Bob's Picks - B-Week: Take the Bears, Buckeyes, Buffs, Bobcats, Bison, Broncos, Bulldogs ... but not the Bruins, Beavers, Bengals, Boilermakers

Which is bigger - The Big Game or The Game?

My friend Bill, who tends to follow these things closely, wants to know if UC Davis is absolutely, positively in the FCS playoffs no matter what happens Saturday against Sacramento State.

Bill, the Aggies are in, no matter what. Trust me on this. They could lose to the dreaded Hornets, 160-0, and they'd still get a bid.

But there's a better chance the Aggies will win, 160-0, than the opposite.

I know, I know, this is a rivalry game and you're supposed to throw all the records out the window. But even when you do that, the Aggies win by three touchdowns.

The better team always wins this game. How otherwise do you explain the three straight Hornet wins in the series when Troy Taylor was roaming the Hornet sideline or the 18 straight Aggie wins in the series when Jim Sochor was on the UC Davis sideline?

Yes, a playoff bid is assured. However, a first-round bye, a high seed for the Aggies and a home game or two are not assured. Those things are critically important.

The Aggies are currently No. 5 behind North Dakota State, Montana State, South Dakota State and South Dakota. If they can move up just one spot to No. 4, they will have a first-round bye and a guarantee of at least two home games, presuming they keep winning.

The top eight seeds get first-round byes and a home game in the second round. After that, home games will be played at the higher-seeded team's stadium. Thus, if No. 5 plays No. 4 in the quarterfinals, the game will be held on No. 4's field.

This holds all the way to the championship game that will be held at a neutral site the evening of January 6 in Frisco, Texas.

An interesting twist in the schedule for the final week of the FCS regular season has No. 1 North Dakota State at No. 4 South Dakota.

Which team should Aggie fans be rooting for in that one?

Answer: North Dakota State. 

Such a result, depending on the score, would likely knock South Dakota behind the Aggies, assuming a UCD win at Sacramento State. If South Dakota wins, the Aggies might be stuck at No. 5.

But first things first. The Aggies need to win Saturday's Causeway Classic.

Period.

This week's picks are follows: 

(All of last week’s picks are available here)

CAL over STANFORD ... Cardinal head coach Troy Taylor faces his alma mater as a two-touchdown underdog. The last time I saw Troy Taylor was at his final Sac State press conference after the Hornets had defeated the Aggies for the third time in a row. Troy saw me walking into the press conference and shouted out "Hey Bob, who won the Big Game?" The Big Game has always been important to him, and for years, he always rooted for Cal. But now he's at Stanford. Enough said.

USC over UCLA ... Both teams are trying to salvage terribly disappointing seasons as they try to convince their fans that moving to the Big Ten was a grand idea. No one is buying it.

OHIO STATE over INDIANA .. Everyone keeps waiting for the Hoosiers' bubble to pop. This will be the weekend it happens.

NOTRE DAME over ARMY ... If the Cadets want to prove they belong in the College Football Playoff, this would be the week to do it.

WASHINGTON STATE over OREGON STATE ... This one, believe it or not, is for the mythical Pac-12 championship, and I do mean mythical. Both teams are undefeated in Pac-12 play this season, so this is for all the marbles.

MONTANA STATE over MONTANA ... This, believe it or not, is the 123rd meeting between these two in one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in college football. Known as the Brawl of the Wild, it's been more of a Maul of the Wild the last two years, with Montana State winning, 55-21, in 2022 and Montana returning the favor, 37-7, in 2023.

IDAHO over IDAHO STATE ... The winner of this one gets free spuds for a year.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE over SOUTH DAKOTA ... The Mighty Bison are just that - Mighty.

ARIZONA STATE over BRIGHAM YOUNG ... The Big 12 title and a playoff bid may hang in the balance here.

HARVARD over YALE ... This one is known simply as "The Game." The cheapest ticket is 135 bucks, but I suppose if anyone can afford that price for a college football game, it's a Harvard or Yale alum.

UPSET OF THE WEEK: Pittsburgh over Louisville ... The Cardinals couldn't beat Stanford, so how can they beat Pitt? (Upset record: 4-8).

ROUT OF THE WEEK: Boise State over Wyoming ... The Cowboys can't tame these Broncos. (Rout record: 12-0).

DON'T BET ON IT, BUT: Florida State over Charleston Southern ... The Seminoles finally find someone at their own level. (Don't bet record: 5-7).

FIVE EASY PICKS: This week's sure winners are Georgia (over Massachusetts), Miami, Fla. (over Wake Forest), Texas (over Kentucky), Tennessee (over Texas-El Paso) and Clemson (over Citadel). (FEP record: 57-3).

AGGIES over SACRAMENTO STATE ... The Aggies are focused and anxious to put last week's emotional loss to Montana State in the rearview mirror. Take the Ags by 21.

OTHER GAMES: Alabama over Oklahoma, Mississippi over Florida, Michigan State over Purdue, Iowa over Maryland, SMU over Virginia, Penn State over Minnesota, UTSA over Temple, Syracuse over Connecticut, South Alabama over Southern Mississippi, Colorado over Kansas, Kansas State over Cincinnati, Michigan over Northwestern, South Florida over Tulsa, South Carolina over Wofford, Arkansas over Louisiana Tech, Missouri over Mississippi State, Texas State over Georgia State, Texas A&M over Auburn, Iowa State over Utah, LSU over Vandy, Incarnate Word over East Texas A&M, South Dakota State over Missouri State, and Portland State over Northern Colorado.

Last week: 27-10, season: 400-88, percentage: .820.

Reach me at bobdunning@thewaryone.com