Every year there are Rivalry Games that will make a huge difference in what happens in the conference championship games and the College Football Playoff.  We are only going to look at a few of the Rivalry Games this weekend.  The games that could have an impact on the College Football Playoff.  Rivalry Games are almost always exciting and many times have unpredictable outcomes.  This weekend will be no different.  It will be an exciting weekend of College Football.

Rivalry Games This weekend

(9) UCF at South Florida 4:15 PM Friday th 23rd

This game would have been much more interesting if South Florida would have been able to keep it together this year.  If South Florida would have been able to keep it together after staring out 7 -0.  Then UCF would have had a good win to add at the end of the sesason.  With USF losing its last fou games that has taken away some of the luster of this game.   If UCF wins this game it will be the expected outcome now and it really will not help them much in the eyes of the committee.   If they lose of course they will probably drop out of the the rankings.

UCF will need to win this game by 21 or more points for it to look good in the eyes of the Committee.  Even winning by that amount may not help if the right teams ahead of them win.   Even the team behind them.   If Ohio State beats Michigan even with a UCF win the Buckeyes will jump them in the rankings.  While anything can happen in a rivalry game.  I don’t see South Florida being able to win this game.

UCF 42 South Florida 24

(6) Oklahoma at (13) West Virgina 8:00 PM Friday the 23rd

I dont’ know if this is considered a Rivalry Game at this point.  It just happens to be the last regular season game for each of these teams.    A few weeks ago this game was looking like the clash of the Big 12 titans.  Then West Virginia went and lost a close one to Oklahoma State.     That look took some of the luster out of this game.   If West Virgina wins this game then these teams could play again in the Big 12 championship game next weekend.  While that would be nice for West Virginia it would eliminate the Big 12 from having a team in the College Football Playoff.  This is another reason they need to change the playoff and how the teams are selected.  But they don’t listen to me…

The only way that the Big 12 has a chance to get into the playoff is if Oklahoma wins this game and then wins the Big 12 Championship game next week.  Over all these two teams are pretty evenly matched.  West Virgina should have the advantage here with the game being at home.  We all know that the Big 12 has almost no interest in playing defense so this will more than likely be an offese heavy game.  I see Oklahoma winning a close one.

Oklahoma 42 West Virgina 41

(16) Washington at (8) Washington State 8:30 PM Friday the 23rd

In what has generally been consider a down year in the PAC 12.  Washington and Washington State have been the two bright spots.  It is making you think back 2o or so years ago when these teams were both pretty good in what was then the PAC 10.  In Rivalry Games this one has been huge in the Pacific North West for a long time.  Even when neither of these teams is very good.  The Apple Cup has some draw to it.  This year Washington State is the sole team that has any shot at getting into the College Football Playoff.   Even with a win here and a win in the PAC 12 Championship game the chances of them getting in is slim.   If Washington wins then it really does not matter what happens the rest of the year for the PAC 12.  They are done.  Repeat – this again shows why the way we choose the teams for the playoff.

I think that Washington State should be able to pull this one out.  Then they should be able to beat what will more than likely be  a Utah team in the PAC 12 Championship Game.  Regardless I see almost no chance of a PAC 12 team in the playoff.

Washington State 38 Washington 24

(4) Michigan at (10) Ohio State Noon Saturday the 24th

In Rivalry Games this is the game of all games.  At least it used to be.  Over the last 10 years the suspense of this game has been lost.  With Michigan being unable to stay even with Ohio State.  Even though Michigan has played them very close at times and if they had a lucky bounce they would have won a few more of these.  The reality is that no matter how you lose.  A loss is a loss.   The only thing that keeps a rivalry fresh and interesting is if the wins are relatively even for both teams.  This year these teams are pretty evenly matched.  They are both 10 – 1.  Michigan lost their first game of the season to what has turned out to be a really good Notre Dame team that is ranked 3rd.  Ohio State lost to an un ranked Purdue team.  For some reason Purdue has always caused Ohio State trouble.  Ohio State has a defense that would not even rank as a defense in the Big 12.  Which has lead to giving up a lot of points.

Classic match up of Defense against Offense

Michigan has a top 5 defense this year.  It may be the best defense in college football this year.  Their offense is much better than in years past but still not an amazingly efficient high scoring offense.  This game will be mostly the Michigan defense against the Ohio State Offense.  The Buckeyes have in Dwayne Haskins the best pure passing quarterback they have ever had.  The problem with this is that that is not the kind of team that they are.  Their coaching staff and their fans have trouble with the idea that they can throw now and don’t have a running quarterback.  This has at times hurt their running game.  This is something that could play to Michigans favor if they are able to cover the Buckeye receivers.

This game has the makings of an all time classic between these two teams.  If Michigan wins and then wins the B1G Championship game against Northwestern the B1G will more than likely be in the playoff.  If Ohio State wins this game and then wins the championship game.  The B1G will stil need help to get in the College Football Playoff.

Michigan 27 Ohio State 24

Georgia Tech at (5) Georgia Noon Saturday the 24th

The Georgia Tech Georgia game does not have the same luster as some of the other Rivalry Games.   It does how ever have some.   The only thing that makes this game very interesting this year is that if Georgia Tech were to somehow manage to win this game then it would eliminate the chance of the SEC getting two teams into the playoff.  We all know that Alabama is going to get in.  It really does not matter what happens to them the rest of the way.  If Georgia wins this game big and then beats Alabama in the SEC Championship game then chances are high that the SEC will get two teams in the playoff like they did last year.   From the rest of the countries point of view this would be a worst case scenario.

Georgia Tech does have a chance on winning this game.  It does not help that the game is in Athens.   That will give the Bull Dogs an advantage.  How ever Georgia has had some let downs in the past so that leaves things open a bit.  Not really I don’t see them having a let down here.  Georgia wants to win this game big to have some momentum going into the SEC championship game against Alabama.

Georgia 38 Georgia Tech 21

(3) Notre Dame At USC 8:00 PM Saturday the 24th

This game probably will not be as big as some of the games these two teams have played in the past.  USC  can get to 6 -6 and make a bowl and also ruin Notre Dams playoff hopes.  That is about all they have to play for at this point in the season.  Sometimes that is enough and can make a huge difference in how the game goes.  In this game though it probably will not.   Notre Dame has shown to be over all a pretty good team this year.  Probably the best team they have has since 2012 when they were destroyed by Alabama in the Championship game.  This team is probably better than that team but if they have to play Alabama in the playoff the results will probably be the same.

In order for USC to win this game they will need to have everything go in their favor.   They will have to play their best game of the season and they will need Notre Dame to make some big mistakes.  Could it happen.  Yes.  Will it happen. No.

Notre Dame 28 USC 10