Week 14 Predictions – 2024
Last Week: Fortunately for the Buckeyes, the ‘big’ game against Indiana proved to be much ado about nothing. Ohio State walked off the field with a very comfortable 38-15 victory, which is what they needed. And Indiana will still make the playoffs, which is what they needed. Don’t believe me, Google It! For our weekly staff predictions, Josh was an amazing 5-0 and John and Cory were 4-1 in spite of the upsets. In the end, John and Steven find themselves on top the leaderboard with just two weeks left in the season.
This Week’s Games: Ohio State has already played 3 top 5 teams this season, but for other reasons, this may be the most important week of their season. Whether Michigan cheated or not to beat the Buckeyes the past three times, OSU wants to get the win and start the trend the other direction again. Any chance Michigan can pull off the upset? …. South Carolina will take on Clemson for bragging rights for the state. Clemson can still play for the ACC championship, but can they avoid the upset? …. The Iron bowl will not play into the SEC Championship but you know these teams will be ready to play. Will it be Alabama or Auburn that finishes with the win? …. Miami has had close games this year but is still playing for the conference title, Syracuse is playing for pride. Can Miami pull out another win? …. Texas and Texas A&M renew their rivalry for the first time in years, can the Aggies pull off the upset and play for the SEC championship?
Buckeye Greats: As in the past, we will continue to include former Buckeye players in our prediction fun and we are thrilled to have Vaughn Broadnax back with us as a regular participant for the tenth straight year.
Here we go with our Week 14 Picks – Good Luck to All – Gregg
Michigan @ (2)Ohio State(-19.5)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): The Weasel are already prepping the excuse train for this week’s showdown. “We lost half our team to the pros”….”We lost Jim Harbaugh”…….”You guys bought your team”. LOL They didn’t factor that in when they claimed “COVID” or after we lost Justin Fields, Trey Sermon, and Jameson Williams about of our offense before the 2021 season. Give me a break. It is my hope that the Buckeyes come out hungry and not play with their food. There is no need to bridle our thoroughbreds this Saturday. Force the Weasel to pick their poison and not allow them to dictate anything offensively or defensively. If the Buckeyes do that it’s Buckeyes by fiddy!!!! LOL Keeping it real though, I think the Weasels step up to compete but still lose 45-28.
Andy: It is rivalry week baby!! Let’s go! This game is truly a game where the teams records and stats and accolades don’t matter that much. This game is always intense between these two programs and each team often finds a way to play its toughest game during THE GAME. I do think Ohio State has the edge everywhere on the field and home field advantage, but to be fair Michigan is coming off its best performance of the season after they smashed Northwestern last week. I just think Ohio State is a much better football team through and through and with Will Howard playing his best football and Ryan Day needing this win more than any other in his career Ohio State will win this game. Ohio State 42 Michigan 16
Cory: There’s a lot on the line in this version of The Game, and a lot of pressure on Ryan Day and Ohio State. For the Buckeyes, it’s a chance to get into the Big 10 Championship game and a rematch with Oregon. For Michigan, a chance to prove they’re still capable of beating Ohio State despite the tumultuous season they’ve had. The Wolverines finally found some offense last week in a 50-6 win over Northwestern. The problem is that against quality opponents, the Wolverines offense has faltered. The only ranked opponent they’ve scored more than 20 points on was USC, and the Trojans gave them some good field position in that game. Michigan will rotate between Davis Warren and Alex Orji at quarterback, and have a good running back one-two punch with Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings. Sherrone Moore loves to establish the run so I expect him to do that and try to take the wind out of the game. For Ohio State, the key to counter that is not big plays, rather, patience. The Buckeyes were tied with Indiana 7-7 until late in the second quarter last week until they forced the Hoosiers into turnovers and bad field position. I can see The Game going pretty similar to how Ohio State’s win over Indiana did last week – a slow first half before pulling away in the second half. I think Will Howard has been playing terrific lately and eager to see his play in this game. Defensively, I would expect Jim Knowles to mix in some more blitzes with Cody Simon, who was terrific last week. Ohio State 28, Michigan 10
