Oklahoma was the latest to fall from the ranks of the unbeaten as the Baylor Bears knocked the wheels off the Sooner Schooner. Other than Baylor, Cincinnati was the happiest team in America. ZT did like Baylor HC Dave Aranda sending out his FG unit to score with 1 second remaining after the fans stormed the field just a little to early. In the post game presser, Aranda note those 3 points were part of the 3rd level tie breaker. Nice attention to detail and ZT likes his hair style as well!
Mixed bag this week with many teams playing “tune up” games before their traditional Thanksgiving Week rivalry games. That noted, there are some good games on the slate.
ZT was in Kansas and it was the happiest state he has seen recently! K State Wildcats pop West Virginia and on a 4 game win streak, Kansas Jayhawks beat Texas Longhorns and chant “SEC, SEC” for hours, and even the Chiefs look like the team of the last few years. Even saw Bud Man while traveling! Good news? Back home and ready to prognosticate!!!
Prairie View A & M Panthers vs. #16 Texas A & M Aggies 11 am
Aggies still not believing they have 3 losses…. Now basically out of the SEC running after getting thumped by Lane “4th down train” Kiffin’s Rebels and still rumors about Jimbo Fisher headed to Baton Rouge. Panthers dropped a close one to Alcorn State after winning 6 in a row. Low QB Jawon ” to throw you a” Pass with 16 TDs and 2700+ yards. ZT had eyes on this as possible FCS upset game with Aggies looking ahead to Fisher’s new team in Baton Rouge next week ( did ZT just pile on to that rumor?? ). After the Ole Miss loss, see Aggies getting it done on Senior Day and needing 2 wins for a shot at a NY Day Bowl. Aggies 44 Panthers 20
Iowa State Cyclones vs. #12 Oklahoma Sooners 11am
Who is driving the Boomer Schooner?? Rumors of Lincoln Riley offered 98 Big ONES to go to LSU?? Don’t let the Cyclones’ record fool you with the combined conference losses by a total of 12 points!! They will count on RB Breece Hall while OU looks for QB Caleb Williams to have a big game in Norman. Home field makes the difference ( unless Riley is seen reading a Boudin recipe card instead of his play sheet! ). Sooners 31 Cyclones 28
#13 Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Clemson Tigers 11am
Deacons can clinch the Atlantic Division with a win. PERIOD. If Clemson wins, they still need help ( hard to say that when speaking of Clemson ). It is pretty simple….battle of the Wake Forest Offense vs. the Clemson Defense. ZT notes Tigers DC Brett Venables has stayed solid throughout the Clemson offensive struggles. It is in Death Valley and that is a boost for the Defense….. ZT loves defense. Tigers 28 Deacons 27
#7 Michigan State Spartans vs #5 THE Ohio State Buckeyes 11am
Why Vegas thinks this is a 3 score win by Buckeyes? Sparty is 9-1 but has one of the worst pass defenses in the nation…….and now Coach Mel Tucker being talked about for other jobs?? Rumors, Rumors, Rumors… ZT believes the 2nd highest ranked team in Ohio will be at their best this week. Buckeyes 38 Sparty 24
Charleston Southern Buccaneers vs. #1 Georgia Bulldogs 11am
Kirby Smart lost 8 church-related speaking engagements after his GA-UF halftime speech hit social media. He did pick up 14 UFC pre-fight pep talks to replace them as well as standing spot at Marine Corps Boot Camps. Expect the Dawg starters to be eating pizza by halftime. The Buccaneers would like to score 7 to show the rest of the SEC how it’s done. JT Daniels should be QB midway through the 2nd quarter and SEC will have extra medics at the stadium for the Panthers. Dawg 48 Pirates in the Stockade between the Hedges 8
Georgia Tech Yellowjackets vs #6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 130pm
OK….might as well go ahead and start talking ND again as they are, as expected, back in the CFP chatter. The Ramblin Wreck finishes this season with ND then Georgia next week ( apparently their scheduling algorithm is worse than what Zillow was using to flip houses! ). They will need all their engineers and pre-med interns to put this team back together for the next 2 weeks. Irish 38 Wrecked AMC Pacers 13
SMU Mustangs vs # 3 Cincinnati Bearcats 230pm
Is this the week the top ranked team in Ohio steps aside??? IF the Bearcats want to have a prayer at the CFP, the MUST win convincingly this week against a wounded, but solid herd of Mustangs. SMU did get a nice W over UCF ( former Orlando National Champions ) after dropping 2 straight. Both teams have solid offenses. The difference maker this week is the Bearcat defense. 7th best in nation in yards per play. SMU? 77th and even worse vs. the pass…. Cincy QB Deridder has a solid day, at home, but they have eaten too much Skyline chili and stink it up at the end. The weak Cincy schedule is evident this week. Mustangs 28 Bearcats 27 Upset Special
#8 Michigan Wolverines vs Maryland Terrapins 230pm
Hmmm…..Wolverines at 9-1 can’t look over the fence at the Buckeyes game next week. Terrapins are capable of pulling off an upset at home. ZT believes Coach Khaki has them ready, QB McNamara lights up the Terps and Wolverines get their 10-win season locked in. They will be reading recipes on how to cook Buckeyes by dinner time. Wolverines 38 Terrapins 21
#21 Arkansas Razorbacks vs. # 2 BAMA 230pm
