College football Week 12 picks: No one gives Spartans chance vs. Buckeyes

Through Week 11 games

Straight up (overall and last week)

87-25 (8-2): Bill Bender, Sporting News

85-27 (8-2): Mike Griffith, MLive.com

80-32 (6-4): Chipper Jones, retired MLB player

79-33 (5-5): Ken Bradley, Sporting News

78-34 (6-4): John Isner, professional tennis player

77-35 (5-5): Matt Hayes, Sporting News

75-37 (6-4): Corey Brewer, Houston Rockets

LINEMAKERS: New Heisman leader this week

Against the spread (overall and last week)

66-46 (7-3): Mike Griffith, MLive.com

63-49 (5-5): Corey Brewer, Houston Rockets

58-54 (5-5): John Isner, professonal tennis player

55-57 (5-5): Ken Bradley, Sporting News

55-57 (7-3): Bill Bender, Sporting News

52-60 (5-5): Chipper Jones, retired MLB player

46-56 (7-3): Matt Hayes, Sporting News

LINEMAKERS: Guess who's favored to win playoff

When: Saturday, noon

TV: ESPN

The line: North Carolina (-6.5)

Bender: North Carolina 45-41

Bradley: North Carolina 31-23

Brewer: North Carolina 30-20

Griffith: North Carolina 26-19

Hayes: North Carolina 27-23

Isner: Virginia Tech 34-30

Jones: North Carolina 34-17

MORE: Rating the best playoff-contending backfields

What we're saying

Isner: Virgina Tech is sure to play inspired ball for soon-to-be-retired Beamer. Like them on the outright upset purely as an emotional play.

When: Saturday, noon

TV: ESPN

The line: Michigan (-5.5)

Bender: Michigan 28-24

Bradley: Michigan 21-17

Brewer: Penn State 21-17

Griffith: Michigan 24-17

Hayes: Michigan 23-13

Isner: Michigan 35-20

Jones: Michigan 27-20

MORE: This week's Playoff Rankings

What we're saying

Bender: The Wolverines haven't won in Happy Valley since 2006 and figure to get a heavy dose of freshman running back Saquon Barkley, who averages 6.3 yards per carry. Jake Rudock will need to be on point again, and it could be another wild finish. Michigan makes one more play in the fourth quarter to secure a victory.

Griffith: It’s Senior Day for Penn State, and Michigan will be on hand at Beaver Stadium to slug it out with the Nittany Lions. Penn State had a bye week to prepare, so it’s a tempting pick. Michigan is a better football team, however, and last week’s scare at Indiana should provide enough of a jolt.

When: Saturday, noon

TV: ESPN2

The line: Iowa (-21)

Bender: Iowa 38-14

Bradley: Iowa 40-21

Brewer: Iowa 35-14

Griffith: Iowa 37-24

Hayes: Iowa 40-10

Isner: Iowa 31-17

Jones: Iowa 35-17

MORE: Iowa is best of Big Ten

What we're saying

Bradley: The Hawkeyes have reached No. 5 in the playoff rankings by winning ugly. But 10-0 is 10-0 any way you look at it. Still, it wouldn't hurt Iowa to blow the doors off Purdue and get a little more in the eye test bank.

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: CBS

The line: Ole Miss (-4)

Bender: LSU 28-27 

Bradley: Ole Miss 35-30

Brewer: Ole Miss 28-24

Griffith: Ole Miss 31-26

Hayes: Ole Miss 31-23

Isner: LSU 20-17

Jones: Ole Miss 24-16

MORE: Is there a crisis at LSU?

What we're saying

Jones: The blueprint on how to beat LSU is out. The downward spiral continues.

Brewer: I continue to make the error of picking LSU because I believe in Fournette and their running game. However, that has been almost nonexistent the past few weeks. I think they will continue this slump and fall to a motivated Ole Miss team at home.

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Fox

The line: Utah (-2.5)

Bender: Utah 31-28

Bradley: Utah 37-31

Brewer: Utah 37-31

Griffith: UCLA 34-31

Hayes: Utah 27-21

Isner: Utah 45-30

Jones: UCLA 30-27

MORE: SN ranks the Top 50 players in college football

What we're saying

Hayes: How much do the Bruins have left after last week's gut punch from Washington State? Travis Wilson plays well at home, and that will be the difference. 

