Memphis Tigers Football

HEIGHT: 5'9"

WEIGHT: 189

HAND: 8¾"

ARM: 29⅞"

WINGSPAN: 71⅞"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.39

3-CONE: 7.13

SHUTTLE: 4.32

VERTICAL: 41.5"

BROAD: 11'3"

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POSITIVES

— Serious home run speed. Type of runner who can easily breakaway when given a runway.

— Quick, agile mover. Plays with very good bounce and flexibility as an open-field runner.

— High-volume pass-catcher at two different schools. Smooth hands and dangerous YAC ability.

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NEGATIVES

— Terribly light build. Will struggle to handle more than a dozen touches in an NFL setting.

— Poor strength and contact balance.

— Type of runner who wants to bounce runs way too often. Struggles to run with confidence and energy between the tackles.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 192 ATT, 1,152 YDS (6.0 AVG), 14 TD; 53 REC, 480 YDS (9.1 AVG), 3 TD

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NOTES

— Born Oct. 14, 1999

— 2-star WR recruit in Old Dominion's 2018 class, per 247Sports

— Transferred from Old Dominion to Memphis in 2023

— Converted to RB after a redshirt year in 2018

— 35 career starts

— 2023 first-team All-AAC

— Attended 2024 Shrine Bowl

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OVERALL

Blake Watson is a small former wide receiver who plays like that's exactly what he is, for better and for worse.

At 5'9" and 189 pounds, Watson is neither a workhorse runner nor someone who thrives between the tackles. He almost always looks to bounce plays when he can. Watson just doesn't have the bulk or balance to bang between the tackles, and he knows it.

When Watson does get out in space, he is dangerous. He's a twitchy, agile runner with quick feet and a great sense for when to kick into high gear as a runner. Watson's long speed is dangerous if he gets a good angle to the sideline. He is more than liable to take one to the house if given a runway.

Watson is also a useful pass-catcher. As a former receiver, he shows good hands and the dangerous ball-carrying skills you see from him as a runner.

Watson is a nice bottom-of-the-roster stash for teams looking to add some juice.

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GRADE: 5.6 (Backup/Draftable — 6th/7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 224

POSITION RANK: RB17

PRO COMPARISON: Keaton Mitchell

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

The Memphis Tigers and Houston Cougars have postponed their football game next Saturday, September 18, after reported COVID-19 issues with the Tigers. 

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic notes Baylor is working to host Houston in Waco, Texas, next week in place of the Memphis game. 

pic.twitter.com/jjr9GJ9zfg

— Memphis Football (@MemphisFB) September 12, 2020

Memphis made clear Friday it's game against Houston was in jeopardy following a COVID-19 outbreak that caused the Tigers to pause all football activities. 

Evan Barnes and Mark Giannotto of the Memphis Commercial Appeal report at least 20 people within the program have tested positive and have entered isolation for 10 days. Another 20 people are in quarantine because of contact tracing. 

"These positive tests, along with contact tracing efforts, dictate that a significant number of individuals enter quarantine in accordance with CDC guidelines," a Memphis statement read Friday. "Due to these circumstances, the football team has paused all practice and group activities and will unfortunately not be able to participate in [Friday's] Unity Walk hosted by the University of Memphis. There are no serious cases at this time, but all student-athletes and staff affected are being closely monitored."

The outbreak of cases has been linked to a party bus enjoyed by Tigers players after last week's win over Arkansas State, but players have been critical about the reasoning. 

"Nobody Had A Party Nor Was On A Party Bus!!" Memphis defensive tackle O'Bryan Goodson wrote in a since-deleted tweet. "Arkansas St needs to be the ones Tested We've been doing what we’re supposed to do, all this came after we played them."

The Memphis Tigers' game against the Houston Cougars on Sept. 18 is reportedly in danger of being postponed or canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak within the Memphis football program.

According to Evan Barnes and Mark Giannotto of the Commercial Appeal, an anonymous source said at least 20 people within the Tigers program have tested positive for the coronavirus, while at least 20 more people are in quarantine because of contact tracing.

