College Football

WhatIfSports 2014 College Football Week 14 Predictions

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:36 p.m. ET

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Each Monday, WhatIfSports.com's NCAA college football simulation engine provides game predictions for every D-1 FBS game that upcoming week. The college football simulation engine generates detailed information for each game including each team's chances of winning (Win%) and the average points scored for both teams.

Check out our 2014 College Football Season-to-Date page to follow our accuracy and for Upsets of the Week.

The statistical inputs to the thousands of college football simulations are based on rigorous analysis of each team's roster, depth charts and statistically based player rankings. Roster modifications are made in cases of injury or suspension and those players are removed from their team's game simulation for that week.

Game of the Week: Michigan at Ohio State

In the five games Michigan has won this season, the Wolverines defense has allowed 11.2 points per game. In the six games they've lost, the defense has allowed 28.5 points per game. The defense's margin of error cannot be that great when the Wolverine's offense is only averaging 20.3 points per game - ranked 114th in FBS.

Turnovers have also hurt Brady Hoke's squad as well as his job security heading into 2015. Michigan' turnover margin (-1.27 / game) is dead last in the Big Ten. Senior quarterback Devin Gardner has thrown 14 interceptions with only eight touchdowns - one of the worst ratios among FBS quarterbacks.

The running back tandem of De'Veon Smith and Derrick Green has combined for nine touchdowns and better than 5.0 yards per carry. Devin Funchess (55 receptions for 625 yards with four touchdowns) is Gardner's primary target at this juncture, which isn't much when it comes to a very mundane, uncreative offense.

Fact: after starting 5-0 in 2013, the Wolverines are 7-12 in the past 19 games.

Ohio State needs a win to keep its slim college football playoff hopes alive. However, a trend Urban Meyer would like to buck heading into the Big Ten Championship would be slow starts and a defense that has allowed more than 29 points per game over their last three contests. The 29 PAPG is nearly seven points more than their season average of 22.5 (30th in FBS).

During that same stretch, which started with an upset win over Michigan State, J.T. Barrett has thrown 10 touchdowns with only three interceptions and rushed for 353 yards with three more touchdowns (117.6 rush yards per game).

Freshman receiver Jalin Marshall has stepped up over the last two games with 10 receptions for 190 yards and four touchdowns.

We simulated the Buckeyes and Wolverines 101 times and the computers like Ohio State to win 72.3 percent of the time by an average score of 25-18.

