College football Week 13 preview: Michigan and Ohio State take center stage in Ann Arbor
Week 0 of college football seems like it was yesterday, when players eagerly anticipated months of action.Week 13 of the 2023 regular season marks the conclusion of the season, which began just three months ago.
At Saturday’s game against the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, Washington Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. imitates launching an arrow.(Getty Images / Tom Hauck)
The best football is still to be played, despite the terrible knowledge that the games will soon come to an end.
For the second week in a row, Georgia has been selected as the best team in the nation by the College Football Playoff committee. Ohio State and Michigan are next.
Washington, which had already defeated three straight ranked opponents, eventually overcame Florida State on Tuesday to take the fourth spot in the nation.
There could be mayhem in store for college football with one game left and conference titles to be decided.
Michigan and Ohio State will face off as unbeaten teams for the second consecutive year in hopes of winning the Big Ten East and securing a spot in the postseason.
Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of Michigan, will not be watching from the sidelines after he accepted his three-game suspension from the Big Ten for breaking the league’s sportsmanship rules.
Michigan will play sans Harbaugh for the third straight game; they have won the first two against Penn State and Maryland.
A general view of the first-half kickoff at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on September 16, between the Michigan Wolverines and the Bowling Green Falcons.(USA TODAY Sports/Rick Osentoski)
In their last two meetings, the Wolverines have triumphed against Ohio State, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy has no intention of ending the run anytime soon.
It has been tremendous to be able to overcome that rivalry over the past two years, McCarthy stated in an Associated Press interview. And, we don’t plan on being on the other side of that at all anymore.
Ohio State will try to slow down Michigan running back Blake Corum, who leads the nation in rushing touchdowns (20), as he comes into the contest third in the nation in yards allowed per game (252.9).
On November 11, Ohio State coach Ryan Day walks the team out onto the field before facing Michigan State at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.(Jay LaPrete/AP Photo)
The defensive end for the Buckeyes, Jack Sawyer, stated, We’re still confident. I believe that our credo is to play with confidence, to be frugal, to attempt to force turnovers, and to simply play as aggressively as we can on the field.
In the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday, the victorious team will play Iowa. This will be the final meeting between the two rivals before the conference’s divisions are eliminated and it becomes 18 teams.
Every November, homes all around Alabama are split apart for a single day as the Iron Bowl is played for a year’s worth of bragging rights.
Alabama defeated Texas in Week 2 but is coming into this contest as the winners of nine straight.
Regardless of the result against Auburn, the Crimson Tide will play No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and are back in the running for the national championship.
But a victory over their fierce rival is necessary if head coach Nick Saban and Alabama are to have any chance of qualifying for the College Football Playoffs.
People talk about all the crazy stuff that happens in this game, Saban stated. But since I’ve been here, the team that should have won the game won the game based on who played the best.
At Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday, Jalen Milroe, left, and Roydell Williams of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrated a score versus the Chattanooga Mocs. (Getty Images/Brandon Sumrall)
Jalen Milroe, the quarterback for Alabama, has emerged as a threat with both his arm and legs in recent weeks. In the last three games, he has scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
“You are aware of the Iron Bowl, regardless of your state of residence. I know about the Iron Bowl, for sure, because I’m from Texas,” Milroe remarked.
I watched it as a child. However, seeing the Iron Bowl will undoubtedly be an amazing experience.
Auburn is coming off an embarrassing loss to New Mexico State after entering the game as 23-point favorites.
Prior to the loss, the Tigers had won three straight. Alabama has won three straight Iron Bowl contests.
It’s been a tough week in Tallahassee, Florida, after star quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending injury against North Alabama and the CFP committee dropped the Seminoles out of the top four.
Travis’s injury ends his college career and casts doubt on Florida State’s chances of winning a national championship, but the Seminoles are still unbeaten and in control of their own destiny. The Seminoles need to win out to have a chance of making the College Football Playoffs.
Florida State’s Caziah Holmes scores a touchdown on a handoff from Tate Rodemaker during the game against North Alabama at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, on Saturday.
(AP Photo/Colin Hackley) Tate Rodemaker, a fourth-year backup, replaces Travis as the Seminoles attempt to extend their winning streak to eighteen games.
Florida State head coach Mike Norvell stated, We’ve got a lot of confidence in Tate and the job that he’ll do, according to On3. He is surrounded by a fantastic supporting cast.
However, this is a football squad. This is a team that has encountered hardship all year. We have been forced to stand up several times this year.
All of those factors have led to this moment, when we are going to wrap up an unbeaten regular season and know that the conference championship game is coming up next week.
The Florida Gators are trying to qualify for bowl games, but they have dropped their last four games. Graham Mertz’s injury that ended the season will force redshirt freshman quarterback Max Brown to make his first career start.
On November 11, during the Florida Gators’ game versus the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, head coach Billy Napier watched. (Getty Images / Jonathan Bachman)
Billy Napier, the coach of Florida football, stated, This is a game that matters 24/7, 365, as reported by The Gainesville Sun. We can’t wait to see the sold-out crowd at the Swamp on Saturday night. That’s probably five in a row for Gator Nation. Thus, we’re grateful for
r that.
