7:00 AM ET
ESPN staff
It's the penultimate week of assemblage football's regular play and the Pac-12 takes halfway stage.
The Battle for L.A. betwixt USC and UCLA has been anticipated each season. If the league wants to person immoderate College Football Playoff hope, the Trojans volition person to bushed the Bruins connected Saturday, past decision Notre Dame and triumph the league rubric game. Despite a UCLA nonaccomplishment to Arizona past week, the Bruins would emotion thing much than keeping their crosstown rival retired of the playoff this season.
Oregon and Utah volition besides conscionable with Pac-12 title crippled hopes connected the line. After the Ducks and Utes played successful past season's league rubric game, a nonaccomplishment for either squad volition destruct them from this year's championship.
Elsewhere, 3 of the apical 4 teams successful the CFP rankings person tests that could shingle up the playoff representation up of the past week of the regular season. Georgia heads to Kentucky looking to support its No. 1 ranking portion TCU travels to Baylor successful 1 of the Big 12's fiercest rivalries. And Michigan hosts upstart Illinois, which contempt a nonaccomplishment past week is experiencing 1 of its champion seasons successful caller memory.
These are the apical storylines caput into Week 12 action.
No. 7 USC (9-1) astatine No. 16 UCLA (8-2) (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox)
What could person been the archetypal top-10 matchup betwixt USC and UCLA since Troy Aikman and Rodney Peete were nether halfway successful 1988 volition present person to settee for thing a small little flashy: a conflict betwixt the No. 7 Trojans and No. 16 Bruins aft Arizona upset UCLA past week.
With 2 of the apical offenses successful the state getting to tee disconnected against 2 defenses that person been inconsistent, astatine best, determination volition beryllium plentifulness of points and plentifulness inactive connected the enactment for some teams. A triumph gets USC into the Pac-12 title and keeps the Trojans' College Football Playoff hopes alive; a triumph for UCLA means it inactive has a changeable astatine the Pac-12 rubric themselves.
"When some teams are bully and determination are a batch of opportunities up for some teams, it makes it way, mode better," Lincoln Riley, who volition marque his archetypal quality successful the rivalry, said earlier this week.
On Tuesday, helium added: "We're not doing thing honestly excessively circumstantial with this rivalry and that's not to discount it successful immoderate way. I deliberation we've acknowledged that this crippled successful immoderate ways is gonna consciousness different."
If the Trojans, with implicit 40 transfers who haven't had a sensation of the crosstown matchup, are taking a much straightforward attack to Saturday's game, past UCLA backmost Dorian Thompson-Robinson -- who Riley remembers facing astatine Oklahoma erstwhile Kyler Murray was his backmost -- is doing the other and not mincing immoderate words erstwhile it comes to USC.
"Obviously we hatred those guys crossed town," helium said connected Monday.
This volition beryllium DTR's 5th rivalry crippled against USC since arriving successful Westwood, the 4th 1 he's starred in.
Though the Bruins' bid has slowed a spot successful the past fewer weeks, Thompson-Robinson's rampant goodbye circuit done the Pac-12 hasn't mislaid steam. He's been vocal astir what teams helium wanted to bushed successful his past play with the Bruins and has said helium remembers erstwhile USC past bushed UCLA astatine the Rose Bowl and players "cursed" astatine them and "flipped them off." It's portion of why, arsenic helium enactment it, helium wants to people 60 again similar helium did past play successful a dazzling, six-touchdown performance.
Most USC players said Tuesday they hadn't seen Thompson-Robinson's comments, oregon fixed them immoderate thought. But erstwhile informed of the quarterback's extremity to people 60 points again connected the Trojans, antiaircraft backmost Calen Bullock chuckled and said. "I cognize that's not gonna happen."
Whether it's a fifth-year elder who grew up watching the L.A. rivalry and is present playing it for the past time, oregon a brand-new manager oregon transportation who is trying to dainty the matchup similar conscionable different game, travel Saturday, the information to triumph volition beryllium the same. -- Paolo Uggetti
No. 10 Utah (8-2) astatine No. 12 Oregon (8-2) (Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN app)
A week aft squandering its playoff hopes pursuing a heartbreaking nonaccomplishment to rival Washington astatine home, Oregon volition effort to retrieve with an arguably tougher matchup. The no. 12 Ducks invited the no. 10 Utes into town, who person 2 losses (by a combined 13 points) but are playing immoderate of their champion shot the past fewer weeks.
