8C

Friday, November 20, 2015

SportsDayDFW.com

The Dallas Morning News

College Football Playoff Watch

Bill Nichols
SATURDAYS NOTABLE GAMES

Injured QBs could affect Big 12s CFP outcome

Entering Week 12, the injured quarterback looms large on the playoff landscape, particularly in the Big 12.
Baylors hopes rest in the hands of
freshman Jarrett Stidham, who suffered a back injury in last weeks loss to
Oklahoma. Stidham is expected to play
in Saturdays top-10 matchup against

undefeated Oklahoma State, but his recovery has been slower than coach Art
Briles had hoped.
Can Stidham get his team back in the
mix by orchestrating victories over the
Cowboys and TCU?
The Frogs have only one loss despite
a rash of injuries but have received con-

secutive CFP slaps to the face. They

dropped seven spots to 15 after losing to
undefeated Oklahoma State on the road
and then fell three spots after beating
lowly Kansas with quarterback Trevone
Boykin sidelined most of the game with
an ankle injury.
Worth noting: Stanford sat at No. 11,

three back of TCU, two weeks ago. The

Cardinal improved to No. 7 after beating Colorado (4-7) and then fell only
four spots after losing to then unranked
Oregon at home. With two losses, Stanford is ranked seven spots ahead of the
Frogs, whose only blemish is to current
No. 6 OSU.

No. 18 TCU
(line: off) at
No. 7 Oklahoma

Ohio State proved last year that the

injured QB does not necessarily mean
the season is over. Cardale Jones, No. 3
on the preseason depth chart, led the
Buckeyes dramatic late push to reach
the final four and win the national title.
Twitter: @BillNicholsDMN

No. 10 Baylor at No. 6 Oklahoma State (+1)

6:30 p.m. (Ch. 4): The Cowboys carry the Big 12 banner as the only
undefeated team. Win out and they should be in the playoff. But that
may be their only chance without a conference title game. Last week
they overcame a 17-point deficit to avoid Iowa States upset bid. When
the teams last met in Stillwater in 2013, Baylor was undefeated with its
eyes on the BCS prize, but lost 49-17. Coming off a loss to Oklahoma,
the Bears must win to stay in the mix. Oklahoma State 41, Baylor 37.

7:07 p.m. (Ch. 8): The

Sooners have transformed into a playoff
contender since losing
to Texas. In pursuit of
their first Big 12 title
since 2012, they have
won five straight, including 44-34 over
Baylor last week. The
Frogs (9-1) have managed not to panic
despite widespread
injuries. If QB Trevone
Boykin (ankle) cant go,
redshirt freshman
Foster Sawyer will
start, coach Gary Patterson said.
Oklahoma 41, TCU 27.

No. 9 Michigan State (+1312) at No. 3 Ohio State

2:30 p.m. (Ch. 8): The Buckeyes have been far from perfect, but lack of
style points has not affected their record. J.T. Barrett is back for his
second game at quarterback after a one-game suspension, and Ezekiel Elliott has rushed for 100-plus yards in 15 straight games. Spartans
quarterback Connor Cook injured his shoulder last week against Maryland. But Cook, who has 21 touchdown passes and only four interceptions, said hes ready. Ohio State 27, Michigan State 24.

No. 15 LSU (+512) at No. 22 Ole Miss

Ron Jenkins/The Associated Press

Redshirt freshman Foster Sawyer (12) will start at quarterback for TCU against Oklahoma if Trevon Boykin (ankle) isnt ready to go.

2:30 p.m. (Ch. 11): Both teams are coming off losses to Arkansas, but
unlike the Razorbacks, the Tigers and Rebels are ranked. Ole Miss
(7-3) had a week off to recover from its 53-52 overtime loss. Quarterback Chad Kelly leads the SEC with 3,224 passing yards. The Tigers
(7-2) prefer to run, and who wouldnt with Leonard Fournette in the
backfield? Fournette, though, managed just 31 yards against Alabama
and 91 against Arkansas. Ole Miss 32, LSU 24.

Line through Tuesday. LAST WEEK: 3-1 straight, 2-2 vs. line. SEASON: 24-12 straight, 22-13-1 vs. line.

