College football Week 12: The 10 best games this week

We’re in week 12 of the college football season, which is both exhilarating (everything is on the line!) and sobering (oh, no, the season is almost over!).

This is a hugely important week in the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12, and there also are big games in the AAC, Big 12, Conference USA and SEC.

Here are the 10 best games of Week 12. All games are Saturday and all times are Eastern.

10. UAB (7-3) at UTSA (10-0)

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m., ESPN+
The buzz: UTSA is one of two unbeaten Group of 5 teams, and while they are behind unbeaten Cincinnati and one-loss San Diego State in the CFP rankings, the Roadrunners still have at least faint CFP hopes because the AAC and Mountain West are much better than Conference USA and Cincy and SDSU could lose one or two games (UTSA almost certainly would need the Bearcats to lose twice to be ahead of them in the CFP rankings). Regardless, this is UTSA’s toughest remaining game, and a win gives the Roadrunners the C-USA West Division title. QB Frank Harris (20 TD passes, five picks), RB Sincere McCormick (115.0 yards per game, 11 TDs) and WRs Joshua Cephus and Zakhari Franklin (a combined 117 receptions, with 14 TDs) head a solid UTSA offense. UAB has the best defense in C-USA, though the Blazers have allowed 20 TD passes.

9. Baylor (8-2) at Kansas State (7-3)

Time/TV: 5:30 p.m., FS1
The buzz: Baylor is coming off an impressive win over Oklahoma, and K-State has won four in a row. While K-State hasn’t beaten anyone of note during its streak — the best win is over Texas Tech — Baylor figures to have a letdown of sorts. How big is the letdown? That will determine the outcome. If, as the saying goes, defense travels, the Bears are in good stead. K-State is nothing special offensively, though RB Deuce Vaughn is an underrated offensive weapon who leads the Wildcats in rushing and receiving, and has 16 TDs (13 on the ground, three in the air). K-State’s rush defense has been solid, but Baylor RBs Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner and QB Gerry Bohanon (a combined 21 rushing TDs) will provide a big test.

8. Oklahoma State (9-1) at Texas Tech (6-4)

Time/TV: 8 p.m., Fox
The buzz: Oklahoma State is going to be the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the College Football Playoff rankings this week, and the Cowboys obviously need to win to stay in the hunt for a CFP berth. They are tied with Oklahoma for the Big 12 lead, and the teams meet next week in Stillwater. The Cowboys have been winning the old-fashioned way — with the running game and defense. Texas Tech’s run defense has been lights out the past three weeks against Kansas State, Oklahoma and Iowa State — three teams that like to run. But the Red Raiders still lost the first two because their pass defense is atrocious. Oklahoma State has struggled to throw consistently, so this could get interesting. Regardless, though, the Cowboys’ defense has been stout against the run and the pass; Oklahoma State is allowing just 4.47 yards per play, which is seventh nationally.

7. Virginia (6-4) at Pitt (8-2)

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m., ESPN2
The buzz: A Pitt win locks up the ACC’s Coastal Division title. Presumably, Virginia QB Brennan Armstrong will be back after missing the loss to Notre Dame. If he does indeed play, this would be one of the best quarterback matchups of the season. Armstrong is second nationally at 395.2 passing yards per game and 11^th with 27 TD passes; Pitt’s Kenny Pickett is fifth at 351.7 passing yards and fourth with 32 TD passes. Neither defense is that good against the pass, so this could be a shootout. WRs Jordan Addison of Pitt and Dontayvion Wicks of Virginia — two of the 13 receivers nationally with 1,000 yards — could be in line for huge days.

6. Iowa State (6-4) at Oklahoma (9-1)

Time/TV: Noon, Fox
The buzz: Forget a possible CFP berth; Oklahoma needs to win to remain in the hunt for a berth in the Big 12 championship game. True freshman QB Caleb Williams looked vastly overmatched against a good Baylor defense; can he rebound against the Cyclones, who have an experienced defense but have suffered some inexplicable breakdowns this season? For sure, OU needs to get its ground game going with Kennedy Brooks. The same goes for Breece Hall with the Cyclones. Iowa State has been one of the biggest disappointments in the nation — the Cyclones opened the season No. 5 — and a victory over OU would at least add a modicum of satisfaction to 2021. This is one of the most lopsided “rivalries” in all of sports: This will be the 87^th meeting and Oklahoma leads the series 77-7-2. But Iowa State has won two of the past five.