Dave: Ohio State 42 Michigan 14
Gregg: Ohio State should win this game, but for me, this will be an opportunity for Ryan Day to show me what he has as a coach. Michigan’s offense is one dimensional, and that dimension is not even that great. If Ohio State shut down Indiana’s offense, they should really control the game when Michigan has the bowl. And when Ohio State has the ball, they have way to many weapons for the Wolverines to stop them. So, can Day call this game in a way that shows all this dominance? This needs to be a tune-up quite frankly for the re-match with the Ducks. Hold Michigan to about 150 yards of offense. Get a running game going without using Will Howard, and let’s see at least 4 TD’s in the air. Ohio State 48 Michigan 10
Joe-S-U: OSU
John: There is a reason that Vegas has the Bucks as a three TD favorite in this one. The players need to ignore the helmet, Ryan Day needs to relax his sphincter, play loose and fast and just go take care of business. It is a rivalry game, and UM is playing better, so while I don’t think OSU covers, I do think they win comfortably. Ohio State 31 Michigan 14
Josh: When you look at the record and the trajectory of these teams, Ohio State should not lose this game, and if you took away the Michigan name with another Big Ten team entering the Shoe with.a 6-5 record, the level of concern would be low. Because of the past, and because this is The Game, you cannot overlook this team, and this game, and from the press conferences and sound bites, both teams are locked into this game. This is the year though that Ryan Day gets past his Michigan hurdle, and breaks the 3-game losing streak. The Buckeyes have too much talent and are playing their best football, and we have seen them grow since the Oregon loss, and truly they have been a different team since trailing 10-0 to Penn State. The seniors for the Buckeyes had one main mission to win a pair of gold pants, and because of the intangibles, the Buckeyes don’t just win, they let out 3 years of pain and frustration. Ohio State 42 – Michigan 13
Steven: What will it take for the Wolverines to beat Ohio State? Two things will go a long way to assure a Michigan win: 1) Exploit the Buckeye weakness along the offensive line. It is not a stretch to envision the Wolverines doing everything they can to disrupt the left side of our line. The Bucks will need to concentrate on quick plays that protect Will Howard. This may be the best D line OSU has faced this year, and expect them to sell out early and often. Expect a couple of jet sweeps and more planned QB runs to neutralize the rush. 2) Control the clock. Of course, this works both ways. Both teams will benefit from a strong rushing performance. Control the clock, you win the game. A couple of years ago, Ohio State dared the Wolverines to pass on them, and they did. The loss in 2022 has led defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to temper the aggressiveness of the defense. As we saw Saturday, that aggressive tone is coming back, but the timing is better. Whoever can establish the run will have a leg up towards winning. Michigan tight end Colston Loveland may be a bit dinged up, but he should play, and has been UM’s most consistent offensive threat. The fact that there is a lack of production from the wide receiver position lessens OSU weakness which right now their corners. UM’s top 2 receivers account for fewer catches and less yardage than Jeremiah Smith. To say their passing game should be a non-factor is putting it mildly. That being said, be wary of the team with nothing to lose. Hopefully desperation drives the Wolverines into mistakes like Indana made. I expect UM’s run game to rip off a run or two, but in their last two games against comparable opponents Oregon and Indiana they ran for 105 and 69 yards.Their best hope is to be disruptive along the defensive line and force OSU to punt or into costly turnovers. Michigan has the 4th ranked rush defense in the nation. OSU just put up 115 yards and 2 touchdowns on the top rush defense. Production was down a bit, but the offense wasn’t needed as much when special teams scored two touchdowns. you can slice and dice this multiple direction, but barring a complete Biakabutuka meltdown, I just have a tough time mentally getting to a place where Michigan wins. OSU dominates. Bucks 31-10.
