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Week 14 College Football Overview

Written November 27, 2008 by Evan Altemus

As we approach the last two weeks of college football before bowl games begin, it is critical to know the situation and mind set of each team. The first step of handicapping each game this week must start with figuring out what the remaining games mean to each team. Some schools have already secured a bowl spot and can’t improve their conference, while other teams are still fighting for a bowl bid. Let’s take a look at which teams have the most on the line this week.

Oregon State – A win against Oregon in their annual in-state rivalry would mean a Rose Bowl appearance against Penn State. The Beavers showed resiliency in their come back win against Arizona, so they will arguably play a good game against the Ducks.

Texas/Oklahoma – The team finishing the season with the highest BCS standing will play Missouri in the Big 12 championship game. Oklahoma was able to vault Texas in both the USA Today and AP Top 25 polls because of a blowout win over Texas Tech. Look for both teams to run up the scores on their opponents this week if given the opportunity, as they desperately need style points before next week’s BCS poll is released.

Clemson – Interim coach Dabo Sweeney has turned things around since replacing Tommy Bowden. The Tigers have won three out of their last four ACC games, and they need a win against in-state rival South Carolina to secure a bowl. Clemson will play like a desperate team this week. Sweeney is still auditioning for a head coaching position, so he will have his team ready against the Gamecocks.

Washington State – The Cougars have been the worst team in college football by far this season, but Washington gave them the game in the Apple Cup last week. The Cougars are likely to be very over-confident this week in their road game at Hawaii. Look for a very poor effort against a Warriors team that needs a win to secure a bowl spot.

Tennessee – This team finally showed a focused effort in a game this season, as they soundly defeated Vanderbilt last week. Their game this week against Kentucky will be the last for head coach Phillip Fulmer. The Volunteer players have a great deal of respect for Fulmer, so I expect them to give an all out effort against a team that they can push around. Tennessee still has the athletes capable of beating mediocre SEC competition and now they have the confidence after last week.

Virginia Tech/ Virginia – These two teams play each other this weekend, and they both have a great deal to play for. Virginia Tech will win the Coastal Division of the ACC if they defeat Virginia. However, Virginia needs a win to finish 6-6 and be eligible for a bowl game. The Hokies are large favorites, but they might not have the offense capable of winning this game by a spread of more than a touchdown.

N.C. State – After going through a great deal of adversity this season, the Wolfpack will qualify for a bowl game with a win against Miami. They have to overcome the emotions of a big win last week against North Carolina, but N.C. State does have a great deal to play for this week. Oddsmakers may have priced that into this game though, as they are only a one point underdog.

Knowing what each team has to play for is essential to handicapping this week’s college football games. The teams listed above are just a small sample of schools that still have a great deal on the line this week. However, this article should give bettors an idea of what to look for this week.

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