Faculty soccer preview: Rivalry matchups with CFP implications, plus a have a look at the Huge 12

What’s on the road in Week 14? Effectively, it is Rivalry Week and the ultimate week of the common season, so tensions are certain to be excessive with convention championships excellent across the nook.

No. 3 Texas takes on No. 20 Texas A&M in a convention matchup that has fairly a bit at stake. Because the Longhorns search for a spot within the SEC title sport, can they execute within the pink zone at Kyle Subject on Saturday?

The Huge 12 enters the week with a four-way tie on the prime of the convention standings. 9 groups nonetheless have an opportunity at reaching the Huge 12 title sport — what are the situations for every?

Our faculty soccer specialists preview massive video games and storylines forward of the Week 14 slate.

Soar to a bit:
Rivalry Week | Texas-Texas A&M | Big 12 updates
Quotes of the Week

Which rivalry matchup has largest CFP implications?

Texas at Texas A&M (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC)

Contemplating Texas A&M can play its method into the SEC title sport with a win in opposition to Texas and would certainly be eradicated from playoff consideration with a loss, it’s got to be the Longhorns vs. Aggies. A&M can nonetheless earn the No. 2 seed. There is not one other crew taking part in in a rivalry sport with such a broad vary of potentialities. Then there’s the stakes for Texas.

It’s two wins away from the No. 2 seed, but when it does not attain the SEC title sport, that will now not be in play. Assuming Texas falls decrease than No. 5 if it loses to A&M — which is a secure assumption — the Longhorns could be in line for a troublesome first-round matchup. Irrespective of how this sport finishes, it is going to influence the playoff discipline. — Kyle Bonagura

Arizona State at Arizona (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET)

The matchup between Arizona State and Arizona has CFP implications for just one crew, however that doesn’t make this sport any much less necessary. The Solar Devils need to win to place themselves in place to make the Huge 12 championship sport and transfer up the rankings to attempt to safe an automated spot as a convention champion. Because it stands proper now, the race to the Huge 12 title is muddy, with 4 groups 6-2 in league play headed into this weekend. No. 16 Arizona State (9-2) is the best ranked amongst them after reeling off six wins in its previous six video games.

The Solar Devils could be heavy favorites to win the vast majority of tiebreakers, if wanted, to safe a spot within the convention championship sport. However the one approach to even be in that blend is to beat rival Arizona, which has received their previous two conferences. Although the Wildcats (4-7) are out of bowl and playoff competition, there could be no better win than spoiling their rival’s season to take house the Territorial Cup. — Andrea Adelson

South Carolina at Clemson (Saturday, noon on ESPN)

Surprisingly, it is perhaps South Carolina visiting Clemson. The Gamecocks rose to No. 15 in Tuesday’s CFP rankings and might need the very best probability among the many SEC’s three-loss groups to make the sphere of 12. Not like Ole Miss and Alabama, South Carolina does not have a very dangerous loss on its profile. The Gamecocks probably would have overwhelmed LSU if beginning quarterback LaNorris Sellers wasn’t injured within the first half (or, if just a few calls had gone their method). They’ve received 5 straight since a 2-point street loss to Alabama, recording definitive wins in opposition to No. 20 Texas A&M (house), Vanderbilt (street) and Oklahoma (street), and a slender house win in opposition to No. 21 Missouri.

A street win in opposition to one other CFP-ranked opponent may very well be sufficient to get South Carolina in forward of two groups it misplaced to (Ole Miss, Alabama). Clemson, in the meantime, can have its eyes on the Miami–Syracuse sport, as a Hurricanes loss would put the Tigers within the ACC title sport in opposition to SMU, with a CFP berth on the road. — Adam Rittenberg

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What does every crew must do to win?

Texas: The Longhorns have received 10 consecutive true street video games underneath Steve Sarkisian, the longest lively streak within the FBS. However the surroundings inside Kyle Subject on Saturday night time can be in contrast to something these Texas gamers have ever skilled. Quinn Ewers and his squad should discover a approach to play calm and in management if they’ll get the job completed in Faculty Station.

Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne‘s effectiveness on downfield pictures definitely stood out in the course of the Aggies’ 43-41 loss final week. Thorne threw for 301 yards on the night time however acquired 230 of them on six completions. Sarkisian will not hesitate to go after Texas A&M’s cornerbacks along with his playcalling, however his QB must be on level along with his deep passing. Ewers is 9-of-31 (29%) on throws of 20 or extra air yards this season, in line with TruMedia, and his 271 passing yards on these throws ranks 121st within the FBS.

One problem that Sarkisian’s Texas offenses have run into at instances in massive video games: pink zone execution. Over the previous two seasons, the Longhorns have scored touchdowns on 53% of their pink zone alternatives in opposition to ranked opponents. That is a kind of weeks when settling for too many discipline objective tries might find yourself proving expensive. — Max Olson

Texas A&M: Observe the Georgia sport plan, which is simpler stated than completed should you aren’t Georgia. However to Max’s level, if the Aggies can rediscover their move rush and strain Ewers, notably if they will drive Texas to attempt to beat them throwing the ball, they’re going to have alternatives. In opposition to Georgia, Texas was pressured on 39% of dropbacks, and Ewers was 5-of-13 for 46 yards on these performs. On the day, he accomplished simply 44.4% of his throws 5 or extra yards downfield.

Final week in opposition to Kentucky, Ewers was 20-of-21 for 191 yards and two TDs to receivers in house, in line with ESPN Analysis. However on throws in opposition to tight protection, he was 0-of-10. Arkansas performed a three-safety look in opposition to Texas, and Ewers threw for simply 176 yards, together with going 1-for-2 for minus-8 yards and three sacks when underneath duress within the first half.

If the protection can hold it tight, the Aggies’ offense simply needs to be opportunistic in opposition to a extremely stingy Texas protection, making performs with Marcel Reed‘s legs and retaining Texas off stability. — Dave Wilson

What is going on on within the Huge 12?

There are 9 — sure, 9 — groups that also have an opportunity to achieve the Huge 12 title sport, in line with the convention. That manages to be true whereas the crew that has arguably been the very best within the convention in November — Kansas, with wins in opposition to Iowa State, BYU and Colorado — shouldn’t be among the many group.

With Arizona State, Iowa State, BYU and Colorado all tied at 6-2, let’s check out the situations almost certainly to come back into play.

• If all 4 win, the title sport can be ASU vs. Iowa State.

• In a three-team tie between ASU, ISU and BYU, BYU is out.

• In a three-team tie between ISU, BYU and Colorado, Colorado is out.

• In a three-team tie between ASU, BYU and Colorado, Colorado is out.

Within the case of a three-team tie with ASU, ISU and Colorado, it will get messy, so right here is the precise language offered by the Huge 12:

Received all that? Good. And on the danger of unnecessarily complicating issues additional, we’ll hit pause earlier than working by all the opposite potentialities. — Bonagura

Quotes of the week

“Ryan Williams, I imply, yeah, he is electrical. He is all this and that, however in my eyes, he ain’t actually no one to me. Ryan Williams is himself. He ain’t no big-time participant to me. … Like I stated, Bama is a giant rival crew. Each rival crew I’ve performed, I by no means misplaced to, and I can’t lose to Bama whereas I am right here.” — Auburn freshman linebacker Demarcus Riddick

“I’ve stated this from day one: I feel when you’ve gotten two applications as giant as these two applications are, as shut to one another as they’re, it does not make a ton of sense for them to not play. So it all the time felt bizarre not taking part in. So now to be taking part in and to be taking part in for what we’re taking part in for? Yeah, I would think about it will be fairly electrical Saturday.” — Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, on going through Texas this weekend

“I do not assume you get actually emotional about issues like that. I feel you are rather a lot higher coach while you keep composed, and also you coach your gamers, and also you educate your gamers what it may take to win the sport. It will likely be an emotional sport, however I do not get emotional about it. It is an interstate rivalry. It is an opportunity at a state championship. It is a variety of delight. It is a variety of historical past within the sport. However the sport’s performed between the strains, between the gamers.” — Georgia coach Kirby Sensible, on going through Georgia Tech throughout Rivalry Week

“There’s nothing that must be stated. When you’re watching Godfather 2 and Hyman Roth is speaking to Michael Corleone, you already know what’s on within the background — it is Notre Dame and USC. That is all we acquired to say.” — Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden

“We have to have that edge. And we are going to as a result of we all know what’s at stake. We felt what it is wish to not win this sport. It’s dangerous. It is one of many worst issues that is occurred to me in my life, fairly actually. Aside from dropping my father and some different issues, prefer it’s fairly actually, for my household, the worst factor that is occurred. So we are able to by no means have that occur once more. Ever. And that is been the strategy all season.” — Ohio State coach Ryan Day, on going through Michigan after three straight losses within the collection

“I stated what I needed to say concerning the Faculty Soccer Playoff after the [Ohio State] sport. The one factor I’ll say is we’re sitting in a great spot. However we have to care for enterprise. That is that.” — Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti

“We’re taking part in for a trophy. We’re taking part in Missouri. They seem to be a rivalry sport for us. … They beat [the] hell out of us final 12 months. That ought to encourage us. The issue is a variety of the children who’re on the crew and taking part in weren’t right here the final 12 months or two.” — Arkansas coach Sam Pittman, on motivating his crew this week in opposition to Missouri this week after two consecutive losses within the collection, together with a 48-14 defeat final fall