SEC ROOTING GUIDE

In which we tell you which teams you should root against in the upcoming week.

Outside of games involving SEC teams, there aren’t many major College Football Playoff contenders with difficult games. (Do you think Brady Hoke is going to take down Ohio State in what should be his last regular-season game at Michigan?) But there are at least a few upsets feasible enough to root for, and a couple of other matchups that could set up well for the SEC for conference championship weekend.

TCU at Texas: Granted, it’s come against the weak sisters of the Big 12, but the Longhorns have won four of their last five games. The Charlie Strong defense and discipline are taking root. Will this be the game that the Strong regime starts putting the Mack Brown era out of the rearview mirror and Texas back at the top of the state? It’s always tough to win these weekday games on the road. Surely a Mississippi State win at Ole Miss would be more impressive, but TCU has a compelling case for College Football Playoff inclusion. A loss reduces the pool of serious contenders from seven to six.

Stanford at UCLA: Arizona beat Oregon earlier this season — in Eugene. Arizona State hasn’t gotten an opportunity against the Ducks. Oregon clobbered UCLA in Los Angeles. The best shot at an Oregon loss before the College Football Playoff is against the Pac-12 South champion, as it’s been since the Ducks exacted revenge against Stanford. So the SEC would rather one of the Arizona schools get that shot. Plus, outside of the seven teams in the playoff discussion the last several weeks, a two-loss Bruins team is the one program that could bully its way into the conversation as a Pac-12 champion.

Minnesota at Wisconsin: A Wisconsin win gives Ohio State a marginally more respected opponent in the Big Ten championship game, whereas a Minnesota win helps prop up the regular-season resume for the Horned Frogs and Buckeyes. From an SEC perspective, there are pros and cons to each side. But as much as I respect Dilly Bar Dan, I think rooting for the Badgers is the way to go. LSU beat Wisconsin, a Minnesota loss hurts TCU and the Badgers may be able to knock out Ohio State.

Oregon at Oregon State: The Ducks are just 19.5-point favorites in Corvallis, Ore., this weekend. Everyone assumes that Oregon can coast into the Pac-12 championship game, but Mike Riley is a cagey coach, and the Beavers did take down Arizona State two weeks ago. And doesn’t Oregon always surprise us with a big, welcomed let-down every time we pencil them into the national title? A Ducks loss here is a huge boon for Mississippi State.