The Bacon Boys are a scary team fresh off a nice W over LSU to make it 3 straight and already bowl eligible ( 7-3 )……Not the game BAMA would typically order up the week before the Iron Bowl. Hog offense can score and defense is really good on 3rd downs……ZT knows elephants love bacon and it is at home but will be closer than the bammers want!!!! Bama 35 Baconators 28
#27 Auburn Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks 6pm
AUB QB Nix is out…..in comes T J Findley at 6-7 250 lbs. ( from the LSU transfer portal ) to run the show. Also, AU K Carlson is out as well. ( ZT sincerely wishes both a complete and speedy recovery! ). Good news? They are playing the Gamecocks who should try for a NIL deal with Duncan YoYos based on their up/down erratic play this season. SC defense will have some INTs but still expect the Tigers to get the W. ZT says no looking ahead to Bama as they need to work hard with QB Findley. AU will miss an XP and FG in this one… Tigers 30 Gamecocks 21
#4 Oregon Ducks vs #24 Utah Utes 630pm
Hmmm….Duck Season is in and ZT noted many flocks flying in formation headed south while in KS. Did yell at them to avoid Arkansas or they would come under heavy fire!! Ducks have won 5 straight while the Utes showing positive momentum with 3 straight Ws. Playing this one in Salt Lake. Ducks QB Anthony Brown has stepped up his running game but needs his defense to pick it up a notch. Utes almost got caught looking ahead by a below average Arizona squad. QB Cameron “Bad Moon” Rising had to make it without RB Tavion “don’t doubt me” Thomas but he is expected back this week. ZT expects points to be scored but Utes will score just a few more!! UTES 31 Ducks 28
#9 Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Texas Tech Red Raiders 7pm
Gundy has the Cowboys playing some of the best ball around and they are quietly 9-1!! Red Raiders got their Guns Up last week by winning with a 62 yard FG against Iowa State as time expired. Interim HC Cumbie has his toughest test this week. He won’t fail it but he won’t get the upset. Cowboys 38 Red Raiders 24
BONUS PROGNOSTICATION ( worth 110% of what you paid for it!! )
UAB Blazers vs. #15 UTSA Roadrunners 230pm
ZT has had his eye on this one ( as well the McRib Sandwich that is back for a limited time only – thank goodness! ) for awhile. You know ZT loves what Jeff “I now have a double-wide” Traylor has done with this Roadrunners squad. 10-0, 1 of only 3 undefeated teams, #15 in AP, etc. But, just like in Spyro where you must slay the dragon ( did ZT just reference a 1998 video game? same time he still had a flip phone?….hmm ), UTSA must do the same to have ANY remembrance when 2021 is talked about. UAB has a 5th year QB in Tyler Johnston but the real strength is the defense with a solid front 7. UTSA will do some good things with QB Frank Harris and solid corps of WRs. This game decides who wins the C-USA Western Division. ZT calling the upset noting Godzilla could fry everything in his path other than King Kong and the Roadrunner ain’t no King Kong! Blazers 24 Fried Birds 21
ZT headed out again, this time to the west ( yes, in Punk-12 Conference territory! ). ZT will be looking for an all-you-can-eat burrito buffet and expect an update if found!!
Padre is still in seclusion at an undisclosed location after his Gators allowed Samford Bulldogs to score 52 in The Swamp. The only item found near his 75″ high-def TV was the following:
LATE UPDATE: Padre surfaces and indicates he was involved in an “UNO” card game marathon in an effort to get his mind clear of all the Gator fan boards. Ready to prognosticate:
Loooooong week at work. Predictions commentary is very weak this week. So, I am going to play the movie card again – by comparing each prediction to a movie. Once again, I know it’s weak sauce. But it is all I have in the tank this week. Pastoring as a Gator fan is exhausting! One minute I am like Moses dealing with the Israelites’ grumbling– and the next minute I am a Gatorite grumbling to all of my friends who don’t care. Anyway, here we go…..
Mizzou 41 Florida 33
If this game were a movie, it would be…any new M. Night Shyamalan movie. Mullen, after a few signs of genius ( Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs ), looks like the next big genius!! Then comes The Village. After whatever followed after that. I dunno. I stopped paying attention.
Clemson 27 Wake Forest 26
If this game were a movie it would be….. Bad News Bears, but Wake is a good bear–and yet they still lose a heart breaker to the big dog on the ball field. Wait till next year, Wake!
Ohio State 44 Michigan State 17
If this were a movie it would be…….300. LOL. NO. I kid. These Spartans lose this underdog battle badly!!! This isn’t Hollywood- THIS IS COLUMBUS!!!! But Mel Tucker is gonna get paid!!!!!! – He better be tithing!!!
Alabama 34 Arkansas 16
If this game were a movie it would be……. Smokey and the Bandit 2. Ehhhhh. A little magic, but not really. Not much there. Effort? Yes. Substance? Ehhh. Ehhh.
Oregon 27 Utah 23
If this game were a movie it would be……. I dunno. I don’t like Westerns.
Texas Tech 30 Okie State 27 UPSET OF THE WEEK
If this game were a movie it would be…….. Joe Dirt! Except, do not assume that Okie St. is Joe because of the Mullet!! NO! Texas Tech is Joe. And they surprise everybody by taking down Kid Rock ( Oklahoma State ).
That’s all I have this week. Like I said, weak sauce. I give it a low 3 star rating–or as we call it in Gator Country, ” A Mullen Special.”
Until Next Week……
Pigskin Prognostications by the Piedmont Padre and Zimmern's Twin 