College Football Teams on Upset Alert in Week 14

Mississippi State (10-1, 6-1 SEC) is still holding on to the hope that they can make it to the playoff. Ironically, Ole Miss may have hurt those chances even though the two teams have not played yet. A 30-0 loss to Arkansas caused the Rebels to slip in the rankings, and now a Mississippi State win would not be as impressive. So now the Bulldogs have to win with some style points if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.

It was the heroics of Dak Prescott that helped Mississippi State beat Ole Miss last season, but now he has to try to repeat that success on the road. Prescott does not have much room for error against a defense that is ranked 10th nationally and has more interceptions (19) than any other SEC team this season. His last visit against a top ranked defense did not end so well.

Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 SEC) once had playoff hopes of their own. In fact, they still had an outside shot of still making it in the final four until the loss to Arkansas. The pounding they took from Arkansas summed up their recent struggles, especially on offense. The Rebels turned the ball over six times including an errant Bo Wallace interception that turned into a 100-yard return for a touchdown.

Although it was not evident last week, we know the defense is capable of slowing down Prescott. The primary factor will be whether or not the good or bad Bo Wallace shows up. Wallace is not only the most experienced quarterback in the SEC, he is also the most inconsistent. In the Rebels three losses, Wallace completed just 55 percent of his throws. This will be the last chance he has to show the good Bo in front of a home crowd.

The Egg Bowl is often times overlooked because the Mississippi squads are usually not in the national title picture, but this one will have the nation's attention. Ole Miss'  title hopes are gone, but that does not mean they would not enjoy ruining their in-state rival's chances.

Ohio State (10-1, 7-0 BIG Ten) would be in the top four if not for an early loss to Virginia Tech. The immediate downfall of the Hokies made the loss look even worse. The Buckeyes still managed to find their way back in the national title picture and have already clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship. Not bad for a team that had to replace starting quarterback Braxton Miller at the beginning of the season.

It helps that the guy who replaced Miller is J.T. Barrett. Barrett has thrown for over 2,600 yards and accounted for 42 touchdowns. He is second in rushing just behind sophomore running back Ezekial Elliot who has over 1,000 yards on the season.

Michigan (5-6, 3-4 BIG Ten) seems like the last team to end Ohio State's national title hopes. The Wolverines have battled everything from quarterback injuries to athletic director controversy. Plus, Brady Hoke's days in Ann Arbor are numbered. His job is still in jeopardy even if he manages to pull the big upset over the Buckeyes.

If you are big on stats then you will find Michigan's chances even more unlikely. The hiring of a new offensive coordinator did nothing to help their disastrous offense. They are currently ranked 115th nationally in scoring offense. For perspective, Barrett has more passing touchdowns than the Wolverine's have total touchdowns. Just remember that this is rivalry week and that this is literally all they have left to play for.

Last season, Brady Hoke made the decision to go for the win instead of the tie. The conversion failed, and it appears Hoke only has one more shot. The challenge is almost insurmountable, but we have seen crazier things.

Georgia (9-2, 6-2 SEC) is considered by many to be the best team in the SEC East, yet they need a Missouri loss just to make it the SEC Championship. This week's non-conference battle with Georgia Tech has no affect on them in the conference, but it might have an effect on the final four. It is a popular opinion that SEC champion should automatically get into the playoff. Following that logic, the Bulldogs have a chance as long as they do not lose on Saturday.

Georgia's unpredictability is part of the reason why we are unsure if they can beat their in-state rival. One weekend they are playing like the best team in the SEC and the next they being ripped for 400 yards rushing. The only thing predictable about this team is that Nick Chubb will get his carries and they usually turn into big numbers.

Georgia Tech (9-2, 6-2 ACC) has already clinched a spot in the ACC Championship to play Florida State. Beating a top 10 team would be a nice warm up for their game against the Seminoles. Paul Johnson's nearly extinct triple option is difficult to defend. The Yellow Jackets are 4th nationally in rush offense averaging just over 327 yards per game.

Now only if they were as good at defending the run as they are executing the run. They currently allow 165 rushing yards per game on average. Stopping the run would be huge because it would force Hutson Mason to throw. The only time Mason attempted more 30 passes in a game was in a loss to Florida. The Bulldogs' only identity is a strong ground game so taking that identity away is crucial to success.

Georgia cannot afford to be inconsistent any longer. Inconsistency will need to another loss especially when you are playing a dangerous rival. Georgia Tech's offense allows them to control the clock so it will be bad news if the Bulldogs fall behind.