For the lazy ones...

• Georgia did what it does—put Tennessee to bed and go hunting for trophies—while Oregon and Texas escaped with ugly road wins and Colorado positioned itself as a legit playoff contender.

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A note from the editor: This is gonna be a quick one this week folks. Your boy’s a bit concussed after bonking his head diving into a base—first base, no less—in a beer league softball game. Did we win? Hell no. Vandelay Industries lost a 12-9 barn-burner to Ballsagna. Was it worth it?? Probably not. Got called out anyway and the wife’s mad that I still bring it like a god damn dawg out there. Anyway, what was I saying? ::pisses pants::

Burt's Rapid-Fire Takeaways (RFTs) from Week 12

Georgia's offense gets its act together in crucial, season-saving win.

The Bulldogs erased an early 10-0 deficit and pulled away late against a dangerous Tennessee squad in Athens on Saturday night, bagging another signature win and very much keeping themselves in the playoff hunt. Carson Beck haters, where ya at?? The Georgia quarterback—rightly criticized following a string of loose performances in the middle of the season—stood in against a vicious Tennessee pass rush to throw for 352 yards and two touchdowns—and most importantly for Georgia fans, zero interceptions. For Tennessee, their second loss of the season doesn’t knock them out of playoff contention, but they’ll need to avoid the Vandy landmine next week, and may need some help from teams around them, to lock up a spot in the field.

Oregon survives duck season in ‘Sconsin.

The number one-ranked Ducks got a taste of life with a target on their backs on Saturday night, juuust escaping Madison with a tight, sloppy 16-13 win to remain one of the three remaining undefeateds in Division One (alongside Army and Indiana). Dan Lanning’s guys are now locked into a Big Ten championship game berth (which they’d probably rather skip…), but must face arch rival Washington first. An interesting note and something Badger Bill wrote about earlier this season: teams traveling across multiple time zones have really struggled in year one of the expanded Big Ten (as have Cal and Stanford in the rough-and-tumble ACC…take that Pac 2!!). Certainly something to monitor in this ever-evolving landscape.

Texas wins ugly ::hog noises give way to distant squealing::, remains in hunt.

The Pigs succeeded in pulling Texas down into the slop in Fayetteville last week, but the ‘Horns did what Tennessee was unable to do and escaped Arkansas with an ugly win. They’ll get Kentucky at home this week before traveling to College Station for a gigantic showdown—and likely playoff play-in game—against the rival Aggies over Thanksgiving weekend.

Colorado slays the Utah dragon, sets sites on Big 12 crown.

Alright, time to give Deion his flowers ::throws up in mouth::. We said this in the preseason when we listed Colorado as a team “knocking at the door” of playoff contention: “Do not belong here and are not playoff contenders, but let’s get those Gen Z clicks baby!” Well, it’s week 13 and the Buffs are very much in playoff contention. Those Gen Z clicks?? They never came! Do you have a 20 year-old cousin with a mullet, early 90s blades and a random collection of Colorado gear? Tell 'em we're covering their favorite team! Kids love to read right?! (More below on the Buffs, who have a huge showdown with my Kansas Jayhawks this weekend.)

Week 13’s Bodacious Bouts

Indiana at Ohio State

Noon ET, FOX, Ohio State -10.5

By Badger Bill

This is as Big Ten as it gets. A late November, high noon kick in 40-degree temps, draped by an overcast sky so gray you aren’t sure you’ll ever feel the sun’s glow again. A pair of top five teams set to battle for their spot in Indy and a playoff berth. This is what The Game is all about… except… it’s not that game at all.

Bah God, is that Bobby Knight’s music?!

For the first time ever, an Indiana Hoosier football team will record a 10-win season. That might be a shock to everyone other than their swaggerin’, shit talkin’ new head coach Curt Cignetti. As he famously said at his introductory press conference, “I win. Google me.” Boy, has he. But how they’ve done it must be a pleasant surprise, even if he’d never admit it. Undefeated, and ranked third in the nation by margin of victory, this group is out to prove they ain’t your daddy’s Hoosiers. Or granddad's. Or great-granddad's.

Number one in margin of victory? That'd be the Ohio State Buckeyes, winners of 28 straight against Indiana. The Hoosiers haven’t topped the Buckeyes since back-to-back victories in the late 80s. Those two account for their entire win total since President Eisenhower was only General Eisenhower. Yikes, Ike...Indiana might be reshaping the narrative, but if they want to push this heroic campaign to the next fight, they’ll need to alter their DNA. Pounding Hoosiers runs in the Buckeye blood. Cignetti might build winners wherever he goes, but winning at Ohio State is genetic.

