College Football Week 12 Can’t Miss Games

Here’s our roadmap for Saturday’s college football action. Not just because quarterback Connor Cook is no certainty to play after an injury in the Maryland game last week – and if he doesn’t play, I can’t see Sparty getting close – but for the team to prove that they can survive through key injuries. They will look to make amends for last week’s loss, one that seriously hindered their Mountain West Conference championship chances. In the past four games – all wins – the Ducks are averaging 42.3 points and 538.5 total yards.

The Cowboys are the league’s only unbeaten team, and they can clinch a share of the conference title Saturday. In the last two games, coach Larry Fedora’s offense set an ACC record by scoring 125 points. 6 Baylor last week. #8 Oklahoma State 35 Iowa State 31… But Michigan’s last two road trips against unranked opponents-Minnesota and Indiana-were both tight one-score wins for the Wolverines.

Finally the defending national champion Buckeyes get a serious contender on their schedule, in the form of an injury-affected MI State Spartans squad.

Another week of November in the books and another team fell from the ranks of the undefeated.

Because despite the promise that every week is a new week, no team in the current top four of Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State and Notre Dame is going to suddenly tumble out of the top four if it wins out.

The result still resonates, and in many ways, Oklahoma State is trying to diminish its size and scope in the present moment.

Baylor isn’t out of the running to win the conference.

Don’t look now, but OR looks like OR again. Quarterback Vernon Adams and the Ducks upset rival Stanford 38-36 last week behind an efficient offense (9.1 yards per play). But USC is on an equally hot run, having won four straight after its 3-3 start. Expect a usual Big 12 game with fast paced offense and fireworks everywhere. This week Scott Rabalais of The Advocate reported Miles might be coaching for his job over the next two weeks.

AIR RAID DISPLAY: Sooners QB Baker Mayfield has played his way into Heisman consideration, especially after completing 24 of 34 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 76 yards and another TD, against Baylor last week.

The Cowboys tout the third-best rushing defense in the Big 12, allowing just 157.5 yards per contest.

Last year, Baylor and TCU shared the Big 12 title and both missed out on a possible playoff berth because there was no title game. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham is nursing a bruised back. Oklahoma State has already beaten one top-10 team at home, when they soundly defeated TCU 49-29 two weeks ago to vault into playoff contention.

This Saturday, Oklahoma State steps into another time machine.

Trevone Boykin surely lost his Heisman hopes with his awful game against the Cowboys and with top receiver Josh Doctson on the mend, the Horned Frogs have little chance to defeat a hot Sooners squad without the pair. The Cowboys lead the Big 12 with five defensive touchdowns this season and will need to gain that leverage by pressuring the ground game.

Realignment then put the Buckeyes and Spartans in the same division past year and Ohio State won in East Lansing, Michigan. One of these teams will end Week 12 with its playoff hopes dashed.