College football Week 11 preview

North Carolina State will not play for an ACC title and gave up 92 points in losses to Clemson and Syracuse, yet it sits high in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Wolfpack likely won't hurt their cause against Wake, which has lost five straight and 10 of the last 11 at Raleigh.

Prediction: North Carolina State 35, Wake Forest 13

The ACC has been full of surprises this season, and the play of the Orange might be the biggest. Dino Babers has gone from coach on the hot seat to possibly in line for a contract extension. Syracuse looks in good shape for its second four-game winning streak of 2018, as lowly Louisville stares down an 0-7 conference mark.

Prediction: Syracuse 40, Louisville 21

Fresno puts its seven-game winning streak on the line with this stop on the blue turf at Boise in a rematch of last season's Mountain West championship game — which may also be a preview of this year's title contest. The Bulldogs have allowed an average of 7.2 points over the last five games but will try to end a nine-game road losing streak to the Broncos.

Prediction: Boise State 23, Fresno State 20

Are the Gators running out of gas? Their defense might be after allowing a combined 74 points in back-to-back losses to Georgia and Missouri. Florida also scored just 17 in each of those games. Will Muschamp heads back to his old coaching stomping grounds and will be trying to guide the Gamecocks to a third consecutive victory and gain bowl eligibility for a third straight season.

Prediction: Florida 24, South Carolina 20

Ohio State managed to bounce back from the Purdue loss by beating Nebraska, but it was far from easy. The task should be tougher in East Lansing. However, the Buckeyes have won six in a row there. The Spartans have allowed just 16 points in their last two wins, over Purdue and Maryland.

Prediction: Ohio State 29, Michigan State 21

Prior to the season, this looked like one of the key games on the Big Ten slate. However, both teams can be deemed underachievers at this point, and Penn State needs to rebound from that ugly 42-7 loss at Michigan. Quarterback Trace McSorley  is not 100 percent,  and Badgers signal-caller Alex Hornibrook could sit due to another concussion. Wisconsin will be trying to avoid its first three-game Big Ten road losing streak since 2008.

Prediction: Penn State 27, Wisconsin 24

The Knights' win streak stands at 21, and they sit 12th in the latest CFP rankings. Temple was the latest team to give UCF a scare, and if Josh Heupel's crew doesn't win convincingly the rest of the way, it might not get much higher in those standings. The Knights should be fine vs. Navy, which has yielded an average of 37.5 points during a six-game slide.

Prediction: UCF 48, Navy 18

Following a wild and impressive, late, one-point victory at Texas last weekend, West Virginia sits tied with Oklahoma atop the Big 12. Will Grier seems to be back in form with six touchdown passes and no interceptions in the last two games. TCU last lost three Big 12 road games in a season in 2013.

Prediction: West Virginia 31, TCU 23

Does it really matter who Alabama plays at this point? Last weekend's decisive win at then-No. 4 LSU was pretty much all anybody associated with college football needed to know about how dominant the Crimson Tide are and have been. If more proof is needed, they'll try for an 11th consecutive victory over Mississippi State.

Prediction: Alabama 44, Mississippi State 13

Washington State has won five in a row but still isn't clear of rival Washington in the race for the Pac-12's North Division. The Cougars survived a pitcher's duel against Cal and now face a desperate Colorado squad on the road. The Buffaloes have dropped four straight, one of which was at home to lowly Oregon State.

Prediction: Washington State 32, Colorado 30

The hottest team in the Big 12 resides in Ames, Iowa. That's where the Cyclones will try for a fifth consecutive victory and potentially improve their position in the race for a conference title. Standing in their way for the moment is Baylor, which just beat Oklahoma State and is one win away from securing bowl eligibility a season after going 1-11.

Prediction: Iowa State 28, Baylor 20

It's Bedlam time, and Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill might have  kicked up the intensity of the rivalry a notch with his social media presence this week. It may not be a good idea to get the Sooners even more amped up, as they try for a fourth consecutive win in the series and 14th in the last 16 meetings.

