Potential Trap Games: Week 11
Week 11 of the college football season is upon and most of the top teams survived the first week of November college football which is notorious for providing upsets that alter the playoff race.
This being said last week Ohio State’s playoff aspirations were shattered in Kinnick Stadium like so many teams before them.
November college football continues this week and with three matchups between top 10 ranked teams this week surely shake up the college football playoff picture, but many ranked teams also go on the road this week to take on conference opponents which leaves the possibility of a plethora of upsets.
No. 9 Washington at Stanford – Friday, 10:30 p.m.
No. 9 Washington remains the only team in the Pac-12 with a hope of making of the College Football Playoff.
The Huskies will be tested when they travel to Stanford in a Friday night Pac-12 after dark game.
Washington has been impressive this season scoring bolstering an offense that averages 38.6 points per game and averages over 400 yards every week.
Junior quarterback Jake Browning has led this offense. Browning has 1,907 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
Running back Myles Gaskin has also been an important part of the Huskies’ offense as the junior is averaging 6.2 yards per carry to go along with his 10 touchdowns this season.
This explosive offense will travel to play a Stanford team that is having a down year with only a 6-3 record on the year.
The Cardinals have yet to win a game this season against a ranked team.
Stanford is playing this game at home though and they have Bryce Love and a powerful offensive line.
Love is one of the favorites to take home the Heisman trophy this season and the junior has been unreal.
Love has 1,456 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Love averages 9.6 yards per carry.
This will be a tough matchup for Washington’s defense and Stanford could spoil the hopes of a playoff berth for the Huskies.
No. 17 Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech – Saturday, 12:20 p.m.
No. 17 Virginia Tech has its playoff hopes dashed last Saturday night by undefeated Miami.
This week, Virginia Tech has another tough matchup traveling to take on Georgia Tech.
This has not been a great season for the Yellow Jackets sitting with only a 4-4 record.
Georgia Tech needs to win this game at home in order to have a chance at being bowl eligible as the Yellow Jackets still have to go on the road against Duke and then take on No. 1 Georgia to close out the season.
Even though Virginia Tech is the better team in this matchup, the Georgia Tech triple option offensive attack is always hard to stop and Virginia Tech could be facing its second loss in a row after travelling to take on the Yellow Jackets.
No. 11 USC at Colorado – Saturday, 4 p.m.
No. 11 USC has been a team on the rise of late. The Trojans are now the second-highest ranked two loss team following wins over Arizona and Arizona State.
USC controls its own destiny in the Pac-12 South and this week the Trojans will have to travel to Boulder to take on Colorado.
The defending champions of the Pac-12 South have not followed up their championship campaign with a good season this year.
The Buffaloes have a 5-5 record this season have struggled in Pac-12 play.
Colorado is historically 0-11 against USC but the last two matchups between these teams have been decided by less than a touchdown.
USC is finally starting to play like the USC team everyone expected to see all season, but with USC possibly looking over this matchup with Colorado as they have rival UCLA next week combined with the fact that Sam Darnold has struggled turning the ball over this season.
USC could very well travel back to Los Angeles with an embarrassing loss to the Buffaloes.
No. 19 Washington State at Utah – Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
Washington State is yet another Pac-12 team that is sitting with two losses on the season with its hope of the College Football Playoff dashed.
The Cougars are coming off of a tough physical win against Stanford and now have a tough matchup when Washington State travel to take on Utah.
Utah has a history of playing spoiler in the Pac-12, but this season the Utes have struggled.
Utah has lost four of its last five games and only have a 5-4 record on the season.
Washington State though is 1-2 in road games this season including its embarrassing 37-3 loss to California earlier in the year.
Utah is more than capable of pulling the upset as the Utes almost took down No. 11 USC earlier in the season before Sam Darnold led a comeback.
Washington State has struggled on the road this season and in order for the Cougars to have a chance to win the Pac-12 North they cannot stumble against Utah.
Ben Ferree is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ferreebenjaminc@gmail.com.
