What’s on the line in Week 14? Well, it’s rivalry week and the final week of the regular season, so the tension is sure to be high with the conference championship on the line.
Number 3 Texas Takes on number 20. Texas A&M In a conference matchup with plenty at stake. As the Longhorns look for a spot in the SEC title game, can they hang in the red zone at Kyle Field on Saturday?
The Big 12 enters the week in a four-way tie atop the conference standings. Nine teams still have a chance to reach the Big 12 title game — what are the scenarios for each?
Our college football experts preview the big games and storylines ahead of the Week 14 slate.
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Hostile week | Texas-Texas A&M | Big 12 updates
Quotes of the week
Which rivalry matchup has the most CFP implications?
Texas at Texas A&M (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC)
Considering that Texas A&M can play its way into the SEC title game with a win over Texas and will almost certainly be out of playoff consideration with a loss, it has to be the Longhorns vs. the Aggies. A&M can still get the No. 2 seed. There is no other team playing in the rivalry game with such a wide range of possibilities. Then there is the stake for Texas.
It’s two wins away from the No. 2 seed, but if it doesn’t reach the SEC title game, it won’t be in the game anymore. Assuming Texas falls below No. 5 if it loses to A&M — which is a safe assumption — the Longhorns will be in line for a tough first-round matchup. No matter how this game ends, it will have an impact on the playoff field. — Kyle Bonagura.
Arizona State at Arizona (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET)
A matchup between Arizona State And Arizona There are CFP implications for just one team, but that doesn’t make this game any less important. The Sun Devils must win to put themselves in position to make the Big 12 Championship Game and move up in the rankings to try to earn the automatic spot as conference champions. As it stands now, the race for the Big 12 title is muddy, with four teams going 6-2 heading into league play this weekend. No. 16 Arizona State (9-2) is the highest ranked among them after winning six of its past six games.
The Sun Devils will be heavy favorites to win the majority of tiebreakers to earn a spot in the conference championship game if needed. But the only way to get into the mix is to beat rival Arizona, which has won their last two meetings. Although the Wildcats (4-7) are out of bowl and playoff contention, there would be no bigger win than spoiling their opponent’s season to take home the regional cup. — Andrea Adelson
South Carolina at Clemson (Saturday, noon on ESPN)
Surprisingly, it can South Carolina visit Clemson. The GameCox climbed to No. 15 in Tuesday’s CFP rankings and could be the SEC’s best chance to make the field of 12 among three losing teams. Ole Miss And AlabamaSouth Carolina doesn’t really have a bad loss on its profile. GameCox would likely have been defeated. LSU If starting quarterback. La Norris Cellars Wasn’t injured in the first half (or, if some calls went their way). They have won five straight since a 2-point road loss at Alabama, including a convincing win over No. 20 Texas A&M (home). Vanderbilt (road) and Oklahoma (road), and a narrow home win against No. 21 Missouri.
A road win against another CFP ranked opponent could be enough to get South Carolina ahead of the two teams it lost to (Ole Miss, Alabama). Clemson, meanwhile, will have its eyes on him. Miami–Syracuse game, as a loss to the Hurricanes would put the Tigers up against the ACC title game. SMUWith a CFP berth on the line. — Adam Rittenberg
What does each team need to do to win?
Texas: The Longhorns have won 10 consecutive true road games under Steve Sarkisian, the longest active streak in the FBS. But the atmosphere inside Kyle Field on Saturday night will be unlike anything these Texas players have ever experienced. Quinn Evers And his squad will have to find a way to play calmly and under control if they’re going to do the job in College Station.
Auburn The quarterback Peyton ThorneHis effectiveness on downfield shots was certainly noticeable during last week’s 43-41 loss to the Aggies. Thorne threw for 301 yards on the night but 230 of those came on six completions. Sarkisian won’t hesitate to go after Texas A&M’s cornerbacks with his play calling, but his QB needs to be on point with his deep passing. According to TruMedia, Ewers is 9-31 (29%) on throws of 20 or more air yards this season, and his 271 passing yards on those throws ranks 121st in the FBS.
