Week 14 - The Call Sheet

SEC and ACC Rivalry Week, plus some major Big 12 title implications.

Nov 27, 2024

The 5 games you’re not gonna wanna miss this weekend.

Memphis vs. No. 18 Tulane

Happy Thanksgiving! Feast your eyes on an absolute banger of a G5 game.

This game will understandably go under the radar on Turkey Day because of the festivities and NFL games, but you should tune in for this one. Memphis and Tulane have torn through the AAC this year, and it’s an interesting styles-make-fights matchup.

For the uninitiated, Memphis has a fun pass-heavy offense that is not scared to sling it around. Quarterback Seth Henigan has just shy of 3,000 passing yards and 21 touchdowns this season. The Tigers are on a bit of a hot streak too, having won six of the last seven.

On the other side of this matchup, Tulane brings a little bit of everything to the table. Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah is the best quarterback you’ve never heard of. He possesses a beautiful array of dual-threat abilities and is a total handful for opposing teams. Tulane also boasts a helluva defense, having allowed just nine total points across the last three games. Tulane is undefeated in AAC play and its only losses on the year were close games against Kansas State and Oklahoma. Both of those losses look better by the week.

Despite the Tigers’ high-scoring offense, I like Tulane to take care of business in this one. First-year Tulane coach Jon Sumrall has clearly established a strong-willed culture in this team, and I think the boys from New Orleans will be ready to play. Tulane had some good defensive performances this season and I suspect Saturday will be another one you can add to this list.

I’ll take it a step further. I think Tulane is the best G5 team in the country, even better than No. 11 Boise State. I like the Green Wave to win and to keep itself in contention for a G5 College Football Playoff spot before it takes on Army next week in the AAC title game.

No. 16 South Carolina vs. No. 12 Clemson

Is this the most highly-anticipated matchup between South Carolina and Clemson, ever? Perhaps not ever, but certainly in recent memory.

Both of these teams are pretty good, and South Carolina in particular possesses a second gear that makes the Gamecocks an intoxicatingly good product to watch.

I’m wildly curious to watch the Clemson offensive line versus the South Carolina defensive line. Edge rushers Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart are elite pass rushers and typically give offensive tackles and quarterbacks hell on Saturdays. I’ll be curious to see if the Clemson offense tries some funky things to keep that pass rush off balance.

The Gamecocks’ offense is no slouch either. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders are a dynamic one-two punch that has given defensive coordinators wrinkles all season. Sellers is basically Cam Newton-lite, and when he’s hitting downfield passes he’s almost impossible to stop. I’m curious to see how Clemson attempts to slow him down in the run game and force him to sit in the pocket and throw downfield.

A win for South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer would put an exclamation point on this season. Give me the Gamecocks in a fun one.

Sidenote: Let’s see what Beamer cooks up on special teams. It wouldn’t shock me if we get a punt return touchdown or blocked put on Saturday.

No. 5 Notre Dame vs. USC

For the record, I do not believe that USC quarterback Jayden Maiava is the Trojans’ quarterback of the future. However, he does add a different element than his predecessor Miller Moss, and I’m intrigued to see his athleticism on display against a ferociously good Notre Dame defense.

I’m not sure this game will be fantastic. Notre Dame’s defense does a great job of squeezing the life out of teams (i.e. Army) but USC has a couple of tall receivers and I wonder if the Trojans could try to bomb their way to victory.

For Notre Dame, I’d love to see this game be close enough for quarterback Riley Leonard to be forced into making some clutch throws downfield. This offense has been good since the Northern Illinois game, but they’ve blown teams out to such an extent they haven’t had to play a ton of crunch-time minutes. It would be nice for the Irish to get tested a bit before the College Football Playoff.

Notre Dame will likely win this game handily, but label me as intrigued to see if USC coach Lincoln Riley could dial something up and get in a back-and-forth affair.

No. 3 Texas vs. No. 20 Texas A&M

The Good Lord gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, and whew buddy, would a Texas loss to Texas A&M be a helluva battle. I’m incredibly happy to see this rivalry renew and to have the opportunity to see these heavyweights square off for the first time since 2011.

Both of these schools live rent-free in each other’s heads (as evidenced by A&M coach Mike Elko’s Freudian slip last week) so this should be a doozy, no matter which way it shakes out.

