Educated Guesses: Week 12

You only get one chance to make a first impression. Judging for one Aggies fan, Texas A&M should fit right into the demented SEC.

Some Texas A&M senior named Calvin was so sure that his school didn’t have a chance to compete with the established Southeastern Conference powers that he bet his roommates that if the Aggies beat Alabama “I’d get a tattoo of the score on my (fanny).”

Well, guess what? Calvin made good on his promise despite his loathing of skin art thanks to Johnny “Football” Manziel leading a heroic upset of the No. 1 Crimson Tide in Birmingham.

Despite his reported 3.6 GPA, Calvin put the apostrophe in the wrong place and his right “cheek”now sports this: “A T M vs. BAMA, 29-24, 12’ “

Here’s hoping he didn’t get his tattoo from a poisoned inkwell courtesy of Harvey Updyke.

Anyway, here’s a stocked field of Week 12’s educated guesses:

N.C.State@ Clemson: Terps Wolfies are weird. Beat FSU and lose to Virginia. Tigers survive test. TIGERS 38, Wolfpack 24.

GeorgiaSouthern @ Georgia: Perfect scout team for Georgia Tech the next week. BULLDOGS 45, Eagles 17.

Wofford @ South Carolina: Part II in the SEC vs. in-state rivalry tune-up. GAMECOCKS 45, Terriers 17.

Duke @ Georgia Tech: Amazingly, this game matters. Beat Duke and Duke beats Miami and Wreck wins Coastal. YELLOW JACKETS 49, Blue Devils 34.

Stanford @ Oregon: Phase 1 of grueling three-step road to the BCS title game. DUCKS 52, Cardinal 42.

KansasState@ Baylor: How fun would this be if RG3 was still in college? WILDCATS 42, Bears 35.

WakeForest @ Notre Dame: Last ACC cream puff before final test against Southern Cal. FIGHTING IRISH 27, Demon Deacons 20.

FloridaState@ Maryland: Last hope for Clemson to reach ACC title game. Upset won’t happen. SEMINOLES 41, Terrapins 9.

Southern Cal@ UCLA: Bruins can clinch Pac 12 title game bid with victory. BRUINS 38, Trojans 35.

TexasTech at Oklahoma State: Old-fashioned Cowboys vs. Indians shootout. COWBOYS 48, Red Raiders 41.

Tennessee@ Vanderbilt: The power (such as it is) has shifted in the Volunteer state. COMMODORES 27, Volunteers 24.

LAST WEEK:9-2

Winners: Georgia, South Carolina, Clemson, LSU, Florida State, Kansas State, Stanford, Georgia Southern, Maine

Losers: North Carolina, Alabama

YEAR TO DATE: 86-35 (.711)

2011 record: 115-51 (.693)

2010 record: 97-49 (.664)