I love this time of year. Over the next two weeks, we’ll see some of college football’s biggest rivalry games take center stage. Some have great significance, like USC vs. UCLA, while others like Iowa vs. Minnesota will play for fun trophies like the Floyd of Rosedale. However, that game also will impact the Big Ten West race, the winner of which will earn the right to be annihilated in the conference championship game. At least a couple of those games will appear in this week’s best bets.
Each week, I will use this space to tell you what I think are a few of the best bets heading into the weekend. I will also throw in an upset of the week, which will be a team that is at least a touchdown underdog that I am picking to win outright. I will also give you picks on other games involving potential College Football Playoff teams.
Last week was another good showing for point total bets on this page. Maybe I should just do more of those because they have carried me back into positive territory for the season. However, the upset of the week is not a point total play and I have one line I simply cannot resist.
Week 12 picks
No. 1 Georgia at Kentucky
Featured Game | Kentucky Wildcats vs. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia has not taken its foot off of the gas since the near-disaster at Missouri on Oct 1. Since then, the Bulldogs have been as dominant as anyone. Kentucky is reeling, having lost four of its last six. The Wildcats seemed to have hit rock bottom in a loss to Vanderbilt, putting an end to the Commodores’ 26-game conference losing streak. Do not expect the Bulldogs to show any mercy now. Pick: Georgia -22.5
Iowa at Minnesota
Featured Game | Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
The much-maligned Iowa offense has found a spark over the last three weeks, averaging 27 points per game after averaging 14 points per game prior to that stretch. Iowa’s games have gone over this number in three of its last four, and the Gophers have also exceeded this total in four of their last five games. We are not asking much here to clear this low line. Pick: Over 32.5
Northwestern at Purdue
Featured Game | Purdue Boilermakers vs. Northwestern Wildcats
As long-time followers of my work know, I am a Purdue grad and fan, so you can probably understand why I busted out laughing when I saw this line. The total margin of victory in Purdue’s five FBS wins this season is 27 points. The Boilermakers have yet to beat an FBS team by more than ten. I realize this is not a great Northwestern team, especially offensively, but 20-point wins is not how Purdue rolls. I also like the Under 48. Pick: Northwestern +20
Upset of the Week
UConn at Army
Featured Game | Army West Point Black Knights vs. Connecticut Huskies
Coach Jim L, Mora has done a great job in his first season at UConn, getting the Huskies bowl eligible when they had won just four games in the previous three seasons (not including 2020, when they skipped the season due to COVID-19). And it’s not like UConn has been beating up on tomato cans; it has wins over 7-3 Fresno State and, most recently, 8-2 Liberty. Army has beaten only one FBS opponent this season, Louisiana-Monroe. Both teams are run heavy, which will keep the scoring down and make for a closer game. I like the team on a roll. Pick: UConn (+285)
Other CFP candidates
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 12, and which top-20 teams will go down hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned almost $3,000 in profit over the past six-plus seasons — and find out.
