STS Prediction Contest - Week 14 Results

Just as everyone predicted, Clemson repeated as ACC champions. Other results and a note on bowl games within.

By Revan Dec 6, 2016, 10:00am EST

NCAA Football: ACC Championship-Clemson vs Virginia Tech

As an administrative note, there will be no picks this week. The only game of note is the Army-Navy game.

The plans for the bowl season are still a bit up in the air. Because of the way the bowl schedule works with many games on weekdays, it’s a bit harder to structure the contest. It may be that I simply break the bowl season into two parts and post it early enough to give people a proper chance to input all of their picks. To simplify things, we may just go to a straight pick’em for bowl season, with possible exceptions for the NY6 bowls. I’d welcome your thoughts/feedback if you have other suggestions.

Week 14 Matchups

Actual score: 42-35 Clemson

My pick: 35-28 Clemson

As is Clemson’s MO this year, this game was closer than it needed to be and Clemson had to rely on the defense to make a stand closer to the endzone than I’m comfortable with to come away with the win.

Clemson can’t do this in the playoffs if it wants to win it all. This year (and last year) were/are our best opportunities to win it. We’re not going to fall off a cliff next year (the defense could be pretty good if young linebackers step up. The line is going to be nasty and the secondary will hopefully be a bit better) but whenever you replace a generational quarterback like Watson, there’s going to be a lot of question marks. Add to that losing two top receivers and your running back in Williams, Artavis Scott and Gallman and, well, this is our best chance for now.

The next window might be 2 or 3 years from now. Getting guys like Trevor Lawrence and Xavier Thomas would certainly help...

Actual score: 41-10 Washington

My pick: 38-24 Washington

Washington takes care of business and gets the pleasure of facing ‘Bama. I don’t know that anyone other than Bama fans and stupid SEC homers want Bama to win, so go Washington!

Actual score: 38-20 Oklahoma

My pick: 48-35 Oklahoma

I guess Baker Mayfield is in the Heisman discussion again. It’s a shame we won’t have a chance to beat them again this year.

Actual score: 38-31 Penn State

My pick: 28-20 Wisconsin

Who woulda thought that Penn State would put up this many points on a Wisconsin defense that Ohio State and Michigan struggled against? I think Ohio State is the right choice. They seem like the better team. But, I can understand the gripe of Penn State. Then again, I haven’t forgiven them for that whole Sandusky thing, so whatever.

Actual score: 34-10 Temple

My pick: 42-30 Navy

This was a pretty shocking upset. Temple cost Navy a pretty good shot at a NY6 bowl, which will instead go to WMU. A shame, but they had their chance.