Trout: As bad as Michigan has been this year, you’d think Ohio State would hang 70 on them. But it’s the Game, so records are thrown out the window. I still think the Buckeyes will win this game, but I do see Michigan putting up a fight. Ohio State will eventually pull away, but Michigan will hang early. I say this because Michigan still has a pretty good defense, and the Buckeyes have a tendency to start slow. However, once they get going, Ohio State should be able to pull away in the second half. Michigan doesn’t have the offensive prowess to keep up with the Buckeyes for the whole game. I can see Howard continuing to play well, and after facing an adversary early, I can see the running back duo being able to bust through the Wolverine’s defenses. Ohio State wins the game after a 3-year drought and punches their ticket to Indy. (Ohio State, 35-21)
Final Score: Michigan 13 Ohio State 10
(15)South Carolina @ (12)Clemson(-3)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): The Gamecocks have been playing extremely well of late. Their QB Sanders and their tailback Sanders have been torching SEC teams in recent games. Clemson has also stepped up their game lately, but I believe the Gamecocks take home the state’s bragging rights and beat the Tiger in Death Valley 28-21.
Andy: South Carolina is a tough team to predict this year because of how good their front seven is on defense they have a chance in most games. The issue is on offense, their quarterback LaNorris Sellers is a good dual threat quarterback who can be big trouble for defenses, the problem is he isn’t the best at throwing the football. Clemson despite having two losses is playing much better than last season, a large part of that is quarterback Cade Klubnik is playing his best football of his career right now throwing 12 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions in the past 5 games alone. Clemson is also pretty good at running the football this season, with this game being at home I am going to give the edge to Clemson. Clemson 28 South Carolina 24
Cory: Clemson has slowly climbed up the rankings this season, but are the Tigers for real? Their best wins are Pitt and Stanford. Pitt was forced to use a backup quarterback and if the Panthers had any more offense they would’ve put the game away early. Clemson struggles with teams that can actually move the ball, as evidenced by their loss to Louisville. Well, South Carolina is one of those teams. Yes, I know the Gamecock offense has been inconsistent this season but they’re playing much better lately. Quarterback LaNorris Sellers had five total touchdowns in the first games of the season, but he’s got 17 total touchdowns in the six games since then. This might be the best opportunity for Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik to prove he’s legit. While he has improved this season I still have concerns about the playmaking ability for the Tigers. Clemson being at home is a big advantage, but I’m still going for the upset in this one. South Carolina 30, Clemson 27
Dave: Clemson 32 South Carolina 28
Gregg: Both of these teams are over-rated in my opinion, but Clemson is playing for a shoot at the ACC title so maybe they play with some fire. Clemson 40 South Carolina 30
Joe-S-U: Clemson
John: Clemson is generally considered to be “the first team out”, so their playoffs start this week. The Tigers, as the home team, are a 2 ½ point favorite which means this game is basically a pick-em. With three losses, it’s highly unlikely that the other USC backdoors their way into the playoffs, so this is their championship game. Should be a good one, but unfortunately it’s a noon game, so I’ll only be following the score via the crawler at the bottom of my tv screen. Clemson 31 South Carolina 28
Josh: Clemson currently is on the bubble fo the playoff, and one of the first teams out, and is not yet locked into the ACC championship game, and would need some help with that. if Miami wins this week, then Clemson would be on the outside looking in as an at-large team and a win against its rival would put it in the best position to compete, but this is not the same Clemson team that was in the playoffs between 2015-2020. South Carolina has played spoiler a few times already this season, and they also will likely miss the conference championship, so they are hoping that a win against Clemson will help convince the committee overlook their 3 losses. I think Clemson wins this one, despite thinking they are still just an average team. Clemson 28 – South Carolina 24
Steven: Fightin’ Dabos keep hope alive. Clemson 33-24
Trout: I see the Gamecocks pulling off the victory. It may be because of my extreme dislike for Dabo, but I just don’t think theTigers are that good. They were able to get back to somewhat relevant, but stacking up some wins in a very weak ACC, but anytime they played a team with a pulse, they lost or it was a close win. On the other side, I don’t think South Carolina is great, but they have been playing decently all year. Their only bad loss is to Ole Miss. The game should be close. I can see it being a battle for all four quarters. But in the end, the Gamecocks do just enough to slip by the Tigers with the victory. South Carolina wins and ends Clemson’s playoff hopes. (South Carolina, 28-24)
Final Score: South Carolina 17 Clemson 14
Auburn @ (13)Alabama(-11.5)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Alabama played like bewildered sand craps against Oklahoma and appeared very uninspired. Hopefully, the rivalry will inject some life into their veins and put it on Auburn. Alabama rebounds with a victory over Auburn 33-21.
