Your Week 13 Viewing Guide

This is the last week of the regular season for almost every conference. The Big XII and Sun Belt have games next week because they are bad conferences without conference championship games that strive to make sure fans are still watching their bad teams. Beyond that, it's crunch time around college football.

We already decided a few conference championship berths. Ohio's victory Tuesday night over Akron gave Ohio the MAC East. It'll face the winner of the Western Michigan-Toledo matchup. Clemson's playing in the ACC Championship Game again. It'll play Virginia Tech, assuming Virginia Tech handles Virginia on Saturday afternoon. Alabama and Florida are already set for a conference championship rematch next week. Things are a bit more fluid in the Pac-12 and Big Ten at the moment.

Let's dive into this week's schedule.

Thursday

LSU at Texas A&M (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.). Thanksgiving is normally the day for the pros, but LSU and Texas A&M will provide a college viewing option after your tryptophan nap. The burden is on LSU here. Ed Orgeron is trying to signal to the athletic department he can carry this program forward even if he apparently knows he needs a premier offensive coordinator to join him in Baton Rouge.

Friday

Northern Illinois at Kent State (CBS Sports, 12 p.m.). Remember when Northern Illinois was a MAC dynasty? That's in the past. One too many leadership changes at head coach led to a major regression in 2016. The Huskies are 4-7. Their season ends Friday afternoon.

UNC will need a win on Friday and improbable upset in Blacksburg to repeat as division champions. ( Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports)

NC State at North Carolina (ESPN, 12 p.m.). I noted above that Virginia Tech could secure a berth into the ACC Championship Game to play Clemson with a win on Saturday afternoon. Alternatively, Virginia Tech would advance if North Carolina loses to NC State. Virginia Tech has the tie-breaker from earlier this season.

Houston at Memphis (ABC, 12 p.m.). Navy is already in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game, so the bigger intrigue here might be whether Houston fans say "goodbye" to Tom Herman after this game.

Arkansas at Missouri (CBS, 2:30 p.m.). Arkansas and Missouri close out regular seasons on Friday afternoon. Missouri is done with their season outright after Friday. The Tigers are 3-8 so far.

Washington at Washington State (FOX, 3:30 p.m.). I'm not sure there's been a more consequential Apple Cup in the rivalry's history. It's the biggest since at least 2001. That year, 9-1 Washington State traveled to Seattle to play 8-2 Washington needing a win to secure a share of the Pac-10 title. It lost 26-14.

Either way, this game as de facto Pac-12 North Championship Game is quite a turnaround for both programs and the division altogether. Both programs flipped the script from an Oregon-Stanford rivalry to a story that centers on the Apple Cup.

Further, it stands in stark contrast to the 2008 "Crapple Cup" or, as a sign of what was viral at the time, "Two Teams, One Apple Cup." That year, 0-10 Washington traveled to Pullman to play a Washington State whose only win that season was a 48-9 win over an FCS team. Washington State beat Washington 16-13 in two overtimes. 

Winner goes to Santa Clara next Friday to play the Pac-12 South champion.

Boise State at Air Force (CBS Sports, 3:30 p.m.). Boise State seems like the Group of Five darling at the moment but it does not control its own destiny in the Mountain West "Mountain" division. It needs a win on Friday and a Wyoming loss on Saturday at New Mexico to play San Diego State in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game.

Texas Christian at Texas (FS1, 3:30 p.m.). This rivalry will never feel like a perfect substitute for the Texas A&M-Texas rivalry that ended when Texas A&M left for the SEC. Alas, treat this as Charlie Strong's swan song in Austin. That's likely what it is.

Nebraska at Iowa (ABC, 3:30 p.m.). I mention this every year but Iowa-Nebraska automatically became the Big Ten's second best rivalry when Nebraska joined the conference in 2011. Scheduling it for Friday makes it a perfect warm-up act for The Game on Saturday.

Louisiana Tech at Southern Mississippi (ESPN News, 4 p.m.). Louisiana Tech already secured the C-USA's West division. It's playing for another win on Friday. Alternatively, it could play for spite. Southern Mississippi is bowl-ineligible with a loss on Friday.

