Week 15 Predictions – 2024
Last Week: This space is normally used to recap the previous week’s game. We do not need to discuss that any further. And for everyone that is ready to rehire Urban Meyer, let’s not forget a couple of games against Purdue and Iowa, when OSU was a heavy favorite but did not win the game, and those loses knocked them out of the playoffs both times. For our yearlong staff prediction standings, we come into the final week with a 3-way tie between Steven, John and Coach Rick at 50-18. Good Luck to all!
This Week’s Games: Our games begin in the Mountain West conference where Boise State and UNLV will compete in a rematch of a game earlier this season in Las Vegas. That one was close and the Broncos pulled it out in the final quarter and headed to the Sphere to enjoy the Eagles. Will this one be just as close? …. For the SEC championship, we have another rematch as Texas and Georgia ended up at the top of the standings. In the original meeting Georgia came out on top but Vegas sees something different as Texas is the favorite this time around. Can the Longhorns take a bit out of the Dawgs this time around? …. Oregon wil dodge Ohio State this time around as Penn State backed into the Big Ten title game. Vegas has these teams close, but it seems like a big upset to me should the Nittany Lions find a way to win. …. Clemson and SMU will play for the ACC championship. If Clemson wins, will it knock the ACC completely out of the playoffs? …. The surviving teams in the Big 12 were Iowa State and Arizona State, both playing well right now, but the loser may be out of the playoffs.
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 15 Picks:
(20)UNLV @ (10)Boise State(-4)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Boise State over UNLV 31-28
Andy: Boise State is a good team this season and Ashton Jeanty is an absolute unit. UNLV got off to a great start this season and was able to sustain a lot of their success throughout the season, but I think Boise State is a better team. Boise State 27 UNLV 20
Cory: A lot of people will look at this matchup and say Boise State will win easily. I don’t think that’s the case. UNLV is a good team in their own right – they’re one of the top rushing teams in the nation with over 3,000 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns, and they already played the Broncos once this season. In that game they held the lead going into the fourth quarter before losing by six points. But Boise State might just be that good. The Broncos only loss this season was to Oregon, the current No. 1 team in the country, and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has over 2,000 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on his own. I don’t see this game being a blowout, but Boise State will win and stamp their dance card for the playoffs. Boise State 31, UNLV 24
Gregg: Who would have thought in September that the Mountain West Championship game would possibly set one of the top 4 seeds and bye into the playoffs. But that is just what we have this year. The Broncos will secure a playoff spot with a win and may be out with a loss. The Rebels only had two losses this year, one was at home against BSU. But it took a fourth quarter touchdown to secure the win. I expect Boise to do even better this go-around and will will comfortably. Take the Broncos and the points. Boise State 31 UNLV 17
Joe-S-U: Boise State Fighting Blue Turfs
John: I don’t watch much Mountain West during the season, so have no feel for this one. Boise St 34 UNLV 31
Josh: Boise State and UNLV aren’t only playing for the Mountain West championship but also for a spot in the College Football Playoffs as the Group of Five representative. A victory for Boise State likely would result in a 1st round bye as well since it would finish ranked higher than the Big 12’s champion, Arizona State or Iowa State. When the two teams met in October, all eyes were on Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, who was held to his lowest yards per carry average at 3.9 and his second-lowest yards in a game this season with 128. Look for UNLV to follow the same blueprint and force Boise State QB Maddux Madsen to beat the Rebels again. I think UNLV pulls the upset at Boise State, and sneaks into the playoff as the 12 seed. UNLV 24 – Boise State 20
Steven: Ashton Jeaty may not win the Heisman Trophy, but he has brought back interest in a dominant running back. He is averaging over 190 yards per game which is close to double what UNLV gives up on the ground per game. That being said, UNLV and Boise are pretty comparable from a defensive standpoint, but Jeanty makes the Boise offense so much more dangerous. This being at home for the Broncos, I’ll take them 28-21.
