Week 14 game previews: Josh Pate predicts marquee matchups in college football

There is no better weekend in college football than the final one of the regular season. Rivalry games take place across the country, meaning so much more than normal. Add in a good chunk with College Football Playoff implications and an exciting Week 14 should be on the way.

Josh Pate decided to preview four of them on Tuesday’s episode of Josh Pate’s College Football Show. Predictions came along with them, beginning in Columbus, OH, for arguably the fiercest rivalry the sport has to offer.

Ohio State at Michigan

“Tell me one thing about The Game,” Pate began. “If anyone knows, if anyone has the crystal ball and you can look into it. Because I’m going to tell you, that’s probably who wins The Game… Total rush yards, whoever wins that, has won The Game since 2001. Every game since 2001 has been won by the team that has more rushing yards.”

But you can throw all the analysis out the window. Pate is taking Michigan to win for the simple fact of the four-game winning streak in the rivalry. Everything indicates Ohio State marches out of the Big House victorious but the pick is on the Wolverines.

Alabama at Auburn

Jordan-Hare Stadium is a big talking point surrounding this year’s Iron Bowl. Viewed as a cursed place for Alabama, the Crimson Tide head in fighting for their College Football Playoff lives. Auburn is sitting at 5-6 but folks in Tuscaloosa will show plenty of nerves. Pate is not buying into the whole charade, going with Kalen DeBoer‘s bunch.

“I don’t think Bama’s getting punched out here,” Pate said. “I think they’re going to go in there and win… I will take them to go into Atlanta.”

Texas A&M at Texas

Speaking of Atlanta — “I think A&M will get the job done,” Pate said. “They’ll win… And they will go to Atlanta to play for an SEC Championship.”

Texas A&M has not made the SEC Championship since joining the conference back in 2012. Last season’s game had similar implications, with Texas emerging as the winner. Pate is going the opposite direction this go-round, picking the Aggies in Austin.

Vanderbilt at Tennessee

Pate expects the quarterbacks to put up some yards in this one. Joey Aguilar and Diego Pavia are both going up against poorly ranked pass defenses, giving them an opportunity to sling it. So, which team gets the upper hand because of it?

“I feel magic this week,” Pate said. “I think Vandy is going to go in there and get the win. And I think they’re going to make it hard of the Playoff committee… I think if they win, they make the Playoff. But here’s what you do, make them tell you no.”