By The Numbers -- Dec. 21

Any bowl game named after a pirate is OK by me, which is why Thursday's Gasparilla Bowl is must-see viewing.

FIU QB Alex McGough

FIU put together a pretty miraculous turnaround, doubling their win total of four in 2016 and cranking up the offensive production from 24 points per game to almost 28. Temple was solid under its own first year year coach, Geoff Collins, and weathered some injury issues to win three of its last four contests -- including an upset over Navy. The Owls have dropped three of their last four bowl games, and it wouldn't be a shock if they come up just a bit short here against a squad that had minimal travel and that has wins over postseason participants Western Kentucky and Marshall.

GASPARILLA BOWL
Temple (6-6) vs. Florida International (8-4)
THE SKINNY
The fact that Florida International is in this -- or any other -- bowl game is pretty remarkable considering it's the first postseason trip since 2011 for the Golden Panthers. FIU is smart and disciplined, led by game manager QB Alex McGough (65 percent completions). FIU moves the chains and keeps the clock rolling, so the Owls D will need to crank it up a bit. Temple got better offensively late in the season thanks to QB Frankie Nutile (10 TDs in the last four contests), so this one has the potential to be a shootout. Temple is in its third straight bowl game, and did a nice job winning late in the year to qualify for the postseason. The Owls have some edge to their pass rush, amassing 32 sacks and a whopping 92 tackles for loss, which is among the top 20 in America. This is typically a pretty close, entertaining game, but the belief here is that FIU coach Butch Davis will have his charges cranked up for what amounts to a home game. There might be many people in the seats, but the ones who do show up should be decidedly in favor of the Golden Panthers.
LAST FIVE RESULTS (ST. PETERSBURG BOWL)
2016 Mississippi State 17, Miami (Ohio) 16
2015 Marshall 16, Connecticut 10
2014 NC State 34, UCF 27
2013 East Carolina 37, Ohio 20
2012 UCF 38, Ball State 17 
Line -- Temple -7; Pick --Florida International 30, Temple 26

2017 BOWL RECORD
SU -- 3-4; ATS -- 3-4

By The Numbers -- Dec. 20

The Frisco Bowl sort of gets lost in the shuffle among the lower tier bowl games, but this year's contest could be interesting, for the sheer fact that the guys coaching in the game are named Sonny and Skip. Doesn't get much better than that.

SMU's Courtland Sutton (Dallas Morning News)

Sonny Dykes takes over at SMU for Chad Morris, who left for Arkansas, and he'll be coaching the bowl game -- odd, but if successful it could be the wave of the future for head coaches. Dykes was an offensive analyst -- whatever that is -- this season at TCU, and he knows a thing or two about putting points on the board. He also coached the Mustangs opponent, Louisiana Tech, from 2010-2012, which adds another wrinkle.

The Bulldogs are coached by Skip Holtz who, like Dykes, knows a bit about offense and has battled some good teams close this season -- most notably losing by one to South Carolina.

While the coaches take center stage, points will be a close second. Neither team plays much defense, so this one should be fun, if nothing else.

FRISCO BOWL
SMU (7-5) vs. Louisiana Tech (6-6)
THE SKINNY
Both teams love to pass, and since defense is only hearsay for these teams, it should mean a lot of big plays. SMU has a wonderful receiving tandem of Courtland Sutton (over 1,000 yards, 12 TDs) and Trey Quinn (106 catches, 12 TDs), so it should be pretty easy for QB Ben Hicks to put up huge yards through the air. La Tech isn't quite as potent, though Teddy Veal (69 catches, five TDs) could do big things against a Mustangs D that allows nearly nine yards per pass. Both teams can run it a little bit, so whichever defense can control things at the line of scrimmage will have a leg up. DE Jaylon Ferguson (six sacks) is a star for the Bulldogs. La Tech is 4-1 in its last five bowl appearances, while SMU -- which hasn't gone bowling since 2012 -- has won three of its last four. So both teams can do the bowl thing just a little bit. Dykes on the sidelines adds star power, but it could also be just a bit of a distraction since his hiring (Dec. 11) was so close to the bowl game. Don't be surprised if SMU sputters just a little bit, and don't be shocked if there are some quirky happenings -- maybe even a pick six or special teams return. SMU is one of just two teams in America -- Oklahoma State being the other -- with a 3,000 yards passer, 1,000 yard rusher (Xavier Jones) and two 1,000 yard receivers.
PREVIOUS RESULT
Inaugural game 
Line -- SMU -4; Pick -- Louisiana Tech 48, SMU 45

