Week 15/Championship Week Predictions

Husker Mike: Last week of the season, and what we lack for in quantity, we make up for in quality.  Some biggies to finish out the season.

Ranchbabe: New drinking game. Every time some announcer mentions what a great hire Mike Riley is for Nebraska, DRINK! Every time ESPN commenters mention something they hate about Bo Pelini...nevermind, we don’t have enough alcohol for that.

Ty: I really, REALLY want chaos after this weekend.  How great would it be if Mizzou beat Alabama (INDIANA DE FACTO SEC CHAMPS!), ‘Zona got a third straight win against Oregon, and FSU lost.  Okay, if I have to pick one, it’s the last one, let’s be real.  I think we all want Jameis to be sad.

Brian: We aren’t the committee, but we’re watching no matter what.

Pac-12 Championship at Santa Clara, CA

Oregon (-14.5) vs. Arizona

Ranchbabe: All. The. Points. Ducks 320 Sun Devils 257

Mike: Don’t see how the Ducks don’t win this one going away. Channelling my Doctor Lou: Orie-Gone 52, Arrie-Zona 35

Jon: Well, screw you guys, I’m picking Arizona just because no one else has. Maybe not. I mean, why not Oregon in the College Football Playoffs? Why not Mariotta for Heisman? The only thing I hate about Oregon is the people. Dammit, babe took the exact score I was gonna use.

Ty: Jon, I want to pick Arizona badly because it’d keep the streak alive of the Oregon hype machine being WAY ahead of reality, but…

So, Oregon’s lost two in a row to Arizona, including this season in Eugene.  RichRod has that team clicking again after a small mid-season letdown.  It seems like it’s ripe for an upset.  However, I can’t pick Arizona.  Mariota has too much to prove, and so do his coaches.  It’ll be close, but Oregon 48, ‘Zona 45.  It might go overtime.

Brian: Oregon wins and solidifies themselves in the top 4 here. And we all enjoy the stadium and want Nebraska to play in it for their bowl game.

Southeastern Conference Championship at Atlanta

Alabama (-14.5) vs. Missouri

Ranchbabe: HAHAHAHAHA! We all laughed when Mizzou went to the SEC. Most experts predicted that Nebraska would be the team that would make the most waves in their new conference. The Tigers are going to get destroyed, but I love that Missouri is taking the SEC by storm. Alabama 65 Missouri 27 Saban fires someone because his defense gave up that many points.

Mike: What is up with that ‘Bama defense, anyway?  I think it’s better this week.  Shouldn’t Indiana (the real SEC East champs) be in Atlanta anyway?  ‘Bama 63, Mizery 31

Jon: Wish I could say that Missouri stands a chance here, but… well, hell, why not? So they got beat by Indiana, so what? Everybody has bad days. So the SEC West is the greatest group of teams in one conference ever in the history of the universe and Alabama won it, so what? ‘Bama’s defense isn’t up to their standards, and, well, they’ll just run over Mizzoui along their way to another national title, the greedy bastards. Alabama 1, Missouri 0 because the real score is irrelevant other than style points.

Ty: Again, wouldn’t chaos be neat?  Bama loses to a team that lost to Indiana and then FUN TIMES!  However, I don’t see it.  Saban smells blood in the water again and I think he can avenge pretty much everything from last year.  Bama 42, Mizzou 27

Brian: Mizzou being here only means that the SEC East is as good as the Big Ten West, and Indiana should be there by proxy. And bet your ass that Saban is going to own this one.

Kansas State (+9) at Baylor

Ranchbabe: TCU seems to have a lock on the playoff committee imaginations. The Big 12 wants to get a second team in the playoffs. Four years ago, everyone would have totally predicted Baylor and TCU to be the cream of the Big 12 crop.….Oklahoma 25 Texas 18. Oh, wait. Wizard of Manhattan 45 Bears 35. Husker fans still wish for Briles and the red chrome helmets.

