College Football: Preweek 14 Pollsand Week 14 Opponents

With no big upsets last week, we have little movement in the polls. A few teams move up a few slots and a few moved down based upon the way they played last week.

We’re also down to the final (almost) week of the season and this week will have some interesting knock-down, drag-‘em-out rivalry games that could change everything.

Ranks on the left are those of the Selection Committee/AP/Coaches Top 25/CBSSPORTS.COM 128 Polls as reported by CBSSports.com. NR = Not Ranked.

1/2/2/2 Alabama (10-1) The Tide host the #15 Auburn Tigers (8-3). I don’t think anyone on Auburn will run a missed field goal back for a TD this time. Still, this will be a very close game that may be decided BY a field goal. Alabama edges the Tigers.

2/3/3/3 Oregon (10-1) The Ducks are on the road to play the Oregon State Beavers (5-6). The Ducks just keep on winning.

3/1/2/2 Florida State (11-0) The Seminoles host the Florida Gators (6-4). The Seminoles have been playing with fire. If they do it again this week, it may cost them. Florida will be playing with a lot of emotion as it's the last game for their fired coach.

4/4/4/4 Mississippi State (10-1) The Bulldogs hit the road to play #19 Ole Miss Rebels (8-3). The Rebels have been slipping and Bulldogs won’t let up.

5/6/5/5 TCU (9-1) The Horned Frogs play on the road against the Texas Longhorns (6-5) in a game to be played Thursday night. TCU will prevail in a big way.

6/7/7/7 Ohio State (10-1) The Buckeyes host the  ichigan Wolverines (5-6). Tough year for the Wolverines. It won’t get better in this game.

7/5/6/6 Baylor (9-1) The Bears will be on the road against the Red Raiders of Texas Tech (4-7). How high will Baylor push the score is the only question in this game.

8/9/10/10 UCLA (9-2) The Bruins will host the Stanford Cardinal (6-5) on Friday afternoon. The Bruins win easily.

9/8/9/8 Georgia (9-2) The Bulldogs host the #16 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-2). The Bulldogs win a close one.

10/10/8/9 Michigan State (9-2) The Spartans will be on the road to State College, PA to face the Penn State Nittany Lions (6-5). Spartans win.

11/12/12/14 Arizona (9-2) The Wildcats host the #13 Arizona State Sun Devils (9-2) on Friday afternoon. This one could be decided by less than a field goal.

12/11/11/12 Kansas State (8-2) The Wildcats host the Kansas Jayhawks (3-8). The Wildcats win going away.

13/13/13/13 Arizona State (9-2) The Sun Devils are on the road to play the #11 Arizona Wildcats (9-2). Close one. Pick-‘em.

14/14/14/11 Wisconsin (9-2) The Badgers will host the #18 Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-3). Badgers win but Minnesota doesn’t go down without a fight.

15/15/16/15 Auburn (8-3) The Tigers are on the road to play #1 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1). Close, but the Tide wins.

16/16/15/16 Georgia Tech (9-2) The Yellow Jackets are “on the road” to play the #9 Georgia Bulldogs (9-2). Bulldogs run away with this one.

17/17/17/18 Missouri (9-2) The Tigers will host the Arkansas Razorbacks (6-5) on Friday afternoon. Arkansas has been playing well, but the Tigers win this one.

18/22/22/23 Minnesota (8-3) The Golden Gophers are on the road playing the #14 Wisconsin Badgers (9-2). Wisconsin wins.

19/18/19/19 Ole Miss (8-3) The Rebels will host the #4 Mississippi State Bulldogs (10-1). Bulldogs.

20/20/18/20 Oklahoma (8-3) The Sooners have this weekend off.

21/23/24/24 Clemson (8-3) The Tigers will host the South Carolina Gamecocks (6-5). Tigers get the birds.

22/24/23/21 Louisville (8-3) The Cardinals will play host to the Kentucky Wildcats (5-6). Cardinals.

23/25/25/25 Boise State (9-2) The Broncos host the Utah State Aggies (9-3). Boise on the Blue.

24/19/20/17 Marshall (11-0) The Thundering Herd host the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (6-5) in yet another game being played on Friday. Marshall remains undefeated.

25/NR/NR/NR Utah (7-4) The Utes are on the road to play the Colorado Rams (2-9). Utes win. NR/21/21/22 Colorado State (10-1) The Rams play on the road to play the Air Force Falcons (8-3) on Friday afternoon. Should be a good game with the Rams edging the Falcons.

In a game featuring the two newcomers to the Big 10 (which made it 12 teams in the Big 10), my Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-5) will travel to Maryland to face the Terrapins (7-4). Rutgers was picked to be last in the Big 10 East. They won’t be. (Thank you Indiana!) RU should have beaten Penn State and had, arguably one of the toughest in conference schedules having to face not only Ohio State and Michigan State (same division) but Wisconsin and Nebraska as well. It would be nice to finish up the regular season with a victory. I’m rooting for them even though they are 8 point underdogs—a position they’ve had in almost every conference game this season.