One challenge Sarkisian’s Texas offense sometimes faces in big games: red zone execution. Over the last two seasons, the Longhorns have scored a touchdown on 53% of their red zone opportunities against ranked opponents. This is one of those weeks when trying to make too many field goals can prove costly. — Max Olson
Texas A&M: Follow the Georgia game plan, which is easy to do if you’re not a Georgia native. But from Max’s point of view, if the Aggies can rediscover their pass rush and Evers, especially if they can force Texas to try to beat them while throwing the ball, they’ll have opportunities. Against Georgia, Texas was pressured on 39 percent of dropbacks, and Evers was 5-of-13 for 46 yards on those plays. On the day, he completed just 44.4% of his throws 5 or more yards downfield.
Against last week KentuckyAccording to ESPN Research, Evers was 20-of-21 for 191 yards and two TDs to receivers in space. But on throws against tight coverage, he was 0-of-10. Arkansas played a three-safety look against Texas, and Evers threw for just 176 yards, including 1-for-2 for minus-8 yards and three sacks during first-half pressures.
If the defense can hold it strong, the Aggies offense should be opportunistic against a really stingy Texas defense, making plays with it. Marcel ReidK’s legs and keeping Texas off balance. — Dave Wilson
What’s happening in the Big 12?
By conference, there are nine — yes, nine — teams that still have a chance to reach the Big 12 title game. It manages to be true while the team that has arguably been the best in the conference since November — KansasWith a win against Iowa State, BYU And Colorado — is not included in the group.
with the Arizona StateIowa State, BYU and Colorado are all 6-2, so let’s take a look at the scenarios that are most likely to play out.
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If all four win, the title game will be ASU vs. Iowa State.
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In a three-team tie between ASU, ISU and BYU, BYU is eliminated.
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In a three-team tie between ISU, BYU and Colorado, Colorado was eliminated.
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Colorado was eliminated in a three-team tie between ASU, BYU and Colorado.
In the case of a three-team tie with ASU, ISU and Colorado, it gets messy, so here’s the exact language provided by the Big 12:
Got it all? Well, and at the risk of unnecessarily complicating things, we’ll pause before going through all the other possibilities. — Bonagora
Passage of the week
“Ryan Williams, I mean, yeah, he’s electric. He’s all of those things, but in my eyes, he’s not really my nobody. Ryan Williams is itself. He is not a big player for me. … Like I said, ‘Bama is a great rival team. I’ve never lost to any rival team I’ve played, and I’m not going to lose to Bama here.” — Auburn Freshman linebacker DeMarcus Riddick
“I’ve said it since day one: I think when you have two programs as big as these two programs are as close together, it doesn’t make sense for them not to play. “It always feels strange to play so now and to play what we’re playing for yeah, I think it’s going to be an electric week.” — Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, facing Texas this weekend.
“I don’t think you get really emotional about things like that. I think you’re a much better coach when you’re in composure, and you coach your players, and you coach your players. Teaches what to do to win a game. It’s going to be an emotional game, but I’m not emotional about it, it’s a chance at a state championship. It’s a lot of history in the game It is played between players.” — Georgia coach Kirby Smart, facing Georgia Tech during rivalry week.
“It goes without saying. If you’re watching The Godfather 2 and Hyman Roth is talking to Michael Corleone, you know what’s going on in the background — it’s Notre Dame and USC. That’s all we have to say.” — Notre Dame Defensive coordinator Al Golden
“We’ve got to get that lead. And we will because we know what’s at stake. We’ve felt what it’s like not to win this game. It’s bad. It’s going to happen to me in my life. One of the worst things. Honestly, besides losing my dad, it’s the worst thing for my family, so we can never do that and that’s the way it’s been all season.” — State of Ohio Coach Ryan Day, on facing Michigan After three straight defeats in the series
“I said what I had to say after the College Football Playoff. [Ohio State] Game I’m just going to say we’re sitting in a good spot. But we have to take care of business. That’s it.” — Indiana Hoosiers Coach Kurt Cignetti
“We’re playing for a trophy. We’re playing Missouri. That’s a rivalry game for us. … They beat [the] The hell out of us last year. This should encourage us. The problem is that a lot of the kids that are on the team and playing haven’t been here the last year or two.” — Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman, on encouraging his team against this week Missouri This week follows two straight losses in the series, including a 48-14 loss last fall.