Welcome to Rivalry Week, everyone!
We’ve reached the last weekend of the regular season and there’s so much at stake. Teams are battling for bowl eligibility, conference championship games have to be decided, and the best teams in the country are battling it out. to reach the college football playoffs. On top of that, some of the sport’s most heated rivalries are on the schedule this weekend.
The first big rivalry game of the day was massive, with No. 3 Michigan trailing No. 2 Ohio State 45-23 in a two-team 11-0 battle. The Wolverines used a host of big offensive plays to claim victory and secure the Big Ten East title. Michigan is one win away from qualifying for the College Football Playoffs for the second straight year.
Meanwhile, No. 8 Clemson saw his playoff chances go up in smoke with a stunning 31-30 home loss to South Carolina. It ended Clemson’s 40-game home winning streak.
Here’s what else we’re looking at today.
(Note: All times ET, odds from BetMGM)
Time: 3:30 p.m. | Television: ABC | Line: Oregon -3 | Total: 58
Although its playoff hopes were dashed a few weeks ago, Oregon can get back to the Pac-12 title game with a win on Saturday. Oregon State, the Ducks’ in-state rival, would love to play spoiler.
Ducks quarterback Bo Nix returned from injury last week to lead Oregon past Utah. Nix was hobbled and unable to run much, but he still put in a bold performance with 287 passing yards. Now, Nix will lead the Ducks to Corvallis to face an underrated Oregon State team that has won five of its last six games. The Beavers’ last four wins have averaged 24.8 points, so this is a team that gets better and better as the season progresses.
Time: 7:30 p.m. | Television: ABC | Line: USC -5.5 | Overall: 64.5
USC is the Pac-12’s last hope of reaching the college football playoffs. The Trojans can do this by beating Notre Dame and then winning the Pac-12 title match. USC QB and Heisman prospect Caleb Williams may need to be his usual excellent self for the Trojans to overtake a surging Notre Dame team. Notre Dame has won five straight to climb 8-3 and move up to 15th in the CFP standings. Stylistically, Notre Dame is a major contrast on offense against USC. The Irish want to control the line of scrimmage and rely on the running game. It’s going to be a fascinating game.
Time: 10:30 p.m. | Television: ESPN | Line: UW-2 | Overall: 60.5
Washington will already know if he can play for the Pac-12 title by the time this game begins. But even if the conference crown isn’t on the table, the Huskies will be highly motivated to play in their biggest rivalry game. Last year, WSU snapped a seven-game losing streak in the rivalry in emphatic fashion with a 40-13 win in Seattle that saw the Cougar stalwarts storm onto the field at Husky Stadium. Washington State is entering a three-game winning streak, but Washington, with its high-powered passing offense led by QB Michael Penix, represents a step up in the competition.