College
picks

TCU (Off) at Oklahoma

Baylor (Pk) at Oklahoma State
Tulane (+3) at SMU
North Texas (+2412) at Middle Tennessee
Texas A&M at Vanderbilt (+612)
Houston (Off) at Connecticut
Charleston Southern (Off) at Alabama
LSU (+4) at Ole Miss
FAU (+3112) at Florida
Mississippi State (+312) at Arkansas
Tennessee at Missouri (+8)
Iowa State (+512) at Kansas State
West Virginia at Kansas (+2812)
Wake Forest (+30) at Clemson
Michigan State (+1312) at Ohio State
Boston College (+1612) vs. Notre Dame
Purdue (+21) at Iowa
Michigan at Penn State (+312)
California (+1012) at Stanford
UCLA (+1) at Utah
Last week vs. line
Season vs. line
Last week straight
Season straight

CHUCK
CARLTON

CORBY
DAVIDSON

KATE
HAIROPOULOS

TOMMY
MAGELSSEN

BILL
NICHOLS

RIC
RENNER

NEWY
SCRUGGS

KEVIN
SHERRINGTON

BRETT
VITO

Colleges

The Ticket

Colleges

SportsDayDFW.com

Colleges

FSSW

Ch. 5

Columnist

Denton RecordChronicle

Straight
vs. Line
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Okla. St.
Okla. St.
SMU
SMU
N. Texas
Middle Tenn.
Vanderbilt
Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
LSU
LSU
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Missouri
Tennessee
Iowa St.
Kansas St.
W. Virginia
W. Virginia
Clemson
Clemson
Ohio St.
Ohio St.
Notre Dame Notre Dame
Iowa
Iowa
Penn St.
Penn St.
California
Stanford
Utah
Utah
8-12 (.400)
121-101-4 (.545)
16-4 (.800)
168-58 (.743)

vs. Line
Straight
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Baylor
Baylor
SMU
SMU
Middle Tenn. Middle Tenn.
Vanderbilt
Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
Ole Miss
Ole Miss
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Tennessee
Tennessee
Iowa St.
Iowa St.
Kansas
W. Virginia
Clemson
Clemson
Mich. St.
Ohio St.
Boston Coll. Notre Dame
Iowa
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan
Stanford
Stanford
Utah
Utah
10-10 (.500)
112-110-4 (.505)
15-5 (.750)
171-55 (.757)

vs. Line
Straight
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Baylor
Baylor
SMU
SMU
Middle Tenn. Middle Tenn.
Vanderbilt
Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
LSU
LSU
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Missouri
Missouri
Kansas St.
Kansas St.
W. Virginia
W. Virginia
Clemson
Clemson
Mich. St.
Mich. St.
Notre Dame Notre Dame
Purdue
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan
Stanford
Stanford
Utah
Utah
9-11 (.450)
114-108-4 (.514)
14-6 (.700)
169-57 (.748)

vs. Line
Straight
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Baylor
Baylor
SMU
SMU
Middle Tenn. Middle Tenn.
Texas A&M Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
Ole Miss
Ole Miss
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Missouri
Tennessee
Iowa St.
Kansas St.
W. Virginia
W. Virginia
Clemson
Clemson
Mich. St.
Ohio St.
Boston Coll. Notre Dame
Purdue
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan
California
Stanford
Utah
Utah
11-9 (.550)
102-120-4 (.459)
15-5 (.750)
169-57 (.748)

vs. Line
Straight
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Okla. St.
Okla. St.
SMU
SMU
N. Texas
Middle Tenn.
Texas A&M Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
Ole Miss
Ole Miss
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Missouri
Tennessee
Kansas St.
Kansas St.
W. Virginia
W. Virginia
Clemson
Clemson
Mich. St.
Ohio St.
Notre Dame Notre Dame
Iowa
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan
Stanford
Stanford
Utah
Utah
8-12 (.400)
112-110-4 (.505)
13-7 (.650)
163-63 (.721)

vs. Line
Straight
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Okla. St.
Okla. St.
Tulane
Tulane
N. Texas
Middle Tenn.
Texas A&M Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
LSU
LSU
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Missouri
Tennessee
Kansas St.
Kansas St.
Kansas
W. Virginia
Wake Forest Clemson
Ohio St.
Ohio St.
Boston Coll. Notre Dame
Iowa
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan
Stanford
Stanford
Utah
Utah
9-11 (.450)
101-121-4 (.455)
15-5 (.750)
167-59 (.739)