Andy: This game is usually a street fight, Auburn no matter how good Alabama is tends to find a way to play up to the competition of Alabama. And while this Auburn team this season is an absolute dumpster fire, there is a chance they could win this game. Why? Alabama has a Jalen Milroe problem. Milroe either shows up as Clark Kent or Superman. There are effectively two good skill players on offense for Alabama, Jalen Milroe and wide receiver Ryan Williams. If they struggle, the offense sputters. The problem is I don’t think Auburn is good enough to consistently challenge Alabama and win. Alabama 28 Auburn 20
Cory: The Iron Bowl has been pretty one-sided recently, and that will probably be the case again this season. Auburn has faced a gauntlet of a schedule, but they’ve also got losses to California and Arkansas. Alabama is coming off a brutal loss to a mediocre Oklahoma team. My confidence in both of these teams is pretty low, but Alabama is at home. Auburn has not won in Tuscaloosa since 2010. Additionally, they’re quarterbacked by former Michigan State Payton Thorne. He’s got eight interceptions and been sacked 25 times this season. He does have 20 touchdowns, but five of those came against ULM. Alabama 31, Auburn 17
Dave: Alabama 32 Auburn 25
Gregg: Alabama will win this game somehow but it will not be worth watching. The Tide could be looking for style points as they are on the outside looking in on the playoffs. But they were so lifeless last week maybe they have nothing left in the tank. Alabama 24 Auburn 14
Joe-S-U: Alabama
John: It will be interesting to see if Alabama shows up emotionally in this one. After getting thumped by Oklahoma last week, the Tide needs to win big and get a lot of help to make the playoffs. Auburn needs a win just to be bowl eligible, so the Iron Bowl should be a dog fight. However, I think ‘Bama is just better and even if they are flat they are still good enough to get the win. Alabama 27 Auburn 17
Josh: Alabama ran into a buzzsaw of a struggling Oklahoma team, and Kalen DeBoer is not Nick Saban. With this game being at Alabama, they have the advantage, and currently have are 11.5 point favorites, but like most rivalries, you put the record aside. Auburn is looking for bowl eligibility and this game is the reason why Hugh Freeze was hired. I think Auburn pulls the upset once more, and upsets the Tide. Auburn 24 – Alabama 21
Steven: How spitting mad with the Tide be after the beatdown they just took from Oklahoma? I’m totally lost when it comes to explaining the schizophrenic nature of the Tide. The Alabama defense seems to change as often as the weather. Counting on the bounceback, especially this one being in Tuscaloosa. ‘Bama 28-27.
Trout: The Tigers put up a fight, but I believe the Tide will win this game. After losing in embarrassing fashion to Oklahoma, Alabama’s only chance to still be considered for the playoff is to win this game. They’ll also probably need a few other things to happen, but they are not completely out just yet. I think they will do everything in their power to win this game. Auburn put up a good fight against A&M this past week, and were able to eke out a victory. I just don’t think they get lucky a second time. They’ll hang with the Crimson Tide for a while, but I think Alabama will be just too much for them, and eventually will pull away. Alabama wins the Iron Bowl and keeps their small playoff hopes alive. (Alabama, 33-21)
Final Score: Alabama 28 Auburn 14
(6)Miami(-11) @ Syracuse
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): When I think of Miami I of think of Ferraris. When I think of Syracuse, dare I say, I think of Honda Accords. I don’t see Syracuse pulling the upset. Miami tops Syracuse 45-28.
