ACC Game Picks: Cal, Which Did Rivalry Week Early, Gets SMU on Saturday

Miami and Clemson have games that will settle the ACC title game matchup . . . vs. SMU

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

It’s rivalry week in college football, including in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Unless you’re Cal.

The Bears have had three major historical rivals, all in-state foes from their long association in the Pac-12. UCLA and USC are now off the table, having bolted to the Big Ten, which prompted Cal’s move to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Their other rival — the big one — is Stanford. Of course. Their annual matchup, the 127th Big Game, was contested last Saturday, with the Bears pulling out a 24-21 victory.

While Stanford plays geographic rival San Jose State on Friday night, the Bears are headed to Texas for a Saturday afternoon duel with SMU, ranked No. 9 in the CFP standings and hoping to secure one of 12 berths in the expanded playoffs.

Cal can impact those aspirations, but beating the Mustangs will be a tall task.

*** Cal offensive coordinator and line coach Mike Bloesch talks in the video at the top of this story about the SMU pass rush that had nine sacks against Virginia last week.

They are 10-1 and have won eight in row, coinciding with when they moved redshirt sophomore Kevin Jennings into the starting lineup.

The Bears have their own redshirt sophomore QB, Fernando Mendoza, and he threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns against Stanford.

 Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. Here are our weekly ACC game picks: 

Last week: Jake 7-3, Jeff 6-4

Season: Jake 70-55, Jeff 67-58

All picks against the spread 

Betting line from 

Friday

— STANFORD (plus-3) at SAN JOSE STATE, 1 p.m. CBS

Jake: The big question is: Why is this game on network TV? Stanford QB Ashton Daniels and the Cardinal in general have shown improvement recently. Pick: Stanford

Jeff: Stanford, despite collapsing at the finish of the Big Game, seems to be making strides. The Cardinal has a couple of notable victories and they are improving. The Spartans looked good early in the season but have dropped three of four and have no tangible goal this week, having already clinched bowl eligibility. Pick: Stanford

— GEORGIA TECH (plus-19.5) at No. 7 Georgia, 4:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN+

Jake: The Yellow Jackets have not lost any game by more than 18 points this season, and if QB Aaron Philo plays like he did last week, Georgia Tech should stay close. Pick: Georgia Tech

Jeff: Georgia, with two defeats but wins over Clemson, Texas and Tennessee, has a loaded resume but no more wiggle room in pursuit of a spot in the CFP. Tech has won two in a row, including over Miami. Pick: Georgia

Saturday

— No. 15 SOUTH CAROLINA (plus-2.5) at No. 12 CLEMSON, 9 a.m., ESPN

Jake: Clemson needs this game to stay in contention for a College Football Playoff berth. But the Gamecocks impressive during their five-game winning streak: Pick: South Carolina

Jeff: There’s a lot on the line here, with the Gamecocks hoping to climb into the CFP picture. The Tigers have won nine of their past 10 and they get this one at home. Pick: Clemson

— LOUISVILLE (minus-3.5) at KENTUCKY, 9 a.m., SEC Network

Jake: Kentucky’s early-season win over Mississippi is perplexing, and so is Louisville’s recent loss to Stanford. We’ll just ignore those. Pick: Louisville

Jeff: Louisville has lost games to Notre Dame, SMU, Miami and . . . Stanford? But the Cardinals aren’t losing to the SEC’s 15th-place team. Pick: Louisville

— DUKE (minus-4.5) at WAKE FOREST, 9 a.m., ACC Network

Jake: Duke has a habit of playing close games, but it wins most of them. Wake Forest plays close games, too, but the Demon Deacons have not won as many.  This one will be close, too. Duke by five. Pick: Duke

Jeff: The Blue Devils have won two in a row since losses to SMU and Miami. Wake has allowed 119 points in three straight defeats. Pick: Duke

— PITT (plus-5) at BOSTON COLLEGE, Noon, CW Network

Jake: Pitt has fizzled in recent weeks no matter who is at quarterback, while Boston College seems to be better with Grayson James at quarterback now. Pick: Boston College

Jeff: The ACC darlings of the early season have fallen on hard times. Pitt, which started 7-0, has lost four in a row. BC, 4-1 to open the season, is 2-4 since. Eli Holstein’s uncertain status has me learning to the home team. Pick: Boston College

— No. 8 MIAMI (minus-10.5) at SYRACUSE, 12:30 p.m., ESPN

Jake: Miami leads the nation in scoring and total offense, and it will a close game against Syracuse into a rout with some late touchdowns and some sacks of Kyle McCord. Pick: Miami

Jeff: The Hurricanes can clinch a spot in the ACC title game vs. SMU if they beat the Orange. Pick: Miami

— CAL (plus-12.5) at No. 9 SMU, 12:30 p.m., ESPN2

Jake: SMU has won eight in a row and needs to win to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. Cal’s defense is good enough to keep it close, though. Pick: Cal.

Jeff: Two factors worry me: Cal’s defense hasn’t gotten a turnover in two games and the Mustangs had nine sacks last week. Even so, I have a feeling the Bears make this a game. Pick: Cal

— N.C. STATE (plus-3.5) at NORTH CAROLINA, 12:30 p.m., ACC Network

Jake: Mack Brown will be a sad sight on the sidelines as a lame-duck coach. Wolfpack QB CJ Bailey threw three picks last week, and NC State still almost won. Pick: NC State

Jeff: North Carolina fired Mack Brown on Tuesday, the day after he said he was returning in 2025. My guess is he was in trouble from the day the Tar Heels gave up 70 points to James Madison. Pick: North Carolina State.

— FLORIDA (minus-14.5) at FLORIDA STATE, 4 p.m., ESPN2

Jake: Florida has beaten ranked opponents each of the past two weeks. By contrast the Seminoles beat Charleston Southern last week. Pick: Florida.

Jeff: Could the 2-9 Seminoles be overconfident after crushing Charles Southern last week? It won’t matter. Pick: Florida

— VIRGINIA (plus-7) at VIRGINIA TECH, 5 p.m., ACC Network

Jake: Virginia got smashed the past two weeks by ranked opponents, but then again Virginia Tech has lost three in a row. If Bhayshul Tuten’s ankle is sound – and I think it is -- the Hokies should win. Pick: Virginia Tech

Jeff: Both these teams are 5-6 overall, 3-4 in the ACC. Tech won by 38 points when the teams met last year. How much have things changed? Pick: Virginia Tech