The source noted that most of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are in quarantine are defensive players.

Memphis began its season last Saturday with a 37-24 home win over Arkansas State. Quarterback Brady White led the way for the Tigers with 280 passing yards and four touchdowns.

Two sources told Barnes and Giannotto that the positive tests could be attributed to Memphis players' being on a party bus following that victory.

Memphis defensive lineman O'Bryan Goodson disputed the claim on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/OBryanGoodson/status/1304512736563466243

The Memphis players who tested positive are reportedly in a 10-day isolation period. The Tigers don't have a game scheduled this week.

Houston and Memphis both play in the American Athletic Conference's West Division. The Cougars originally planned to face Rice on Sept. 3, but that game was postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Houston's first game is now the Sept. 18 matchup against Memphis, but if that game is postponed or canceled, the Cougars would have to wait until Sept. 26 to open the season against North Texas.

While several conferences are proceeding with a 2020 fall football schedule, the Big Ten, Pac-12, Mid-American Conference and Mountain West Conference have all opted to postpone their seasons.

Memphis Tigers defensive back John Broussard Jr. was reportedly shot in the leg Sunday night.

Jeni DiPrizio of Local 24 News in Memphis, Tennessee, reported the news, noting wide receiver Damonte Coxie was listed as a witness.

"We have been made aware of an incident that occurred involving some student-athletes at an off-campus location," the Memphis athletic department said in a Friday statement, per Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "The student-athletes are safe, and the incident will not impact participation in our game against Arkansas State University tomorrow. We are unable to comment further at this time."

Barnes provided more details, noting police did not name Broussard but said a man was transported to the hospital after he was shot in the leg. Another man was shot in the lower back.

A witness said there were gunshots and "about 10 people fighting in the street."

Broussard started his collegiate career at Auburn before he transferred to Memphis. He appeared in one game for Memphis last year.

Coxie is one of the team's best offensive playmakers and finished 2019 with 76 catches for 1,276 yards and nine touchdowns.

Memphis starts its 2020 season Saturday against Arkansas State.

Memphis Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield announced earlier this week that the football team would wear "Black Lives Matters" decals on their helmets this season, and one of the program's backers reportedly said he'd help negate any financial impact the decision might create.    

On Friday, The Athletic's John Martin reported a booster said he would match and then double any donations the school may lose as a result of the decals. 

This season, for every game, our student-athletes’ helmets will have a BLM sticker. #ALLINagainstRACIALINJUSTICE pic.twitter.com/ZR749YCJLl

— Ryan Silverfield (@RSilverfield) June 30, 2020

It's unclear if the school has already lost any financial commitments because of the move.

Speaking to Martin shortly after he announced the team would wear the stickers all season, Silverfield said it was his responsibility to stand with his players:

“People are entitled to their beliefs, their rights, their thoughts, their feelings. My job here is to serve our student-athletes. It's something we discussed with the university and the players and we felt it's the right thing to do at this time. People are gonna be unhappy. They weren't happy when I sent previous tweets. They weren't happy with some of the recruits I've taken. They weren't happy with the unity march. They weren't happy with my calls during the Cotton Bowl. We're always gonna be criticized for decisions. But we've got to be there for the players, continue to grow, and make steps in the right direction.”

The coach added he felt it was necessary to continue to support social justice reform, saying it "can't just be a one-time thing where I send out a tweet or have one unity march. It's got to be ongoing."

Silverfield, 39, has been with Memphis since 2016, when he joined the Tigers as an assistant coach. He was elevated to assistant head coach in 2019 and took over the program last December following the departure of Mike Norvell to Florida State. 

University of Memphis president Dr. M. David Rudd, a veteran of the Gulf War, issued a statement of support Thursday.

"The exercise of free speech is essential to a representative republic," Rudd wrote in part. "I support our athletic department, our head coach and our football team. I am proud of our young men for demonstrating leadership, encouraging civility and for their genuine efforts to unite us so our University of Memphis family can become stronger together."