Andy: I would like to pull for Kyle McCord in this game with him being a former Buckeye, but this Miami team is really good, especially on offense. Quarterback Cam Ward vs Quarterback Kyle McCord might be the matchup we’re waiting for in this game as they’re two of the best in the country. There is one thing to watch in this game, the Syracuse pass defense is 45th in the country only allowing 203 pass yards on average per game. Could they slow down Cam Ward? I think Miami will be able to overcome the Orange in this one. Miami 42 Syracuse 34
Cory: Miami was on cruise control until the loss to Georgia Tech. Now, they need to beat Syracuse to get into the ACC title game. This is an interesting matchup of quarterbacks as we see former OSU quarterback Kyle McCord go against Cam Ward, who was rumored to be heading to the Buckeyes after McCord left for Syracuse. While I’m not a huge fan of Ward, it’s hard to deny how good he’s been for the Canes this season. You want to talk about video game numbers? Look at these: 3,774 passing yards, 41 total touchdowns, and 177 rushing yards. Yeah, he’s going to New York for the Heisman ceremony. McCord has been good for Syracuse, and the Orange are much better because of that. But I look at the 12 interceptions, and the 22 sacks and I see not much has changed for him. Syracuse also has a pretty weak defense that I expect Ward to take advantage of. Miami 38, Syracuse 28
Dave: Miami 38 Syracuse 24
Gregg: I would love to see Kyle McCord have a monster game and beat the Canes. Miami has already have two games they should have loss but they were able to leave the field with wins. They are thinking ACC championship and a bye in the playoffs. But none of that happens with a loss so they will play with intensity to win. Miami 24 Syracuse 17
Joe-S-U: Miami
John: Miami needs a win both to get to the ACC title game and to keep their playoff hopes alive. Lose to Syracuse, and they need Clemson to lose to face SMU next week. I don’t think Clemson loses, so Miami, even at #6, has their playoffs start this week. Three ACC teams in the playoff is a longshot, so lose here and the ‘Canes no longer control their own playoff destiny. Syracuse at 8-3 has had a nice season, and former Buckeye Kyle McCord has played well for them, but even with the game at home I don’t see the Orange pulling off the upset. Miami 38 Syracuse 20
Josh: This will be a showdown of the top two passers in the conference, and for Buckeye fans who are wanting to wish Kyle McCord well, they need him to win this one to put a hit on Cam Wards Heisman campaign. The Canes should already have several losses, and I think they get their second in this one. Syracuse 42 – Miami 35
Steven: Cam Ward outduels Kyle McCord, but I’ll be rooting for the Orangmen. The U 24-17.
Trout: I can see this being another game in which the Hurricanes sneak by with a close win. Cam Ward has been great, but the rest of the Miami team is pretty pedestrian. Much like with Clemson, the Hurricanes have been able to take advantage of a weak ACC and win a bunch of games. It’s been tough for them however. They have had a number of one score games that could have (and probably should have) gone the other way. And they also were finally taken down by an average Georgia Tech team. They could easily lose this game. Despite a few clunkers, McCord has played well for the Orange. He’s been able to put up a bunch of numbers this year, and seems to be a little more confident than he was at Ohio State. Syracuse is not the pushover they usually are. I see this game being very tight for all four quarters. Cam Ward will then have some last minute heroics, and put the Canes ahead in the score as time expires. Miami Wins putting them in contention for the ACC title and a spot in the playoff. (Miami, 34-31)
Final Score: Syracuse 42 Miami 38
(3)Texas(-5.5) @ (20)Texas A&M
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): The Texas and Texas A&M rivalry is back in full effect. With the game being in College Station, the Aggies may have a shot at upsetting the Longhorns. But losing to Auburn, the way you lost to Auburn is not getting my vote of confidence. Longhorns stick it to the Aggies 35-24.
