Pitt has now won and covered the last two in this series, including a 20-10 win at Atlanta last November 2. The Panthers overcame three giveaways mostly because their defense was solid, holding the Jackets beneath 200 total yards (194). Tech QBs James Graham and Lucas Johnson (now at San Diego State) combined for just 8 pass completions on 21 attempts for a mere 108 yards thru the air.
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| Pittsburgh U @ Georgia Tech 12-10 |
Pitt has now won and covered the last two in this series, including a 20-10 win at Atlanta last November 2. The Panthers overcame three giveaways mostly because their defense was solid, holding the Jackets beneath 200 total yards (194). Tech QBs James Graham and Lucas Johnson (now at San Diego State) combined for just 8 pass completions on 21 attempts for a mere 108 yards thru the air | ||||||
| Arizona State @ Arizona U 12-11 |
The “Territorial Cup” has looked favorably upon the underdog team in recent editions, with favorites failing to cover the last four meetings. That would include the past two seasons since Herm Edwards (ASU) and Kevin Sumlin (UA) arrived at their respective jobs; Herm holds the straight-up edge, having won each, but narrowly failing to cover both as chalk. Last November 30 at Tempe, Herm’s Sun Devils grinded out 234 rush yards (168 by RB Eno Benjamin), but saw the Wildcats sneak inside of the 13½- point spread on a short Khalil Tate-Jamarye Joiner TD pass with 4:48 to play, closing the margin to 24-14. After recovering an onside kick near midfield, ASU reached the UA 7-yard line inside of the last two minutes before taking three knees to end the game. | ||||||
| Utah @ Colorado 12-11 |
When both of these schools joined the Pac-12 in 2011, and commenced annual games at the end of the regular season, CU proved a pest, knocking the Utes out of the Pac-12 South title game in that 2011 campaign with a 17-14 upset (as a 22-point dog!) at Salt Lake City, and posting spread covers the next three seasons, before the Utes turned the tables to cover four in a row. Last year, in what would prove the last game as Buffs HC for Mel Tucker (who moved to Michigan State after the season), Utah rolled at Rice-Eccles Stadium by a 45-15 count. A trio of TDs by TE Brant Kuithe (two on runs from scrimmage) keyed the onslaught after CU took a momentary 7-0 lead in the 1st Q. Utah would wrap up the Pac-12 South with the win. | ||||||
| San Diego State @ BYU 12-12 |
This was once a very heated series in the old WAC days. They renewed acquaintances late last season in San Diego with the Aztecs banging out a physical 13-3 win. BYU could not get its ground game going (held to just 78 yards and 2.9 ypc) and QB Zach Wilson was flustered despite throwing for 316 yards, with a pair of interceptions halting drives. | ||||||
| North Carolina @ Miami Florida 12-12 |
The home team has covered the last three meetings, including UNC’s rousing 28-25 win at Chapel Hill last September 7 in what was Mack Brown’s first home game at Kenan Stadium since he first departed UNC after the 1997 season. Then-frosh QB Sam Howell, making his second career start, passed for 272 yards and a pair of TDs, the last covering 10 yards to Dazz Newsome with 1:01 to play for the winning points. | ||||||
| Wake Forest @ Louisville 12-12 |
Note some wild shootouts lately in this series that has featured four straight “over” results. Topping them all was the ‘Ville’s 62-59 upset (as a 10½-point dog) last October 12 at Winston-Salem. The Deacs wasted 668 yards of offense (423 thru the air via QBs Sam Hartman and Jamie Newman). There were 45 points scored in the 4 th Q, with the Deacs scoring 21 in the last 4:12 as the teams combined for 1188 yards of offense. | ||||||
| Oklahoma @ West Virginia 12-12 |
The Sooners haven’t lost outright in last eight against the Mountaineers since WVU joined the Big 12 in 2012. There have been several exciting games, but OU has usually been able to stretch the margin beyond the spread as well, standing 5-0-1 vs. the number the last six meetings. It was all OU last October 19 at Norman, rolling by a 52-14 count in a big day for Alabama transfer QB Jalen Hurts, who accounted for 5 TDs (three via pass, two via rush) as he piled up 394 total yards. | ||||||
