The stakes seem low this week.
Top-ranked LSU is off. So is No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Penn State, No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 13 Minnesota, while No. 4 Clemson is an off-the-boardཧ favoritℱe over Wofford of the Southern Conference.
The playoff picture can’t change much.
Next week is different, when LSU or Alabama will play the most watched game of the s♐eason, and the loser likely will be eliminated from reaching the SEC title game, but potentially still be in contention for a playoff spot, a la the 2017 Crimson Tide. The possibility of the SEC swiping a second bid hangs over the head of every undefeated team still standing, knowing a conference championship ওmight not be enough if the Tigers and Tide reenact their 2011 field goal kicking contest, which triggered the playoff’s creation.
What’s forgotten is that the SEC’s second potential playoff team might not even be p🧸laying in that game.
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will almost certainly crown the SEC East cha🐬mpion, likely putting No. 6 Florida or No. 7 Georgia in line for a win-and-in scenario against the LSU/Alabama winner in the conference title game.
The Bulldogs were long expected to be there. Then, Jake Fromm was interceptౠed three times against South Carolina, and followed with a scoreless first half against Kentucky. Now, the struggling quarterback faces Florida, whose defense has the most sacks in the SEC and has forced the third-most turnovers in the nation.
The Gators already have knocked off No. 11 Auburn, and tested LSU on the road without wide receiver Kadarius Toney an🉐d impact defenders Jabari Zuniga and Jonathan Greenard, all of whom will return against Georgia.
T🌊iming is ꧒everything in this coin-flip game, and Florida (+6½) is perfectly positioned to reclaim the SEC East.
MARYLAND TERRAPINS (+21) over Michigan Wolverines: Human sacrifice. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria. The Wolvꦍerines ended an eight-game losing streak versus top-10 teams with a blowout win over Notre Dame last week. So, naturally, Jim Harbaugh’s usual domination of the Terps — all four wins by an average of 32.5 points — will stop with a letdown.
North Carolina State Wolfpack (+7½) over WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS: Demon Deacons coa🍬ch Dave Clawson is 0-7 following a week off, which includes this season’s lone loss, to Louisville.
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRIS (-17½) over Virginia Tech Hokies: Brian Kelly isn’t going anywhere. The Fighting Irish are stuck with a coach who led them to a national championship game and pl🦋ayoff appearance, while recording two undefeated regular seasons. If that’s failure, I’ll happily let Kel🌱ly handle my best bets.
FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES (-3) over Miami Hurricanes: What’s more shocking: That the ACC could be so bad or that both former powers couldও become so irrelevant? At least the Seminoles have won their past three games, against unranked teams.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+21) over ILLINOIS ILLINI: The Scarlet Knights are due for many things. Covering as an underdog (0-6) and breaking a three-game scoreless stretch on the road are at least a🌠t🙈tainable.
WASHINGTON HUSKIES (+3½) over Utah Utes: The Utes are beginning to♒ get some playoff buzz because of their third-ranked defense, but they haven’t proved much yet, failing their biggest road test — at USC — and holding no wins against curren🌠tly ranked teams.
AUBURN TIGERS (-19) over Mississippi Rebels: The Tigers just stood toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in one of the nation’s most hostile environments, and have posted a 7-1 record against the spread this season. Now, they gꦚet their first🌃 home game in more than a month.
EAST CAROLINA PIRATES (+23½) over Cincinnati Bearcats: I’ll admit that I haven’t seen the Pirates play this season. Theꦫ avalanche of bets on the Bearcats makes me think I’m not alone♏.
MEMPHIS TIGERS (-5½) over Smu Mustangs: SMU (8-0) has been a wonderful story — in the midst of their best season since infamously receiving the “death penalty” three decades ago — but pressure has finally arrived꧂ in their toughest game of the season, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” shining the spotlight on the marquee Group of Five game.
NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (-2½) over Virginia Cavaliers: Mack Brown has no shortage of rabbits in his headset. Expect the Tar Heels to pull out another last-minute win o🐷ver the Cavaliers, who ha🧸ve lost three straight road games.
USC TROJANS (+5) over Oregon Ducks: The Trojans are 4-0 at home this season — including an upset of Utah — and quietly possess a strong path to the Pac-12 cha𝄹mpionship. While the Ducks are lurking as a potential playoff team, recent sweats against Washington and Washington State hint of a slipup to come.
Boise State Broncos (-17) over SAN JOSE STATE AZTECS: The Broncos were 6👍-0. Then, quarterback Hank Bachmeier got hurt, and they suffered their first loss. If he’s back, Boise State will be fine. If he’s not, the Broncos will have had two ಌweeks to prepare for the 111th-ranked defense in the nation.
Best bets: N.C. State, Auburn, North Carolina
This season (best bets): 66-72-2 (11-16)
2014-18 record: 641-612-10