The University of Memphis football team will continue to support those protesting against systemic racism and police brutality across the country by wearing a "Black Lives Matter" decal on its helmet this season.

Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield announced the decision in a tweet that showed the placement of the stickers on the back of players' helmets. 

This season, for every game, our student-athletes’ helmets will have a BLM sticker. #ALLINagainstRACIALINJUSTICE pic.twitter.com/ZR749YCJLl

— Ryan Silverfield (@RSilverfield) June 30, 2020

Silverfield said students will wear the decals for every game, adding the hashtag #ALLINagainstRACIALINJUSTICE. 

College football programs—and players in particular—have found a strong footing in the fight against systemic racism. 

One of the most prominent voices in getting the state of Mississippi to remove Confederate imagery from its flag was Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill, who threatened to transfer from the program if the flag wasn't changed. 

That followed an announcement from the Southeastern Conference in which the league said it would consider precluding championship events from taking place in the state unless the flag was changed. 

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed a bill Tuesday to retire the current flag after the state's House of Representatives and Senate quickly voted it through each chamber.

Elsewhere in college sports, student-athletes at Texas and Kansas State have threatened to boycott numerous team events if their schools did not take appropriate steps to address systemic racism on campus. 

The uprisings on campuses across the country show a changing power dynamic in the college sports landscape in which players are taking matters of civil justice mainstream by leveraging their platforms. 

In Memphis, the football team is apparently trying to make sure those conversations continue throughout the upcoming season and using the Black Lives Matter decals as a catalyst to help ensure the topic of systemic racism remains on the forefront after play resumes. 

The season will be the first for Silverfield as head coach after taking over for Mike Norvell in December following his predecessor's move to Florida State. 

The 18th-ranked Memphis Tigers inched one step closer to a New Year's Six bowl game with a 34-24 victory over the 19th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats on Friday.  

Chris Claybrooks got the Tigers off to a fast start by opening the game with a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Quarterback Brady White led the offense with 233 yards and two touchdowns.

Ben Bryant threw for 229 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Bearcats in his first career start. He was filling in for an injured Desmond Ridder (shoulder), who started the first 11 games.

Memphis (11-1) clinched the AAC West title with the victory, while Cincinnati (10-2) previously clinched the AAC East.

Notable Performances

Cincinnati

QB Ben Bryant: 20/32, 229 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions; 11 carries, one touchdown

RB Michael Warren II: 21 carries, 122 yards, one touchdown

TE Josiah Deguara: four catches, 46 yards

Memphis

QB Brady White: 15/26, 233 yards, two touchdowns, one interception

RB Kenneth Gainwell: 15 carries, 87 yards

WR Damonte Coxie: six catches, 145 yards, one touchdown

WR Kedarian Jones: two catches, 53 yards, one touchdown

Strong Start Powers Tigers to Victory

Memphis has had little trouble putting points up on the scoreboard this season, entering Friday averaging 42.2 points per game. It had been held below 30 just once in its last 10 games.

Right out of the gates, the Tigers came out ready to play.

Claybrooks set the tone for the game by taking the opening kickoff 94 yards to the house—and the Tigers were just getting started. White proceeded to lead Memphis to scores on each of its first two offensive drives, with the Cincinnati defense allowing both a 32-yard run and a 44-yard pass in the opening quarter.

Those big plays led to a touchdown and a field goal on the Tigers' first two offensive drives, resulting in a 17-3 lead in the first.

Cincinnati managed to battle back and tie the score in the second. The Bearcats held the Tigers to a total of three points over the middle two quarters, but ultimately, White made just enough plays to get the job done.

   

Bold Gamble Proves Costly for Bearcats

Trailing 20-17 late in the third quarter, Cincinnati had a chance to even the score by way of a 34-yard field goal. Luke Fickell instead opted to roll the dice and go for it on 4th-and-1.