2017 BOWL RECORD
SU -- 2-4; ATS --2-4

By The Numbers -- Dec. 19

With the initial glut of bowl games now over, it turns into a slow trickle. There is at least one game every day from now until New Years Day, with the only break coming on Christmas Day. So even though there isn't quite as much action in one day as there was on Saturday, there is something to fill your bowl dance card on just about every remaining night of 2017.

FAU RB Devin Singletary (Houston Chronicle)

This is one of the favorites for us, for two reasons -- location and Lane. It's in Florida, and for those of us suffering through an early blast of winter that will be a welcome sight. And then there's Lane Kiffin, a star in the coaching profession who is somehow hanging out with the hoi polloi in what amounts to a home game for his Owls. Kiffin walked into a trash heap, a 3-9 team, and turned it into a winner, and a really fun squad to boot. America will finally get to see RB Devin Singletary, who somehow was left off of most All-America teams despite leading the nation in touchdowns (29) by a ton, and an FAU team that loves to run the ball, but also can get a little bit tricky, too.

Oh, and Akron is there, too.

BOCA RATON BOWL
Florida Atlantic (10-3) vs. Akron (7-6)
THE SKINNY
FAU brings a ground game ranked sixth in the nation into this contest, and that could be bad news for an Akron defense that allows over five yards per carry and that also has trouble scoring. If Akron wants to win, it will need to keep up, and that could be easier said than done. Aside from Singletary, the Owls have a reliable quarterback in Jason Driskel, a great O-line and an underrated pass catching tight end in Harrison Bryant. So there is a lot for Akron to worry about. The Zips give up a lot of yardage, but interestingly have been very adept at picking off the football -- their 19 interceptions tied for second nationally (FAU is first, with 20). LB Ulysses Gilbert III is a force for Akron, his 127 tackles ranking in the nation's top 10. He and Singletary should meet a few times, for sure. CUSA is well-represented this bowl season, but Kiffin makes the Owls the star attraction. If FAU somehow botches this one it will be a real downer for the league.
LAST THREE RESULTS
2016 Western Kentucky 51, Memphis 31
2015 Toledo 32, Temple 17
2014 Marshall 52, Northern Illinois 23
Line -- FAU -22; Pick -- Florida Atlantic 48-20

2017 BOWL RECORD
Straight Up -- 1-4; Against The Spread -- 1-4

By The Numbers -- Dec. 16

The college bowl season begins in earnest on Saturday, with five games on tap, including an interesting showdown in the Las Vegas Bowl between polar opposites -- defensively fierce Boise State and offensively frantic Oregon. The Ducks have a new coach in Mario Cristobal, a holdover from Willie Taggart's staff, and is a guy the players lobbied for.

Here are picks for the first five contests of the jam-packed 2017 bowl season:

New Orleans Bowl
Troy (10-2) vs. North Texas (9-4)
THE SKINNY
These early bowl games are about fun, and this one should more than fit the bill. There will be a ton of points and passing yards with both defenses struggling to keep up. Troy RB Jordan Chunn should find room to run, while North Texas QB Mason Fine should be able to bomb away against a Troy team that has allowed big chunks of yardage for much of the season. However, Troy is very good at rushing the passer with LB Hunter Reese and DE Jamal Stadom, which could force Fine into careless mode, resulting in interceptions. Blace Brown is as good as they come in the secondary so Fine will need to know where he is at all times. Both teams have standout returners, so don't be shocked if the game turns on a special teams play. In the end, it will likely be turnovers that decide this one, and North Texas has been in the holiday spirit all season, giving away the football to the tune of -8 turnover margin.
LAST FIVE RESULTS 
2016 Southern Miss 28, Louisiana Lafayette 21
2015 Louisiana Tech 47, Arkansas State 28
2014 Louisiana Lafayette 16, Nevada 3
2013 Louisiana Lafayette 24, Tulane 21
2012 Louisiana Lafayette 43, East Carolina 34
LINE -- Troy -6.5; Pick -- Troy 38, North Texas 30

Cure Bowl
Georgia State (6-5) vs. Western Kentucky (6-6)
THE SKINNY
There are always a few dogs in the bowl season -- and by few we mean the majority of games -- but this one could have trouble getting attention as neither team is very fundamentally sound or all that good on defense. But oh, will there be passing. The Hilltoppers led CUSA in air yardage, and Georgia State was on occasion able to unleash QB Conner Manning, who had seven interceptions for the season -- three coming early in the year against Penn State. WKU has a veteran presence in QB Mike White, who may have to do it all as the Hilltoppers have no run game to speak of. Georgia State has trouble scoring, but does have lightning-quick WR Penny Hart, who went over 1,000 receiving yards for the season and is also a dangerous kick returner. Sandwiched in between the more attractive New Orleans Bowl and the Las Vegas Bowl (which features Boise State vs. Oregon), only diehards will be tuning in here. So it needs to be good, and fast.
LAST TWO RESULTS
2016 Arkansas State 31, UCF 13
2015 San Jose State 27, Georgia State 16
LINE -- Georgia State -6.5; Pick -- Western Kentucky 35, Georgia State 23

Las Vegas Bowl
Boise State (10-3) vs. Oregon (7-5)
THE SKINNY
This one is a tale of two teams that want to operate in completely opposite fashion -- Boise State needs to grind out long drives and Oregon wants to play at warp speed. Both could be without their top runners -- Broncos RB Alexander Mattison has a bad leg and may or may not play, while Ducks top guy Royce Freeman is electing to skip the game to save himself for the NFL. That means it should come down to passing, and Oregon has a healthy Justin Herbert, which might be enough. The kid is a solid runner, but is coming into his own as a passer, too. He has a big arm and is a playmaker, and Boise will need to be good against the pass to come out on top. The Broncos counter with Brett Rypien, who isn't electric but also won't make crucial mistakes. This is a very good early bowl matchup, and watch for the Ducks especially to be ready to play for new coach Mario Cristobal. The players lobbied for him to get the job, and they will want to go out and make a great first impression.
LAST FIVE RESULTS
2016 San Diego State 34, Houston 10
2015 Utah 35, BYU 28
2014 Utah 45, Colorado State 10
2013 USC 45, Fresno State 20
2012 Boise State 28, Washington 26
LINE -- Oregon -7.5; Pick -- Oregon 34, Boise State 24

New Mexico Bowl
Marshall (7-5) vs. Colorado State (7-5)
THE SKINNY
While not the most attractive matchup on paper, the results below say that this one should be right down to the wire. CSU has lost six of its last eight bowl games while Marshall has been uber efficient, winning 10 of its last 11 postseason contests. The Herd will want to control the clock, and has the power up front do so (45 percent on third down conversions for the season). Long, drawn out drives definitely favor Marshall, and in passing situations Chase Litton is usually safer than a baby in its mother's arms (only eight sacks allowed). CSU has underrated QB Nick Stevens, who has one of the best targets in the nation in WR Michael Gallup (94 catches, 7 TDs) and has been excellent in the Rams last two bowl games (750 passing yards, five TDs). It won't be easy, however, as Marshall has one of the better secondaries in America. Look for CSU to atone for what has to be considered a bit of a disappointing season.

