Under-the-radar college football games in Week 12
The Week 12 lineup in college football is short on true impact games when it comes to the Playoff chase.
There are, however, several games that are worthy of attention beginning with the Thursday night slate. Here’s a peek.
No. 3 Louisville at Houston
Thursday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN | Pregame.com line: Louisville by 14
Never mind that this game isn’t nearly as significant as it appeared a couple of months ago in terms of the national championship discussion. At this point, fans should enjoy it for what it is, a contest with the potential to be wildly entertaining that matches two of the sport’s most dynamic quarterbacks.
The Cardinals’ Lamar Jackson can solidify his standing as the Heisman Trophy front-runner with this spotlight game, but he could use a bounce-back passing night after a rough half against Wake Forest in his last outing.
The Cougars’ Greg Ward slipped from the radar when his team fell out of the rankings. But he has never stopped competing, despite a sore right shoulder, as he demonstrated when he rallied the Cougars from a 21-point deficit to beat Central Florida on Oct. 29.
Arkansas State at Troy
Thursday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU | Pregame.com line: Troy by 8½
This battle for first place in the Sun Belt is also worth a look. The Trojans outlasted Appalachian State thanks to a late TD run by Jordan Chunn and now hope to dethrone the defending Sun Belt champ champion RedWolves. Arkansas State rebounded from a 0-4 non-conference start in 2016, including a puzzling loss to Football Championship Series member Central Arkansas, to win its first five league contests. The RedWolves’ 14-game Sun Belt winning streak will be on the line at Troy.
No. 13 Oklahoma State at TCU
Saturday, noon ET, Fox Sports 1 | Pregame.com line: TCU by 4
This isn’t the Big 12 headliner, but it’s a hurdle the Cowboys must clear to stay in the mix for the league title. But while Oklahoma State was taken to the wire by Texas Tech last week, the Horned Frogs are well rested as they take the field for the first time since their 62-22 road demolition of Baylor two weeks ago.
Arizona State at No. 7 Washington
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox | Pregame.com line: Washington by 27
The Huskies’ loss to Southern California last week wasn’t a season killer. But it does leave them with no margin for error on the eve of the Apple Cup. The Sun Devils enter on a four-game skid after a promising 5-1 start to the season. They’d prefer to secure bowl eligibility before the finale at Arizona, but Washington is unlikely to be accommodating.
Maryland at No. 17 Nebraska
Saturday, noon ET, ESPNews | Pregame.com line: Nebraska by 14
Nebraska's opponent is in a nearly identical situation to Washington's. The Terrapins aren’t exactly brimming with confidence after some unfortunate scheduling led to back-to-back encounters with Michigan and Ohio State. Bowl eligibility is still a strong possibility as they finish at home against Rutgers, but they’d like to find a way to spring an upset in Lincoln just the same. The Cornhuskers, meanwhile, need help they’re not likely to get to win the Big Ten West — namely a Wisconsin loss — but they must see to their own business first.
TOP 10 GAMES IN WEEK 12