Much was said astir Dan Lanning's determination to spell for a 4th down precocious successful the crippled with Bo Nix connected the sidelines (even Lanning said this week helium wishes helium would person called a timeout), but the existent Achilles bottommost for the Ducks past crippled was their struggling defense, which has fixed up an mean of 34 points per crippled to ranked opponents this season. Against the Utes -- whose discourtesy whitethorn not beryllium arsenic explosive arsenic Washington's but has been plentifulness effectual -- that volition erstwhile again beryllium the challenge.
The X-factor of that Utes discourtesy volition apt beryllium choky extremity Dalton Kincaid, who torched the inconsistent USC defence but missed the crippled against Arizona 2 weeks agone aft suffering a enarthrosis wounded against Washington State. Kincaid (who is averaging 13 yards per catch) played a constricted magnitude of snaps against Stanford past week and his presumption for this week's matchup is inactive successful flux.
"He's inactive not 100%, there's immoderate soreness," Utah caput manager Kyle Whittingham said. "But he's a batch further up contiguous than helium was past Monday."
Whittingham besides heaped praise connected Nix, who, contempt the nonaccomplishment past Saturday, inactive had 3 touchdowns and completed 70% of his walk attempts. Nix inactive has a changeable astatine possibly jumping backmost into the Heisman speech with different large game, particularly if Oregon wins out. And the Ducks request to.
Much similar some L.A. schools playing connected a large Saturday for the Pac-12, some Oregon and Utah are inactive successful contention for the Pac-12 title and subsequently, the Rose Bowl. The squad connected the losing extremity aft Saturday volition person to question goodbye to both. -- Uggetti
No. 1 Georgia (10-0) astatine Kentucky (6-4) (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
It wasn't excessively agelong agone that this crippled looked similar it could beryllium 1 of Georgia's astir daunting challenges successful getting done the regular play unbeaten.
That was earlier Kentucky backmost Will Levis was injured, earlier it became evident that Kentucky simply couldn't support Levis and earlier Levis saw his struggles spell from atrocious to worse.
Georgia, 10-0 and ranked No. 1 successful the latest College Football Playoff rankings, is 2nd nationally successful scoring defense, allowing 11.6 points per game. The Dawgs person allowed conscionable 9 touchdowns connected defense, and 3 of those came successful the 4th fourth erstwhile the result was each but decided. Kentucky, meanwhile, has scored much than 21 points connected discourtesy against an SEC hostile lone erstwhile this play -- a 27-17 triumph implicit Mississippi State. In the Wildcats' past 3 games, they've managed a full of 5 touchdowns.
In different words, this 1 looks similar a mismatch, astatine slightest connected paper, particularly with Kentucky limping into the crippled having mislaid to Vanderbilt, 24-21, past week astatine home. The Commodores had mislaid 26 consecutive SEC games anterior to knocking disconnected the Wildcats.
"Not capable hype. Not capable juice. We talked astir it among america each week, and we did not bargain into it," Levis said pursuing the Vanderbilt loss.
Kentucky was ranked No. 20 successful the AP preseason poll, and expectations were soaring aft the Wildcats won 10 games a twelvemonth ago. And portion the defence has played good capable successful astir games to springiness them a accidental to win, the discourtesy has been peculiarly sloppy successful the reddish portion (ranked 99th nationally) and stopped itself repeatedly with sacks, penalties and turnovers.
"We're moving the shot and doing bully things, but we're not getting into the extremity zone," Kentucky violative coordinator Rich Scangarello said. "One of the downsides is that we've had explosive (plays), but they're not scoring each the time. Chunk plays are great, but erstwhile chunk plays get tackled connected the 25 alternatively of scoring, it's hard."
The Wildcats' reddish portion woes lone fig to get much hard against a Georgia defence that has fixed up an FBS-best six touchdowns successful the reddish portion each season.
So overmuch has been made of the Georgia defense, and with bully reason. But mislaid successful what the Dawgs person done successful winning 25 consecutive regular-season games going backmost to the extremity of the 2000 play is however businesslike they've been connected offense. They're tied for sixth nationally successful scoring discourtesy (40.6 points per game) and are 3rd nationally successful full discourtesy (509.6 yards per game). -- Chris Low
2:28
Kirby Smart explains however the No. 1 Bulldogs stay bare aft moving their mode to the apical and breaks down Kentucky QB Will Levis' unaffected play style.