| Virginia @ Virginia Tech 12-12 |
Last year, UVA won this in-state matchup for the first time since 2003 in a rousing 39-30 shootout. In a wild 4th Q, the Wahoos scored 19 points and erased a 27-20 deficit, pulling level at 30, then ahead by three on a pair of Brian Delaney field goals, the last from 48 yards with only 1:23 to play. Virginia would seal the deal on a fumble return TD by Eli Hanback with 1:01 to play. It was a monster day for Cavs sr. QB Bryce Perkins, playing in his last home game, he went out with a bang at Scott Stadium, passing for 311 yards and running for another 164 while accounting for three TDs. | ||||||
| LSU @ Florida 12-12 |
This matchup was postponed from earlier in the season on October 17. Now Florida looks to improve upon its 9-1-1 spread mark it last 11at the Swamp for HC Dan Mullen, and avenge last year’s 42-28 loss at LSU, in retrospect one of the toughest games for the Tigers in their national title season. The Gators held a 28-21 lead midway thru the 3rd Q before the Tigers made a late surge, culminating in a 54-yard TD pass from Joe Burrow to Jamarr Chase with 5:43 to play to extend the margin to 14 points. Florida reached the LSU 2-yard line in the last minute before QB Kyle Trask was stopped for a 2-yard loss on 4th down with 49 seconds to play. Trask matched Burrow in the stat department that night, outgaining the Heisman winner 310-293 thru the air, and each tossing three TD passes. | ||||||
| Oklahoma State @ Baylor 12-12 |
This has been a Baylor series lately, as the Bears have won and covered 5 of the last 6 meetings, including a 45-27 romp at Stillwater last October 19. Baylor, down 13-10 at the half, erupted for 35 points in the second half behind big-play QB Charlie Brewer, who completed only 13 passes but they were good for 312 yards, part of a 536-yard display by the Bears attack. Note that Baylor enters this week also having covered 9 of its last 10 as a dog, all during the Matt Rhule era that concluded after the 2019 season. Note, however, that OSU is now on a 21-9 spread uptick for HC Mike Gundy since late 2017. Note possible Covid complications at Baylor, which closed its practice facility late in the just-completed bye week. | ||||||
| Vanderbilt @ Missouri 12-12 |
Tough times for Vandy and HC Derek Mason, just 4-12 vs. line last 16 on board since late 2018, though he has covered last two vs. Mizzou and even beat Tigers LY by a 21-14 count in Nashville, the Dores’ last SEC win. That result also triggered a 5-game losing streak that would eventually cost Tigers’ HC Barry Odom his job. Mizzou actually entered last year’s October 19 contest ranked 22nd in the country, but was overcome by a pair of TDs from Vandy RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn (now NFL Bucs). | ||||||
| Illinois @ Northwestern 12-12 |
Northwestern avoided a winless 2019 in Big Ten play with a 29-10 upset over the Fighting Illini at Champaign-Urbana last November 30. Conditions were hardly conducive to offense with much rain and wind, and the Wildcats had an unlikely hero in soph QB Andrew Marty, who had been 4th string earlier in the season but made the most of his first-ever start, as his 111 rush yards marked the first time an NU QB cracked the century mark via the rush since Clayton Thorson in 2015. NU held a 433-160 yardage edge as the bowl-bound Illini were forced to go with backup QB Matt Robinson due to a concussion that kept starter Brandon Peters out. | ||||||
| Michigan @ Ohio State 12-12 |
This nasty rivalry has turned into a nightmare for the Wolverines, who haven’t beaten the hated Buckeyes since 2011. That was also the year before Urban Meyer arrived in Columbus. Urban won all seven of his tries vs. Michigan and Ryan Day is now 1-0 vs. the Maize and Blue after last year’s 56-27 romp at Ann Arbor. Meyer’s last OSU team had beaten Michigan 62-39 the previous year, meaning OSU has scored 118 points across the last two games in this now-lopsided series. Wolverines HC Jim Harbaugh is winless straight up in five tries vs. OSU, though did manage spread covers in 2016 & ‘17. | ||||||