vs. Line
Straight
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Okla. St.
Okla. St.
SMU
SMU
Middle Tenn. Middle Tenn.
Vanderbilt
Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
LSU
Ole Miss
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Missouri
Tennessee
Kansas St.
Kansas St.
Kansas
W. Virginia
Clemson
Clemson
Mich. St.
Ohio St.
Notre Dame Notre Dame
Iowa
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan
Stanford
Stanford
Utah
Utah
11-9 (.550)
114-108-4 (.514)
16-4 (.800)
178-48 (.788)

vs. Line
Straight
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Okla. St.
Okla. St.
SMU
SMU
Middle Tenn. Middle Tenn.
Vanderbilt
Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
LSU
LSU
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Tennessee
Tennessee
Iowa St.
Kansas St.
W. Virginia
W. Virginia
Clemson
Clemson
Mich. St.
Ohio St.
Notre Dame Notre Dame
Iowa
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan
Stanford
Stanford
Utah
Utah
9-11 (.450)
106-116-4 (.477)
15-5 (.750)
172-54 (.761)

vs. Line
Straight
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Okla. St.
Okla. St.
SMU
SMU
N. Texas
Middle Tenn.
Texas A&M Texas A&M
Houston
Houston
Alabama
Alabama
Ole Miss
Ole Miss
Florida
Florida
Arkansas
Arkansas
Tennessee
Tennessee
Kansas St.
Kansas St.
W. Virginia
W. Virginia
Clemson
Clemson
Mich. St.
Ohio St.
Notre Dame Notre Dame
Purdue
Iowa
Michigan
Michigan
Stanford
Stanford
Utah
Utah
10-10 (.500)
118-104-4 (.532)
16-4 (.800)
173-53 (.765)

COLLEGE BRIEFS

STATE OF OKLAHOMA

FROM WIRE REPORTS

TEXAS

Foremans status iffy

after finger surgery
AUSTIN Running back
DOnta Foreman underwent
successful surgery on his right
pinkie finger on Thursday.
His status for the Thanksgiving game against Texas Tech is
uncertain, a source close to
Foreman said. Foremans playing status wont be fully determined until team doctors see
how hes feeling after the weekend.
Foreman leads the Longhorns with 681 yards rushing.
The sophomore has rushed for
more than 100 yards in four of
the last six games.
Austin American-Statesman

HOUSTON

First-year coach gets

offer for a raise
HOUSTON The University of Houston Board of Regents
on Thursday approved an offer
to increase football coach Tom
Hermans annual salary to $3
million.
The deal on the table for Herman who has led UH to only
the second 10-0 start in school
history would make him the
highest-paid football coach in

the American Athletic Conference.

Herman, who has been mentioned as a candidate for several
major-conference openings, is
making $1.35 million this season.
Houston Chronicle

OHIO STATE

Bosa draws plenty of

attention from O-lines
COLUMBUS, Ohio Joey
Bosas highlight reel for CFP No.
3 Ohio State could be affectionately titled Three Men and a Bosa.
The Ohio State defensive end
was taking on plenty of triple
teams during the Illinois game
last week, just the latest in a
strong year for an All-American
who could be playing his last college games.
The junior is expected to enter the 2016 NFL draft and will
likely play his last game in Ohio
Stadium when Ohio State (10-0,
6-0 Big Ten) plays Saturday
against No. 9 Michigan State
(9-1, 5-1).
Its crazy. I havent even
thought about it yet, Bosa said of
the home finale. Its hard to
think three years is almost over
already. It will be an emotional
day for me.
Despite Illinois efforts, Bosa
was in on seven tackles, includ-

REGIONAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL RRESULTS, SCHEDULE

THURSDAYS RESULTS
at Liberty ................ 24 Coastal Carolina .......... 21
Nicholls St. .............. 27 at SE Louisiana............ 24
East Carolina ........... 44 at UCF .......................... 7
La.-Monroe .............
at Texas St............
TODAYS GAMES
Brown
at Columbia
(NBCSN) 6:30
Cincinnati
at South Florida (CBSSN) 7:00
Air Force
at Boise St.
(ESPN2) 8:30
SATURDAYS GAMES
SOUTHWEST
Florida Atlantic at Florida
(SEC) 11 am
North Texas
at Middle Tennessee
11 am
West Virginia
at Kansas
(FSSW) 11 am
Iowa St.
at Kansas St.
(Fox 1) 11 am
The Citadel
at South Carolina (SEC-A) 11 am
Abilene Christian at N. Colorado
1:00
Jackson St.
at Prairie View
1:00

Incarnate Word
Houston
Louisiana Tech
LSU
Charleston So.
Idaho
Stephen F. Austin
Mississippi St.
Georgia So.
Sam Houston St.
McNeese St.
Navy
Rice
Tennessee
Baylor
Charlotte
Texas A&M
Tulane
TCU

ing three for losses.