College Football Week 14 Predictions
Matchup	Win %	Avg. Score
Florida Gators	25.7	17.2	Boxscore
@ Florida State Seminoles	74.3	26.8
North Carolina State Wolfpack	35.6	24.0	Boxscore
@ North Carolina Tar Heels	64.4	28.2
Kentucky Wildcats	35.6	20.0	Boxscore
@ Louisville Cardinals	64.4	23.9
Wake Forest Demon Deacons	35.1	16.6	Boxscore
@ Duke Blue Devils	64.9	22.1
Syracuse Orange	38.6	17.3	Boxscore
@ Boston College Eagles	61.4	20.5
Pittsburgh Panthers	44.6	21.7	Boxscore
@ Miami (FL) Hurricanes	55.4	22.8
South Carolina Gamecocks	46.5	21.6	Boxscore
@ Clemson Tigers	53.5	22.2
Virginia Cavaliers	53.5	19.0	Boxscore
@ Virginia Tech Hokies	46.5	18.5
Michigan Wolverines	27.7	17.7	Boxscore
@ Ohio State Buckeyes	72.3	25.4
Minnesota Golden Gophers	39.6	16.0	Boxscore
@ Wisconsin Badgers	60.4	20.6
Purdue Boilermakers	44.1	23.1	Boxscore
@ Indiana Hoosiers	55.9	23.9
Rutgers Scarlet Knights	45.5	21.9	Boxscore
@ Maryland Terrapins	54.5	22.7
Nebraska Cornhuskers	53.5	19.8	Boxscore
@ Iowa Hawkeyes	46.5	20.6
Illinois Fighting Illini	53.5	23.5	Boxscore
@ Northwestern Wildcats	46.5	21.7
Michigan State Spartans	80.2	24.7	Boxscore
@ Penn State Nittany Lions	19.8	15.8
Ball State Cardinals	30.7	20.6	Boxscore
@ Bowling Green Falcons	69.3	27.3
Northern Illinois Huskies	53.5	26.6	Boxscore
@ Western Michigan Broncos	46.5	25.4
Buffalo Bulls	62.4	26.5	Boxscore
@ Massachusetts Minutemen	37.6	22.5
Akron Zips	63.4	25.5	Boxscore
@ Kent State Golden Flashes	36.6	20.9
Ohio Bobcats	65.3	24.4	Boxscore
@ Miami (OH) RedHawks	34.7	18.4
Toledo Rockets	83.2	29.7	Boxscore
@ Eastern Michigan Eagles	16.8	18.4
BYU Cougars	34.7	24.8	Boxscore
@ California Golden Bears	65.3	27.1
Stanford Cardinal	36.6	20.1	Boxscore
@ UCLA Bruins	63.4	24.9
Arizona State Sun Devils	43.6	22.3	Boxscore
@ Arizona Wildcats	56.4	25.8
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	45.0	23.5	Boxscore
@ USC Trojans	55.0	25.8
Washington Huskies	56.4	28.0	Boxscore
@ Washington State Cougars	43.6	26.8
Utah Utes	80.2	27.4	Boxscore
@ Colorado Buffaloes	19.8	18.9
Oregon Ducks	82.7	32.1	Boxscore
@ Oregon State Beavers	17.3	21.2
Auburn Tigers	46.5	20.8	Boxscore
@ Alabama Crimson Tide	53.5	23.4
Arkansas Razorbacks	48.5	20.2	Boxscore
@ Missouri Tigers	51.5	21.2
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	48.5	22.0	Boxscore
@ Georgia Bulldogs	51.5	23.7
Mississippi State Bulldogs	51.0	21.7	Boxscore
@ Ole Miss Rebels	49.0	21.2
LSU Tigers	57.4	23.7	Boxscore
@ Texas A&M Aggies	42.6	21.7
Tennessee Volunteers	77.2	24.0	Boxscore
@ Vanderbilt Commodores	22.8	14.7
Kansas Jayhawks	18.8	17.6	Boxscore
@ Kansas State Wildcats	81.2	28.9
Texas Tech Red Raiders	28.7	24.7	Boxscore
vs. Baylor Bears	71.3	33.3
TCU Horned Frogs	70.3	26.2	Boxscore
@ Texas Longhorns	29.7	18.3
West Virginia Mountaineers	71.8	30.0	Boxscore
@ Iowa State Cyclones	28.2	21.7
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers	17.8	26.1	Boxscore
@ Marshall Thundering Herd	82.2	36.1
Rice Owls	40.6	22.8	Boxscore
@ Louisiana Tech Bulldogs	59.4	24.0
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders	49.5	25.8	Boxscore
@ UTEP Miners	50.5	26.4
North Texas Mean Green	56.4	21.6	Boxscore
@ UTSA Roadrunners	43.6	19.4
UAB Blazers	59.4	29.7	Boxscore
@ Southern Miss Golden Eagles	40.6	26.8
Old Dominion Monarchs	59.4	29.0	Boxscore
@ Florida Atlantic Owls	40.6	26.4
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors	36.6	25.4	Boxscore
@ Fresno State Bulldogs	63.4	28.4
San Jose State Spartans	39.6	23.2	Boxscore
@ San Diego State Aztecs	60.4	27.3
Utah State Aggies	44.6	24.9	Boxscore
@ Boise State Broncos	55.4	26.7
Wyoming Cowboys	46.5	25.3	Boxscore
@ New Mexico Lobos	53.5	27.2
Colorado State Rams	61.4	27.9	Boxscore
@ Air Force Falcons	38.6	24.2
Nevada Wolf Pack	61.4	27.6	Boxscore
@ UNLV Rebels	38.6	22.4
New Mexico State Aggies	32.7	22.4	Boxscore
@ Arkansas State Red Wolves	67.3	28.9
Idaho Vandals	33.2	21.6	Boxscore
@ Appalachian State Mountaineers	66.8	28.8
Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks	45.5	22.3	Boxscore
@ Georgia Southern Eagles	54.5	25.5
Navy Midshipmen	55.4	24.3	Boxscore
@ South Alabama Jaguars	44.6	21.6
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns	73.3	29.1	Boxscore
@ Troy Trojans	26.7	20.5
Texas State Bobcats	80.2	31.6	Boxscore
@ Georgia State Panthers	19.8	19.1
Connecticut Huskies	26.7	17.8	Boxscore
@ Memphis Tigers	73.3	25.2
Cincinnati Bearcats	57.4	27.8	Boxscore
@ Temple Owls	42.6	25.2
UCF Knights	58.9	22.9	Boxscore
@ South Florida Bulls	41.1	20.9
Houston Cougars	73.3	28.0	Boxscore
@ SMU Mustangs	26.7	17.7
East Carolina Pirates	72.8	32.4	Boxscore
@ Tulsa Golden Hurricane	27.2	23.3