Mike: Huh?  Baylor runs wild all over Snyder’s bunch.  Bears 56, Wildkittens 31

Jon: Kinda tired of Baylor being all good at football and shit. They’ll probably win but I’m not picking them, the uppity "should be under my shoe" bastards. Kansas State 28, Baylor 4

Ty: Baylor at home?  Yes.  That’s really all I have to say.  The Bears have a legitimate gripe being ranked below TCU by the committee, and they need to take care of their end of the deal to have any chance of making the final four, and they will.  Baylor 62, Wildcats 56 cause defense has no place in the Big XII in December, apparently (in my head).

Brian: I’m giving the Wildcats more of a chance than others only because TEAMCHAOS and the fact that Baylor 1) still has to play Defense and we saw what happened last week and 2) Bryce Petty’s head is still boiled noodles. I think the Bears win, but in the end, it may not matter.

ACC Championship at Charlotte, NC

Florida State (-3) vs. Georgia Tech

Ranchbabe: Sigh. Anyone else tired of FSU’s antics? Yes? They still win despite our dislike? Double sigh. My bold prediction? They win ugly and sweat it out until the playoff committee keeps them at 4th. FSU 35 Tech 27

Mike: It’ll be ugly (again), but you just can’t kill Florida State.  FSU 31, GT 27

Jon: It’s going to be Florida State - ‘Bama for the national title in a test to see which is scronger. We only have a few games of Jameis left, and then he’ll be gone. I would love to see Georgia Tech win here, but… well, hell, I’ll pick them, then. WRAMBLIN’ WRECKERS 42, TALKIN’BOUTTHENOLES 41

Ty: Someone, SOMEONE has to take advantage of Jameis’s (alleged) point-shav- er- slow starts, right?  What better time than the conference championship game.  FSU’s looked shaky many a time this year, and Georgia Tech might be the best team you and your buddies haven’t talked about until this week.  It’ll be close, and FSU will PROBABLY pull it out, but I’m going to take the triple option school that somehow turns out studs at WR in the NFL (D. Thomas, Megatron).  GT 31, Noles 27

Brian: You simply can not underestimate the damn luck that FSU has played with the whole year. Taking everyone’s best shot while seemingly being distracted. I mean, Georgia Tech is the prototypical team to beat them and ruin it all, moreso than Duke was last year. However, how can you bet against the Noles? FSU wins, SQUEAKS into the 4 spot against Bama in New Orleans.

Big Ten Championship at Indianapolis

Wisconsin (-3) vs. Ohio State

Ranchbabe: Buckeye’s ain’t playing school this weekend with their #3 quarterback and his famous social media faux pas. Do you think anyone would notice if Urbz sneaks Braxton into a uniform? Melvin Gordon still gonna do Melvin Gordon things. One of my conference pre-season predictions has to be correct--right? It’s all about me. OSU sneaks by with 42 and Badgers 38.

Mike: Nobody’s giving Ohio State much of a chance now that knucklehead quarterback Cardale Jones has to replace J.T. Barrett. It’s still Urban Meyer though. No sad pizza this year.  Bucknuts 35, Badgers 31

Jon: It has to be Wisconsin because it’s always going to be Wisconsin, and they’re just solid enough to beat Ohio State while the Buckeyes are down to their third string quarterback. And why not Wisconsin? Why not the BIG TEN WEST, THE WEAK LITTLE SISTER SIDE OF THE BIG TEN winning the conference under the new divisions for the first time. Who the hell wants Ohio State to win anything anyway? FUCK YOU WISCONSIN 42, EAT SHIT OHIO STATE 38

Ty: It’s too early in the life of OSU’s third stringer for him to turn into the second-coming of the second-coming of Braxton Miller, right?  Big stage for your first start and while he’ll look solid at times, that Wiscy D will be too much to overcome.  Badgers 27, tOSU 21

Brian: No Braxton or J.T., and the Ohio State D is a carnival ride and gets gashed by the run. I could see the backdoor, but I think there’s no way that the Seniors for the Buckeyes allow a second year of being upset in Lucas Oil. Gordon gets his yards, Urban gets the hardware.