Through nine games this season (he was suspended the Buckeyes opener) he has 40 tackles
and 15 tackles for losses but only
four sacks.

Danny White was introduced

Thursday as UCFs new athletic
director, taking over a program
in transition after one of the most
successful runs in its history.
The 36-year-old said he was
lured away from the same job at
Buffalo because of UCFs potential and the prospect of building
something.
He wont officially begin his
new post until January, but said
he has already begun the search
to replace former football coach
George OLeary, who announced
his retirement on Oct. 25 following an 0-8 start.

CENTRAL FLORIDA

New AD has long had

eye on university
ORLANDO, Fla. The way
his father tells it, Danny White
has been keeping tabs on UCF
for a while.
Kevin White said it wasnt
long after his son had concluded
his undergraduate studies at Notre Dame and was just starting
out in athletics administration
that he first mentioned the potential he saw in the central Florida school.
Now he will have his chance
to lead it.

at Houston Baptist
2:00
at UConn
(ESPNU) 2:30
at UTEP
(FSSW) 2:30
at Mississippi
(Ch. 11) 2:30
at Alabama
(SEC) 3:00
at Auburn
(SEC-A) 3:00
at Northwestern St.
3:00
at Arkansas
(ESPN) 6:00
at Georgia
(ESPNU) 6:00
at Cent. Arkansas
6:00
at Lamar
(RSSW-A) 6:00
at Tulsa
6:00
at UTSA
6:00
at Missouri
(ESPN2) 6:15
at Oklahoma St.
(Ch. 4) 6:30
at Kentucky
(SEC-A) 6:30
at Vanderbilt
(SEC) 6:30
at SMU
(ESPN News) 7:00
at Oklahoma
(Ch. 8) 7:07

AROUND THE NATION

Utah: RB Devontae Booker
will miss the final two games of
the regular season and perhaps
the Utes postseason after undergoing surgery on the torn meniscus in his left knee.
The Associated Press

OU, OSU fans giddy

over turnarounds
Most sports talk shows
across Oklahoma sounded
about the same a year ago.
The airwaves were filled
with impatient, disappointed fans venting about how
Oklahomas Bob Stoops and
Oklahoma States Mike Gundy had overstayed their welcomes as their teams struggled and finished far short of
the lofty standards. After
years of being in national
championship
conversations, Oklahoma finished
8-5. Oklahoma State barely
qualified for a bowl and was
7-6, while Baylor and TCU
got the headlines.
Stoops and Gundy insisted that things would be fine,
and for now, they are vindicated.
They have positioned
their teams to make a run for
a berth in the College Football Playoff. If CFP No. 6
Oklahoma State beats No. 10
Baylor, and No. 7 Oklahoma
beats No. 18 TCU on Saturday, the rival coaches would
meet the following week for
the Big 12 title and possibly
much more.

Now in his 17th year,

Stoops (177-45) has played
for the national championship four times, but the only
title was a long time ago,
back in 2000. He is used to
the annual chatter about
whether its time for him to
go.
Gundy has built high expectations in Stillwater, too.
He is 94-44 in 11 seasons and
will lead the program to its
10th straight bowl this year.
He also has risen from the
fallout from a series of Sports
Illustrated stories in 2013
that alleged various levels of
misconduct within the program over years. The school
came out of the NCAA investigation virtually unscathed.
Oklahoma State got its
fans excited last season by
giving defending national
champion Florida State a
battle before losing 37-31.
The Cowboys won five
straight and moved into the
Top 25 before enduring a
five-game losing skid, with
each loss by at least 21 points.

C8 11-20-2015 Set: 21:59:39

Sent by: [email protected] Sports

Cliff Brunt,
The Associated Press

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