The victor Saturday gets Oregon for a Big Ten Championship, and all but secures their place in the CFP. The loser faces an uphill battle to sneak their way in. Even at 11-1, Indiana might not have a win over a team with a winning record. That won’t stack up well against the SEC’s top 6. This is a one game season now. Time to storm that beach and risk it all. Might just find themselves in the history books. It's D-day, baby...

Badger Bill’s Pick: It’s been a fairytale run for the Hoosiers, but this movie doesn't have a happy ending. Jimmy Chitwood never makes it to the fieldhouse. South Bend Central takes the title. Buckeyes 31-17.

#16 Colorado at Kansas

3:30pm ET, FOX, Colorado -2.5

By BurtReynolds69

Big week for FOX here as their investments in college football finally have them dominating the TTM slate, a fact we’re sure will be discussed by Rupert Murdoch and his dysfunctional children as they prepare to hunt human beings in the wilderness of the family estate this weekend.

Deion and the Buffaloes—which sounds like an ill-fated Motown outfit—head to Arrowhead on Saturday (KU’s on-campus stadium is being renovated) to reprise an old Big 8/Big 12, well, not quite rivalry, but certainly annual matchup. My dad took me to a CU/KU game while we were living in Kansas, and I think Colorado ran for 500 yards…Shoutout Bobby Purifoy and Chris Brown!! ::crickets::

But this ain’t that KU program. Lance Leipold’s Jayhawks have grit—see their back-to-back upsets of Iowa State and previously-undefeated BYU—and the folks out in Lawrence, who are a phenomenal college fanbase that also knows their way to Arrowhead Stadium, will be out in droves to try to spur their ‘Hawks to a trophy win for their program. Can Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels continue his second-half resurgence? He'll have to be locked in on Saturday because Colorado’s defense is vastly improved from last season, particularly up front.

On the Colorado side, quarterback Shedeur Sanders has shown a tremendous amount of toughness in growing into perhaps the best signal-caller in the country behind a still-leaky offensive line. His arsenal of playmakers is well known: two-way star Travis Hunter and wide receivers LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn—who’s questionable with a lower-body injury—give Sanders plenty of weapons to excel in a shootout scenario. But it has to be said that Kansas boasts one of the better corner duos in the country. What if a stout Kansas rushing attack—the 'Hawks average nearly 200 yards per game on the ground—has success running straight at an athletic Colorado front, and the Jayhawks take an early lead and begin to control the clock? For us, that’s likely KU’s best path to an upset. The Jayhawks can bop in a shootout, but that’s also where Sanders and the Buffs feel most comfortable. If I'm Leipold, I'm trying to avoid it.

BurtReynolds69’s pick: Kansas is a well-coached bunch who ran into a ton of bad luck early this season. The Jayhawks ride a big crowd at Arrowhead to upset a talented Buffs team in an instant classic. Kansas 34-31.

Boxslayer's Weekly Jackpot

Skettebo comes back off the IR...but Arizona State zags and torches K-State for three touchdowns through the air. Been that kind of season for the Boxslayer, unfortunately. If you’ve been smaht and faded the Box to this point, kudos to you. This week, get the hell on board and ride with his 10-unit LOCK OF THE SEASON!

Boxslayer’s 10-unit LOCK OF THE SEASON

Ole Miss -12.5 – Yes, the Gators bagged a huge win at home last week against LSU. Here's the thing: LSU sucks, and those good vibes in Gainesville will be short-lived because the 'SIP is coming to town and they're looking to score some points—both on the field and with the playoff committee. Fun facts to support this stone-cold lock: All of Ole Miss’s wins this season have come by 12 or more points (including against Georgia...), while all of Florida’s losses have come by more than 14. Box likes Jaxson Dart to throw for four touchdowns and the Rebs D to give DJ Lagway the ‘bizness all game long. Back Ole Miss at -12.5.

Boxslayer’s Trademark 5-game, 1-unit parlay:

Army +14 – Army scores way too many points and has a solid enough defense to keep the Black Knights in this one 'til the end.

Ohio State -10.5 – Indiana’s Cinderella season comes crashing down the second they walk into the Horseshoe and—finally—play a good football team. OSU makes a statement here. Give me the Buckeyes.

SMU -9.5 – I don’t think the Cavaliers have enough firepower to match SMU’s high-flying offense. Look for the ‘Stangs to win big.

Colorado -3 – Kansas has stuck it to the Box all season long. This is the week I get my revenge on my grandmother’s alma mater. Love you Norma, but give me the Buffs in a beatdown in KC (alert!! Head-to-head play versus Burt here).

Alabama -13.5 – The Tide are rolling right now and I don’t see how a banged-up Oklahoma squad can keep up. Look for Alabama to come out hot (sexy bonus play—take 'Bama to cover whatever the first half spread is, too).

Badger Bill’s Weekly Lock

Badger Bill might be cold as ice, but no one is hotter than Bret Bielema in those monochrome tracksuits. Back the Illini at +1.5

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