College football’s Week 12 is fine! Let the Watch Grid show you

SB Nation ^ | November 15, 2018 | Jason Kirk

[C19fan]

Week 11 was among the least exciting college football weekends in memory, but we anticipated that. Now some are worried we could have a repeat in Week 12, considering it’s SoCon Saturday in the SEC (and, quietly, cupcake week for the Power 5’s other top teams as well).

There are some bad games. Alabama’s gonna destroy a lesser team this week, but so what? How is that different from every other week so far this year? Look beyond the filler content.

True, there are also very few WATCH THIS games. The strength of Week 12 lies in the middle. Below, the Watch Grid plots every national FBS game by watchability.

First, the weeknights, which are ... weeknights.

[C19fan]

This week is what I call Wedding Saturday in SEC country. First, the SEC loads up on so many cupcakes and cream puffs they can cater a wedding. Also, I would imagine if a couple wants a Fall wedding in SEC country this is the weekend as only degenerates who call the Paul Finebaum show would object to a attending a wedding when 'Bama is playing the Citadel, Florida is playing Idaho, Auburn is playing Liberty, and UGA is playing UMass. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. It was Florida under Urban Meyer who started this scheduling strategy that has infected the whole SEC. I luv college football but this type of scheduling is the one thing I hate about the sport. There is one game to pay attention to in the afternoon ET time slot. In the ultimate combination of sports evil, Notre Dame wearing Yankee pinstripes alternative uniforms will "host" Syracuse at Yankee Stadium with a 2:30 ET kick off. If you told me at the beginning of the year, Syracuse would be Notre Dame's toughest game in November above Florida State and USC I though you would be crazy but that is where we are. If that game gets out of hand one can switch at 3:30 pm to see West Virginia visit the Pokes. We shall see if the Pokes have anything left in the tank. The best prime time game is a battle between top 25 Group of 5 teams as #24 Cincinnati pays a visit to #11 UCF. The ESPN Gameday crew will be in Orlando. Another prime time game is #16 Iowa State at #15 Texas. Unfortunately that game is on the money pit Longhorn Network. This weekend is the darkness in the tunnel before the light of rivalry week next week.

[Fiji Hill]

Go Trojans! Beat the Bruins!

[C19fan]

Is Clay Helton a goner if UCLA wins?

[C19fan]

You get high marks for your loyalty to USC.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Clemson is about the only one that can beat ‘Bama!

[N8VTXNinWV]

Let’s Gooooooo Mountaineeers!!! Love my WVU!

[mware]

Army playing undefeated Colgate. Army has played a number of teams with undefeated records, darn near beat Oklahoma. Lost in overtime.

[DoodleDawg]

Citadel at Alabama? Really? That should be illegal.

[Rummyfan]

‘Bama is playing The Citadel. I know this will be a big payday for The Citadel and kudos to them for even playing the game. But as to watching.... no.

[Rummyfan]

... this is the weekend as only degenerates who call the Paul Finebaum show would object to a attending a wedding when 'Bama is playing the Citadel, Florida is playing Idaho, Auburn is playing Liberty, and UGA is playing UMass.

They all need a breather before the big Thanksgiving weekend match-ups...

[C19fan]

If I was a College Football Tsar I would ban Power 5 teams from playing FCS teams.

[Rummyfan]

Go Trojans! Beat the Bruins!

Go Bruins!

[dfwgator]

Can they both lose?

[Rummyfan]

Army playing undefeated Colgate. Army has played a number of teams with undefeated records, darn near beat Oklahoma. Lost in overtime.

Army is bowl eligible (again). Hope they don't overlook Colgate while pointing to the Big Game December 8th.

[dfwgator]

If I was a College Football Tsar I would ban Power 5 teams from playing FCS teams.

Me too. Although I thought it might be cool to have the FCS champ play the FBS champ the first game of the season. But what I would do is to open up two games each season to play two random non-conference opponents of similar strength. I think that would go a long way to helping gain a better picture of just who the best teams are.

[DoodleDawg]

If I was a College Football Tsar I would ban Power 5 teams from playing FCS teams.

Auburn is playing Liberty so it's obvious that both teams made sure they scheduled teams that their third string can beat in order to rest up for the Iron Bowl. There's something just not right about that.

[wrcase]

I would predict that NDSU would lose to Alabama by the same margin that Alabama would lose to the worst NFL team.

[dfwgator]

I would predict that NDSU would lose to Alabama by the same margin that Alabama would lose to the worst NFL team.

Except that I think NDSU would be much more motivated. Bama would probably treat it more like a scrimmage.

[onedoug]

‘Seems cruel.

[wrcase]

They would give them a better game than Mercer or the Citadel. But their depth would eventually let them pull away with ease. One could make case of NDSU being better than Louisville though.