LAST FIVE RESULTS
2016 New Mexico 23, UTSA 20
2015 Arizona 45, New Mexico 37
2014 Utah State 21, UTEP 6
2013 Colorado State 48, Washington State 45
2012 Arizona 49, Nevada 48
LINE -- Colorado State -5.5; Pick -- Colorado State 40, Marshall 30

Camellia Bowl
Middle Tennessee (6-6) vs. Arkansas State (7-4)
THE SKINNY
Yet another game that should have offense aplenty, as Middle Tennessee gets QB Brent Stockstill back from injury (went 2-4 without him), and Arkansas State displays an offense that finshed 11th in the nation in total yards. Yet there will also be defense -- often explosive. The Blue Raiders were top 20 in tackles for loss while the Red Wolves were 10th in sacks -- led by explosive rush man Ja'Von Rolland-Jones (18.5 TFL, 13 sacks). Both teams have trouble hanging on to the football, so the team that plays the cleanest will win. Stockstill is a calming presence in the Middle Tennessee huddle, but ASU QB Justice Hansen has shown off his potential, completing 64 percent of his passes and 34 TDs. Arkansas State sometimes gets a bit too cute for its own good on offense, which isn't recommended against an efficient Blue Raiders defense that allows only 34 percent opponent third down conversions. If the first three editions of this game are any indicator, this one should be a real barnburner, with Arkansas State's defensive front proving to be the difference.
LAST THREE RESULTS
2016 Appalachian State 31, Toledo 28
2015 Appalachian State 31, Ohio 29
2014 Bowling Green 33, South Alabama 28
LINE -- Arkansas State -4; Pick --Arkansas State 37, Middle Tennessee 29

College Football Focus 2017 All-America Team

With the 2017 college football season in the books, it's time for College Football Focus to unveil the best players of the season, the All-America teams. This was no easy task, with position groupings especially deep at running back (no Kerryon Johnson, Josh Adams, Nick Chubb, Saquon Barkley), defensive line (Austin Bryant, Rashan Gary, Nick Bosa, among others) and receiver (Steve Ishmael, David Sills, Calvin Ridley). There are some very good players left off, but you have to stop someplace, right?

Following the All-America teams is our list of the best freshmen in America. Some are true freshman, some redshirt, but all are in their first year of action.These are names you will be hearing for seasons to come.

1ST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Baker Mayfield/Oklahoma
RB Bryce Love/Stanford
RB Rashaad Penny/San Diego State
WR James Washington/Oklahoma State
WR Anthony Miller/Memphis
WR Cam Phillips/Virginia Tech
TE Mark Andrews/Oklahoma
OT Orlando Brown/Oklahoma
OT Martinas Rankin/Mississippi State
OG Parker Brown/Georgia Tech
OG Cody O'Connell/Washington State
 C   Billy Price/Ohio State

1ST TEAM DEFENSE
DE Bradley Chubb/NC State
DE Clelin Ferrell/Clemson
DT Harrison Phillips/Stanford
DT Maurice Hurst/Michigan
LB Josey Jewell/Iowa
LB Devin White/LSU
LB Malik Jefferson/Texas
CB Josh Jackson/Iowa
CB Jalen Davis/Utah State 
 S   Minkah Fitzpatrick/Alabama
 S   Justin Reid/Stanford

2ND TEAM OFFENSE
QB McKenzie Milton/UCF
RB Devin Singletary/Florida Atlantic
RB Jonathan Taylor/Wisconsin
WR Anthony Johnson/Buffalo
WR Courtland Sutton/SMU
WR Michael Gallup/Colorado State
TE  Adam Breneman/UMass
OT Mike McGlinchey/Notre Dame
OT Michael Deiter/Wisconsin
OG Will Hernandez/UTEP
OG Tony Adams/NC State
 C Bradley Bozeman/Alabama

2ND TEAM DEFENSE 
DE Sutton Smith/Northern Illinois
DE Mat Boesen/TCU
DT Dexter Lawrence/Clemson
DT Ed Oliver/Houston
LB Joe Dineen Jr/Kansas
LB Micah Kiser/Virginia
LB Roquan Smith/Georgia
CB Denzel Ward/Ohio State
CB Lukas Denis/Boston College
  S   Quin Blanding/Virginia
  S   Jaquan Johnson/Miami (Fla.)


