2017-18 NCAA Football (Week 14)

(11) Southern Cal 31-28 (14) Stanford
This game did not have a playoff spot on the line as the PAC-12 was too much of a clusterfuck for anyone to emerge. I thought Stanford came in playing better football, thought they'd win, but they covered the (-4) spread, so I wasn't totally off. I saw none of this game, sounds like it was a tight one.

(12) Central Florida 62-55 (2OT) (16) Memphis
Fun game! If you like non-stop scoring, this was your kind of contest. This game, too, had no playoff implications because though UCF finished the season undefeated (and subsequently lost their coach to Nebraska, a broken down powerhouse desperate to regain some glory), none of their wins were quality enough to put them in the final four discussion. I'm curious to see them against Auburn: not uncommon for disappointed squads like Auburn to completely check out assuming they'll smother lesser competition in the bowl. UCF can score, they can pass, they can move the ball, the special teams are exciting, not sure they can defend and if they turn the ball over against Auburn, they'll get stomped but I think they'll give Auburn a good test. As for Memphis, they kinda look like the favorites for next year in that conference, right? (I gotta say though: matching them against Iowa State in a bowl game is kind of a waste of two good upset potential squads. I'd rather see Memphis play someone like Oklahoma State and I'd rather see Iowa State against someone like Miami)

(2) Oklahoma 41-17 (10) TCU
By the time we got to the Big-12 final, TCU seemed spent to me. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and TCU all knocked each around pretty good and it felt like OU would emerge. I thought TCU's only shot in this game was to get some early turnovers but instead they gave early turnovers and that was pretty much the ballgame. The Sooners left it kinda close at halftime but then just dropkicked the Frogs in the 2nd half. Yeah, this was pretty predictable. Oklahoma finished #2 overall and that's probably about right. They had a good W over Ohio State and rose to the top of a competitive Big-12, they deserve to get their shot, I'd even make them a slight favorite over Georgia.

(4) Auburn 7-28 (6) Georgia
I was impressed with Auburn's recent victories over Georgia and Alabama, thought they were the better team on both sides coming into this game, thought they'd beat Georgia again. But it was not to be. After an opening TD drive, they never got the offense going again and then a coupla late turnovers killed any momentum they might've had. Georgia took their time, ran the ball well and in the 2nd half pounced on Auburn's mistakes to blow the game open. Georgia was good all year long but when they got stung by Auburn a few weeks ago, I thought the shine was off of them (especially since the SEC East was kinda terrible this year), but they made the most of their rematch and deservedly slide into the playoff.

Boise State 17-14 (25) Fresno State
I have vaguely paid attention to Boise State this year, in and out of the top 25 for the last coupla months and Fresno State had a similar season. I didn't know who would win the game but I figured it would be close. So I had to take Fresno State (+9) and I got that one. I didn't see any of this game but there was no way this game would impact the final four. 

(1) Clemson 38-3 (7) Miami
Yawn. I was skeptical of Miami all year long. They had two good wins against the only two good teams they played (Virginia Tech, Notre Dame) but otherwise looked sloppy and disinterested against the rest of their opponents. The fact that they were almost able to sleepwalk their way to a perfect season (lost at Pittsburgh) kinda puts them in the Central Florida camp IMHO. But if they had managed to rise up against Clemson I have no doubt they'd be playing alongside the big boys on New Year's. But Clemson was too good to let that happen. Clemson finished the season at #1 and I suspect that is where they belonged all along. I thought they were one of the best teams from the beginning and was kinda afraid they'd miss their chance after a puzzling loss at Syracuse. I'd make them the favorite to repeat as champions.

(8) Ohio State 27-21 (3) Wisconsin
I was skeptical of Wisconsin all year because I just thought they didn't play anybody. That said, they did look damn good against the so-so competition and I thought they had a good shot at besting Ohio State and heading into the playoff. And they kinda were the better team except the big plays the Buckeyes were able to sneak on them: 2 gajillion yard receiving TDs, another TD set up by a gajillion yard rush and a FG set up by another gajillion yard reception. Take out those four plays and the Badgers would've outpaced the Buckeyes easily. In the 2nd half, the Buckeyes couldn't really move the ball but did well to chew up clock. Weird game. I was not overly impressed by the Buckeyes (JT Barrett: the most frustrating star in Ohio State's history?) but they made the plays they needed to make to win the game. And in the end, I would've taken them over Alabama. Urban Meyer was able to sweet talk his way into a championship game once in the past (when his Florida Gators but his (now) Ohio State Buckeyes ironically) but I guess he wasn't able to this time. If they'd just beaten Iowa (Buckeyes were 17.5 point fave), they'd be in the final four, instead they're off to the Cotton Bowl (slight fave over USC, I'd guess). As for Wisconsin, they came close, if they'd just kept the barn door shut on the big plays I think they would've won (and wouldn't they have finished at #2 ahead of Oklahoma?).