College Football 2019: Your complete Week 12 binge-watching guide
By Zach Bigalke
Indiana at No. 9 Penn State (12:00 pm ET – ABC)
Indiana is having their best season in decades. The Hoosiers are ranked in both the AP Top 25 and the Coaches Poll, though the College Football Playoff selection committee did not see fit to include Indiana in their rankings. They travel to Happy Valley for a huge showdown against a top-10 Penn State team still in the hunt for the Big Ten title and a playoff bid. Favored by more than two touchdowns against the Hoosiers, the Nittany Lions can’t get caught looking ahead to their Week 13 game against Ohio State.
PREDICTION: The Penn State defense shuts down Michael Penix Jr. as the Nittany Lions run away with a three-touchdown victory at home.
Michigan State at No. 15 Michigan (12:00 pm ET – FOX)
Rivalry games are always fun, especially when one team comes in on a down year and motivated to change the narrative for an entire season. That is the case for Michigan State, currently under .500 and fighting for bowl eligibility, as they head to Ann Arbor to face off against No. 15 Michigan. The Wolverines won’t be going to the Big Ten championship or the College Football Playoff, but they could still play their way into a New Year’s Six bid if they win out. Could the Spartans steal way the Paul Bunyan Trophy from the Big House as 13.5-point underdogs?
PREDICTION: The Spartans put a scare in Jim Harbaugh’s crew, but Michigan ultimately prevails by a touchdown in a low-scoring Big Ten battle.
Tulane at Temple (12:00 pm ET – ESPNU)
It might seem like an odd game to binge, but at various points of the season Tulane and Temple were the rising stars of the American Athletic Conference. While neither is going to win their respective division this season, though, their showdown in Philadelphia is well worth watching. The Owls boast the third-best red zone defense in the FBS, holding opponents scoreless on 40 percent of their trips inside the 20. Tulane brings the ninth-best offense in the country at walking away from points once they get in scoring range. That will be the key battle to watch, Temple’s defense versus the Green Wave attack.
PREDICTION: Tulane wins the battle of offense-versus-defense to run away with a two-touchdown victory over the Owls and keep the dream of a 10-win season alive.