1ST TEAM SPECIALISTS
 K Eddy Pineiro/Florida
 P  Michael Dickson/Texas
RS Dante Pettis/Washington

2ND TEAM SPECIALISTS
 K Griffin Oakes/Indiana
 P  Mitch Wishnowsky/Utah
RS Tony Pollard/Memphis

FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Jake Fromm/Georgia
RB Jonathan Taylor/Wisconsin
RB AJ Dillon/Boston College
RB JK Dobbins/Ohio State
WR Greg Dortch/Wake Forest
WR JD Spielman/Nebraska
WR McLane Mannix/Nevada
TE  Matt Bushman/Brigham Young
OL  Will Fries/Penn State
OL  Trey Smith/Tennessee
OL  Luke Wattenberg/Washington
OL  Keith Ismael/San Diego State
 C   Tyler Badiasz/Wisconsin

DEFENSE
DL Kylan Wilborn/Arizona
DL Curtis Weaver/Boise State
DL AJ Epenesa/Iowa
DL Quinnen Williams/Alabama
LB Paddy Fisher/Northwestern
LB Colin Schooler/Arizona
LB Dylan Moses/Alabama
DB Darnay Holmes/UCLA
DB Tariq Thompson/San Diego State
DB Lorenzo Burns/Arizona
DB Andraez Williams/LSU

SPECIALISTS
K  Jared Sackett/UTSA
P  Oscar Bradburn/Virginia Tech

Sunday Morning Tally -- Championship Games

MAC CHAMPIONSHIP
Akron (7-5) vs. Toledo (10-2) (-21)
Pick -- Toledo 45-17; Score -- Toledo 45-28 (SU W/ATS L)

AAC CHAMPIONSHIP
(20) Memphis (10-1) vs. (14) UCF (11-0) (-7)
Pick -- UCF 45-35; Score -- UCF 62-55 2 OT (SU W/ATS P)

CUSA CHAMPIONSHIP
North Texas (9-3) vs. Florida Atlantic (9-3) (-11.5)
Pick -- FAU 52-21; Score -- FAU 41-17 (SU/ATS W)

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
(11) TCU (10-2) vs. (3) Oklahoma (11-1) (-7)
Pick -- Oklahoma 42-31; Score -- Oklahoma 41-17 (SU/ATS W)

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP
(6) Georgia (11-1) vs. (2) Auburn (10-2) (-1)
Pick -- Auburn 34-21; Score -- Georgia 28-7 (SU/ATS L)  

MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP
(25) Fresno State (9-3) vs. Boise State (9-3) (-9.5)
Pick -- Boise State 27-21; Score -- Boise State 17-14 (SU/ATS W)

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP
(7) Miami (10-1) vs. (1) Clemson (11-1) (-9.5)
Pick -- Clemson 34-16; Score -- Clemson 38-0 (SU/ATS W)

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
(8) Ohio State (10-2) vs. (4) Wisconsin (12-0) (+6)
Pick -- Wisconsin 28-24; Score -- Ohio State 27-21 (SU L/ATS P) 

2017 RECORD
STRAIGHT UP -- Week 7-2, 247-91 (73%); ATS -- Week 4-3-2, 176-154-8 (53.3%)

By The Numbers -- Championship Games

It's Championship Saturday in college football, a day when teams give their all to win a ring and to advance -- possibly -- to the College Football Playoff. Four Power 5 conferences will decide their champs today, and all four are in play for the playoff. A myriad of scenarios exist to get Team A or Team B in, and we won't know for certain until Sunday at noon what the playoff field looks like. But we will know by midnight who the champions are, and have a pretty good on handle on which ones will be advancing to the playoff.