It did not work out, as Warren was stuffed short of the sticks. That opened the door for Memphis to put the game away.

White responded by leading an 83-yard drive that put the Tigers back up by two possessions with just more than 13 minutes to play. At that point, Cincinnati had its work cut out for itself.

The Bearcats had an opportunity to get the football back down three with less than five minutes to play. However, an unsportsmanlike penalty on defensive end Myjai Sanders following an incompletion on 3rd-and-10 extended a Memphis drive. The Tigers took advantage of the mistake, driving down the field for a game-sealing touchdown.

Touchdown Memphis. Gibson from 29 out. 34-24. #Bearcats down two scores with only 3:16 remaining.

UC looked to get off the field before a personal foul by Sanders after a 3rd down stop.

— Justin Williams (@Williams_Justin) November 29, 2019

Cincinnati entered Friday's showdown having lost just once this season, which came on the road against the current No. 1 team in the nation (Ohio State) on Sept. 7. The Bearcats had been far from dominant during their nine-game winning streak, though, with three of their past four victories coming by three points or less.

Facing their first ranked opponent in nearly two months, the Bearcats' luck finally ran out as the mistakes piled up.

    

What's Next

Memphis will host Cincinnati in the AAC championship game on Dec. 7.

Hoping to see one of the top running backs in college football play on Saturday? Unfortunately, he will not be showcased in the Birmingham Bowl.

The Memphis Tigers will take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons without their star running back and leading rusher Darrell Henderson. The junior is instead putting his effort and focus into the NFL Draft.

Memphis clinched bowl eligibility in early November with a win against Tulsa, putting it at 6-4. The team finished the season with another two wins and a loss.

Wake Forest clinched bowl eligibility at the last second, securing its sixth win in its last game of the regular season against Duke. At one point in the season, the Demon Deacons had slim chances of making a bowl game, entering their game against Louisville in late October with a record of 3-4.

Here's a look at important information about watching the Birmingham Bowl, odds for the game, a preview and a prediction.

     

Birmingham Bowl 2018

Date: Saturday, Dec. 22

Time (ET): 12:00 p.m.

Location: Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Over/Under: 73

Spread: Memphis (-3)

      

Preview

Two very different teams will meet at Legion Field in the Birmingham Bowl tomorrow at noon. The Atlantic Coast Conference's Wake Forest is matched up against the No. 1 in the West American Athletic Conference—the Memphis Tigers. 

The Tigers proved to be quite the powerhouse offense not only in their conference this season, but also in all of college football. According to NCAA.com, Memphis had the fourth-best total offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with an average of 534.3 average total yards per game.

This dominant offense was led by the running back with the second-most rushing yards in the nation—Henderson. Henderson ran for 1,909 yards, only 80 yards behind top rusher, Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor. Henderson had two three-touchdown, 200-plus-yard games on the season, both coming in losses. 

https://twitter.com/GrindingTheTape/status/1075238849461346304

Henderson is joined by Patrick Taylor Jr., another back who broke 1,000 rushing yards on the season with 1,012 yards. Taylor contributed 15 touchdowns to Henderson's 22, and the duo contributed to Memphis' unstoppable run game.

The Tigers ran for a total of 3,712 yards on the season, with 46 touchdowns. Comparably, opponents ran for just over 2,200 and 29 touchdowns. 

The backs are joined by wideout Damonte Coxie, who leads the team in receiving yards and touchdowns with 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns. Coxie is one of quarterback Brady White's favorite targets and has totaled 66 receptions. White has thrown for 3,125 yards and 25 touchdowns on eight interceptions. 

The Demon Deacons will be led by sophomore Jamie Newman come bowl day, as their starting quarterback—freshman Sam Hartman—sustained a season-ending leg injury in Wake Forest's 41-24 loss to Syracuse.

Newman has proved his talent at quarterback, racking up 680 passing yards and eight touchdowns in his three starts on the season against NC State, Pittsburgh and Duke.

