Viewer's guide to Week 12: Can't-miss matchups, potential upsets, and more
With a pair of undefeated-vs.-undefeated matchups, last week provided clarity. The number of unbeaten teams shrunk from seven to five. LSU and Minnesota bolstered their resumes. Alabama and Penn State had theirs take a hit.
There are no meetings between perfect teams in Week 12. But there are still games with major playoff implications. And there's always the potential for a surprise.
Four matchups between top-25 teams highlight the Saturday schedule. theScore is here to guide your viewing experience. Here's our look at the can't-miss matchups, under-the-radar games, and potential upsets for Week 12 (all times ET).
The early slate
Must-watch: Indiana at No. 9 Penn State (noon, ABC)
Indiana has never won in State College. In fact, the Hoosiers are 1-21 all-time against Penn State. But snapping that streak on Saturday would make this one of the greatest seasons in Indiana history.
Despite a 7-2 record, Indiana was not ranked by the College Football Playoff committee. The Hoosiers have not defeated an FBS team with a winning record.
Penn State fell out of the top four by losing at Minnesota last week, but don't be quick to count the Nittany Lions out. If James Franklin's team can correct its mistakes, it would still reach the Big Ten Championship game by winning out.
Has potential: No. 11 Florida at Missouri (noon, CBS)
On Oct. 12, Missouri defeated Ole Miss to improve to 5-1 and remain undefeated in the SEC. The Tigers looked like a team that could cause a little chaos in the SEC East race, if nothing else.
In the three games since its last victory, Missouri has scored 14, 7, and 0 points. It has lost to Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Georgia. All three losses came on the road.
Does coming home help Missouri rebound? The Tigers are 5-0 in Columbia, Missouri, and 0-4 everywhere else this season. And the Tigers are expected to have Kelly Bryant back at quarterback after he missed the Georgia game.
Florida is coming off a 56-0 rout of Vanderbilt. The Gators' only losses this season came to teams (LSU and Georgia) currently in the top four.
Upset alert: Tulane at Temple (noon, ESPNU)
Tulane is a 6-point favorite on the road here, but don't forget about Temple's ability to compete with the top of the AAC. The Owls are the only team to defeat Memphis this season, doing so 30-28 in Philadelphia on Oct. 12. With that said, the results haven't been pretty since that victory (losses by 24 and 42 to SMU and UCF, respectively, and a win at South Florida).
The Green Wave's only losses this season have come against ranked teams (Auburn, Memphis, and Navy), so Tulane has typically won the games it was supposed to win. The Green Wave ran for 290 yards last week in a win over Tulsa, with three individual players rushing for at least 70.
Keep an eye on: Michigan State at No. 15 Michigan (noon, FOX) and No. 5 Alabama at Mississippi State (noon, ESPN)
Michigan State has won eight of the last 11 meetings between the in-state rivals, but the Spartans are 4-5 and reeling entering Saturday's game. They haven't won a game since September. On the other side, Michigan has played well since the second half of the Penn State game and outscored Notre Dame and Maryland 83-21 in its last two games.
For playoff purposes, it's worth monitoring Alabama's trip to Starkville. The Bulldogs have issues, including a pass defense allowing 8.3 yards per attempt, but it will be interesting to see how the Crimson Tide respond to their first loss of the season.
Midafternoon
Must-watch: No. 4 Georgia at No. 12 Auburn (3:30 p.m., CBS)
If there's one game to watch for its playoff implications this weekend, it's Georgia's trip to Auburn. It didn't take long for the Bulldogs to climb back into the top four after a stunning home loss to South Carolina. Georgia is one of the few teams near the top of the rankings doing it with defense first. Kirby Smart's team hasn't scored 30 points since Oct. 5 but has also held opponents to 17 total points in its last three games.
Auburn, meanwhile, continues its survey of the playoff contenders. The Tigers have already defeated Oregon and lost to LSU. Alabama awaits them in a couple of weeks.
Expect this contest to be a defensive battle, because that's how Auburn likes it, too.
Has potential: No. 8 Minnesota at No. 20 Iowa (4 p.m., FOX)
For as much of a test as Penn State was, Minnesota's task this week might be even tougher.
The Golden Gophers must refocus quickly after defeating the Nittany Lions as they travel to what should be a lively Kinnick Stadium to face Iowa's stingy defense.
The Hawkeyes are 0-3 against ranked opponents this season, but every game has been close. They lost by seven at Michigan, by five against Penn State, and by two at Wisconsin.
The winner of this game takes home a bronze pig, Floyd of Rosedale, as the trophy for the series.
Upset alert: No. 23 Navy at No. 16 Notre Dame (2:30 p.m., NBC)
A quarterback in name only, Malcolm Perry has been one of the top runners in college football this season. His 130.3 rushing yards per game ranks fifth nationally. He's fourth with 16 rushing touchdowns.
