Happy Thanksgiving and, regrettably, end to the regular season for most college football teams. The Sun Belt and the Big XII play some games next week, but most other programs will see their regular season end after this weekend.
We'll know a bit more about the playoff picture after this weekend, though perhaps not everything. The top four in the playoff right now will be chalk this week. So, Ohio State fans need some insanity to unfold ahead of it. An Auburn win helps, if for no other reason than it would be hilarious and effectively eliminate the SEC from the playoff. A South Carolina upset of Clemson in Columbia helps too. Critically, Penn State needs to beat Michigan State if Ohio State will get another chance to save grace in front of the playoff committee like it did last year.
You'll have no shortage of viewing options this week, especially on Friday. Your viewing guide follows.
THURSDAY
South Florida at Central Florida (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.). Here's a battle between two programs that could be so much more than they currently are. At least South Florida is having quite the late-season turnaround. The Bulls started the season 1-3 with an ex post inexplicable 18-point loss to Maryland. It has since rattled off three straight and solidifes a second-place finish in the American East with a win over winless Central Florida.
South Florida could actually win the division with a win here and a Temple loss at home to Connecticut.
Texas Tech at Texas (FOX Sports 1, 7:30 p.m.). 6-5 Texas Tech will try to avoid its sixth loss on the season in Austin. That's more than can be said for 4-6 Texas, for whom the next loss eliminates the Longhorns from the postseason. It's worth reiterating that Texas still has one more game to go, and that's at Baylor next week.
FRIDAY
Miami at Pittsburgh (ESPN2, 12 p.m.). Miami could improve to 8-4 on the season with a win at Pittsburgh. Oddly enough, such a mark would match Al Golden's best season in Miami (he was fired earlier in the year) if Miami wins its bowl game. There's a reason Pittsburgh is a six-point favorite, though. Pat Narduzzi is having quite the first year in Pittsburgh and may pick up coach of the year honors in the conference, and perhaps nationally.
Marshall at Western Kentucky (FOX Sports 1, 12 p.m.). This is No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the C-USA East. Winner goes to the conference championship game next week.
Navy at Houston (ABC, 12 p.m.). This is another strategically scheduled (in hindsight) divisional championship game. The winner secures the American West.
Honestly, pray it's Navy. Navy still has two more games to go and could seriously tie up the bowl announcements if it goes into the Army game in two weeks threatening to emerge as the highest-ranked Group of Five program this year. I think that would be hilarious.
Western Michigan at Toledo (CBS Sports, 12 p.m.). Toledo should send Ohio a Christmas card. Ohio's road upset over Northern Illinois puts Toledo on top the MAC West standings. It will play in Detroit next week with a home win over Western Michigan. This would end Northern Illinois' run of five-straight MAC West division championships.
Missouri at Arkansas (CBS, 2:30 p.m.). This could be the last chapter of the Gary Pinkel era in Missouri, and it's one in which odds-makers expect Arkansas to cruise to a 14-point win. A Missouri loss keeps the 5-6 Tigers at home for the holidays.
An Arkansas loss might be even more hilarious. It would be Bert's second 6-6 regular season in his three years in Fayetteville.
Washington State at Washington (FOX, 3:30 p.m.). If you had asked me about the 2015 version of the Apple Cup in the summer of 2014, I would have pegged Washington State to be in Washington's position and Washington to be the team on the verge of a 9-3 regular season.
The Cougars could eliminate the Huskies from the bowl season with a road win in Seattle.
Iowa at Nebraska (ABC, 3:30 p.m.). Nebraska has been living a charmed life since it lost at Purdue. That loss dropped the Huskers to 3-6, though Nebraska fought back with two straight wins (including the shocker over Michigan State).
That may come to an end on Friday, though Vegas has Iowa as just a two-point favorite.
Boise State at San Jose State (CBS Sports, 3:30 p.m.). It's late November and you don't have to nominally care about what's happening to Boise State. It's 7-4 this season.
Massachusetts at Buffalo (ESPNU, 4:30 p.m.). I mean, you could watch 2-9 Massachusetts play football against the 5-6 Buffalo Bulls...
Baylor at TCU (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.). Poor Big XII. It gerrymandered the schedule to make sure this game was happening in late November on a dedicated evening slot. Now, TCU is eliminated from the playoff and Big XII championship no matter what happens in Bedlam and Baylor needs help to claim even a share of the conference championship. Baylor needs an Oklahoma State win on Saturday to get even a share of the league title, though it will probably not be enough to put the Bears in the playoff.
Tulsa at Tulane (ESPNU, 8 p.m.). 5-6 Tulsa's game at 3-8 Tulane closes out Black Friday's slate of games.
SATURDAY
Cincinnati at East Carolina (CBS Sports, 12 p.m.). A Cincinnati loss drops Tuberville's team to 6-6 on the season. East Carolina falls to 5-7 with a home loss.
SMU at Memphis (ESPN News, 12 p.m.). Memphis' three straight losses eliminated the previously unbeaten Tigers from the American West race. SMU eliminated itself from anything interesting earlier in the season. The Mustangs have nine losses already.
Iowa State at West Virginia (FOX Sports 1, 12 p.m.). West Virginia is surprisingly just a 14-point favorite at home against an Iowa State team that just fired its head coach.
Indiana at Purdue OR Maryland at Rutgers (BTN, 12 p.m.). Unless you live in the DC area or New Jersey, you will likely get the Indiana-Purdue game. Rutgers if 4-7; Maryland is 2-9. Purdue is also 2-9, for that matter. However, Indiana could advance to 6-6 and its first bowl game since 2007 with a win in West Lafayette.
Ohio State at Michigan (ABC, 12 p.m.). This is your personal game of the week. Stay tuned to Eleven Warriors for comprehensive coverage of this game. Go Bucks!