P.J. Fleck is a couple wins away from immortality in Kalamazoo. (Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports)

Toledo at Western Michigan (ESPN2, 5 p.m.). For all its dominance in the MAC, Western Michigan still hasn't secured the MAC West. Toledo has just one loss and could play in Detroit next week with a road upset of the Broncos.

Baylor vs. Texas Tech [in Arlington] (ESPN, 6 p.m.). As always, the biggest intrigue in any Texas Tech game is the over/under. It's 110 in Jerry World. Take the over this time.

Cincinnati at Tulsa (ESPN2, 8:30 p.m.). Tulsa won't play in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game, but it could add insult to further insult for the Bearcats. Tuberville's team already has seven losses. More humiliation for a program that tried to brand itself as "Ohio's BCS Team" in the "bUCkeye state" [sic] years ago is always welcome.

Arizona State at Arizona (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.). This is a dark-horse rivalry game. The Territorial Cup gets intense. Consider this classic moment from 1996. Arizona State wide receiver Keith Poole let Arizona cornerback Chris McAlister how badly he got beat on this touchdown grab.

Neither team is good this year. Arizona is 2-9 and has lost eight straight. Arizona State has six losses and could sit out the bowl season with an inexplicable loss in Tucson. The Sun Devils are a three-point favorite.

Saturday

It's a shame Georgia Tech's record in this rivalry doesn't square with its animus to Georgia.

Georgia Tech at Georgia (SEC Network, 12 p.m.). This is another dark-horse rivalry game that gets intense. You might appreciate it more if Georgia Tech were more competitive in this series of late. Georgia has won all but three meetings this century. Those three Georgia Tech wins came in 2000, 2008, and 2014.

Still, the rivalry is called "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate." Georgia Tech's fight song tells the University of Georgia to go to hell. Georgia fans see Georgia Tech fans as nerds and Tech fans see Georgia fans as rednecks. There's a lot to love in this rivalry. We might love it more if it were more competitive.

Kentucky at Louisville (ESPN, 12 p.m.). Louisville won't play for the ACC Championship, but a convincing win over Kentucky should be enough to secure Lamar Jackson the Heisman. Louisville is a 27-point favorite.

Kansas at Kansas State (FS1, 12 p.m.). The Sunflower Showdown got a little bit more interesting with Kansas' inexplicable upset of Texas last week. Kansas State is still a 27-point favorite.

Rutgers at Maryland (ESPN News, 12 p.m.). 2-9 Rutgers ends its season in College Park. Incidentally, 5-6 Maryland's season might end too with a loss to a 14-point underdog Rutgers squad.

Michigan at Ohio State (ABC, 12 p.m.). This is your personal game of the week. Stay tuned to Eleven Warriors for comprehensive coverage of this contest.

Indiana at Purdue (ESPNU, 12 p.m.). Indiana, a 21-point favorite on the road, needs this win to finish the regular season at .500.

Illinois at Northwestern (BTN, 12 p.m.). Illinois' season is over after Saturday. It could end 5-6 Northwestern's season too. Those two non-conference losses for Northwestern loom large over its season.

Central Florida at South Florida (CBS Sports, 12 p.m.). South Florida needs a win on Saturday and a Temple loss later in the day to play Navy in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game.

Virginia at Virginia Tech (ESPN2, 12 p.m.). Virginia Tech could advance to the ACC Championship Game with a win at home, assuming North Carolina wins on Friday. Virginia, which is 2-9 under Bronco Mendenhall, is looking for its first win in the rivalry since 2003. That 35-21 win is Virginia's only win over Virginia Tech this century.

Four-game losing streak aside, Richt is having a fine debut as Miami's head coach.

Duke at Miami (ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.). 7-4 Miami hosts 4-7 Duke. Miami might be a team to watch if you already have an eye toward pre-season teams to watch in 2017. Mark Richt had a solid debut in Coral Gables, all things considered.

San José State at Fresno State (CBS Sports, 3:30 p.m.). These are the two worst teams in the Mountain West. You can skip this contest.

