College Football Week 12 Picks

2-2 vs the spread last week, 34-23-1 for the season. . .

Ohio State -12 at Minnesota: The Buckeyes won the Big 10 Playoff Prayer Bowl last week, and now Urban Meyer is starting his shameless campaigning for a Playoff spot, claiming the 49-37 win over Michigan State was *one for the ages!*  Ha.  But hey, let's give the Buckeyes credit.  Their offense was nearly flawless. . .BUT. . .that wasn't the 2013 Spartans defese they did it against.  This year's Spartan defense is merely good, not great.  AND. . .in this win *for the ages,* the Buckeyes defense was shitty.  The Buckeyes outscored Michigan State, and this *win for the ages* was merely a nice victory in a game between two above-average teams that would finish fourth and fifth in the SEC West.  The Buckeyes aren't a top four team, but they could nab a playoff spot based on name and Big 10 clout if all the Big 12 has to offer is TCU.  Even though TCU is better than OSU, the Horned Frogs would be no match for Urban Meyer/Big 10 politicking.  Oh, wait, I almost forgot, the Buckeyes have to play Minnesota this week. . .not a great team, but a team that can run the ball, and as we saw against the Spartans, the Buckeye run defense is crummy.  I wouldn't be shocked if Minnesota won.  They'd need a few breaks. . .maybe some bad weather and two or three Buckeye turnovers. . .but it's not impossible.  Minnesota coach Jerry Kill is the anti-Urban Meyer, not a fake bone in his body.  Here's a guy who's had real health problems, and didn't wimp out like hypochondriac Urban.  Kill stayed the course, refusing to quit on his team.  If honesty, loyalty and character always won out in this world, the Golden Gophers would win this game.  But it don't.  But I'll take my chances with a Buckeye letdown and 12 points.  Minnesota.

Mississippi State +7 at Alabama: The regular season Game of the Year.  The winner has the inside track to the SEC title game and an EZ win over the SEC East for a ticket to the Playoffs.  I don't see anybody picking Mississippi State, even though they haven't really been in danger of losing all year.  Sure, they're a Johnny Come Lately, and Alabama has been the dominant team in college football since Pete Carroll snuck off to the NFL, but this isn't a dominant Alabama team, except for one angry performance against Texas A&M.  Alabama's QB, a ham-and-egger named Blake Sims, ain't no Joe Namath or Kenny Stabler.  Hell, he ain't even a A.J. McCarron.  And that's the difference in this game.  Bama needs a decent QB to take advantage of the Bulldogs spotty defense.  But Sims ain't gonna be up to the task.  Mississippi State has a play-making QB, and will score enough to win this outright.  The Bulldog bandwagon will finally be full after this one.  Mississippi State.

Auburn +2.5 at Georgia: The Coulda Woulda Shoulda Bowl.  Both these teams had shots to win it all, but for various reasons broke down and now play for Bowl scraps.  Todd Gurley is back, but the season is over.  The greatest runner since Adrian Peterson, maybe since Barry Sanders, but what's the point?  He risks ending up like Marcus Lattimore, and for what? To get to the Capital One Bowl?  Georgia's defense played a great game against Missouri, and a great half against Arkansas, then went back to being Clean Shirt. . .they don't have the toughness or the heart to stop the run, and unless Auburn has a few more fumbles stored up, the Dawgs are gonna get run over.  Auburn.