There are a handful of regular season games, but we are focusing solely on the league championship contests. The games are listed in the order of kickoff time.

MAC CHAMPIONSHIP (Noon)
Akron (7-5) vs. Toledo (10-2)
The Rockets put up over 600 yards on Akron in a 48-21 victory in late October, and not much has changed to make anyone think the result will be different. QB Logan Woodside should be able to throw against an Akron defense that has been pretty porous this season, and the Rockets should have a nice turnout with the game being played in Detroit.
Line -- Toledo -21; Pick -- Toledo 45-17

AAC CHAMPIONSHIP (Noon)
(20) Memphis (10-1) vs. (14) UCF (11-0)
Certainly the most intriguing of the non-Power 5 contests, this one is a matchup of two of the premier passing teams in America. UCF ranks second and Memphis 10th in passing efficiency, and McKenzie Milton (UCF) and Riley Ferguson are two of the best unheralded signal callers in the land. UCF spanked the Tigers 40-13 way back in September, and we don't expect that to happen again. Look for the scoreboard operator to be busy in this one. A win by the Knights should clinch a spot in a New Years Six bowl game.
Line -- UCF -7; Pick -- UCF 45-35 

CUSA CHAMPIONSHIP (Noon)
North Texas (9-3) vs. Florida Atlantic (9-3)
You have to believe the Mean Green are still smarting from the 69 points they allowed to the Owls in October, and that was just one of the six times Lane Kiffin's bunch eclipsed 40 points. Devin Singletary is a workhorse runner who leads the nation in touchdowns (26) and helped FAU score 44 times on the ground this season. Mean Green senior running back Jeffery Wilson will miss the game with an injury, and that's a big loss as he brought 16 touchdowns and over 1,200 yards to the table Both teams will want to keep the football on the ground, and neither is great at stopping the run. So it could come down to quarterback play between FAU's Jason Driskel and North Texas' Mason Fine.
Line -- FAU -11.5; Pick -- FAU 52-21

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP (12:30 pm)
(11) TCU (10-2) vs. (3) Oklahoma (11-1)
It's all about strength vs. strength, the Horned Frogs showcasing an outstanding defense and Oklahoma running the nation's premier offense. Presumptive Heisman winner Baker Mayfield will try to finish things off with a bang, and it wasn't long ago that he passed for 333 yards and three scores in the Sooners 38-20 victory over TCU. But Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson is crafty and could have a few tricks up his sleeve, including bringing pressure from different angles to make Mayfield uncomfortable. The underrated part of the OU offense is the ground game, which has 11 touchdowns and averaged nearly seven yards per carry in its last four games. TCU has limited five of its last seven foes to 14 points or less and is among the best at stopping opponents on third down. TCU must find ways to score points because Oklahoma is nearly impossible to contain -- under 30 points just once this season. A TCU victory would send the playoff picture into turmoil, but we think Mayfield will be too focused and play too well to let his team lose.
Line -- Oklahoma -7; Pick -- Oklahoma 42-31

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP (4 pm)
(6) Georgia (11-1) vs. (2) Auburn (10-2)
A winner take all showdown looms in the SEC, and you can bet Georgia will do what it can to avenge the 40-17 beatdown it suffered at the hands of the Tigers just three weeks ago. It wasn't just Auburn's defense that did damage -- the Tigers amassed nearly 500 yards of offense, averaging nearly seven yards per play against a defense that had been in the top 10 most of the season. There are questions surrounding Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson's health, and if he can't go then Kam Martin is more than able to take his place (6.39 ypc). Jarett Stidham has been masterful at quarterback, throwing nine touchdowns and just one pick in the last four games. We have more confidence in him than we do Georgia freshman Jake Fromm, who has been good but more of a game manager. Georgia has not put the ball in his hands to win games, preferring to rely on Nick Chubb and Sony Michel and the ground attack, which ranks ninth in the country. Both teams give up yards grudgingly, so we're going with the better quarterback in this one.
Line -- Auburn -1; Pick -- Auburn 34-21   

MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP (7:45 pm)
(25) Fresno State (9-3) vs. Boise State (9-3)
Fresno is one of the great turnaround stories of the season, going 1-11 a year ago before rising under Jeff Tedford's leadership. Fresno won 26-17 last week, but a rematch with such a quick turnaround is dangerous. Both teams are stout against the run, Fresno ranking 15th and Boise 19th. Points should be at a premium here, so whichever quarterback -- Fresno's Marcus McMaryion or Boise's Brett Rypien -- plays the cleaner game will give his team a leg up toward victory. It's entirely possible Boise played things close to the vest last week, and could well have some tricks up its sleeve. The Broncos have championship experience, and for that reason they get the nod here.
Line -- Boise State -9.5; Pick -- Boise State 27-21 

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP (8 pm)
(7) Miami (10-1) vs. (1) Clemson (11-1) 
These foes are on different trajectories heading into the league title game -- Miami's first shot since joining the conference in 2003. The Hurricanes slogged through most of the back half of their schedule, looking listless and finally getting tripped up by Pittsburgh in the season finale. Clemson's last real challenge was a seven-point win over NC State at the end of October, and the Tigers have held their last three foes to a total of 27 points. Miami relies on turnovers to spark its offense, but Clemson values the football, turning it over just 13 times all season. Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant has matured into a real player, and the ground game has really picked up steam, collecting at least 180 yards in its last five contests. Clemson sees another shot at a national title just up the road, while Miami could just be happy to have advanced this far.
Line -- Clemson -9.5; Pick -- Clemson 34-16

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP (8 pm)
(8) Ohio State (10-2) vs. (4) Wisconsin (12-0)
Who will flinch first? An OSU offense ranked in the top five in most important categories, or a Wisconsin defense that stifles foes with the very best of 'em? The Buckeyes have injury questions surrounding quarterback J.T. Barrett, who left the Michigan game with a knee problem. He had surgery and has practiced, but you wonder how healthy he is. Sophomore Dwayne Haskins entered the game with OSU trailing 20-14 and proceeding to ball out, helping the Buckeyes to a 31-20 victory. Now he may get the start, though this might not be the defensive unit to get inaugurated against. It would be nice if he can lean on RBs J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber, who collectively have scored 17 touchdowns and rushed for nearly 1,800 yards. Wisconsin is first nationally against the run and the pass, as well as total defense. UW is second in points allowed, too. The Badgers don't do it with flash, but with discipline and physical play, and are also grudging on allowing third downs (seventh nationally). Ohio State defensively will need to keep tabs on All-America tight end Troy Fumagalli, who leads the team in catches with 38, and who is an inviting red zone target down the seam (four touchdowns). OSU's linebacker play has been a weak spot all season, so that could play into Wisconsin's hands. Badgers tailback Jonathan Taylor has over 1,800 rushing yards as a freshman, and UW will look to him to set the tone for the offense. If the Buckeyes can get ahead early and unleash its all-world defensive line, it can make Badgers quarterback Alex Hornibrook throw interceptions. Wisconsin has given the ball away 21 times this season, and playing with fire like that against an explosive offense such as Ohio State's could result in getting burned. Wisconsin has heard all season about how it hasn't played anyone, about how it really isn't that good, so you can bet it will have a boulder-sized chip on its shoulder. Which Buckeyes team shows up here? The one that rallied against Penn State and embarrassed a solid Michigan State team, or the one that was blasted by a mediocre Iowa squad? We're guessing it's closer to the former. Whether or not that will be enough remains to be seen.
Line -- Ohio State -6; Pick -- Wisconsin 28-24 

2017 RECORD
STRAIGHT UP -- 240-89 (72.9%); ATS -- 172-151-6 (53.3%)