Top 10 College Football Games Week 14: Texas-Texas A&M, Michigan-Ohio State
The final weekend of the college football regular season is here. It’s shaping up to be a wild, action-packed ride.
Black Friday games, rivalry week, conference championships, and College Football Playoff (CFP) bids are all on the line. Fans—whether you live and breathe football or just tune in for the big ones—have a lot to look forward to.
The top 10 games of Week 14? They’re loaded. Historic rivalries, high-stakes matchups, and maybe a few surprises.
Let’s get into the must-watch games and what’s at stake for the CFP.
Contents
Honorable Mentions: Games to Keep an Eye On
Before jumping into the main event, a few other matchups deserve a nod. These games may not crack the top 10, but they’re still worth flipping over to:
- Navy at Memphis (Thu.)
- No. 13 Utah at Kansas (Fri.)
- Iowa at Nebraska (Fri.)
- Temple at North Texas (Fri.)
- No. 25 Arizona at No. 20 Arizona State (Fri.)
- Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State
- LSU at No. 8 Oklahoma
- James Madison at Coastal Carolina
- No. 9 Notre Dame at Stanford
ACC Showdowns: Stakes and Chaos
Southern Methodist vs. California
Southern Methodist (SMU) faces California in a classic ACC rivalry. SMU can punch their ticket to the ACC Championship Game with a win over the Bears, who just fired head coach Justin Wilcox.
The Mustangs have the best odds among ACC schools in The Athletic’s Playoff projection model at 48%. But they’ll need to win the conference title for a real shot. Line: SMU -11.5.
Virginia vs. Virginia Tech
The Commonwealth Clash is back, and it matters. Virginia can reach the ACC title game with a win, which would be just their second 10-win season since 1989.
The Cavaliers have only managed to beat their in-state rival twice in the last 21 years. No pressure, right? Line: Virginia -10.5.
Miami at Pittsburgh
Miami’s probably locked out of an at-large Playoff spot, even with a win at newly ranked Pittsburgh. Both teams still have a path to the ACC championship, but it’s a long shot that needs SMU and/or Virginia (and maybe Duke) to falter.
If Miami wins, it’ll fuel the debate against Notre Dame for one of the year’s defining Playoff arguments. Line: Miami -6.5.
Pac-12 and SEC Clashes: High Stakes and Intense Rivalries
Oregon vs. Washington
Oregon is basically in the Playoff with a win. But if they slip up against Washington, things could get messy.
The Ducks have an 84% chance at the CFP, but they can’t afford to let up. Washington, after a wild loss to Wisconsin, has bounced back with two big wins. Line: Oregon -6.5.
Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State
The Egg Bowl is always wild. If Ole Miss wins in Starkville, they’re in the Playoff and still alive in the SEC race—if Alabama and Texas A&M lose.
There’s also plenty of buzz about Lane Kiffin’s future. Line: Ole Miss -7.5.
Georgia vs. Georgia Tech
This year’s Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate could stir things up. Georgia Tech’s loss to Pitt probably ended their Playoff hopes, but they can still make the conference championship game.
Georgia’s got CFP seeding on the line. Even if Tech can’t make the Playoff, they can throw a wrench in the rankings. Line: Georgia -13.
SEC Showdowns: Playoff Spots and Historic Rivalries
Alabama vs. Auburn
Alabama’s Playoff path is simple: win the Iron Bowl, and they’re in. That goes for both the SEC Championship Game and the 12-team Playoff.
Auburn, with an interim head coach, needs a huge upset to take down Bama. Line: Alabama -6.
Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee
It’s the 119th meeting between these two, and for the first time, both are ranked. Vanderbilt’s got Heisman hopeful Diego Pavia, but they need an upset and a little luck to sneak into the CFP.
The Vols are aiming for their seventh straight win over their in-state rival. Line: Tennessee -2.5.
Texas A&M vs. Texas
The Aggies will head to the SEC Championship Game with a win on Black Friday, capping their first undefeated regular season since 1994.
Texas, a longshot for the CFP, could spoil the Aggies’ perfect run and maybe knock them out of the title game. Line: Texas A&M -2.5.
The Game: Michigan vs. Ohio State
The top spot? It has to be The Game. Michigan’s riding a four-game win streak, and last year’s upset in Columbus—well, that just proved you can’t predict anything in this rivalry.
Ohio State’s sitting at No. 1, and the oddsmakers have them as double-digit favorites. But they’ll have to deal with a Michigan team that’s really peaking, and they’ll do it on the road.
The Buckeyes want their two star receivers healthy. They’re heading to the Playoff no matter what, but there’s still one demon they haven’t shaken off yet.
The line? Ohio State -10. That’s a lot, but who knows how this one will turn out.
Curious about the bigger picture or just want more details? You can check out the original article from The New York Times.