Mississippi State at Ole Miss (SEC Network, 3:30 p.m.). This is an Egg Bowl with some minor intrigue despite both being in last place in the SEC West. Mississippi State is already bowl-ineligible. Ole Miss could join it with a home loss.

Auburn at Alabama (CBS, 3:30 p.m.). Alabama wins by a whole lot. Umm... spoiler alert? Don't expect intrigue in this game.

Notre Dame at Southern California (ABC, 3:30 p.m.). College football is better when there's a touch of spite involved. USC is already the hottest team in college football. Notre Dame became bowl-ineligible after the loss to Virginia Tech last week. It had to vacate the 2012 and 2013 seasons because of academic misconduct. USC could add even more insult on Saturday as 17-point home favorites.

West Virginia at Iowa State (FS1, 3:30 p.m.). Humiliation at home Oklahoma cost the Mountaineers a shot at the Big XII championship.

Michigan State at Penn State (ESPN, 3:30 p.m.). Go Sparty!

Minnesota at Wisconsin (BTN, 3:30 p.m.). Wisconsin could secure the Big Ten West with a win over Minnesota. Hope to see you there again, Wisconsin.

Tulane at Connecticut (ESPN News, 4 p.m.). These are two 3-8 teams in the American Athletic Conference. You don't need to watch this game.

Oregon at Oregon State (Pac-12 Network, 4 p.m.). Both teams are bowl-ineligible, but at least Oregon has that nice upset of Utah to highlight a crummy season.

Western Kentucky at Marshall (ESPNU, 7 p.m.). 8-3 Western Kentucky should make short work of 3-8 Marshall. 

UCLA at California (ESPNU, 7 p.m.). Both teams are 4-7, having just suffered crushing defeats in their respective conference rivalry games last week. Stanford beat Cal by 14 and USC routed UCLA by 22 points.

Utah at Colorado (FOX, 7:30 p.m.). The Pac-12 South got interesting in a flash. USC caught on fire, even beating Washington in Seattle. Likewise, Utah lost last week to Oregon, which sets up this scenario.

Ralphie wants to party like it's 2001. (Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

One, Colorado advances to its first Pac-12 Championship Game with a win. It would be an incredible rags-to-riches story for a Colorado program that entered the Pac-12 as the conference's worst program in 2011.

Two, a Utah win sends Southern California to Santa Clara to play the Apple Cup winner. The Trojans, which started the season 1-3, could still win the Pac-12 and go to the Rose Bowl.

South Carolina at Clemson (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.). Everything is still ahead of Clemson, but it can afford no more "Clemsonings." Clemson is a 24-point favorite.

Tennessee at Vanderbilt (SEC Network, 7:30 p.m.). Tennessee will hope to end its regular season with a 9-3 record. It's not playing for anything else at this point.

East Carolina at Temple (ESPN News, 7:30 p.m.). Temple will advance to the American Athletic Conference Championship Game with a home win over 3-8 East Carolina.

Rice at Stanford (Pac-12 Network, 8 p.m.). Stanford will make short work of Rice and await its bowl assignment in two weeks.

Florida at Florida State (ABC, 8 p.m.). Florida won the SEC East and might have an eye toward Alabama. Perhaps that's what cost the Gators last year in Gainesville. Florida State manhandled Florida 27-2 in last year's game.

Colorado State at San Diego State (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.). San Diego State secured the Mountain West "West" division weeks ago. It could give Donnel Pumphrey's faint Heisman hopes a boost with a big rushing game on Saturday night.

Wyoming at New Mexico (ESPN2, 10:15 p.m.). Wyoming wins the Mountain West "Mountain" division with a road win in New Mexico. Wyoming is a three-point favorite on the road. Expect Boise State fans to have a vested interest in this contest.

Utah State at Brigham Young (ESPNU, 10:15 p.m.). Brigham Young will close its regular season in a quasi-"rivalry" game and wait for the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 21.

Massachusetts at Hawaii (Regional, 11:59 p.m.). It's the last game of the regular season. Hell, why not? Find a feed for this game and give it a go.