The 2021 college football season is rapidly nearing its conclusion, and the penultimate Saturday of action has arrived. As the schedule winds down and the holidays lurk right around the corner, several intriguing matchups that will directly impact division, conference and national title races are on tap here in Week 12.
No. 7 Michigan State will visit No. 4 Ohio State in what is essentially a College Football Playoff elimination game. No. 21 Arkansas and No. 2 Alabama will tee it up in Tuscaloosa and No. 3 Oregon will travel to Salt Lake City to take on No. 23 Utah. What’s more, this will be a big weekend for Heisman Trophy candidates looking to make their final cases for college football’s most prestigious individual award.
What should you watch this weekend? Here’s a viewer’s guide to help you navigate through the action.
All times Eastern
The best games
No. 7 Michigan State at No. 4 Ohio State — noon on Fox, fuboTV (Try for free): The Spartans will fall out of CFP and Big Ten East contention with a loss, and the Buckeyes can’t afford a second loss on top of its nonconference defeat at the hands of Oregon. Keep an eye on Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud and his talented receivers vs. a bad Spartans secondary.
No. 21 Arkansas at No. 2 Alabama — 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com and CBS Sports App: The Crimson Tide can wrap up the SEC West with a win over the Razorbacks. It’s also a perfect chance for the Crimson Tide running game, which has been a big disappointment this season, to get right before the stretch run. Arkansas already has one signature win this year over Texas A&M. Another one on Saturday will send shockwaves through the college football world.
No. 3 Oregon at No. 23 Utah — 7:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (Try for free): The Utes are three-point favorites over the third-ranked Ducks, which might surprise a lot of folks. But the Utes have been cranking lately — especially on both lines of scrimmage. The Ducks aren’t afraid to get down and dirty in the trenches, so expect this old-school matchup to be a lot of fun.
Other big games
No. 10 Wake Forest at Clemson — noon on ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free): The Tigers are slight favorites at home despite the Demon Deacons’ success. Dave Clawson’s crew sits at 9-1 and undefeated in the ACC (the loss to North Carolina was a nonconference game) with one of the most dynamic offenses in the country. If they make this a shootout, Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei will have to have the best game of his season.
SMU at No. 5 Cincinnati — 3:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free): The Mustangs’ high-octane offense vs. the stout Bearcats defense is a matchup that should please all college football fans. This will make a massive impact on the CFP selection committee. A win with style points will resonate almost as much as the Bearcats’ win over Notre Dame.
No. 11 Baylor at Kansas State — 5:30 p.m. on FS1, fuboTV (Try for free): The Bears are one-point underdogs in Manhattan despite handling Oklahoma last weekend in the first loss of the season for the Sooners. Quarterback Gerry Bohanon was a stud last weekend and the Bears defense has proven to be one of the best in the Big 12.
Best of the rest
- Charleston Southern at No. 1 Georgia — noon on SEC Network+, fuboTV (Try for free)
- Iowa State at No. 13 Oklahoma — noon on Fox, fuboTV (Try for free)
- Prairie View A&M at No. 16 Texas A&M — noon on SEC Network+, fuboTV (Try for free)
- Tennessee State at No. 25 Mississippi State — noon on SEC Network+, fuboTV (Try for free)
- UMass at Army — noon on CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com and CBS Sports App
- Illinois at No. 17 Iowa — 2 p.m. on FS1, fuboTV (Try for free)
- Georgia Tech at No. 8 Notre Dame — 2:30 p.m. on NBC, fuboTV (Try for free)
- No. 6 Michigan at Maryland — 3:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network, fuboTV (Try for free)
- Nebraska at No. 15 Wisconsin — 3:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (Try for free)
- Virginia at No. 18 Pittsburgh — 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2, fuboTV (Try for free)
- UAB at No. 22 UTSA — 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+, fuboTV (Try for free)
- No. 14 BYU at Georgia Southern — 4 p.m. on ESPN+, fuboTV (Try for free)
- Syracuse at No. 20 NC State — 4 p.m. on ACC Network, fuboTV (Try for free)
- Vanderbilt at No. 12 Ole Miss — 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (Try for free)
- No. 9 Oklahoma State at Texas Tech — 8 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (Try for free)