The North Carolina native even ran for 94 yards in two of the games. Newman showcased his ability to move the ball up and down the field in a 59-7 blowout of Duke that clinched bowl eligibility for the Demon Deacons.

Alongside Newman is fellow sophomore and wide receiver Greg Dortch, who leads the team in receptions. Dortch has 1,078 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 89 receptions—similar numbers to Coxie. 

Upperclassmen Matt Colburn and Cade Carney control the team's rushing game as the two top backs. Carney boasts 954 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while Colburn follows with 698 yards and five touchdowns.

While Newman may not have had as much playing time this year as White, and Colburn and Carney are no match for Henderson and Taylor, Wake Forest may be able to exploit Memphis' weaker defense. The Tigers have had trouble stopping opponents from scoring this season, giving up 65 points to Missouri in October and 56 to UCF in December.

The only common opponent the teams had this season was Tulane, who Wake Forest defeated and Memphis lost to. In the season opener, the Demon Deacons beat Tulane 23-17 in overtime. The Tigers were not as lucky, falling 40-24 to Tulane in late September.

      

Prediction

Wake Forest is aiming for its third straight bowl win while Memphis will try to get its first since 2014. What's in store for the #BirminghamBowl? https://t.co/pWrmR5y88K

— Athlon Sports (@AthlonSports) December 19, 2018

Memphis would have made easy work of Wake Forest if they had Henderson for this game. The back is a force to be reckoned with on the football field, and he would have had no trouble against the Wake Forest defense.

However, taking Henderson out of the equation changes the game a bit. The Tigers will have to rely more on Taylor in their rushing game, which the back won't be used to. White will also have to take advantage of Coxie and his other receivers in order to put the ball in the end zone. 

Additionally, while Wake Forest finished fifth in the ACC with a 6-6 record compared to Memphis' 8-5 record, the Demon Deacons suffered losses to a few highly-ranked opponents. Half of Wake Forest's losses came to Notre Dame, Clemson and Syracuse. Another came to Pittsburgh, who was on a roll towards the end of the season.

Only two of Memphis' five losses came to a ranked opponent—UCF once in the regular season and once in the AAC Championship. The other three were to Navy, Missouri and Tulane.

That being said, even without Henderson and the slight difference in schedule difficulty, Memphis should still be able to defeat the inconsistent Wake Forest. 

While Colburn and Carney are experienced, Taylor is explosive. Junior White has had more playing time this season to get comfortable in the pocket, with his receivers and under pressure. And the wideouts for both teams are fairly evenly matched. 

Memphis 37, Wake Forest 27

        

Odds via OddsShark

All stats obtained from ESPN.com  

How many yards will college football's unspoken superstar gain this weekend? What teams will be playoff-bound? And what about college football's must-watch games during championship week? Adam Kramer explores what's happening in college football in his weekly notebook, the Thursday Tailgate.

         

Over the past two seasons, this running back has averaged more than eight yards per carry—almost a first down every time he's touched the football. In high school, he posted a 4.29 40-yard dash at a regional combine—speed rarely seen at his position. And on Saturday, this same running back will compete for a conference championship.

Not at Alabama or Clemson or Oklahoma or Texas or Ohio State. But at Memphis.

Looking back on it now, Darrell Henderson knows why he was passed over by every Power Five program in college football. "The only thing they would tell me is I didn't have the size," Henderson says.

Back then, he was a 175-pound, 3-star running back out of South Panola High School in Batesville, Mississippi—a town of less than 10,000 that is an hour south of Memphis. Despite rushing for nearly 6,000 yards in high school, Henderson, the 2014 Mississippi Gatorade Football Player of the Year, only had offers from Georgia State, Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee and Memphis as a senior.

"I'm just making the best of my opportunity," Henderson says. "And I'm thankful to Memphis for giving me a chance."

Despite receiving only four carries in one game because of injury, the junior, who is now 5'9" and 200 pounds, has gained 1,699 yards on only 198 carries—an average of 8.6 yards per carry. He has scored 22 touchdowns while becoming one of the most explosive offensive players in the nation.

