College football upset picks Week 13: Oregon and 5 teams on upset alert
By Nick Villano
College football upset picks Week 12, No. 1: Ohio State
Rank: 2 | Opponent: @ Michigan | Time: Saturday, Nov. 27, Noon p.m. ET
Every year. Noon on one of the final Saturdays on the college football schedule. This year, it’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It’s simply called “The Game”. Ohio State versus Michigan feels like a quarterfinals matchup for the national championship, adding to the already massive stakes to one of the most important games in college football.
It sounds preposterous to pick against Ohio State. They just destroyed Michigan State, who actually beat Michigan earlier in the season. The Buckeyes haven’t lost this rivalry game since 2011. Jim Harbaugh has been awful in games against teams in the Top 25, and he’s been even worse in games against teams in the top ten in rankings. He’s never beaten Ohio State, yet the school keeps giving him contract extensions. He needs to beat Ohio State.
The one thing Ohio State has going for them is they haven’t been in a fight in a while. They had 56+ points in back-to-back weeks against Michigan State and Purdue. The Wolverines defense is worlds better than the Spartans and Boilermakers. They can stop anyone on their best day.
They have to have their best day this week. It’s what is necessary to get the best out of the team. Defense wins championships, and that is especially true for Michigan. Cade McNamara needs to have a good game also to have a chance, but it’s the defense and its ability to stop Chris Olave and the rest of the Buckeyes offense that gives them a chance this week.
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