One last shot
For 12 weeks, the Lawrence Journal-World staff has tried to predict what’s coming on each college football Saturday. Some staffers have proven far more adept than others.
With Kansas closing the season at rival Kansas State today, we’ll give it one more shot, and try to peer into the future to pick this season’s college football national champion.
WEEK 13 MATCHUPS
Kansas at Kansas State
West Virginia at Iowa State
Baylor vs. Texas Tech (at Arlington, Texas)
Notre Dame at USC
Mississippi State at Ole Miss
Auburn at Alabama
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Early prediction time: Who is going to win the first College Football Playoff?
Overall: 56-16 Last week: 5-1
Kansas State 49, Kansas 10
West Virginia 42, Iowa State 14
Baylor 56, Texas Tech 17
USC 34, Notre Dame 31
Mississippi State 28, Ole Miss 14
Alabama 17, Auburn 14
Answer: It’s hard to pick against Nick Saban and Alabama, so I’ll go with the Crimson Tide.
Overall: 54-18 Last week: 4-2
Kansas State 28, Kansas 27
West Virginia 33, Iowa State 20
Baylor 66, Texas Tech 21
USC 35, Notre Dame 24
Mississippi State 24, Ole Miss 21
Alabama 27, Auburn 17
Answer: Mississippi State
Overall: 50-22 Last week: 3-3
Kansas State 77, Kansas 35
West Virginia 3, Iowa State 2, 4OT
Baylor 777, Texas Tech 35
Notre Dame 14, USC 13, 5OT
Miss. State 72, Ole Miss 70, 10OT
‘Bama 52, Auburn 45
Answer: Why, the undisputed, unquestioned, honest-to-goodness best team in all of college football, of course. Or ‘Bama.
Overall: 49-23 Last week: 3-3
Kansas State 38, Kansas 21
West Virginia 21, Iowa State 20
Baylor 64, Texas Tech 31
Notre Dame 28, USC 21
Mississippi State 31, Ole Miss 14
Alabama 37, Auburn 27
Answer: Mississippi State
Overall: 48-24 Last week: 3-3
Kansas State 34, Kansas 14
West Virginia 28, Iowa State 24
Baylor 48, Texas Tech 28
Notre Dame 21, USC 20
Mississippi State 31, Ole Miss 28
Alabama 35, Auburn 10
Answer: Alabama
Overall: 48-24 Last week: 4-2
Kansas State 31, Kansas 21
West Virginia 45, Iowa State 38
Baylor 70, Texas Tech 45
USC 27, Notre Dame 24
Mississippi State 29, Ole Miss 24
Alabama 45, Auburn 30
Answer: It seems like Oregon has always been in the running for a championship game the past few years but always tripped up along the way to miss that chance. (Or got there and lost to Auburn.) I think the Ducks finally break through in the College Football Playoff.
Overall: 48-24 Last week: 4-2
Kansas State 27, Kansas 17
West Virginia 33, Iowa State 20
Baylor 60, Texas Tech 30
USC 35, Notre Dame 34
Mississippi State 27, Ole Miss 24
Alabama 23, Auburn 14
Answer: Alabama
Overall: 47-25 Last week: 4-2
Kansas State 34, Kansas 20
West Virginia 28, Iowa State 27
Baylor 50, Texas Tech 24
Notre Dame 30, USC 27
Mississippi State 28, Ole Miss 20
Alabama 35, Auburn 23
Answer: Quack. Quack… Go Ducks!!! Florida State’s due to lose. They’re living on the edge and their luck can’t hold out all the way to the end. Alabama’s time has passed and Mississippi State might not even survive this weekend. I like the Ducks’ remaining schedule and that Marcus Mariota-led offense.
Overall: 47-25 Last week: 3-3
Kansas State 34, Kansas 27
West Virginia 38, Iowa State 17
Baylor 56, Texas Tech 17
USC 28, Notre Dame 21
Mississippi State 24, Ole Miss 17
Alabama 35, Auburn 21
Answer: Alabama
Overall: 45-27 Last week: 2-4
Kansas State 45, Kansas 10
West Virginia 31, Iowa State 20
Baylor 44, Texas Tech 31
USC 23, Notre Dame 21
Mississippi State 35, Ole Miss 23
Alabama 24, Auburn 21
Answer: ‘Bama