Week 13: Sooners Shutdown Mizzou, Oregon Overpower USC, Pitt Ends Georgia Tech’s Playoff Hopes

22 Missouri 6 - #8 Oklahoma 17

It was an early kick in Norman, Oklahoma and a must-win game for the Sooners to keep their playoff hopes alive. The OU defense once again completely shut down the opposing offense. Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy has been elite this season, and the previous week he had 300 rushing yards on 25 attempts against Mississippi State. Hardy finished with just 57 rushing yards on Saturday. The OU defense also continued to force turnovers, picking off QB Beau Pribula twice. The last three wins for the Sooners have been against three top-25 SEC teams, and in all three games they were outgained in total yards. This defense is generational and is the only reason they have won big-time games this season. The Sooner offense, unlike the defense, continues to struggle. QB John Mateer was 14/30 with 173 yards, and the rushing game averaged just 3.2 yards per carry. If Oklahoma can get just a little more going offensively, they will be a dangerous team in the playoffs, but right now they would be a first-round exit.

15 USC 27 - #7 Oregon 42

Eugene, Oregon hosted the biggest game of the week, a matchup that felt much like a playoff environment. Both teams needed a win to solidify their playoff spot, and Oregon took control from the start. Once again, USC looked lost and weak on defense in a big-time game. In their three losses, they have allowed 34 points twice, and on Saturday they allowed 42. Both Oregon and USC threw the ball well, but the Ducks had a balanced attack which the Trojans could not match. USC ran the ball 28 times for just 52 yards, averaging only 1.9 yards per carry. There were countless plays where the moment the Trojans RB got the ball, he was immediately swallowed up. Ducks LB and former walk-on Bryce Boettcher had an incredible game, leading the team with 13 tackles and adding a tackle for loss. His biggest highlight, though, was a rushing touchdown in his final game at Autzen Stadium. This Oregon team is finding its stride at the right time and will be very dangerous in the playoffs. USC must improve defensively if they want to reach the next level and play meaningful football in December and January.

Pitt 42 - #16 Georgia Tech 28

This was one of the biggest ACC games of the year, and the Yellow Jackets simply needed a win to reach the ACC Championship. It looked like Georgia Tech was already thinking ahead to the Georgia game, as they came out extremely flat on Saturday night. The Pitt Panthers came out firing, scoring the first four touchdowns of the game. Freshman QB Mason Heintschel was very efficient, and RB Ja’Kyrian Turner ran all over the Tech defense. Despite the awful start, Tech gained momentum with two touchdowns before halftime to cut the lead to 14, and they were driving in the third quarter with the ball inside the ten, looking to make it 28-21. Haynes King then threw a 100-yard pick-six to Braylan Lovelace. A 14-point swing like that felt like the game was over, but Tech continued to fight and benefited from a horrible fake punt call by Pitt HC Pat Narduzzi. Pitt still led by seven with the ball, but the Tech defense later gave up a 56-yard touchdown run by Turner, which ended Georgia Tech’s playoff hopes. Even though Tech did not look good on Saturday, they will give their all next week against the Dawgs.

20 Tennessee 31 - Florida 11

Tennessee entered the game without a win in the Swamp since 2003. Not only did they win on Saturday, they dominated the Gators. The Vols scored on their first four drives while the Gators failed to score in the first half. Tennessee ran and threw the ball effectively. Joey Aguilar went 17/22 for 204 passing yards, and RB DeSean Bishop finished with 116 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns. Star Thomas added 71 yards on 9 carries with a touchdown. Tennessee outgained Florida by nearly 200 yards. DJ Lagway has had a horrific year with the Gators, which is even worse considering the hype he entered the season with. The Gators hope to land Lane Kiffin as their new head coach, but whoever they hire will be able to set the team up for success more effectively than Billy Napier did. Some might think this has been a down year for Tennessee, but they were extremely close to being great. All three losses were winnable games, but a missed field goal against UGA, a goal-line pick-six against Bama, and costly turnovers against OU were the difference. The Vols have a bright future, but this season was brutal considering they lost their starting QB right after the spring game.

11 BYU 26 - Cincinnati 14

A blackout night in Cincinnati, Ohio felt like a major trap game for BYU, but the Cougars completely shut down the Bearcats. BYU’s success came from the run game. RB LJ Martin had a career-high 222 yards on 32 touches with two touchdowns. QB Bear Bachmeier also had success on the ground with 46 rushing yards and a touchdown. Cincinnati’s offense had no success running the ball, finishing with 23 carries for 87 yards at just 3.8 yards per carry. Cincinnati scored a late touchdown to make it 20-14 with 4:30 to go, but BYU responded with a methodical drive that ended with a 33-yard game-sealing touchdown by LJ Martin. The Cougars have had an incredible year, but they will unfortunately miss the playoff because they will have to play Texas Tech again in the Big 12 Championship.

Score Predictions for Rivalry Week

Egg Bowl: Ole Miss 38 - Mississippi State 24

Lone Star Showdown: Texas A&M 28 - Texas 31

The Game: Ohio State 31 - Michigan 14

Miami 24 - Pitt 30

Oregon 24 - Washington 21

LSU 3 - Oklahoma 20

Vanderbilt 39 - Tennessee 42

Iron Bowl: Alabama 27 - Auburn 24

Bulldog Breakout: Bo Walker

In the game on Saturday against Charlotte, Kirby Smart tried to get everybody involved, and freshman RB Bo Walker took advantage of extended playing time. He split carries with Nate Frazier early in the game and reached the end zone three times. Walker finished with 48 rushing yards on nine attempts, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. With this performance, Walker might get meaningful carries the rest of the way against tougher opponents.

Clean Old Fashion Hate Preview: Bulldogs vs. Yellow Jackets

In a rivalry that has been lopsided for a long time, this year’s Black Friday matchup will feel very different because of the strong seasons both teams have had. Tech is looking for its first ten-win season since 2014, and UGA is looking to extend the winning streak to eight games against the Yellow Jackets. The big factor for Georgia Tech is that they have been trending downward recently, while the Dawgs have been trending upward. In a rivalry as intense as this one, recent trends likely will not matter. Tech and Haynes King will be out for blood because of last year’s eight-overtime thriller and because of the tough loss to Pitt. The key to this game is Georgia Tech’s ability to slow down Gunner Stockton and the Georgia offense. Gunner and Mike Bobo have been tough to stop recently, and Tech has been easy to score on. The Yellow Jackets will make it tough for the Dawgs, but Gunner and the offense will be efficient, and the Dawgs defense will give up some points but limit one of the best offenses in the country. Dawgs will beat the Nerds 34-24.

Bennett Wiggins (aka Dawgbone Jr)