down powerful Big 12 offenses that have given them problems in the past.

The Cowboys are for real, and their offense is the only thing holding them back from a Big 12 title. They average 31.1 points-per-game, but they have not been able to move the ball at the elite level that other Big 12 squads have been able to.

They model their offense around this and focus on running the ball with quarterback Spencer Sanders and running back Jaylen Warren. They keep the pace slow and work with efficiency that has won them 10 games on the year.

Oklahoma State has already clinched a spot in their conference championship and would put themselves in a position to finish as a one loss conference champion with a win against Oklahoma.

Despite the sloppiness a team like Oklahoma has played with as of late, this is no easy task, especially during Bedlam.

Oklahoma bounced back from their crushing loss against Baylor with a close win against Iowa State and are now in a position where they can win and get into the conference championship. The Sooners have been a bit more inconsistent than the Cowboys, with close victories against Kansas, Kansas State, West Virginia, and a miraculous comeback against Texas.

Oklahoma State did not have these struggles as often and have put it together better than the Sooners.

Oklahoma has had the better of Oklahoma State in the 115 total meetings between the two programs, with the Sooners holding the advantage 90-18-7. A win by Oklahoma State would barely put a dent in the total record, but with Oklahoma moving to the SEC, a win for pride and hope for the future is necessary for the program.

Oklahoma coming out with the win would set up a rematch in the Big 12 Championship between both teams, and the Sooners would be the best hope for a Playoff team from this conference. An Oklahoma State win would set up a date with Baylor in the championship, setting them for a potential Playoff spot.

Either scenario with a one-loss conference champion would set up quite the debate as to who deserves to get into the Playoff.

Oklahoma State would have beaten a top-10 team in Oklahoma and beaten another top-10 team twice in Baylor, so their resume would be well deserving of a Playoff spot. With Cincinnati at No. 4, and a lack of ranked opponents on their schedule besides Notre Dame, would the committee put Oklahoma State in over Cincinnati?

That is left to be answered until Cincinnati goes undefeated, and if Oklahoma State can pull out two more wins.

Either way, a victory by either team in bedlam, would cause bedlam amongst the entire college football landscape.

1. No. 2 Ohio State at No. 5 Michigan

Michigan football plays against another team during a college football game.

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The biggest game of the year so far is simply known as “The Game,” but it could not be more important. This matchup is another win and in scenario, but for both teams in this Big 10 clash.

The winner of this game will play in their conference championship but will also put themselves into the Playoff with a victory in that game.

Ohio State is coming into this matchup with arguably the best offense in the entire country led by Heisman candidate, C.J. Stroud. Stroud has put the work in and may be one of the better quarterbacks this program has seen, throwing for 3,468 yards and 36 touchdowns to just five interceptions.

He also has all the weapons to succeed with a solid running game, and a three headed monster of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.

After a loss to Oregon in Week 2, this team has blown their opponents out of the water, including a 56-7 victory against a Michigan State team that was a top-10 team at the time. The Buckeyes look unstoppable, but Michigan will get their chance to spoil the season for their longtime rival.

Ohio State is also on an eight-game winning streak, and the Buckeyes have been the one game that has hurt the career of Jim Harbaugh in Michigan. A victory against this team followed by a Playoff appearance would shut down all the noise about losing to Ohio State, but this will not be an easy task.

Michigan’s sole loss comes to that Michigan State team that Ohio State made look awful, and they have played close games with Rutgers and Nebraska.

While quarterback Cade McNamara looks great, they do not have the ability to score at will that Ohio State does, so this will come down to the defense of Michigan. The Wolverines only allow 16.3 points-per-game, but only rank fifth in the Big Ten in sacks compared to Ohio State, who ranks first.

Michigan will need to get to Stroud in this game if they want to throw off this offense, but Ohio State has not let rushers get to their prized quarterback often. Michigan is coming into this game with a disadvantage on paper but playing this game at home in Ann Arbor, Mich. will help tremendously.

Michigan Stadium packs over one hundred thousand people, and the place will be packed for one of the most important games in recent memory for the program. The school’s first trip to the Playoff is on the line, and fans have been itching for a chance to take down the Buckeyes.

As mentioned previously, this is a win and in scenario, with the loser being eliminated from a conference championship as well as a Playoff spot. This would also be a ninth loss in a row for the Wolverines and would be yet another disappointing season for this Michigan program.

For Ohio State, this is another stop on the road to a potential National Championship, and a blowout would show that maybe that No. 2 spot is a bit too low for this team.

John Makuch can be reached at john.makuch@student.shu.edu.

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