His performance has guided Memphis to first place in the American Athletic West, setting up a rematch against Central Florida in the AAC Championship Game on Saturday. Memphis is hoping to end UCF's 24-game winning streak. In the teams' previous matchup this season, Henderson rushed for 199 yards in a loss.

While eyes will unquestionably be elsewhere this weekend, don't be surprised if a little-known running back out of Mississippi has another huge game.

"I'm out to prove to everybody that size doesn't matter," Henderson says.

     

Five Things You Need to Know About the College Football Playoff

1. Alabama Is a Lock 

No matter what happens in the SEC Championship Game, Alabama is in. No drama. No suspense. No unbelievable circumstance that would force the Tide out. Nick Saban's team could lose by three touchdowns Saturday in the SEC Championship Game—it almost certainly will not—and Alabama would claim the No. 4 seed at worst.

For as much as the selection committee will say conference championships matter, there are exceptions. Alabama saw this firsthand last season when it crashed the playoff from its couch. The team has built up too much football equity to miss out. 

Speaking of which…

             

2. Georgia Is Really Good and Plenty Unlucky 

Alabama's opponent, meanwhile, most likely has to win to be in. (More on that in a second.) 

In terms of talent, there is no question Georgia is one of the country's top four programs. Aaron Kessler, the sportsbook director at Golden Nugget Las Vegas, says Georgia would be around a four-point underdog in a neutral-site game against Clemson and favored by a touchdown over Notre Dame.

But unless Georgia beats Alabama on Saturday—the second time this calendar year the Bulldogs will have played the Tide—it will need a great deal of help. An upset is possible; this team is flourishing at the right time. But this feels like a game that should be played around New Year's Eve instead of on Saturday.

While this scenario might be a bad break for the Bulldogs, not so for everyone else.

     

3. Ohio State and Oklahoma Need Alabama to Win 

Ohio State and Oklahoma will be rooting hard for Alabama to win the SEC Championship Game and eliminate Georgia as a competitor for the No. 4 spot in the playoff field. 

This isn't a complicated year for the playoff. There are only a handful of teams within striking distance. But for a discussion to even be necessary, the Buckeyes and Sooners need Alabama to prevail.

Otherwise, Ohio State and Oklahoma could be left out in the cold. But if Alabama does win…

     

4. Oklahoma Appears to Have the Upper Hand

That the selection committee ranked Oklahoma above Ohio State in the final dress-rehearsal rankings is revealing. The Sooners will play Texas, currently ranked No. 14 by the committee. The Buckeyes will play Northwestern—No. 21, according to this group.

Advantage Oklahoma (again).

That's not to say these two can't flip-flop; Ohio State leapfrogged TCU in 2014 after clobbering Wisconsin, 59-0, in the Big Ten Championship Game before going on to win the national championship. But this feels different.

Ohio State needs to win and then hope.

     

5. Can We Still Get Playoff Chaos?

Unlikely, although college football works in mysterious ways. Notre Dame has already punched its ticket, so that's one spot taken. Clemson is a massive favorite over Pitt, but a loss in the ACC Championship Game could stir up conversation. But even a loss by Clemson doesn't guarantee the Tigers are out. 

And because Alabama has already delivered a playoff-worthy season, the possibilities for last-minute entries are limited.

If Oklahoma and Ohio State both lose, things could get interesting. The committee would then have to decide between UCF, which seems an unlikely if not impossible option given the unfortunate injury to quarterback McKenzie Milton, and perhaps a two-loss Georgia team if the Bulldogs lose to Alabama.

In that instance, Alabama and Georgia could meet again for the second consecutive game and the third time in 12 months in the CFP semifinals. It'll need some help to happen, but it's by no means out of the question.

     

Bonus! What Will the Final Bracket Look Like?

Chalky. Sorry about that. But hey, the two semifinals would be a great deal of fun. 