5. SMU (8-2) at Cincinnati (10-0)

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: Cincinnati’s spot in this week’s CFP rankings again will be a big storyline, but the Bearcats would smart to focus all their attention on the Mustangs. SMU has the best passing offense in the AAC, and this will be the best passing attack that Cincinnati has seen. CBs Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant have played at high level and are a big reason Bearcats opponents have completed just 52.4 percent of their passes; that’s the lowest figure nationally. Cincinnati has surrendered six TD passes, the second-lowest figure nationally. Cincy needs to find a way to pressure SMU QB Tanner Mordecai, who has been sacked just 11 times. Cincy’s offense is solid, nothing more, but SMU’s defense is not good. If Bearcats RB Jerome Ford is back (he missed last week’s win over USF with an ankle injury), he could have a huge outing.

4. Wake Forest (9-1) at Clemson (7-3)

Time/TV: Noon, ESPN
The buzz: As disappointing as this season has been for Clemson, the Tigers still have a shot at tying for the ACC Atlantic Division title. Granted, it’s a long shot (Wake has to lose to Clemson and to Boston College in its regular-season finale), but the opportunity is there. The Demon Deacons, meanwhile, clinch the division outright with a victory. Wake is coming off an impressive 45-42 win over NC State; NCSU hadn’t allowed more than 31 points all season and had allowed more than 24 just twice. Clemson’s defense is better than the Wolfpack’s, but at some point, Clemson’s offense is going to have to do some heavy lifting. Wake’s defense isn’t much, so is this the game? Clemson’s secondary struggled against Pitt’s passing attack, and in QB Sam Hartman and WRs A.T. Perry and Jaquarri Roberson, Wake certainly has a potent group. Wake had trouble with NCSU’s pass rush, and Clemson certainly knows how to apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

3. Arkansas (7-3) at Alabama (9-1)

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m., CBS
The buzz: The Crimson Tide clinches the SEC West title and a berth in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia with a win. Arkansas has won three in a row — the streak has come on the heels of a three-game losing skid — and needs a big game from QB K.J. Jefferson if it is to spoil the Tide’s party. Hogs WR Treylon Burks will pose issues for the Tide secondary. The flipside: Alabama WR Jameson Williams should have a productive day against Arkansas’ secondary, which had issues with the passing attacks of Auburn, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Tide RB Brian Robinson has struggled in the past three games against SEC opponents; he rushed for six touchdowns but averaged just 3.4 yards per carry against Mississippi State, Tennessee and LSU. It would behoove the Tide to get him back on track.

2. Oregon (9-1) at Utah (7-3)

Time/TV: 7:30 p.m., ABC
The buzz: Both teams can clinch their respective divisions in the Pac-12 with a win; as it is, both are in good shape and should meet in the league title game regardless. As with Oklahoma State, both prefer to rely on their rushing attacks and defense. Oregon’s Anthony Brown has rushed for 551 yards and eight TDs and is a more-than-able complement to Travis Dye, who is second in the Pac-12 with 908 rushing yards. True freshman Byron Cardwell has emerged in the past three weeks as a solid backup for Dye. The passing attack is pedestrian, with Dye the leading receiver. Ten Ducks have TD receptions, but no one has more than two. Cincinnati transfer Tavion Thomas has become Utah’s feature back and has three 100-yard games in his past five outings. Utah’s passing attack isn’t much, either, though TEs Brant Kuithe and Dalton Kincaid have a combined 10 TD receptions. Two of the best defenders in the nation will be on view in Oregon edge Kayvon Thibodeaux (six sacks, 10 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles) and Utah LB Devin Lloyd (seven sacks, 19 TFL, three picks, six pass breakups). And keep an eye on the linebacker-playing Sewell brothers: older brother Nephi for Utah and Noah for Oregon.

1. Michigan State (9-1) at Ohio State (9-1)

Time/TV: Noon, ABC
The buzz: This is the start of a monster two-game stretch for the Buckeyes and a slightly-less-monstrous stretch for the Spartans; the Buckeyes, of course, close with Michigan on the road, while the Spartans close with Penn State at home. Michigan State’s secondary — specifically the corners — are going to have big-time issues with Ohio State’s deep group of receivers; expect Ryan Day to have C.J. Stroud take some deep shots early, in the middle of the game and late. Michigan State’s run defense has held up this season, but given that the Spartans’ safeties will have their hands full, the Buckeyes’ TreVeyon Henderson could have some room to run. Conversely, if Michigan State is to win, it’s imperative that star RB Kenneth Walker III, the nation’s leading rusher at 147.3 yards per game, comes up big. He had a huge outing against Michigan, and the Wolverines’ defense is better than the Buckeyes’. It would help the cause if WR Jailen Nailor, who has missed MSU’s past two games with a hand injury, can play. He and Jayden Reed form a dangerous duo. As Ohio State’s offense has shown, it’s a lot harder to deal with multiple big-play threats in the passing game than just one.