| Minnesota U @ Nebraska 12-12 |
The home team has won and covered the last four meetings, including Minnesota’s 34-7 romp last October 12 at Minneapolis. The Gophers played a little smashmouth, punishing the Huskers with 322 rush yards, 139 of those by RB Rodney Smith. The game was one of two starts made a year ago by Nebraska QB Noah Vedral, who completed 14 of 23 for 135 yards before transferring to Rutgers at the end of the season. Gophers fans with long memories have enjoyed last year’s romp as well as the 54-21 blowout in 2017, long-term paybacks for one of the most humiliating losses in Minnesota history when Tom Osborne’s ultra-physical Cornhuskers demolished Joe Salem’s Gophers 84-13 in 1983 at the old Minneapolis Metrodome. What made that result more remarkable was that the Huskers held the ball for barely 22 minutes…so much for time of possession as a determining stat! Note that Lou Holtz would arrive the next year for the Gophers, who were more competitive in the 1984 clash at Lincoln when losing “only” 38-7 (and handily covering as a 39-point underdog). These schools would occasionally meet in non-conference games, when Nebraska was a member of the old Big 8, into the 80s. | ||||||
| Purdue @ Indiana 12-12 |
Any mention of the “Old Oaken Bucket” must recall the classic 1967 game when the Cinderella Hoosiers scored a 19-14 upset at Bloomington to book their first (and only ) passage to the Rose Bowl. Purdue entered the game ranked 3rd in the country, though would not be eligible for the Rose Bowl due to the no-repeat rule still in place (thru 1971). In a classic that has been chronicled in past TGS Retrospectives, John Pont’s IU hung on gamely in the 2nd half, including a goal-line stand midway thru the 4th Q, to preserve the win. Star RB Terry Cole had delivered the big play in the 2nd Q with a 63-yard TD blast up the middle to put the Hoosiers up 19-7 at the half. Four Purdue lost fumbles were crucial in the finally analysis. The result left IU, Minnesota, and Purdue tied atop the conference at 6-1, but with the Boilermakers ineligible due to the no-repeat, IU would get the nod for the Rose Bowl as the Gophers had been to Pasadena more recently (after 1961; the Hoosiers had never been). Minnesota would complain, reasoning that its 33-7 win over IU the previous week should have granted it passage to the Rose Bowl while also noting its visit at the end of the ‘61 season came when the Big Ten did not have an official agreement with Pasadena (as would be the case for a couple of years in the early 60s). Subsequently, head-to-head results would become the first tiebreaker. It is worth noting that neither the Hoosiers nor the Golden Gophers have been to the Rose Bowl since. | ||||||
| Wisconsin @ Iowa 12-12 |
Wiscy has held the edge in recent years in this Big Ten West rivalry, though it got close last November 9 at Camp Randall when the Badgers held on in a 24-22 nailbiter. The Hawkeyes had rallied from a 21-6 deficit entering the 4th Q and had a chance to level the score after Nate Stanley hit Tyrone Tracy, Jr. for a big-play 75-yard TD with 3:12 remaining, though a 2-point conversion run failed. Curiously, Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz decided not to try an onside kick, and the Badgers were able to run out the clock from their own 2-yard line, with a big 42-yard run by RB Jonathan Taylor sealing the outcome. Wiscy reached as far the Iowa 11 on its last drive and threatened to cover the 8-point spread before taking a knee on the last two plays of the game. | ||||||
| Boise State @ Wyoming 12-12 |
Note that Craig Bohl’s Wyo has covered 4 of last 5 in series, and the Cowboys are also 9-4 their last 13 as a Laramie dog | ||||||
| Nevada @ San Jose State 12-12 |
