Week 14 college picks

Two weeks ago: 3-3 Season: 59-28 

I didn't get to picks last week after Virginia's game at Florida State was postponed, but I've chosen to look at a pretty busy slate this weekend as some teams begin to wrap up their regular seasons.

No. 5 Texas A&M (6-1) at Auburn (5-3), Noon, ESPN
The Aggies are just on the outside of the top four in the College Football Playoff rankings and must keep winning to keep pace with Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, and Ohio State. The Tigers have had a pretty disappointing season with blowout losses to Alabama and Georgia, and they dropped one to 2-7 South Carolina. None of Auburn's victories have come over teams with winning records. Auburn keeps it close, but A&M pulls it out.
Texas A&M 27, Auburn 21

Western Carolina (0-2) at No. 17 North Carolina (6-3), Noon, ACC Network
North Carolina 45, Western Carolina 10

Syracuse (1-9) at No. 2 Notre Dame (9-0), 2:30 p.m. NBC
Notre Dame 43, Syracuse 6

No. 12 Indiana (5-1) at No. 16 Wisconsin (2-1), 3:30 p.m. ABC
The Hoosiers turned heads two weeks ago by almost knocking off Ohio State in a 42-35 Buckeyes win. They rebounded last week and beat Maryland, but lost QB Michael Penix Jr. to a lower leg injury for the rest of the season. The Badgers have had a disjointed 2020 campaign full of cancellations. Last time out two weeks ago, they were upended by the other Big Ten surprise, Northwestern, but that was on the road. Against a backup QB and at Camp Randall Stadium, I'll take the Badgers in a close contest.
Wisconsin 24, Indiana 17

Georgia Tech (3-5) at N.C. State (7-3), 4 p.m. ACC Network
The Yellow Jackets took care of Duke last week, but the Wolfpack have done a good job of beating teams below it in the standings this season, and I expect that to continue in Raleigh. This is the last regular-season game for State, which hasn't had a postponement or cancellation, so after this contest, they'll await bowl season to see what's available.
N.C. State 34, Georgia Tech 24

No. 13 BYU (9-0) at No. 18 Coastal Carolina (9-0), 5:30 p.m. ESPNU
Liberty was originally in BYU's slot. For weeks, it looked like LU at CCU was going to be one of the games of the year, with both schools, rarely getting attention in football, possibly undefeated in the matchup. But this week, Liberty, which is 9-1 after it lost to N.C. State a couple weeks ago, shut down its program for the rest of the regular season because of COVID. BYU wanted another game and stepped right up to travel to Conway, S.C., near Myrtle Beach instead. I'm not sure if trading one religious school for another is going to work out for the Chanticleers. Liberty had a good year, but BYU has been excellent, winning all but one game by at least 17 points. CCU has been solid as well, but give me the Cougars.
BYU 38, Coastal Carolina 27

No. 3 Clemson (8-1) at Virginia Tech (4-5), 7:30 p.m. ABC
After losing to Notre Dame, Clemson had a bye and then didn't get to play Florida State, which canceled its matchup with the Tigers because of COVID. Needless to say, Clemson was raring to go when it finally played again last week, and Pittsburgh was the helpless victim. The Tigers pounced on the Panthers and were up 31-0 after the first quarter and won, 52-17. The Hokies lost to that same Pitt team, 47-14, two weeks ago. Virginia Tech was 4-2 and on the precipice of defeating Liberty to move to 5-2 when disaster struck. Then the Hokies led Miami all game before falling, 25-24. The wheels really came off against the Panthers. Coach Justin Fuente could be in trouble in Blacksburg. This will be Clemson's final tune-up before presumably facing Notre Dame in the ACC championship in a rematch two weeks from now. If Tech can do the unthinkable and pull off the upset, Miami would go to the title game by beating Duke this week and North Carolina next week. But I think Dabo Swinney will want his Tigers looking sharp, and Clemson will get up big before easing off the gas.
Clemson 45, Virginia Tech 17

