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Faculty Soccer Week 12 preview: USC tries to maintain Pac-12 CFP hopes alive

The faculty soccer common season is quickly approaching its conclusion, and there may be nonetheless a lot to be determined. 

Whereas the highest of the Faculty Soccer Playoff rankings barely modified after Week 11, a shakeup is on the horizon as the ultimate two weeks of the common season are performed out. 

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Michigan and Ohio State will sq. off to determine the winner of the Huge Ten East and a transparent path to the CFP.

For that matchup to be a must-see, the Wolverines and the Buckeyes each should win in Week 12. 

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TCU additionally appears to be like to stay unbeaten after locking up a spot within the Huge 12 championship sport, and USC will attempt to maintain the Pac-12 from being shut out of the CFP a sixth straight 12 months with a go to throughout city to the Rose Bowl. 

Let’s take a look at a couple of video games to concentrate on Saturday as the school soccer season kicks off Week 12.

The matchup on the Huge Home in Ann Arbor between Illinois and Michigan has misplaced a few of its luster after the Combating Illini misplaced back-to-back video games towards unranked opponents, however there’s nonetheless rather a lot on the road for each groups. 

For the Wolverines and head coach Jim Harbaugh, a win will enable Michigan to face Ohio State Nov. 26 undefeated with a berth within the Huge Ten championship sport on the road. 

“Rather a lot on the road for them, for us,” Harbaugh mentioned. “And the best way we at all times method a sport, daily issues, however the video games rely. … We’re actually going to should be on level.”

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It’s a matchup between the 2 prime defenses within the nation, and the Michigan entrance can be seeking to sluggish Illinois working again Chase Brown, assuming Brown performs after struggling a leg damage in Week 11. 

Head coach Brett Bielema mentioned earlier within the week that Brown is “trending in the precise course.”

“(I’m) very constructive and excited however don’t know the place we’ll be by Friday for the journey and Saturday for the sport,” Bielema mentioned. 

Brown leads the nation in speeding yards with 1,442, whereas the Wolverines head into Week 12 with the highest speeding protection within the nation, permitting simply 72.7 yards per sport on the bottom. 

The Michigan protection leads the nation in complete yards allowed per sport (232.8) and factors per sport (11.2). 

“Our run wall has been superb,” Harbaugh mentioned Monday, based on MLive. “It’s going to be examined this week in all probability like none different up up to now. Illinois may be very sturdy on the line of scrimmage on each side of the ball.” Harbaugh cited Illinois’ “excellent working again.”

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The Michigan offense brings its personal stud working again to the get together, with Blake Corum fourth within the nation in yards (1,349) and 17 touchdowns. 

Illinois counters with a protection permitting simply 85.9 yards per sport on the bottom, sixth within the nation.

“They’ve an offensive line that may be very gifted — huge, lengthy, athletic and strikes extraordinarily nicely,” Bielema mentioned. “Behind them is a working again that I believe will be pretty much as good as anyone within the nation; sturdy, highly effective, has the flexibility to run by you, has the flexibility to run round you, has some shiftiness to him. “

TCU must win out to make the Faculty Soccer Playoff, and Baylor received’t be a group that may be ignored. 

The Horned Frogs will head to Waco, Texas, contemporary off a dominant defensive efficiency towards the Texas Longhorns. 

“I knew we had the potential,” TCU defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie informed ESPN. “I simply did not know the place it was going to occur, or if it was going to occur. That was as full a four-quarter defensive [performance] that we have performed up till this level. And it is good timing.

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“Now the deal is, you have to maintain doing it. You have acquired a giant goal in your chest, and that is a superb factor.”

The TCU protection allowed simply 199 complete yards to the Longhorns, shutting down working again Bijan Robinson and the Texas speeding assault (28 speeding yards).

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And whereas Baylor is coming off a disastrous efficiency towards Kansas State, it’s an offense that averages 34.Eight factors per sport, good for fourth within the Huge 12. 

In opposition to the Wildcats, Baylor’s speeding assault stalled, gaining simply 103 yards on the bottom. However in its three earlier video games — all wins — Baylor rushed for 273 (Kansas), 231 (Texas Tech) and 281 yards (Oklahoma).

Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen struggled towards Kansas State, throwing two interceptions within the loss. 

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“Yeah, full confidence in him. I believe there was in all probability some urgent by him (towards Okay-State). I believe his footwork in all probability illustrated a few of that,” Baylor head coach Dave Aranda mentioned, based on The Dallas Morning Information. 

“To get again to the place there’s a very sturdy confidence and command in all of it — like he’s performed for us rather a lot this 12 months — I believe offers us the most effective probability to be the most effective offense we will be.”

TCU working again Kendre Miller is second within the Huge 12 in speeding yards per sport (114.7) and can be going up towards a Baylor protection ranked third within the convention in rush protection (132.Eight yards allowed per sport). 

What appeared like Georgia’s remaining hurdle earlier than the SEC Championship Recreation just some weeks in the past is now a matchup between groups stepping into reverse instructions. 

The Bulldogs secured their spot in Atlanta final weekend after beating Mississippi State one week after knocking off Tennessee

Georgia’s protection has as soon as once more led the best way, permitting simply 11.6 factors per sport, the second-fewest within the nation. 

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They’ll be going towards a Kentucky offense that has struggled to place the ball ultimately zone towards SEC opponents, scoring no less than 20 factors simply 4 occasions towards groups from the SEC. 

In opposition to Vanderbilt in Week 11, the Wildcats managed simply two offensive touchdowns, permitting the Commodores to snap a 26-game SEC shedding streak.

“We’re transferring the ball and doing good issues, however we’re not moving into the tip zone,” Kentucky offensive coordinator Wealthy Scangarello mentioned, based on ESPN. “One of many downsides is that we have had explosive [plays], however they don’t seem to be scoring on a regular basis. Chunk performs are nice, however when chunk performs get tackled on the 25 as an alternative of scoring, it is onerous.” 

Kentucky received’t simply be dealing with a stifling protection. 

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Georgia’s offense has lit up the scoreboard in 2022, averaging 509.6 yards and 40.6 factors per sport. 

“They’re awfully spectacular in each approach, form or type,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops mentioned. “They should be the place they’re at, and we’ve an excellent problem forward for us.”

Georgia has received the final 12 matchups with Kentucky, and a win Saturday will put them one step nearer to a matchup with LSU and a visit to the CFP on the road. 

“We actually haven’t talked concerning the SEC championship sport,” Georgia coach Kirby Sensible mentioned. “This isn’t our dialog. We maintain our dialog relative to what’s one foot in entrance of us, and it’s by no means been talked about as a objective, no person talks about that. We discuss Kentucky.”

It’s the Pac-12’s final gasp at being represented within the Faculty Soccer Playoff. 

The convention has not had a group within the playoff for 5 straight years and has turn out to be an afterthought among the many Energy 5. 

Then Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for the West Coast, and the Trojans returned to the primary stage. 

However the faculty throughout city could have one thing to say about USC’s return to the highest. 

“When each groups are good and there are plenty of alternatives forward for each groups, it makes it approach, approach higher,” Riley mentioned this week, based on ESPN. 

The Trojans sit at 9-1, their solely loss coming to an excellent Utah group in October. USC could have a superb case for the Faculty Soccer Playoff if it defeats Notre Dame and sure a extremely ranked Oregon or Utah group within the Pac-12 Championship Recreation to complete 12-1. 

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A loss and it’s nearly actually lights out for Riley, USC and the Convention of Champions. 

It’s a matchup between two of the most effective quarterbacks within the nation as Caleb Williams leads his Trojans into the Rose Bowl to tackle Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the Bruins. 

It’s the 92nd time the crosstown rivals will face off, and there’s no love misplaced. 

“Clearly, we hate these guys throughout city. It’s a bitter feeling with these guys,” Thompson-Robinson mentioned. “We wish to be even higher (than final 12 months). We wish to break 60 and all that stuff. We’re making an attempt to enhance on the whole lot we’ve performed this 12 months and maximize our sport that approach.”

Thompson-Robinson leads an offense that has performed its injury on the bottom, eighth in faculty soccer with 240.1 yards per sport speeding. 

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UCLA working again Zach Charbonnet leads the Pac-12 in speeding (1,145) and is tied for probably the most touchdowns on the bottom (13). 

A win for UCLA retains its slim Pac-12 championship hopes alive. 

USC is led by its passing assault (316.9 yards per sport), with quarterback Caleb Williams throwing for 31 touchdowns and simply two interceptions in his first 12 months in LA.

“Caleb has performed not solely in rivalry video games however huge video games with title implications. I like the place our man has been and the battles he has been in,” Riley mentioned.

USC will want much more from Williams after shedding working again Travis Dye to a season-ending ankle damage towards Colorado in Week 11. 

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Williams’ prime goal, Pittsburgh switch Jordan Addison, is second within the Pac-12 with seven receiving touchdowns. 

“It is positively one thing I have been fascinated about, coming to a brand new city,” mentioned Addison. “I do know it is a huge sport for this metropolis, and folks have been speaking about it, so I am beginning to get the sensation.”

It must be a high-scoring affair at a offeredout Rose Bowl.

Different video games of notice: 

No. 12 Oregon vs. No. 10 Utah – 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Maryland vs. No. 2 Ohio State – 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

No. 9 Clemson vs. Miami – 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Related Press contributed to this report

This text was initially printed by foxnews.com. Learn the original article here.

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