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Big Ten Network

The line: Wisconsin (-11)

Bender: Wisconsin 20-13

Bradley: Northwestern 23-21

Brewer: Wisconsin 28-17

Griffith: Wisconsin 20-13

Hayes: Wisconsin 20-17

Isner: Wisconsin 24-14

Jones: Wisconsin 26-20

MORE: Coaching carousel of 2015

What we're saying

Bender: Wisconsin and Northwestern both rank in the top five in scoring defense in the Big Ten, which means this could be one of those low-scoring November games that barely gets to the 20s. Figure on that happening, and the Badgers getting the win. The Wildcats haven't won at Wisconsin since 2000. 

Griffith: Northwestern’s win over Stanford has been explained away by the College Football Playoff committee and all but forgotten, while Wisconsin owns the distinction of being the best out-of-conference win by an SEC team this season. The consolation prize is these two get each other, winning gets a bowl trip to Florida.

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: ABC

The line: Ohio State (-13.5) 

Bender: Ohio State 30-24

Bradley: Ohio State 38-21

Brewer: Ohio State 34-21

Griffith: Ohio State 30-27

Hayes: Ohio State 30-21

Isner: Ohio State 30-27

Jones: Ohio State 28-24

What we're saying

Bender: The spread is too high here. Both teams have pointed to this game all season, and this is the time for both teams to get right. The winner will be in the Big Ten East driver's seat. The loser is out of the College Football Playoff. Expect both teams to play like it, but Ohio State is just too tough to beat at home under Urban Meyer. 

Griffith: Michigan State needs to play its best game to have a shot at winning at Ohio State. It’s going to be hard to do that if QB Connor Cook is less than 100 percent, and I happen to believe that’s the case. An inspired effort falls short against Urban Meyer’s Big Ten bullies.

Hayes:  This is the week Ohio State flips the switch. The week JT Barrett plays like last season and Ezekiel Elliott imposes his will and the defense harasses MSU QB Connor Cook. I think. 

Jones: That's a lot of points -- 13.5 -- to give up against a quality opponent like Michigan State. This one is a squeaker for Ohio State. 

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (at Fenway Park, Boston)

TV: NBC

The line: Notre Dame (-17)

Bender: Notre Dame 31-13

Bradley: Notre Dame 34-14

Brewer: Notre Dame 38-17

Griffith: Notre Dame 27-14

Hayes: Notre Dame 37-16

Isner: Notre Dame 38-10

Jones: Notre Dame 34-20

What we're saying

Bender: Boston College has ruined a Notre Dame national championship run or two in the past, and it's going to be cool watching football at Fenway Park. Problem for the Eagles is they average just 17.3 points per game. That won't be enough against the Irish. 

Isner: ND playing for style points at this juncture. They need an impressive win and I see them getting it vs a lowly BC outfit.

Hayes:  Irish are playing for style points. The greater the margin of victory, the better the eye test looks to the CFP. 

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

TV: Fox

The line: Oklahoma State (-1) 

Bender: Oklahoma State 55-48

Bradley: Baylor 42-38

Brewer: Oklahoma State 45-38

Griffith: Baylor 45-42

Hayes: Oklahoma State 38-28

Isner: Oklahoma State 45-35

Jones: Oklahoma State 38-34

What we're saying

Brewer: I like Okie State in this one mainly because of the home crowd in a primetime game. Losing last week to Oklahoma, I think might have taken a lot out of Baylor — so Okie State will capitalize on it to remain unbeaten.

When: Saturday, 10:30 p.m.

TV: ESPN

The line: Stanford (-12)

Bender: Stanford 38-27

Bradley: Stanford 33-24

Brewer: Stanford 42-28

Griffith: Stanford 42-28

Hayes: Stanford 33-30

Isner: Stanford 31-24

Jones: Stanford 29-20

What we're saying

Hayes:
Stanford clinches the Pac-12 North Division with a win. Any CFP hopes -- and they're slim -- hinge on winning out. Cal, with a similar offense (and personnel) as Washington State, won't go away easy.