College Picks, Week 12

This is a big week in the world of college football. For some teams, such as those in the Big Ten, it is the end of the season. For others, the jockeying for positions in the BCS and other bowls is well underway. Here are this week’s picks:

Last week: 15-5
Season: 146-74

Oklahoma at Texas Tech: The ABC Saturday Night cameras move to West Texas for this one. The Sooners and their fans are still stinging from their last trip to Lubbock in 2005, when Big 12 officials gave Tech a game-winning touchdown on a questionable goal-line call, following two botched calls on the game-winning drive. Sooners are playing for a lot more this year, such as the South Division, a Big 12 championship, and an outside chance for the BCS national championship game. As always, there will be a lot of points scored when Tech takes the field. OU will score more. Once again, don’t look for your late local news earlier than 10:30 PM CST on your local ABC station, because this will be a long game. Pick: OU

Iowa State at Kansas: The Jayhawks are so good, this game rates as the 2:30 PM CST telecast on ABC. The Cyclones have won two conference games in a row, after playing conference leaders Oklahoma and Missouri tough. This will be tougher than it should be, but KU continues its rendezvous with destiny. Pick: KU

Missouri at Kansas State: Mizzou prepares for its Thanksgiving showdown by visiting the Little Apple and the reeling Wildcats. When we last saw the Power Towel guys, they were getting their heads handed to them by Nebraska, 73-31. Is there anything left in Manhattan? K-State will play hard, but it won’t be enough. Mizzou is really good. Pick: Missouri

Oklahoma State at Baylor: OSU is playing for a bowl. Baylor is playing for pride, and to send soon-to-be fired coach Guy Morriss off with a W. This will be entertaining, if nothing else. Pick: OSU

Duke at Notre Dame: Mike Krzyzewski takes his Blue Devils to South Bend to meet his former assistant, Mike Brey. Oops, wrong sport. This is football. Both teams are 1-9. Duke has won 5 games in the last four years. However, their margins of defeat are decreasing against ACC foes. This is uncharted territory for the Irish. They can’t take any opponent for granted, not even Duke. This humdinger of a game will be on national television. I’m sure NBC is really excited about that. The long-suffering Dukies deserve for something good to happen to them. Pick: Duke

Oregon at Arizona (Thursday): Ambush alert. The Ducks go to the desert with a huge target on their backs as the #2 team in the BCS standings. Strange things happen on Thursday nights on ESPN. Ducks don’t survive. Pick: Arizona

Ohio State at Michigan: Ohio State fell from the top spot in the BCS rankings last week, but can go to their first Rose Bowl in Jim Tressel’s tenure with a win against the school up north. Lloyd Carr is rumored to be retiring after this season. Michigan, in spite of last week’s loss, can become the first team to lose to Appalachian State and still go to the Rose Bowl. Ohio State is a better team. Pick: Ohio State

Northwestern at Illinois: Ron Zook was always known as a great recruiter. He put himself on the map as a coach last week in Columbus against TOSU. Now, the Illini have a chance to play in a New Year’s Day bowl. All they have to do is beat the purple of Northwestern. They do it. Pick: Illinois

Kentucky at Georgia: Kentucky can no longer win the SEC East, but they can still earn a good bowl bid. Georgia still has a chance at a BCS bowl bid, and a slight chance to win the SEC East. Bulldogs come back with red uniforms this week, but still win the game. Pick: Georgia

Penn State at Michigan State: The Land-Grant Trophy is on the line here, as the Spartans attempt to secure a bowl bid. Will Penn State show up to play on the road? Good question. MSU got some good momentum last week with their win over Purdue. Good things continue for Sparty. Pick: MSU

Miami at Virginia Tech: Miami was awful last week in closing the Orange Bowl with a 48-0 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers. Now, they head to the mountains to take on nemesis Virginia Tech. Tech shouldn’t have much problem with this one. Pick: Virginia Tech

Purdue at Indiana: The Old Oaken Bucket is at stake here. Indiana is bowl-eligible, but needs a win to secure their first bowl bid in over a decade. Purdue lost an inexplicable game last week at home to Michigan State. Purdue has played in big games before. Pick: Purdue

Maryland at Florida State: Florida State returns home and attempts to improve their bowl position. It wasn’t too long ago that FSU played for national championships. This edition of the Noles should have enough to win this week. Pick: FSU

Louisville at South Florida: The Disappointment Bowl. Louisville’s entire season has been a disappointment, and the Cardinals are in severe danger of not making it to a bowl game. South Florida has had a disappointing second half of the season, losing three in a row after being ranked as high as #2 in the nation. Bulls bounce back here. Pick: USF

Mississippi State at Arkansas: Houston Nutt is trying to save his job. Or is he? Do the Hogs care if he stays or goes? The fans want him out. On the other side, Mississippi State finds themselves bowl-eligible and looking for more. The big mo is definitely with the guys from Starkville. Pick: MSU

Vanderbilt at Tennessee: Vols are in control of their own destiny in the SEC East, and need wins over Vandy and Kentucky to earn a date against LSU in the SEC championship game. Vandy is no pushover for anyone. However, the Vols should be able to get a win in this one. Pick: Tennessee

California at Washington: As competitive as the Huskies have been this year, they are in last place in the Pac-10. This is a good last place team. Cal has lost four in a row after having a chance to be #1 in the nation. Tough pick here. Cal bounces back. Pick: Cal

West Virginia at Cincinnati: The two best teams in the Big East face off in the 'Nati. West Virginia would win 8 of 10 games on a neutral field. But, this isn't a neutral field. Cincy makes a mess out of the Big East race. Pick: Cincinnati

Boston College at Clemson: This is for a division championship in the ACC, and the winner earns a trip to beautiful Jacksonville for the ACCCG on December 1. BC has lost two in a row. Clemson has home field. Death Valley will be rocking. Pick: Clemson

Harvard at Yale: The classic old-school college rivalry. Both schools rank high on the famous alums chart. This one happens to be for the Ivy League championship, as both teams are undefeated in the conference. Yale is undefeated for the season and is looking to repeat as Ivy League champions. Pick: Yale