1. Alabama

2. Clemson

3. Notre Dame

4. Oklahoma

     

Five Games to Watch This Weekend

Ah, championship weekend. Conferences will be won. The playoff bracket will be filled. A Heisman will be decided. A rivalry will be replayed.

What a glorious few days it will be. (All game times Eastern, and all rankings courtesy of the College Football Playoff selection committee).

SEC Championship Game: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Georgia (Saturday, 4 p.m.): For a moment, distance yourself from the stakes. Instead, focus on two of the nation's most gifted football teams led by two coaches who are very familiar with one another. From purely a football standpoint, it doesn't get much better than this.

Big 12 Championship Game: No. 5 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Texas (Saturday, noon): That we have been blessed with a Red River Rivalry rematch on championship weekend is a luxury. While the Longhorns won't crash the playoff, nothing would make Tom Herman happier than to spoil the opportunity for his rival. (Ohio State wouldn't mind, either.)

Big Ten Championship Game: No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 21 Northwestern (Saturday, 8 p.m.): One team lost to Akron. The other looked lost throughout the season despite only losing one game. Ohio State seems to be on top of its game after dismantling Michigan, and Northwestern is certain to be a royal football pain, as it often is. Unlikely matchup but still plenty welcomed.

ACC Championship Game: No. 2 Clemson vs. Pittsburgh (Saturday, 8 p.m.): Let's assume Pitt was looking ahead. Perhaps that's the only way to explain how the Panthers lost 24-3 to Miami last Saturday despite the Hurricanes completing only six passes for 52 yards. Clemson, meanwhile, just gained roughly 8,956 yards of offense last weekend in beating archrival South Carolina. 

Pac-12 Championship Game: No. 11 Washington vs. No. 17 Utah (Friday, 8 p.m.): The good news is this game will enjoy a Friday night spotlight. The bad news is neither team will sniff the College Football Playoff. The Pac-12 is sidelined once again. Still, championship football on a Friday is delightful and worth staying in for.

    

What Else to Watch This Weekend

First, UAB's Quest to Complete an Unthinkable Season

The Blazers didn't have a football team two years ago. Now, UAB can close out its second season back from the dead with a Conference USA championship.

For many, that might not be as exciting as playoff mania. But what a year, regardless of what happens at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Making the moment more interesting is the fact the Blazers will play Middle Tennessee for the second week in a row.

Last week, with a spot in the conference championship already locked up, UAB lost 27-3. Do not be surprised if this week brings a much more competitive score or even a different result. (Hint: Be sure to check out this week's Locks.)

     

Second, Boise State-Fresno State Part 2

On the topic of rematches, the Broncos and the Bulldogs will compete for the Mountain West championship (7:45 p.m. Saturday). Less than a month ago, these two played an outstanding game that Boise State won, although Fresno State is more than capable of squaring things up.

Again, it's not all about the playoff this week. Plenty of other good games will be played, and this is one of them.

     

Gambling Locks of the Week

Last week: 5-2

Season to date: 42-34-2

The goal last week was to go 7-0, and it was almost realized. (It's worth noting both losing picks, West Virginia and Texas A&M, lost in somewhat maniacal, spectacular fashion. If I am going to lose, I want to lose like that.)

However, there is still more football to bet on and holiday gift money to acquire. Even though this is an abbreviated slate, winners are still there to be picked.

Here are this week's picks, using lines provided by OddsShark.

Washington (-5.5) vs. Utah: The Huskies close strong with a double-digit victory here.

Northwestern (+14) vs. Ohio State: The Wildcats are scrappy. And while Ohio State wins, Northwestern keeps it close-ish.

UAB (+2) vs. Middle Tennessee: The Blazers just got blasted by this same team and are a short dog? Oh, I am feeling a bounce-back.

Boise State (-2.5) vs. Fresno State: On the Boise bandwagon once more, with feeling.

Cal (+3) vs. Stanford: Don't forget about this one. Not a lot of points but a Cal win. 

    

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs.