Week 12 College Football Open Thread

Week 12 of the college football season is upon us and things are starting to take shape for the BCS. Most of the top teams will face little competition this week as there is only two games featuring ranked opponents.

The Stanford -USC rivalry rekindles this weekend as well but it's lost a little luster since both John Harbaugh and Pete Carroll left their respective schools. It's unlikely we have another "What's Your Deal!?!?" moment come Saturday night.

Check out the latest SB Nation bowl projections

No. 1 Alabama at Mississippi State, 4:45 p.m., ESPN
Syracuse at No. 2 Florida State, 12:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2
No. 3 Ohio State at Illinois, 9 a.m., ESPN
Texas Tech vs. No. 4 Baylor, Arlington, 4 p.m., Fox
No. 5 Stanford at USC, 5 p.m., ABC
Utah at No. 6 Oregon, 1 p.m., Fox Sports 1
No. 25 Georgia at No. 7 Auburn, 12:30 p.m., CBS
Florida at No. 11 South Carolina, 4 p.m., ESPN2
No. 12 Oklahoma State at No. 23 Texas, 12:30 p.m., Fox
No. 14 Michigan State at Nebraska, 12:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2
No. 15 UCF at Temple, 9 a.m., ESPN3
Indiana at No. 17 Wisconsin, 9 a.m., ESPN2
Houston at No. 19 Louisville, 4 p.m., ESPNU
Oregon State at No. 21 Arizona State, 6:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network
Iowa State at No. 22 Oklahoma, 9 a.m., Fox Sports 1
No. 24 Miami at Duke, 12:30 p.m., ESPNU
No. 25 Georgia at No. 7 Auburn

• For two tradition and talent rich programs both are lacking in NFL ready talent this season. Auburn's Dee Ford and Georgia's Aaron Murray are probably the best draft eligible prospects on each team. Ford is an undersized outside linebacker in a new defense this season. The DE/OLB has tallied seven sacks in eight games this season - all seven coming in a five game span from 10/5 to 11/2.
• Murray figures to be a second day quarterback. He's a bit small at only 6-1, 208lbs but is perhaps the most battle tested quarterback in the country sans Alabama's A.J. McCarron. Murray doesn't possess a lot of athletic ability or a particularly strong arm but he's been praised for his excellent footwork and pocket presence. He's a ‘system' guy meaning he'll have to go to the right system where he won't be counted on to throw the ball 30+ times.

No. 12 Oklahoma State at No. 23 Texas

• Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert is one of the top corner prospects in the nation. At 6-0, 200lbs Gilbert has the size scouts covet. He's also extremely athletic with great speed. Gilbert has six career kickoff returns for touchdowns and is now the active leader among all NCAA players in that category. He needs just one more to tie C.J. Spiller and Tyron Carrier's all-time record of seven. Gilbert needs to improve his technique but has managed to record four interceptions this year bringing his career total to nine.
• Things at Texas couldn't get much worse this season. Hyped as a potential national championship contender, the wheels fell off early for the Longhorns but they find themselves back in the top 25 this week. Further proof of the programs descent is the lack of NFL prospects. This year only a few Longhorns project to hear their name called in the 2014 draft. The best of the few might be DE/OLB Jackson Jeffcoat. Jeffcoat is a natural pass rusher with a solid frame. He lacks the strength to come off blocks so if he doesn't add weight and clean up his technique; Jeffcoat will find himself in purely pass-rusher role at the next level.
• Wide receiver Mike Davis declared and then quickly changed his mind last season in regards to entering the draft. Had he declared Davis was likely a mid round prospect. Unfortunately for him, he's done nothing to increase his stock so far this season.  The 6-2, 195lbs receiver has 33 receptions for 477 yards and six touchdowns this year. He's one of the Longhorns' career leaders is most receiving categories but he'll need to perform well in offseason camps and the combine to impress scouts.

Happy Saturday!