Trout: This is a bit of a toss up. With having to pick between the two, I will have to go with the Broncos. And that mostly because of their dynamic running back Ashton Jeanty. He’s already surpassed 2200 and depending on how far they go into the playoffs, he can add significantly more. I don’t think it will be a cake walk for Boise State. UNLV has shown to be a good team, and I expect them to keep up with the Broncos for a majority of the game. However, Boise State’s offense lead by Jeanty’s running attack prove to be just a little too much for the Rebels, and the Broncos win the Mountain West Championship and all but secure a spot in the playoff. (Boise State, 24-17)
Final Score: Boise State 21 UNLV 7
(2)Texas(-2.5) vs (5)Georgia
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Texas gets revenge over Georgia 34-28
Andy: We’ve seen this game before already in this season. Georgia dominated that game, their defensive front seven ate alive the Texas offensive line which is supposed to be one of the best in the country. Carson Beck has had a rough season, but he has been playing better his last 2 or 3 games and I think that spells trouble for Texas. Georgia 28 Texas 17
Cory: Get your riot gear ready. Georgia and Texas meet again this season, this time in the SEC Championship game. Georgia won the first game 30-15, but the final score may not have been indicative of the game itself. Remember the controversial pass interference call that was reversed when fans threw things onto the field? Texas scored moments later to draw within one score of the Bulldogs. Up to the point the Bulldogs had been in cruise control. The concern with both teams right now is the inconsistency of their offenses. Georgia struggled mightily against rival Georgia Tech last week, and eventually dragged the game into overtime and won it there. Texas controlled the game against Texas A&M with their terrific defense, but the offense sputtered every time it got in the red zone. I expect Texas will keep it closer this time, but that Georgia will find a way to pull out another win. Georgia 28, Texas 21
Gregg: Georgia and Texas are two of the bigger names in college football and they both lived up to it this year. Mid-season when these two teams played, the Bulldogs dominated the game, but Longhorn quarterback Quinn Ewers did not look good. Is it possible he was not quite ready to come back after his injury? Possibly, but that would just be making excuses. Here he has a chance to make it up when it counts. Win this game and they will get a first round bye in the playoffs and maybe a #1 seed if the Nittany Lions can knock off Oregon. Georgia had a tough stretch the last month of the season and they may be running on fumes now. I think the Texas D will be the difference and the Longhorns secure the win. Texas 24 Georgia 20
Joe-S-U: Texas
John: While I would love to see Texas win, just to see if the committee would really keep a three loss Georgia in the field of 12, I just don’t see how Texas is any better today than the team that got thumped at home by the Dawgs 30-15 back in October. Plus, this game is in Atlanta, so expect a pro Georgia “neutral” field. Georgia 28 Texas 17
Josh: A second rematch for a conference championship, and this time Texas is looking to embarrass the Bulldogs in their backyard. Despite losing the first round, Texas is the favorite heading into the game, and their defense will have to find a way to cause Carson Beck issues. Since that game, Beck has been inconsistent and has not looked like one of the best quarterbacks in the county. I think Texas wins, and bumps Georgia down to the 11 seed in the playoff, and knocking out Alabama. Texas 38 – Georgia 31
Steven: Wow, the top of the SEC has really been a crapshoot. Texas seems to be the only team that has been consistent over the course of the year. Georgia will look like world-beaters one week and then, kinda like the Bucks against Michigan, they’ll turtle, and QB Carson Beck will look like he just saw a football for the first time in his life. Georgia’s defense is good, but the Texas defense is elite. Look for the Longhorns to shut down any semblance of passing game from Beck and Georgia, giving Quinn Ewers enough time and space to take over the game. ‘Horns blow out the Dawgs 44-17.
Trout: It is hard to beat a team twice in the same year. However, I think Georgia might be able to pull it off. The Bulldogs are clearly not the best team in college football. Their struggles have been on full display this season. However, at least offensively, they seem to be improving from that mid-year slump. Texas on the other hand, has been solid, but they really haven’t wowed anyone with their play. I can see the game being closer than it was in the first matchup. However, the Bulldogs will be able to get that go-ahead score at the end and win the game. Georgia narrowly beats the Longhorns and wins the SEC championship. (Georgia, 31-27)
Final Score: Georgia 22 Texas 19 OT
(3)Penn State vs (1)Oregon(-3.5)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Oregon over Penn State 35-24
Andy: What a weird matchup, I didn’t have this one on my bingo card for this game. Here we are. I think Penn State has a puncher’s chance in this game despite the fact I think Oregon is the most complete team in the country right now. I do think Oregon holds an edge in the trenches and the pass game which will ultimately get them the win. Oregon 28 Penn State 20
Cory: Penn State backs into the Big 10 Championship game thanks to Ohio State’s stunning loss to Michigan last week. Can the Nittany Lions compete with No. 1 Oregon? No. I’m still not convinced Penn State is an elite team. Their best win came against Illinois. Offensively, Penn State is too one-dimensional. They love to get the ball to their tight end, Tyler Warren, but the problem is that he’s the team’s only legitimate receiving threat. Oregon has not been tested at all since the Buckeyes went to Eugene in the middle of October. You can say the Wisconsin game was close but if you watched it, it was never in doubt. The Badgers could not move the ball. If Penn State is going to win this game they need their quarterback Drew Allar, to be more than a game manager, they need him to be a hero. I’m not sure he’s got that in him. Oregon 35, Penn State 24
Gregg: I would have never thought Ohio State would not be in this game, but the loss to Michigan actually knocked them down to 4th place in the conference. James Franklin will ride this return visit to Indy for all it is worth but does he really have a chance to win? If both teams play their best ball, this will not be very close. I expect the Ducks to win and secure the #1 see in the playoffs. Oregon did not look great against Wisconsin but I think they will figure it in plenty of time to beat PSU. Oregon 41 Penn State 17
Joe-S-U: Oregon
John: Who cares. Oregon 38 Penn State 31
Josh: A ticket to the Big Ten Championship Game is less than the cost of a McDonalds value meal, as two of the furthest geographical teams will be playing in a matchup that pits 1 versus 3, and both teams are already locks in the playoff. The incentive now is the get the win, and likely earn the top seed in the playoff. If Penn State wins, it will be because of their defense causing Dillon Gabriel fits, and not letting him sit in the pocket to connect with his speedy receivers. Oregon should win this game, and I think they will win their first ever Big Ten Championship. I wont watch it, I’ll just track it on my phone because I am still bitter that the Buckeyes couldn’t find a way to beat Michigan. Oregon 28 – Penn State 27.