Illinois (7-3) astatine No. 3 Michigan (10-0) (Saturday, noon ET, ABC/ESPN app)
Illinois got disconnected to a blistery commencement this season, going 7-1, earlier dropping its past 2 games against Michigan State and Purdue. A large portion of the team's occurrence has travel from moving backmost Chase Brown, who leads each FBS moving backs with 1,442 yards.
He is averaging 5.15 yards per transportation and has 7 rushing touchdowns connected the season. Unfortunately for Illinois, Brown went down with an wounded successful the past crippled against Purdue. He hasn't been ruled retired for the crippled against Michigan, but his presumption is inactive successful doubt.
"Josh McCray, Chase Brown ... some those guys are trending successful the close direction," manager Bret Bielema said. "Very affirmative and excited, but don't cognize wherever we'll beryllium by Friday for the travel and Saturday for the game."
Michigan's defence already ranks No. 1 successful unreserved yards allowed per game, lone giving up 72.7 yards. The squad is No. 3 successful yards allowed per unreserved and No. 3 successful rushing touchdowns allowed, lone giving up 3 touchdowns connected the crushed this season.
That volition marque the situation of playing 10-0 Michigan, presently ranked No. 3 successful the College Football Playoff rankings, adjacent much hard if Brown isn't capable to play.
"Our tally partition has been precise good, it's going to beryllium tested this week astir apt similar nary different up to this point," Jim Harbaugh said. "So, Illinois is precise beardown astatine the enactment of scrimmage connected some sides of the ball. Outstanding, outstanding tally scheme, outstanding moving back. So, it'll beryllium a existent situation and a task for our squad this year."
This is an important crippled for the Wolverines to stay undefeated and springiness the squad a accidental to instrumentality connected Ohio State to decorativeness retired the play for different berth successful the Big Ten title crippled and the playoff.
Michigan isn't without injuries, either, though, arsenic antiaircraft extremity Mike Morris was injured precocious successful the astir caller crippled against Nebraska. Morris went connected the Inside Michigan Football vigor amusement and said he's feeling large and that helium tweaked his limb successful the game.
"I consciousness similar I'll beryllium alright," Morris said. "Our trainers are moving precise hard. I was successful determination getting attraction for similar 4 hours this morning, truthful I'll beryllium fine. I'm successful large hands, it's each successful God's plan." -- Tom VanHaaren
No. 4 TCU (10-0) astatine Baylor (6-4) (Saturday, noon ET, Fox)
TCU had established itself arsenic a second-half defense, transforming from leaky to lockdown successful respective Big 12 wins. But it wasn't enough.
Two weeks ago, antiaircraft coordinator Joe Gillespie told the radical that if they wanted to execute their biggest goals, they needed to present "a afloat 60."
"I knew we had the potential," Gillespie told ESPN. "I conscionable didn't cognize wherever it was going to happen, oregon if it was going to happen. That was arsenic implicit a four-quarter antiaircraft [performance] that we've played up until this point. And it's bully timing.
"Now the woody is, you've got to support doing it. You've got a large people connected your chest, and that's a bully thing."
Gillespie referred to TCU's antiaircraft masterpiece successful past week's triumph astatine Texas, which didn't people an violative touchdown and finished with lone 28 nett unreserved yards, portion averaging 3.3 yards per violative play. TCU's antiaircraft stars shined: cornerback Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, linebacker Johnny Hodges, information Mark Perry and others.
The Frogs silenced Texas and immoderate remaining doubters astir their College Football Playoff candidacy. But their quest continues, again connected the road, this clip against the defending Big 12 champions successful Baylor.
Gillespie has seen important maturation from TCU's antiaircraft line, which entered the play arsenic his biggest concern. The beforehand 3 volition beryllium stressed by a Baylor discourtesy that, until past week against Kansas State, had tally the shot good with freshman Richard Reese and others.
"You're talking astir 3 hands successful the grass, and that's it," said Gillespie, who uses the progressively fashionable 3-3-5 alignment. "We're asking them to instrumentality connected roles and bash immoderate things that aren't truthful beauteous sometimes. It's easier to autumn successful emotion with it erstwhile you spot production, but conscionable the mode they've embraced the approach, it's a precise selfless attitude.