Andy: Texas is one of the best teams in the country, having great talent at each position and arguably the best offensive line in college football and a defense that is only allowing an average of 12 points per game this season. Texas A&M has a fairly bad scoring defense allowing nearly 23 points on average. I think that spells trouble for them, but only if quarterback Quinn Ewers plays well. I think he will, considering he has thrown 12 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions in his last 4 games. Texas 31 Texas A&M 26
Cory: What a time to be alive. Thanks to Texas and Texas A&M joining the SEC, the old rivalry game that has been dead since 2011 is back! Yes, the Aggies and Longhorns have not played in 13 years, and yes, they’re both good so this should be a show. That show, A&M’s loss to Auburn last week took some air out of the tires. For A&M, I really like their young quarterback Marcel Reed. Reed is a dual-threat quarterback who can make big plays all over the field, and they’ll need a few of them to upset Texas. I am not sure I trust the Aggie defense to stop Texas enough to pull the upset. Auburn and South Carolina both put over 40 points on the Aggies in the last three weeks, and Texas has a pretty darn good quarterback of their own in Quinn Ewers. Ewers has nine touchdowns and no interceptions in his last three games. Texas 35, Texas A&M 31
Dave: Texas 32 Texas A&M 28
Gregg: I do not like NIL or the transfer portal or conference re-alignment, and it is so different to see the Horns and Aggies hook up again. Of course, this time it is not a rivalry in the Big 12, it is a SEC championship play-in game. Sure is a good thing for the SEC that they brought these teams in, so that when Florida is down and Auburn is down, and Tennessee and Alabama lose to lower tiered teams, they have another team to hang their hat on. The problem for them is if Texas A&M wins this game and then beats Georgia in the SEC championship game, they will be the ‘auto-bid’ into the playoffs and have three losses. That would REALLY sink things for the conference. Unfortunately, I think the Longhorns will be the team that wins this game and the game with Georgia. And that will give the SEC a worthy team in the playoffs. Texas 32 Texas 24
Joe-S-U: Texas
John: Texas A&M is yet another team that is basically playing a playoff game this weekend. Beat Texas and the Aggie’ punch their ticket to Atlanta for face Georgia in the SEC title game next week. Texas, similar to Ohio State is sitting at 10-1 and #3 in the playoff rankings, so most likely are in the field of twelve. Still, one has to ask, how good is Texas, really? They blew out a ranked Michigan team in Ann Arbor back in September, but U of M at 6-5 is not the team the preseason pundit thought they were. Same with their win over now 6-5 Oklahoma. Texas is a 5-point favorite, so don’t be surprised if this one comes down to who has the ball at the end. I think the ‘Horns get it done in the end, setting up a rematch with Georgia next week. Texas 34 Texas A&M 31
Josh: This game will come down to if Quinn Ewers is healthy enough to play, but playing at the 12th Man will not be easy. If you are trying to get tickets to this game, you might have to hold off on Christmas shopping for the next 3 years to even budget it. I think the only harder ticket to get was for the Era’s Tour. I think the Aggies will have upset on the mind, but Texas has the better team, and gets a win and a rematch lock against Georgia for the SEC Championship. Texas 24 – Texas A&M 17.
Steven: Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns take a close on in College Station. Hook Em Horns 33-21.
Trout: This should be a close game for a while, but I see Texas pulling off the victory. There are still some concerns with the Longhorns are we move into the postseason, but they are still one of the best teams in the country. I think Texas is just a better team than A&M. The Aggies were able to fool people with some of their wins, but it turned out those wins actually weren’t that impressive. Their marquee wins were LSU and Missouri, and both those teams have been utter disappointment this year. LSU is a four loss team and Missouri is a three loss team that crumbles at the sight of a team with a pulse. Texas is just more talented. Granted, since their loss to Georgia, they really haven’t lit the world on fire. Their best win in that stretch is a blowout victory with a middle of the road Florida team. It’s clear they have problems that will need to be fixed before the playoffs, but they are still the better team in this match-up. The Aggies will keep it close for a while, but I see the Longhorn separating themselves as the game goes on. Texas wins and moves on to their rematch against the Bulldogs in the SEC championship game. (Texas, 38-24)