No. 1 Alabama (8-0) at LSU (3-4), 8 p.m. CBS
The Tigers must have sold their soul for that national championship last season, because things ain't the same down in the bayou in 2020. The Crimson Tide, which ran away from Auburn in the Iron Bowl last week with a 42-13 win, is an incredible 29.5-point favorite in Death Valley. Usually one of the most anticipated games of the season, Alabama is expected to cruise.
Alabama 45, LSU 20

No. 10 Miami (7-1) at Duke (2-7), 8 p.m. ACC Network
The Hurricanes have lived on the edge in their past three games, beating UVa by 5, N.C. State by 3, and Virginia Tech by 1. But the Blue Devils have had a very forgettable season and just got trucked by Georgia Tech. It's still kinda tough seeing Duke pull this one out.
Miami 34, Duke 24

Boston College (6-4) at Virginia (4-4), 3:30 p.m. MASN/ESPN3
For the first time in three weeks today, the Cavaliers take on an ACC foe as they battle the Eagles at Scott Stadium on senior day.

For those of us who are having a hard time remembering football amid the wild beginning of the Virginia basketball season over the past week and a half, here's a refresher.

The Wahoos started the season 1-4 and have won three straight games. Three weeks ago in Charlottesville, Virginia defeated Louisville, 31-17. Two weeks ago at Scott Stadium, the Cavaliers defeated Abilene Christian, 55-15. Last week, a trip to Florida State was on tap, and the 'Hoos arrived in Tallahassee only to have the game postponed. Bronco Mendenhall has said he has no interest in trying to reschedule the game and likes the idea of wrapping up the regular season with senior day and then by facing Virginia Tech next Saturday in Blacksburg.

BC is in its first season under coach Jeff Hafley and has exceeded expectations. The Eagles own victories over Duke, Texas State, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, and Louisville. Their losses came against North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Notre Dame. Out of that group of four, curiously, only the Hokies blew them out. Six of BC's games have been decided by single digits, and they are 4-2 in those. Last week, the Eagles defeated Louisville, 34-27.

Eagles QB Phil Jurkovec, a transfer from Notre Dame, has completed 61% of his passes for 2,558 yards, 17 touchdowns, and only five picks. Leading rusher David Bailey has 503 yards (4 ypc) and seven TDs. Both got banged up against the Cardinals last week but should play today.

After years of being mainly a running football team under Steve Addazio, the Eagles are more about passing it around the yard this season. Their two primary pass-catching weapons are wideout Zay Flowers and tight end Hunter Long. Flowers has 48 catches, 712 yards, and seven TDs. Long has recorded 49 catches, 576 yards, and four scores. WR CJ Lewis has 25 catches and five TDs.

Hafley came to BC as a defensive coach. In 2019, he was the co-defensive coordinator for Ohio State. The results have been mixed for the Eagles on that side of the ball. They are 50th in scoring defense, 75th in pass defense, and 64th against the run. Indeed, this BC team has flipped the script. I expected it to be solid on defense and middling on offense and that hasn't quite been the case.

Oddly enough, Virginia has never beaten Boston College in six tries. The last time they met in 2017, UVa was 5-1 and playing at home but BC came away with a 41-10 crushing of the Cavaliers.

With this being BC's final game of the regular season, I could see the Eagles going all out and coming out with great effort, hoping to cap off a really nice regular season with a road victory. On the other hand, I can see the Cavaliers looking past the Eagles a bit to the matchup with the Hokies next week.

But counteracting that possibility, I think we are going to see a good effort put forth for the seniors on the team, including those guys out on defense due to injuries: Charles Snowden, Joey Blount, Brenton Nelson, and Richard Burney. Granted, those players being out makes this a more difficult game. But I think after two weeks off, the 'Hoos are just ready to get back at it and play anybody. I think this will be a tight game, and I'm just hoping Virginia somehow makes a play or two down the stretch that ends up being the difference.
Virginia 34, Boston College 31