Forde-Yard Dash: Seven Games Featuring Desperation or Opportunity

Week 12 has a number of matchups where a win could help salvage a team’s season or be an opportunity to do something memorable.

Tennessee defensive linemen James Pearce Jr., right, and Omarr Norman-Lott celebrate during a recent game. / Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Forty names, games, teams and minutiae making news in college football, where the Jax State Hail Mary was a delightful offensive play but also not a defensive masterpiece. First Quarter: Eight-Way SEC Tie Scenario. Second Quarter: Lopsided Rivalries. Third Quarter: What’s Working For Nine Teams.

Fourth Quarter: Desperation or Opportunity? 

Seven Saturday games that are either desperate salvage jobs or an opportunity to do something memorable, depending on your point of view:

Tennessee-Georgia (32)

For the Volunteers: opportunity. For the Bulldogs: desperation. 

The Vols (8–1) haven’t beaten Georgia since 2016, or even come close (seven straight losses by an average of 26.4 points). They also have never been to the College Football Playoff. Beating this vulnerable Bulldogs team would both snap a painful losing streak and almost lock Tennessee into the 12-team bracket. It would seemingly take another miracle from the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Albuquerque Tinkler, Diego Pavia, to undo a win between the hedges—not out of the question, but still.

Georgia (7–2) is trying to stay in the playoff race after its worst loss in years, at the Mississippi Rebels. The Dawgs are a shell of their former selves in the running game—tied for last in SEC in 20-plus-yard runs with seven, and tied for 106th nationally. They had long runs of 12 yards against Ole Miss; 12 against the Alabama Crimson Tide; 17 against the Kentucky Wildcats; and 18 against the Texas Longhorns. Wet bottle rockets are more explosive than the Georgia running game.

Looming question: Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava’s health. Coach Josh Heupel says everything is fine after Iamaleava missed much of the game last week against Mississippi State.

Dash pick: Georgia 17, Tennessee 14. A new pick might be in order if Iamaleava is truly 100% on game day.

Nebraska-USC (33)

For the Cornhuskers: desperation. For the Trojans: desperation.

Nebraska (5–5) has turned its annual stall at the five-win mark to demote offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield and turn play-calling over to high plains drifter Dana Holgorsen. There are worse ideas, given the Huskers’ 14.5 scoring average over the previous four games. Whether Holgo’s considerable offensive knowledge residing beneath his thinning mullet can be activated this quickly—he was hired last week after working as an analyst at TCU earlier this season—remains to be seen.

USC (4–5) has benched quarterback Miller Moss, all but inviting him to transfer after the season. In his place comes Jayden Maiava, who had a promising freshman season at UNLV in 2023 but was relegated to backup duty when he couldn’t beat out Moss. Now Maiava will get his chance to nudge the Trojans toward bowl eligibility.

Dash pick: USC 30, Nebraska 21. 

Tulane-Navy (34)

For the Green Wave: opportunity. For the Midshipmen: opportunity. 

A Tulane win would put both the Green Wave and the Army Black Knights in the American Athletic Conference championship game, with both still harboring playoff dreams. A Navy win would move the Middies into position to make the AAC title game, pending further developments. This is being billed as one of the biggest games in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium history.

Tulane (8–2) hired well after Willie Fritz left for Houston, snagging Jon Sumrall from Troy. The Wave is playing progressively better defense and has a rising star in freshman quarterback Darian Mensah (his 166.87 pass efficiency rating leads the league). 

Navy (7–2) bounced back impressively from a two-game losing streak by thumping South Florida on the road. When the Midshipmen commit one or fewer turnovers, they’re undefeated.

Dash pick: Tulane 21, Navy 18. 

Clemson-Pittsburgh (35)

For the Tigers: desperation meets opportunity. For the Panthers: desperation meets opportunity. Both teams need to win to stay in the Atlantic Coast Conference title chase, thanks to the Miami Hurricanes opening up some hope by losing Saturday.

Clemson (7–2) has adopted its coach’s never-say-die mentality, responding to two dismal losses this season with authoritative wins. The Tigers are much better when their defense is producing—they’re 7–0 in games when they’ve produced at least one takeaway, 0–2 when they’ve gotten none.

Pitt (7–2) let SMU beat it twice, following up a blowout loss to the Mustangs with an upset home loss to the Virginia Cavaliers. Quarterback Eli Holstein has struggled since being shaken up late in the blowout win over Syracuse on Oct. 24.

Dash pick: Clemson 28, Pittsburgh 16.

Arizona State-Kansas State (36)

For the Sun Devils: opportunity. For the Wildcats: desperation. Both are trying to stay in the Big 12 title race, which means different things to each.

Arizona State (7–2) is playing with house money, enjoying an overachieving season that has reinforced the prescient decision to hire child coach Kenny Dillingham. But, hey, now that the chance is here with back-to-back games against K-State and BYU, why not try to seize it?

Kansas State (7–2) gave away prime positioning with an upset loss to Houston on Nov. 2. The expectation was always there to compete for the Big 12 title, and it would be disappointing to be all but eliminated at this point. 

Dash pick: Kansas State 30, Arizona State 17.

Oregon-Wisconsin (37)

For the Ducks: opportunity. For the Badgers: desperation.

Oregon (10–0) has a chance to sweep the Big Ten old guard and sweep its three road trips into the heart of the Midwest. A win would also all but assure them of a spot in the Big Ten championship game. 

Wisconsin (5–4) is still searching for a hang-your-hat win under second-year coach Luke Fickell. The aura around the program took another hit Monday with the resignation of senior program adviser Jack Del Rio after he was arrested for operating a car while impaired. 

Dash pick: Oregon 34, Wisconsin 21.

Coach Who Earned His Comp Car This Week

DeShaun Foster (38), UCLA Bruins. At 1–5, the Foster era was off to a rough start. At 4–5, with a three-game winning streak in the Big Ten, things look considerably better. UCLA held the nation’s No. 2 rusher, Kaleb Johnson of the Iowa Hawkeyes, to a season-low 49 yards on the ground in a 20–17 upset of Kirk Ferentz’s team. Athletic director Martin Jarmond’s selection of Foster, widely panned from the time it was made in February through early October, is starting to look smart.

Coach Who Should Ride the Bus to Work 

Mike Norvell (39), Florida State Seminoles. He threw three assistant coaches overboard this week, because standing pat at 1–9 is not an option. Next year, it will be Norvell himself on the hot seat.

Point After 

When hungry and thirsty in the most delightful college town in the Midwest, Columbia, Mo., The Dash always recommends a visit to the famed Shakespeare’s Pizza (40). Order a Panda’s Pepper with a load of jalapenos and banana peppers on a foundation of pepperoni, then wash it down with a Snapper IPA from local Logboat Brewing Co. Thank The Dash later.