Biscuits & SEC Championship Week game-by-game previews 2024
I can’t believe it’s December and we’ve reached Championship Weekend, but here we are. The season flys by every year. Thankfully we’ve still got plenty of games to keep us occupied and bowl season and the playoff still ahead. Strap in.
Here’s how the crew fared in Week 14:
We’ll pick all the way through the national championship game, so this isn’t done yet and there’s plenty of time left for Hammer or Bossman to make a move in the ATS column. The straight up column is also up for grabs if Waco Kid can grab a few games but his chances are slim.
Let’s dive into the Championship Week previews.
Bossman: I’m fascinated by this game. Former SEC stalwart Barry Odom has led the UNLV Rebels to a 10-2 record after some early season issues with some NIL problems with his starting QB. It’s impressive where he’s gotten this team in just two seasons, after UNLV was 5-7 the year before he got to the desert. Boise State is also no joke this year, with their sole loss coming at the hands of #1 Oregon, who beat them in the second game of the year by just three points. We get to see the top two offenses and defenses in the Mountain West go head to head. UNLV gives up just 100 yards a game on the ground, while Ashton Jeanty is averaging 190 yards rushing per game, which is truly Heisman worthy. You know the old saying, “something’s gotta give…” I think it’s UNLV’s defense that gives here, but it’s going to be close. I’ll take Boise to win and cover.
#10 Boise State 38
#20 UNLV 35
Hammer: Boise State won the first matchup of these two teams back in October 29-24. In that game Ashton Jeanty had 128 yards and one TD on 33 carries, which is statistically one of his worst games of the year. The UNLV run defense is no joke and should make this another close, hard fought matchup. That game was in Las Vegas though, and this one is in Boise on the smurf turf. That is why I lean Boise in this game. If the Broncos win, they will not only get into the CFP but likely would have a bye based on the current rankings. With so much on the line, I expect the Broncos to come out ready to play, the crowd to be charged up and Ashton Jeanty to put on a show in prime time. I think UNLV can cover the spread, but I like Boise to sneak out with a win and seal thier spot in the CFP.
#10 Boise State 31
#20 UNLV 28
Waco Kid:
#10 Boise State 34
#20 UNLV 20
Bossman: I’ve got a little heartburn on this one. Arizona State is one of the hottest teams in the country, and Kenny Dillingham is coaching his tail off in Tempe. It looks like he has the Sun Devils set up for sustained success, and I doubt he’s going anywhere as ASU is his alma mater and dream job. My heartburn comes from the fact that Matt Campbell is an established coach and that ISU boasts the top scoring defense in the conference, giving up under 20 points a game. Arizona State has the fifth best scoring offense in the Big 12, but has three wins by double digits in their last five games. Iowa State can score the football too, coming in at sixth in the Big 12. By the stats, I’d give the edge to the Cyclones…but my gut is telling me it’s the Sun Devils time. They’re the hot team right now and peaking at the right time. Give me ASU in a pick’em.
#15 Arizona State 28
#16 Iowa State 24
Hammer: The Big 12 has been wild all year, so I expect this game to be wild as well. Iowa State has not won a conference title since 1912 so they Cyclones will be chomping at the bit to get the win. Arizona State is starved for relevance in their own right, and they were picked dead last in the conference preseason. Both teams have something to prove, and both teams need this win to make the CFP. Iowa State is led by QB Rocco Becht, who has thrown for over 3,000 yards and has 20 TDs and 8 picks. He will need to have a good game here for the Cyclones to win. On the other side of the ball, Iowa State has a solid defense, but they allow over 170 yards rushing per game and are 14th in the Big 12 in stopping the run. In steps Sun Devil running back Cam Skattebo who averages 127 yards rushing per game. I like what Kenny Dillingham has cooking in Tempe, and I expect Skattebo to have a big game here. Give me the Sun Devils.
#15 Arizona State 35
#16 Iowa State 34
Waco Kid:
#16 Iowa State 21
#15 Arizona State 10
Bossman: This one is simple to me. When was the last time James Franklin won a big game? Not to pile on the guy, but it’s hard to pick Franklin in a big game. And if we’re talking tacticians, I’ll take Dan Lanning against Franklin any day of the week. Plus, in games like this, it often comes down to QB play. Who do you trust more, Dillon Gabriel or Drew Allar? I’ll take Gabriel too. Give me the Ducks.
#1 Oregon 30
#3 Penn State 23
Hammer: I’m super excited for this one. Even though James Franklin and Penn State are famous for never winning big games, and their very presence in this game was gifted to them by Ohio State getting upset by Michigan, Penn State will play well. Their defense is legit and should be able to limit a potent Dillon Gabriel and Duck’s offense. MY question here is can Penn State’s offense move the ball? Drew Allar has yet to produce much in a big game. The Nittany Lion offense is seemingly always the side of the ball that lets them in games of this magnitude. I expect that to happen again. I think this is a hard fought, physical Big Ten game but Oregon just has more weapons and a better QB. Oh, and they have a better coach. I’ll take the Ducks to win a tight one.
