Every week during the season, Will Harris will check with the computers (using Insider's PickCenter) and wiseguys to evaluate the upset possibilities in college football's most compelling games and give his picks for which teams will come out on top.
Week 13 is rivalry week, but an exciting slate of games is still somewhat overshadowed by the shake-up in the standings caused by the Week 12 demise of Kansas State and Oregon. Those losses have moved new No. 1 Notre Dame into prime position, and rendered the SEC title game between Alabama and Georgia a de facto national semifinal, provided both can get past their own in-state rivalry tilts.
Upset Watch had the right side of the two big upsets, as well as modest outright winners in UCLA and Ohio State, posting another 7-3 record to move to 73-46 on the year. This week we break down the six marquee games on the slate, as well as some other rivalry week matchups that have our attention.
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State is favored by 3.5 points
TeamRankings win odds for Michigan: 35 percent
We're buying Urban Meyer, Braxton Miller and the future of the Ohio State program. Win or lose Saturday, the Buckeyes will be a top-five team heading into 2013, and we'll be surprised if Meyer doesn't have this team in the new expanded playoff before Miller graduates.
We're also bullish on Michigan's future under Brady Hoke, especially as long as ace defensive coordinator Greg Mattison sticks around. Injuries to Denard Robinson and Fitz Toussaint have hampered the Wolverines' running game, but Devin Gardner's emergence as a passer and wideout Roy Roundtree's return to form have given the aerial attack new life.