Prediction: Oklahoma 48, Oklahoma State 24

LSU's loss to Alabama and Michigan's rout of Penn State for an eighth consecutive victory has the Wolverines among the top four in the CFP rankings - to no surprise. This one can be even more lopsided considering Michigan has allowed an average of 12.3 points during its winning streak and Rutgers has not scored more than 17 during an eight-game slide.
Prediction: Michigan 52, Rutgers 0

The Wildcats are in position to win at least eight games in a season for the first time since 2007. After snapping a five-game skid to Tennessee in 2017, Kentucky will now look to end a 16-game road losing streak to the Volunteers, who have lost their last six SEC home contests.

Prediction: Kentucky 28, Tennessee 13

Utah State has won eight in a row, leads the Mountain West's Mountain Division and ranks second nationally, averaging 50.1 points. Yet, the Aggies are still not part of the CFP rankings. A victory over San Jose State, which has lost 23 straight games to Top 25 opponents since 1996, likely won't help Utah State's power ranking, either.

Prediction: Utah State 54, San Jose State 16

There is technically still hope for both teams within the American Athletic Conference's East Division, but they have little room for error. The Bearcats, who have won two in a row since losing at Temple last month, should have the advantage. South Florida's perfect start has been followed by a wild loss at Houston and a head-scratching home defeat to Tulane.

Prediction: Cincinnati 23, South Florida 13

A rematch of last season's SEC championship game might not be as competitive this time — and the 28-7 Bulldogs victory didn't seem all that close then. With the SEC East title clinched, Georgia knows it will be back in the league championship game. Inconsistent Auburn will look for a third consecutive victory to continue surging into the bowl season.

Prediction: Georgia 24, Auburn 17

This should be a nice bounce-back game for the Tigers after being shut out at home by Alabama. That defeat was not as much an indictment of LSU's overall play, but just underscored how dominant the Crimson Tide are at the moment. Arkansas has dropped eight in a row against Top 25 teams, beginning with a 38-10 home loss to LSU in 2016.

Prediction: LSU 40, Arkansas 13

It's been 25 years since these storied programs got together for "The Game of the Century," but this one might end up being an afterthought in the history of the series. The Seminoles have won the last three meetings with Notre Dame but are on the verge of seeing their lengthy bowl streak come to an end. The Irish are primed for a CFP berth amid one of the program's most successful campaigns ever.

Prediction: Notre Dame 41, Florida State 20

About a month ago, the Longhorns were sitting pretty, winners of six straight and leading the Big 12. Losses at Oklahoma State and to West Virginia have followed, leaving Texas reeling a bit and trailing in the league race. The good news for the Longhorns: Texas Tech has also dropped two in a row entering this one and four straight at home in the series.

Prediction: Texas 38, Texas Tech 30

The marquee game in the ACC this weekend will be played just outside of Boston. The Tigers have won seven straight in the series and pummeled the Eagles 56-10 in Chestnut Hill two years ago. Boston College, however, has won three in a row and is 5-0 at home this season.

Prediction: Clemson 34, Boston College 16.

Northwestern's four-game winning streak ended with a home loss to Notre Dame, but it resumes Big Ten play as the leader of the West Division. The Wildcats will be trying for a 10th straight win over West opponents and third in a row over Iowa, which is looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat overall.

Prediction: Iowa 24, Northwestern 17

The Utes enter the weekend as one of three teams tied for the Pac-12 South lead, but they were dealt a major blow in losing versatile quarterback Tyler Huntley for the season. The Ducks, meanwhile, avoided a third straight defeat by beating UCLA but have lost their last two away from home.

Prediction: Oregon 23, Utah 20

Houston leads the AAC West but must rebound from a rough loss at SMU that knocked it out of the Top 25. The status of star defensive lineman Ed Oliver remains uncertain for the Cougars, who have yielded at least 36 points in three straight games. The Owls remain in the hunt for an AAC East title but have lost four in a row to Houston.

Prediction: Houston 33, Temple 28

One of these teams will become bowl eligible at game's end, and the way the Hurricanes have played of late, the smart money is on Georgia Tech. Miami will be trying to avoid its second four-game losing streak in three seasons. The Yellow Jackets have won two straight and four of five overall but have dropped three in a row and eight of nine against the 'Canes.

Prediction: Georgia Tech 38, Miami 28