#1 Oregon 27
#3 Penn State 23
Waco Kid:
#1 Oregon 45
#3 Penn State 21
Bossman: Fascinating game here. New ACC blood vs. the King of the Conference. Clemson has won 21 ACC titles and won six straight from 2015-2020. SMU is back from the “death penalty” and finally back in the national spotlight. Rhett Lashlee has done a heck of a job in Dallas and he wants to show that the champion of the “Atlantic Coast Conference” belongs in…Texas. You might be surprised to know that SMU boasts the second-best defense in the conference while Clemson ranks sixth. That strong SMU defense will be going up against a Clemson offense that puts up 456 yards a game and ranks just behind Miami in terms of production in the ACC. I really like what Rhett Lashlee has going on with the Pony’s, but Clemson has been there before and I’ll take the established name/brand in this one, though I may regret it. I’m sayin’ Yabo Dabo Doo, gimme the Tigers in Charlotte.
#17 Clemson 34
#9 SMU 31
Hammer: This game is massive, and not just for the CFP. If Clemson wins they will vault into the CFP standings and likely steal Alabama’s spot. No need to hash out CFP scenarios here, but I can’t see the committee penalizing SMU for playing in their conference title game while Alabama is sitting at home. Perhaps more importantly though, I see this game as a referendum on the Clemson program. Much has been made of Dabo and Clemson and how that program is running in the transfer portal and NIL era. Now, Clemson, despite losing three regular season games, has a chance to keep its ACC superiority. A chance to make the CFP and try to make a title run. And their opponent is little ole SMU, a newcomer to the conference that Clemson has dominated for the last decade. If Clemson loses here, their grip on the ACC is officially over. You can’t lose three games in the regular season and then lose to SMU in a conference title game and still be considered the class of the conference. In terms of the matchup, Clemson will need to win with guts and execution because SMU is better on paper. However, SMU has not played many teams the caliber of Clemson. The Ponies defense is stout and should give Clemson some trouble, so Cade Klubnik will be key here. It’s his time to rise up and lead Clemson to a big postseason win. Kevin Jennings, meanwhile, has been great since taking over as the starter earlier in the year. Clemson will need to play one of their best games of the year to pull this one out, and I’m betting they do just that. Dabo and Clemson ain’t dead yet. Give me the team that has been there before, and has everything to lose.
#17 Clemson 24
#9 SMU 21
Waco Kid:
#17 Clemson 31
#9 SMU 17
Bossman: The game of the weekend, because of course it is. It’s the SEC ‘ship! A clash of titans, we get a rematch between the Dawgs and Horns. Can Georgia take down Texas twice in one season? We’ll see. I don’t think this game looks like their meeting earlier in the season, I think it’s much closer. This Texas defense is playing out of their minds right now. In their five games since that Georgia loss, the Horns are giving up an average of 11.6 points per game, and against Texas A&M, they didn’t allow a single offensive point. They’ve also forced 12 turnovers in those five games. Carson Beck has been turnover-prone, but he’s cleaned that up over the last few weeks and is playing his best football of the season. Georgia’s defense has been vulnerable at times this year, but I’m not so impressed with the Texas offense. This team is loaded with offensive talent and weapons, but they’re still not firing on all cylinders. This late in the year, that worries me. I expect a great game in Atlanta, but I’ll take the Dawgs to come out on top by a hair. See y’all in the playoffs.
#5 Georgia 33
#2 Texas 28
Hammer: Whoa nelly. The rematch. Georgia is the only team to beat Texas this year, and they beat their ass. The Longhorns will be gunning for revenge in Atlanta. I don’t expect Georgia to dominate Texas as much physically as they did back in October. Texas seemed shell shocked in that game and they will be ready now. They know what to expect. Sark is a great offensive mind so their plan will be sound, and it might include some Arch Manning specific packages. Manning could be big in this game because Georgia won’t let a team just run the ball on them straight up. Quintrevion Wiser has been running the ball very well, but it’s so hard to run against Georgia. Texas has to be able to push the ball downfield, otherwise the Dawgs will suffocate that offense again. That’s why this game comes down to QB play in my mind. Quinn Ewers has struggled to push the ball downfield and he’s been turnover prone. He has to play well. Carson Beck seems to have fixed his turnover issues, going without a turnover the last four games. If Beck takes care of the ball, the Dawgs have a chance. Ultimately, I will not go against Kirby as an underdog. This game is a coin flip but I’ll take the Dawgs as the team that’s been there and has more on the line.
#5 Georgia 27
#2 Texas 24
Waco Kid:
#5 Georgia 42
#2 Texas 24
