CFB Week 11 Preview: We. Are. Loaded.

By Alex Lauzon from the “Course of Life” podcast

Once you’ve hit double digits in the week counter in our football fan ecosystem, you know we’re down to the real business of the season. We’ve gotten several looks at the best teams in college football, and with weekly committee rankings and teams hitting six wins, bowl season has officially crept into our brains for the first time. It truly is a wonderful time of the year.

Week 10 in College Football was highlighted by the big dogs like Georgia, Texas, and Alabama held serve in tough spots, while the list of unbeaten teams slowly continues to dwindle with each passing week. Now as we’re a few weeks from conference championships we’ve dawned on Bowl Eligibility season, and our Bowl Pick X contests are just a little over a month away from launch on Splash Sports. I’m safely reporting that the Week 11 spread is fire flames, so for now let’s get right into the most tantalizing games on hand this weekend.

Must Watch “Main Screen” Games

#10 Ole Miss @ #2 Georgia (-10.5) – 7 pm ET – After grinding through a win against Missouri we continue to wonder when Georgia will play a true one-score, down-to-thee-wire type of game. Ole Miss might have the stones on offense to be the first shootout contestant in SEC play. The line shows very little respect to Ole Miss in this spot off the bat, but I expect it to drop below double digits.

#3 Michigan @ #11 Penn State (+3.5) -12 pm ET – I historically hate James Franklin as a coach in these spots, and probably won’t sway on that take this week either. Just like the sun rising, Ohio State and Michigan will be undefeated and crash into each other the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Book it.

#18 Utah @ #5 Washington (-9) – 3:30 pm ET – The Michael Penix Jr. Heisman train rolls on as the Huskies outdueled Caleb Williams and USC. The PAC 12 tests keep coming and now Utah has found Bryson Barnes as their quarterback, which makes them a dangerous dog. Utah is so sturdy on defense I give them a puncher’s chance in this one and I like the cover as well.

#17 Tennessee @ #12 Missouri (+1.5) – 3:30 pm ET –  A couple of 7-2 teams that are what I would consider “tier two” SEC teams. While they provide a challenge to the big guns neither is in the spot to contend for a conference title. What I can get behind here is Brady Cook and Joe Milton letting it fly all game long, as both of these offenses are due for a breakout performance. 

#20 USC vs #6 Oregon (-15) – 10:30 pm ET –  Caleb Williams attracted a lot of attention for his emotional outburst on the heels of another tough USC loss. Now, he has to regroup for another tough challenge in Oregon. That matchup is bad and it shows in the large points spread – the Ducks offense should tear through the USC defense all night and a shootout is all but inevitable.

Tier Two “Second Screen” Games

Miami @ #4 Florida State (-14.5) – 3:30 pm ET – A classic college football rivalry that invokes the phrase ”wide right” and endless memories. Any memory made from this matchup would begin with Miami hanging tough in Tallahassee, which they can’t do on offense. This could be a muddy effort but Miami’s ACC efforts don’t have me convinced they can contain Jordan Travis.

Florida @ #14 LSU (-13.5) – 7:30 pm ET – It will be interesting to see how LSU bounces back after having some moments against Bama but falling to beat them in back-to-back seasons. I’m still a stan for the Jayden Daniels to Malik Nabers combo, and think they bounce back nicely here despite the end of their SEC Championship game hopes.

#7 Texas @ TCU (+9.5) – 7:30 pm ET –  Trap game, look-ahead game…you can put all the cliche labels on this one. Texas barely escaped Kansas State in OT and they might be looking ahead to a tricky Iowa State matchup next weekend. Fans in Austin hope the drive up 35 isn’t too sleepy as the Horns now sit three wins away from a Big 12 Championship game appearance.

The “Tablet Game” Night Capper

Air Force @ Hawaii (+18.5) – 11 pm ET – It’s a wonderful world where the Midnight Snack Hawaii game is doubling as our night capper, and they host my Air Force Falcons who sadly suffered their first loss. I’m torn as arguably two of my favorite random programs do battle, but you have to feel like Air Force is out to avenge last week’s subpar effort against Army.

Week 11 Plays To Watch

Michigan -3.5 – The crash course with Ohio State is happening.

Utah +9 – They’ve found their QB and are gritty on defense.

Tennessee/Missouri Over 58 – Both teams are ready to let it fly.

LSU -13.5 – Expect big type passing numbers in this one.

Air Force -18 – I’ll stay on the bandwagon mainly because Hawaii is poor.