The 13th week of the college football season has no nickname.
After this it’s rivalry weekend and then championship weekend. Both will be packed with packed with high stakes. This weekend has some good stuff, too, like the Big Ten’s game of the year between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 9 Penn State and No. 24 Texas A&M’s first trip to No. 4 Georgia since joining the Southeastern Conference.
It also has a few highly ranked teams such as No. 3 Clemson and No. 5 Alabama either taking off or tuning up with cupcakes.
Consider this a little bit of calm before a two-week storm leading up to the end of the regular season and College Football Playoff selection Sunday.
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 9 Penn State (No. 8 CFP) at No. 2 Ohio State (No. 2 CFP)
The last three games between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes have been decided by a total of five points, with Ohio State winning the last two by a point with four-quarter comebacks.
The Buckeyes roll into this game having beaten each of their first 10 opponents by at least 24 points. Ohio State is No. 1 in the nation in scoring (51.5 points per game) and points allowed (9.8 per game). They also get back star defensive end Chase Young, who sat out the last two games due to an NCAA rules violation.
The Nittany Lions lost to Minnesota two weeks ago, but bounced back with a victory against Indiana last week and can still win the Big Ten East by beating the Buckeyes in Columbus for the first time since 2011.
HEISMAN WATCH
Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah
The school has started a late-season push to get their quarterback some attention from Heisman Trophy voters. The senior deserves it. Huntley doesn’t throw it a lot in Utah’s run heavy offense but he has been as efficient as the other star quarterbacks who have been getting all the hype this season. He is fifth in the nation in efficiency rating (190.07), second in completion percentage (74.2),
Huntley and the seventh-ranked Utes are at Arizona on Saturday night, a defense that he might be able to bulk up some of this other stats against.
NUMBERS GAMES
23 – No. 12 Michigan’s winning streak against Indiana. The Wolverines visit the Hoosiers, who are trying to reach eight victories for the first time since 1993.
43.5 – Points No. 1 LSU is favored by against Arkansas on Saturday.
75 – Carries for Boston College running back AJ Dillon in the last two games. The Eagles will likely have to lean heavily on Dillon, the third-leading rusher in the nation, when they face No. 15 Notre Dame.
UNDER THE RADAR
Oregon State at Washington State
Both teams are 5-5, in need of one more victory to become bowl eligible, and have a tough games against an in-state rival next week. The Beavers have not been bowl eligible since 2013, which was also the last time they beat Washington State.
The Cougars have not missed out on the postseason since 2012.
HOT SEAT WATCH
Barry Odom, Missouri
The Tigers’ season has skidded into a four-game losing streak after a promising start. Odom is 24-24 overall and 12-18 in the Southeastern Conference in four seasons since taking over for Gary Pinkel.
The Tigers host Tennessee, which has turned its season around and is on the cusp of bowl eligibility, on Saturday, and then face Arkansas next week. They should get to six wins, but that might not get them into a bowl. The school is still waiting to hear back on its appeal of the NCAA postseason ban.
The whole situation puts Odom in tight spot.
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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/APTop25CollegeFootballPoll and https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
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