Still not sure of the venue for the Mountain West showdown other than knowing it won’t be at San Jose’s CEFCU Stadium due to the coronavirus restrictions in Santa Clara County. Last week, the Spartans moved their game against Hawaii to Honolulu. Wherever they kick off, note that Nevada has won outright in 10 of the last 11 meetings, including an exciting 41-38 shootout last October 12 in Reno. Wolf Pack then-frosh PK Brandon Talton booted a game-winning 40-yard field goal on the last play in what was the best-ever performance for Nevada QB Malik Henry, who passed for 352 yards. The difference turned out to be the infantry, however, as Nevada, behind RB Toa Taua’s 160 YR, enjoyed a 189-15 edge on the ground, negating a big rally from 31-10 by SJSU QB Josh Love, who passed for 405 yards. The Spartans’ lone SU series win since 2007 was a 14-10 verdict in 2016 at San Jose. | ||||||
| USC @ UCLA 12-12 |
After UCLA set a series record with 8 straight wins over city rival USC between 1991-98, the Trojans responded with seven wins in a row (partly coinciding with Pete Carroll’s arrival as HC for the Trojans in 2001) and commencing an SC-dominated era in this old rivalry. Though things have evened the past eight years with the sides splitting the past eight meetings. Last year, SC cracked the 50-point barrier for the fourth time against the Bruins since 2002, as QB Kedon Slovis, mostly unbothered in the pocket, passed for a school-record 515 yards in a 52-35 win for Troy. | ||||||
| Washington U @ Oregon 12-12 |
Not long ago, the Huskies were on a 12-game series losing streak before winning in 2016-17, putting 70 on the Ducks in that 2016 win. Oregon has kicked the Huskies back the past two seasons however in exciting wins, including last year’s 35-31 thriller at Seattle on October 19. The Webfoots were down 31-21 late in the 3rd Q before QB Justin Herbert fired up the Oregon offense, tossing a 36-yard TD to Michael Pittman on the last play of the 3rd Q and then winning the game with a 5-yard TD pass (Herbert’s 4th of the day) to Jaylon Redd with 5:10 to play. U-Dub moved to the Ducks’ 35 on its subsequent drive before a Jacob Eason 4th down pass fell incomplete. It was a tough spread loss for Huskies backers, as Oregon ended up barely on the correct end of the 3-point line. | ||||||
| Miami Ohio @ Bowling Green 12-12 |
BGSU might have laid claim to the (dis)honor of worst team in the country after last Saturday’s loss at Akron. That kept the Falcs winless SU in 2020 and dropped them to 4-13 vs. the line since LY for beleaguered HC Scot Loeffler, Miami-O has won and covered 3 of the last 4 in this series vs. its MAC rival a couple of hours north on I-75. Included was last year’s 44-3 romp at Peden Stadium when RedHawks HC Chuck Martin took his foot off of the accelerator in the 2nd half after bolting to a 37-3 lead at intermission. It was a tough day for Falcon QB Grant Loy (now a backup at Auburn), who completing only 11 of his 27 passes for a mere 90 yards and including three interceptions. | ||||||
| No Illinois @ Eastern Michigan 12-12 |
Note that the road team has covered the last four meetings in this series. EMU continues as one of the most-curious pointspread performers in recent years, as the Eagles continued their remarkable road success with last week’s upset win at Western Michigan, upping their dog mark away from home to a remarkable 20-3-1 since late 2015. But at home in Ypsilanti, EMU is just 2-8 vs. the line its last ten at Rynearson Stadium. | ||||||
| Navy @ Army 12-12 |
No neutral site this year for the first time since the World War II year of 1943, when the teams played at West Point. Not long ago, Navy had a 14-game series win streak before Army ended that in exciting fashion with a 21-17 win in 2016, beginning a string of three straight Black Knight wins over the Mids. But Annapolis turned things around and then some last season in a 31-7 rout at Philadelphia when do-everything QB Malcolm Perry ran for 304 yards and scored a pair of TDs. Navy almost completely eschewed the pass, throwing the ball just once while running it 55 times. Most remarkably, last year’s result marked the 14 th straight year in which this service academy battle landed “under” (“total was 40½ last December 14)! | ||||||