"And those guys marque a batch of dadgum plays."
Baylor comes disconnected of its worst violative show since 2020, signaling play lows successful points (3) and rushing yards (103). Coach Dave Aranda remains afloat assured successful backmost Blake Shapen, who had 2 interceptions against Kansas State, portion "pressing" and struggling with his footwork.
"He tin beryllium a dual threat, there's a batch of scramble stuff," Gillespie said of Shapen. "They've got 3 moving backs, they're going to support caller legs, they're going to deed you connected the perimeter, and past you've got an full violative enactment that has been playing unneurotic for a minute. This is simply a portion that works precise good together, they recognize each other."
Gillespie entered the play not truly knowing what TCU's defence could become. The Frogs were implementing a caller strategy and feeling retired however offenses would onslaught them. After stringing unneurotic quarters, halves and yet a afloat game, TCU is primed to proceed its quest for an improbable CFP spot.
"You've seen conscionable astir each blocking scheme, we've had conscionable astir each adjustment," Gillespie said. "So they've gotten mature. There was immoderate patience successful knowing, 'If we could enactment some [halves] together, we could beryllium a beauteous bully squad.' Fortunately, it started happening the different night. Certainly that's got to beryllium thing we physique disconnected of." -- Adam Rittenberg
Clinching scenarios for Week 12
Power 5
ACC
• Clemson and North Carolina person some clinched spots successful the ACC title game.
Big 12
• TCU has clinched a spot successful the Big 12 title game. The Horned Frogs are making their 2nd quality successful the Big 12 rubric game. They mislaid successful 2017 to Oklahoma.
• Kansas State clinches a spot successful the Big 12 title crippled with a triumph astatine West Virginia and a Texas nonaccomplishment astatine Kansas. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 17% accidental the Wildcats clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
Pac-12
• USC clinches a spot successful the Pac-12 title crippled with a triumph astatine UCLA. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 61% accidental the Trojans clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
• Utah clinches a spot successful the Pac-12 title crippled with a triumph and UCLA loss. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 32% accidental the Utes clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
• Oregon clinches a spot successful the Pac-12 title crippled with a triumph vs Utah and a Washington nonaccomplishment to Colorado. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 2% accidental the Ducks clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
SEC
• Georgia and LSU person some clinched spots successful the SEC title game. They are gathering successful the SEC title crippled for a 5th time, the 2nd-most by immoderate brace of teams successful immoderate league title successful FBS history. Alabama and Florida person met 10 times successful the SEC rubric game.
Georgia has an 84% accidental to triumph the SEC title crippled according to ESPN Analytics.
Group of 5
American
• UCF clinches a spot successful the American title crippled with a triumph vs Navy AND nonaccomplishment by Houston astatine East Carolina. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 61% accidental the Knights clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
• The 2nd spot successful the title crippled tin not beryllium clinched until Week 13.
Conference USA
• UTSA clinches with a triumph astatine Rice OR Florida Atlantic nonaccomplishment astatine Middle Tennessee. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 90% accidental the Roadrunners clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
• The 2nd spot successful the title crippled tin not beryllium clinched until Week 13.
MAC
• Toledo has clinched the West, its 7th quality successful the MAC title game. That is the 2nd-most by immoderate team, trailing lone Northern Illinois (9).
• Ohio clinches the East with a triumph astatine Ball State AND Bowling Green nonaccomplishment astatine Toledo. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 52% accidental the Bobcats clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
Mountain West
• Fresno State clinches the West Division with a triumph astatine Nevada OR losses by San Jose State (at Utah State) and San Diego State (at New Mexico). According to ESPN Analytics, there's an 84% accidental the Bulldogs clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
• Boise State clinches the Mountain Division with a triumph astatine Wyoming. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 79% accidental the Broncos clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
Sun Belt
• Coastal Carolina has clinched the East. This is Coastal Carolina's archetypal quality successful the Sun Belt title game.
• Troy clinches the West with a triumph vs UL Monroe AND South Alabama nonaccomplishment astatine Southern Miss. According to ESPN Analytics, there's a 32% accidental the Trojans clinch a spot successful the title crippled this week.
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