Texas has won four straight off the back of that Georgia loss. But close victories over Arkansas and Vanderbilt have almost created more questions than answers. It’s great that the Longhorns keep finding ways to win, but it’s a little alarming at how much Quinn Ewers is up and down (and hurt now too). I’m still a little gunshy when it comes to watching Ewers in big spots. There’s just something about him. Label me as concerned to see him attempt to escape this A&M pass rush on an injured ankle.

For A&M, I’d like to see the Aggies’ defense get back on track. Last week, A&M got torched through the air and on the ground by Hugh Freeze and that Auburn offense. It was an uncharacteristically bad showing from a Mike Elko defense. Can the Aggies bounce back? And can that unit generate enough pressure to make Texas one-dimensional?

A Quinn Ewers-Marcel Reed quarterback matchup has all the makings for some strange stuff to happen.

I have a slight lean to Texas here. But nothing would be funnier than seeing shithead cousin A&M knocking Texas out of the SEC title game and perhaps the College Football Playoff. Give me chaos!

Kansas State vs. No. 17 Iowa State

This game has some serious Big 12 title game implications and feels very winnable by both teams. If Iowa State wins, the Clones will make a title game appearance. If Kansas State wins, well, things get weird and we’ll have to dive into some tiebreaker conundrums.

After a really strong start to the season, Kansas State has had some wonky losses in the last month. The same can be said for Iowa State, which went from undefeated to a two-loss team in what felt like the blink of an eye. Who can put in one last good performance to close out the season?

This game feels like it’ll come down to running the football and stopping the run. When cooking, the Wildcats boast a strong rushing attack and at times, a lethal duo between quarterback Avery Johnson and DJ Giddens. Kansas State ranks in the top 35 in both Rush and Dropback Success Rates. When at their best, the Wildcats are mowing teams down in the run game and allowing Avery Johnson to make plays downfield.

The Cyclones, on the other hand, rank just 105th in Defense Rush Success Rate aka they can’t stop the run to save their life. If Iowa State can’t slow down K-State’s run game, it might be lights out.

Despite Iowa State and quarterback Rocco Becht’s late-game abilities, I weirdly like Kansas State in this spot.

Games I’m Keeping An Eye On 👀

Oregon State vs. No. 11 Boise State - OSU is riding high after a last-second victory over Wazzu. Boise State has limped (literally for Ashton Jeanty) across the finish line in recent weeks. I’m putting the Broncos on upset alert.

Mississippi State vs. No. 15 Ole Miss - No explanation needed–the Egg Bowl is always must-watch material. It really sucks this game is not on Thanksgiving Night, though.

No. 14 Arizona State vs. Arizona - Can the Sun Devils punch their ticket to the Big 12 title game?

Auburn vs. No. 13 Alabama - I want to see the world burn.

Miami (Ohio) vs. Bowling Green - The winner of this game should punch its ticket to the MAC title game. Be sure to get eyes on this one.

The Brent Musburger Gambling Guide

My official locks of the week. (Lines are locked in at the time of writing)

Even units on the season.

-9 Louisiana vs. UL Monroe - I like the Ragin Cajuns in a big spot.

Miami Ohio vs. -2.5 Bowling Green - I’m riding with Harold Fannin Jr. and the Falcons.

+9.5 Fresno State vs. UCLA - This feels like too many points to lay for an up-and-down team like the Bruins.

Purdue vs. -28 Indiana - The Hoosiers need style points. I like Indiana to win BIG.

What I’m Reading This Season

SID Sports - Don’t forget to subscribe to Griffin Olah’s SID Sports newsletter. As a former Divison I sports information director, Olah has a great grasp of the sport and I really enjoy his work.

2201 Kimball Ave | Cameron Morgan - 2201 Kimball Ave is essential reading for all followers of Kansas State football. As a lifelong K-State fan and former player, Cameron brings a unique and thoughtful approach to the analysis of the Wildcats' football team. His newsletters are rational and insightful and I genuinely learn something new with every newsletter.

Split Zone Duo | Alex Kirshner, Richard Johnson and Steven Godfrey - SZD is essential reading and following for CFB ball knowers. Godfrey, Richard and Alex are the Holy Trinity for college football analysis and insight. Each member brings a unique flavor to the conversation, which makes for insightful and downright hilarious banter about the sport we all love. If I had someone ask me where to start for smarter college football coverage, SZD is where I'd send them.