COVID issues continue to plague the Big 10 and Ohio State in particular, but despite that, there are still plenty of big matchups this week as the drive towards the playoffs continues in this strange season. Below are my thoughts on the best picks for week 14’s biggest matchups:
5 Texas A&M (-7) at Auburn
Texas A&M continues to hang right outside the playoff top four by way of its win over #6 Florida earlier in the year. Beyond that win, there is not too much to love about the current state of the Aggies, who looked awful offensively last week in a 20-7 win over a beleaguered LSU. Auburn’s offense didn’t look much better in a 42-13 beatdown at the hands of archrival Alabama, with QB Bo Nix continuing to play mediocre football without any progression. This total is set at an oddly high 49, and after watching these two offenses slog along, it is hard to imagine many points scored in this one. Look for A&M’s elite defense to completely shut down Bo Nix while having just enough offensively to keep Auburn at arm’s length.
The Pick: Under 49
GAME UPDATED: #13 BYU (-10) at #18 Coastal Carolina
A last-minute change has occurred in Myrtle Beach, as College Gameday will be in town to see the #18 ranked Chanticleers take on #13 BYU in a massive game that was added as Liberty was forced to cancel due to COVID issues. Coastal continued to roll last week in a 49-14 dismantling of an over-matched Texas State team, and everything about this squad continues to look impressive. Coach Jamey Chadwell has earned himself a step up to a power five job. BYU has been looking to schedule additional games in order to boost its resume, and while not against a power five school, this is still a huge pickup for the Cougars. Their high powered offense should be too much for the Chanticleers to handle, so look for Zach Wilson and company to make a big statement and run away with this one.
The Pick: BYU -10 & Over 61
3 Clemson (-22) at Virginia Tech
The Clemson pain train has reached its maximum cruising speed as it heads into Blacksburg to face the reeling Hokies. It has been a season to forget for Justin Fuente’s squad, as Covid issues and inconsistent play has made Virginia Tech a maddening team to watch all year. Enter a seemingly always pissed off Dabo Swinney and a Clemson team that is humming on offense with Trevor Lawrence back, and you have all the ingredients for a massive blowout. The Tigers are on a mission to prove that they only lost to Notre Dame because their superstar was out, and similarly to the 52-17 beatdown they placed on Pitt last week, this one could get ugly fast. Don’t forget that same Pitt team beat Virginia Tech by a score of 47-14. Uh oh.
The Pick: Clemson -22
Stanford at #22 Washington (-11.5)
Washington came back from 21-0 down last week to survive against Utah and keep its early undefeated season intact in a 24-21 win. Stanford themselves are coming off of a nice win over rival Cal in a 24-23 slugfest, displaying better defense than they had in their opening two losses to Oregon and Colorado. The Pac 12 remains a bit of a mystery this season as USC and Washington are the only two unbeaten teams remaining after four weeks of play. Washington needs to start impressing the committee if they want to move up and be taken seriously as a potential Pac 12 champion, and this weekend provides them with an opportunity at home to show that they can put teams away on both sides of the ball. The line is a bit low due to their shaky performance last week, which sets up perfectly for a nice bounce-back for the Huskies against an overmatched Cardinal squad.
The Pick: Washington -11.5
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