Clemson at South Carolina (ESPN, 12 p.m.). Clemson is a 17-point favorite this game, which might be the most in which Clemson had been favored in any contest against South Carolina. Next week's matchup for Clemson looms large, though.
Virginia Tech at Virginia (ESPNU, 12 p.m.). Virginia Tech dropped to 5-6 with an overtime loss to North Carolina last week. Frank Beamer failed to win his last home as head coach but could at least beat Virginia again for the 12th straight year (and 16th time of 17 games dating to 1999).
There's no better time for 4-7 Virginia to play spoiler, though. The Cavaliers are not going anywhere for the postseason. It could keep the Hokies at home with them.
Georgia at Georgia Tech (ESPN2, 12 p.m.). This year's matchup may not measure to the billing of last year's game. Georgia Tech's overtime win between the hedges made for great theater and catapulted the Yellow Jackets to an Orange Bowl selection.
However, the fallout of the game may be more interesting, especially if Georgia is getting the same trigger finger that LSU is getting for Les Miles.
Louisville at Kentucky (SEC Network, 12 p.m.). Mark Stoops' seat may get awfully toasty with a loss to 6-5 Louisville. The Wildcats already have six losses and have yet to make a bowl game in its past two seasons under Mark Stoops.
Colorado at Utah (Pac-12 Network, 2:30 p.m.). Utah is nominally tied for the lead in the Pac-12 South, but there's just one problem. Two of its three league losses are to UCLA and USC, who play later on Saturday and are also tied for the lead in the Pac-12 South.
North Carolina at NC State (ABC/ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.). North Carolina is just a six-point favorite before the game against in-state (really: in-"Triangle") rival NC State. The Tar Heels are not getting any love from the playoff committee at the moment, but perhaps a two-game demolition of NC State and Clemson could fix that.
Alabama at Auburn (CBS, 3:30 p.m.). Alabama is a 14-point favorite on the road against 6-5 (and, if you can believe, preseason SEC champion selection) Auburn. If Auburn is going to find its preseason form, this would be the time.
Alabama secures the SEC West with a win in Auburn. Ole Miss needs an Egg Bowl win and a miracle from Auburn.
Penn State at Michigan State (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.). Help us, Penn State. You are our only hope.
Wisconsin at Minnesota (BTN, 3:30 p.m.). Minnesota has not win this rivalry game since 2003. It's not favored to win it here (Wisconsin -3), but 8-3 Wisconsin looks like a shell of the team it was in past years.
UCLA at USC (ABC/ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.). The winner of this game gets Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship Game next week.
Northwestern vs. Illinois (ESPNU, 3:30 p.m.). Last year, Illinois beat Northwestern in Evanston to deny the Wildcats a trip to a bowl game. This year, Northwestern could return the favor in Soldier Field, hand Illinois its seventh loss on the season, and end the Bill Cubit interim era.
BYU at Utah State (CBS Sports, 3:30 p.m.). 8-3 BYU is a three-point favorite against 6-5 Utah State in a game without a whole lot of intrigue or fanfare.
Kansas State at Kansas (FOX Sports 1, 4 p.m.). Here's a battle of the two worst teams in the Big XII.
Vanderbilt at Tennessee (SEC Network, 4 p.m.). Tennessee enters this game as 18-point favorites to conclude what could be an 8-4 regular season. That's not necessarily the worst season, given some of the disappointing losses on its record.
Connecticut at Temple (ESPNU, 7 p.m.). Temple secures the American East with a win against Connecticut at home.
Ole Miss at Mississippi State (ESPN2, 7:15 p.m.). This game might be a bit more intriguing depending on what happens earlier in the day. Should Auburn beat Alabama, Ole Miss advances to its first SEC Championship Game with a win in Starkville.
Notre Dame at Stanford (FOX, 7:30 p.m.). It seems impossible that Stanford could sneak into the playoff consideration after its home loss to Oregon, but it could do Ohio State a potential favor with taking Notre Dame from consideration. Obviously, Ohio State needs a few other breaks to go its way earlier on Saturday.
Florida State at Florida (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.). The lines swung on this one. Florida opened a small favorite at home, but 9-2 Florida State is now listed as a two-point favorite.
Florida has the SEC Championship Game after this one. Florida State, meanwhile, could be seeing the last of its coach because...
Texas A&M at LSU (SEC Network, 7:30 p.m.). LSU might actually be dumb enough to fire Les Miles after this game ends. That this is an LSU home game adds to the intrigue of the overall situation.
LSU is actually a six-point favorite in what could be Les Miles' last game. If I were Illinois or Maryland (but especially Maryland), I would be jamming his agent's cell phone to bring Miles to the Big Ten.
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State (ABC, 8 p.m.). It's Bedlam in Oklahoma. Some teams like Baylor and Texas end their seasons next week, though this will be the end for both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
The winner of this game gets at least a share of the Big XII championship. Baylor will hope that's Oklahoma State since the Bears have the tie-breaker over the Cowboys but not the Sooners.
Colorado State at Fresno State (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.). The actually whimpers to a finish on Saturday night. In this game, 6-5 Colorado State travels to Fresno to play an attrition-depleted 3-8 Bulldogs team.
Arizona State at California (FOX Sports 1, 10 p.m.). Remember when California was 5-0? Remember when Arizona State was the trendy pick to win the Pac-12 South, for that matter? Both programs are 6-5.
Air Force at New Mexico (ESPNU, 10:15 p.m.). Air Force has the Mountain West Conference Championship Game after this clash with Bob Davie's 6-5 Lobos.
Nevada at San Diego State (ESPN2, 10:45 p.m.). Likewise, San Diego State secured the other division in the Mountain West a while ago and is undefeated in the conference. It plays Air Force next.