Perry leads a Navy team that is 7-1 a year after going 3-10. The Midshipmen should be able to challenge Notre Dame, too, in an attempt to defeat the Fighting Irish for the second time in four years.
Notre Dame's weakness at times this year has been its run defense. Though the defense played well in recent wins over Virginia Tech and Duke, it allowed Michigan to pile up 303 rushing yards three weeks ago.
Keep an eye on: No. 19 Texas at Iowa State (3:30 p.m., FS1) and Wake Forest at No. 3 Clemson (3:30 p.m., ABC)
There are no playoff storylines involved in the Texas-Iowa State game. It merely looks like a fun Big 12 undercard to the Baylor-Oklahoma bout. The Longhorns are best positioned to climb if either Baylor or OU falters down the stretch. Iowa State is having one of the most frustrating seasons in recent memory. The Cyclones are 5-4, but three of their four losses have come by two points or less.
Wake Forest's trip to Clemson looked more enticing before the Demon Deacons were handed a 19-point loss by Virginia Tech last week. To add injury to insult, star receiver Sage Surratt will miss the rest of the season. Still, Jamie Newman is a playmaker at quarterback, so perhaps Wake Forest can challenge a Clemson team that appears to be hitting its stride late in the season. The Tigers have scored 45 or more points in five consecutive games.
Evening
Must-watch: No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 13 Baylor (7:30 p.m., ABC)
Despite a 9-0 start, Baylor ranked 13th in this week's CFP reveal, below two-loss teams Auburn and Florida. How much will that be a motivating factor for the Bears in a de facto elimination game Saturday in Waco?
With a victory Saturday, Baylor could lock up a top-two position in the Big 12. The matchup to watch is BU's pass defense — which has 10 interceptions and has allowed only seven touchdowns — against Jalen Hurts and Oklahoma's elite offense.
The Sooners need a statement win themselves after dropping to No. 10 in this week's ranking. If Oklahoma went to Waco and blew out Baylor, would it be enough to climb over any of the one-loss teams it sits behind?
Has potential: UCLA at No. 7 Utah (8 p.m., FOX)
It's difficult not to turn our attention to games that matter for playoff reasons. But this contest also has the potential to be entertaining.
This isn't the same UCLA team that could not score early in the season. The Bruins still carry a negative point differential for the year into Saturday's game, but they're hot, having won three in a row. Remember, UCLA could win the Pac-12 South by winning out.
This also isn't the same Utah team that fell to USC in September. The Utes won impressively at Washington two weeks ago and are holding opponents to 6.6 points per game when they come into Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Upset alert: Arizona State at Oregon State (7:30 p.m., FS1)
The Sun Devils are a small favorite on the road in Corvallis on Saturday. But anyone who has watched these teams as of late realizes Oregon State has had better form recently.
Before a 19-7 loss to Washington last Friday, the Beavers reeled off road wins at California and Arizona. Receiver Isaiah Hodgins has emerged as one of the best in the country. The Beavers still have an outside shot at their first bowl game in six years if they can win two of their final three.
Arizona State has faltered, losing three consecutive games to Utah, UCLA, and USC.
Keep an eye on: No. 1 LSU at Ole Miss (7 p.m., ESPN)
Like Alabama's trip to Mississippi State, LSU's game in Oxford should still be monitored to see how the Tigers come back from an emotional victory.
LSU hasn't let up in these moments so far this season. The Tigers are 5-0 against unranked opponents, winning all five by 23 or more points. They've also defeated Ole Miss by double digits in each of the last three seasons.
A loss will drop the Rebels to 4-7 and eliminate their chances of reaching a bowl.
After dark
Has potential: Arizona at No. 6 Oregon (10:30 p.m., ESPN)
This game will either be a blowout, or it will be sucked into the absurdity that Pac-12 After Dark games often provide.
On paper, it should be the former. Arizona has lost four consecutive games, all by double digits. The Wildcats' defense is in shambles, having allowed 30 points or more to five consecutive opponents — including 56 against Oregon State two weeks ago.
Oregon, meanwhile, has everything to play for, and is essentially one play against Auburn away from being undefeated. The Ducks were off last week after winning by 32 at USC two weeks ago.
Keep an eye on: USC at California (11 p.m., FS1)
Both USC and California have been through roller-coaster seasons.
The Trojans lost their starting quarterback in the season opener. They lost at BYU two weeks later, only to come back and hand Utah its only loss of the season the following week. The Trojans endured a close loss at Notre Dame and were blown out at home by Oregon. If Utah missteps somewhere else and USC wins out, the Trojans can still reach the Pac-12 title game.
California was the last undefeated Pac-12 team after starting 4-0, but an anemic offense led to a four-game losing skid. After rebounding to defeat Washington State last week, the Golden Bears can clinch bowl eligibility with a win on Saturday.