Steven: Penn State will march into Indianapolis with nothing to lose, probably wearing t-shirts that read “Just happy to be here”. In all seriousness, Penn State coach James Franklin, who generally gets a rap for not being able to win the big game, deftly has navigated the season to a one loss record and a bid in the Big Ten Championship game. That being said, Penn State’s schedule did not include Indiana, Michigan or their opponent Saturday, Oregon. The only ranked team Penn State has beaten was Illinois when they were ranked 19th. The only other ranked team they played was Ohio State, and we know how that turned out. Oregon has beaten Boise State, Ohio State and also a ranked Illinois team. Ducks win theBig Ten Championship in their first year in the conference. Oregon 28-20.
Trout: It’s unfortunate that the Buckeyes again screwed up their shot at this game. I believe they would have fared a lot better than the Nittany Lions. I see the Ducks winning this game by a few scores. Penn State may be better than past years, but they always fold in big games. James Franklin is a terrible big game coach. I see the game being close in the first half, but then Oregon will start to separate themselves and win handling. Gabriel should be able to throw the ball with little issue. And I can see the Oregon defense keeping Allar in check for most of the game. The Ducks win the Big ten Championship and remain the only unbeaten team heading into the playoffs. (Oregon, 35-17)
Final Score: Oregon 45 Penn State 37
(17)Clemson vs (8)SMU(-2)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): SMU over Clemson 28-21
Andy: Another interesting matchup I didn’t have on my Bingo Card this season. SMU is a hot team under head coach Rhett Lashlee who has done an amazing job. Make no mistake SMU is not built to go toe to toe with teams that are playoff contenders like Clemson. SMU is also good on offense, but not great or elite. I think Clemson’s talent composite is just much bigger than SMU and barring a massive screw up from Clemson’s coaches and players I think Clemson has too much talent for SMU. Clemson 24 SMU 16
Cory: What an odd matchup for an ACC Championship game. Clemson backs into this one after losing at home to rival South Carolina. SMU is in their first year in the ACC, and while the Mustangs look legit so far, their schedule has not been all that difficult. For Clemson, the question again is – where does the offense come from? Quarterback Cade Klubnik looked like a good who was figuring it out earlier this season but he had no passing touchdowns and one interception against the Gamecocks. SMU loves to throw the ball and they’ve got a good up-and-coming coach in Rhett Lashlee, but quarterback Kevin Jennings will make mistakes from time to time, and Clemson’s defense will be the best one he’s seen by far. Expect Klubnik and Clemson to generate just enough offense to win this one. Clemson 30, SMU 27
Gregg: SMU had an 18-15 loss to a solid BYU in the third week of the season. Other than that, they have been perfect going 11-1 in the regular season. Clemson opened the season with a loss and I think they end their season with one as well. Tigers head to bowl game and the Horses head to the playoffs. SMU 27 Clemson 21
Joe-S-U: SMU
John: First year CFB chaos would have Texas beat Georgia and Clemson upset SMU. I would love to hear the justification of keeping a 3 loss Georgia team in the field while bumping a 2 loss SMU. With the game in Charlotte, which is just a little over a 2 hour drive up I-85, expect the crowd to be pro Tigers. That, and the fact that Clemson has more experience in these types of games than SMU give Clemson a slight edge. Tiger’s in an upset. Clemson 35 SMU 28
Josh: Thanks to Syracuse, Clemson found its way in the ACC Championship against an SMU team that is still having to pay dues to the conference since they won’t earn any television money for another few years. Clemson has been inconsistent and showed that against a god defense, they cannot get into a rhythm on offense. I think SMU is going to play the ground game in this one, and drain as much clock as they can to clinch a bye in the playoff. SMU 21 – Clemson 14.
Steven: Up until last week’s surprise loss to South Carolina, Clemson QB Cade Klubnik had been on a tear, with a 9-1 TD to INT ratio over the previous 4 games. Even in the loss, Kubnik wasn’t horrible. He passed for 280 yards, but did not reach the end-zone, and was picked off once. Can Klubnik regain his previous form? Can the Mustang defense bottle him up? Until Clemson coach Dabo Swinney embraces the portal like his contemporaries, his teams will be outmatched from a talent standpoint. Flush with talent or not, Swinney is still an excellent coach who has a ton of big game experience. This is a bit of a toss up, but I feel Clemson has enough up its sleeve to keep it close, but in the end, the Mustang offense will be too much for the Tiger D. SMU 38-24.
Trout: Clemson should put up a good fight, but I am picking the Mustangs to win the game. SMU just seems to be playing better football right now. Also, Dabo has hindered his team by not embracing the Transfer portal or NIL. It’s clear that the program has suffered because there isn’t a willingness to keep up with the other big names in College football. It should still be a good game. SMU is a really good team, but they are not invincible. Also, Clemson is not without talent, so they will challenge SMU throughout. However, the Mustangs do just enough to get by and win the ACC in their first year. (SMU, 24-21)
Final Score: Clemson 34 SMU 31
(16)Iowa State vs (15)Arizona State(-2)
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Iowa State over Arizona State 34-23
Andy: Arizona State is one of the hottest teams in the country since hiring Kenny Dillingham from Oregon. I like this match up for Arizona State with their spread offense against the Cyclones defense which struggles against the run. I think the Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo will be able to get some yards and touchdowns. Arizona State 26 Iowa State 24
Cory: The Big 12 Championship game features a pair of teams that not many people expected to see this season in Iowa State and Arizona State. Following consecutive losses to Texas Tech and Kansas, Iowa State rebounded with wins over Cincinnati, Utah, and Kansas State to close out the regular season. Arizona State is on a five-game winning streak after its loss to Cincinnati. The Cyclones seem to be playing with a lot of confidence right now, as evidenced by how much they controlled the game with the Wildcats last week. Arizona State has a slightly better quarterback in Sam Leavitt – a Michigan State transfer – so I will give them the edge in this one. Arizona State 27, Iowa State 24
Gregg: “You Play to Win the Game” and that is just what the Sun Devils will do. Iowa State has been holding on since there loss to Kansas, which may have set the Jayhawks on their yearend journey as team ‘Spoiler’. I think ASU will come out on top this week but will likely not get the first-round bye. But stranger things have happened. Arizona State 20 Iowa State 17
Joe-S-U: Arizona State
John: Even though both teams are currently on the outside looking in, I believe that the winner of this game is guaranteed a spot in the playoff, but not a round 1 bye. That makes this a de facto playoff game. Vegas has this as abasically a coin flip. Iowa State 34 Arizona St 31
Josh: The key matchup in this game will be Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo versus the Iowa State defense. Skattebo has rushed for 1,397 yards and 17 touchdowns, ranking third in the Big 12 and eighth nationally with 127.1 yards rushing per game. He is the only 1,000-yard rusher in FBS who also has 400 yards receiving (468). His 1,866 yards from scrimmage are 40 short of setting the single-season school record. The Cyclones have one of the league’s best overall defenses, but rank 14th allowing 173.7 yards rushing per game. I like the Sun Devils to win their first ever outright conference championship. Arizona State 28 – Iowa State 17.
Steven: I’m still riding team Skattebo. The kid is a dynamic runner, and currently 7th nationally in rushing. Iowa State has been less than impressive, especially in recent losses to Texas Tech and Kansas. The Cyclone defense just can’t keep their opponents off the field. The Sun Devils will be equally pressed on defense, except their secondary will be tested by Iowa State’s QB Rocco Becht, who has over 3000 yards and 20 TD’s under his belt so far this season. As always, ball control will be key, and I’ll take the better rushing team every time in a game like this. ASU 31-27.
Trout: I think I have to go with the Sun Devils. Since their second loss midway through the season, they have been able to rattle off six straight wins. And a couple of those wins were against ranked opponents. I just think they are playing with a lot of confidence. And they’ll use that confidence to get by the Cyclones. However, I do believe Iowa State won’t go down lightly. Iowa State is still a good team. This year has been up and down for them, but they do have talented players. They will show up and fight tooth and nail to try to win this game. I can see this game going down to the wire. Each team will take the lead at different points of the game. However, the Sun Devils will score late and hang on to win the game. Arizona State wins the Big 12 Championship and gets into the playoff discussion. (Arizona State, 33-30)