College Football Week 12 Picks: Three Best Bets and Predictions

Unlike most college football seasons, there isn’t much of a gap between the top and bottom of the rankings. At this point, playoff teams start separating themselves from the pack while other teams play spoiler, but it still feels like 20+ teams could find themselves competing for one of the final playoff spots.

That said, I have my three favorite games of the week and will be giving out some winners. Let’s get into the best games from the top three conferences.

#18 USC vs #9 Indiana -8.5 Total: 50.5

This game might be the hardest game of the year to pick. USC is fighting for their playoff lives, and wins over Indiana and UCLA to close out the year would guarantee them a postseason ticket. On the other side, Indiana continues to find a way to win games in the ugliest ways imaginable. They picked up their second straight road win before the bye last week, and their fourth straight one-possession game.

Turbo Richards is likely out for their matchup with USC, but even then, I still don’t think he’d be enough to fix Indiana’s run game. That said, the Trojans have looked awful on the road this year, while Indiana keeps winning games they have no business winning. I think I’m going to plug my nose and ride with Cignetti.

Pick: IU -8.5 and u50.5

#2 Utah -2.5 vs #23 Arizona Total: 54.5

The only thing I love more than a home underdog is when one of my favorite teams in the country is one. Arizona has been on the verge of pulling off an upset all season long, but hasn’t yet gotten to play one of the best teams in the Big 12 at home. Fortunately for them, Utah has to meet them in Tucson, coming off what might be their biggest win in program history.

I doubted Utah last week because I felt BYU’s pass rush would make Devon Dampier struggle, and I wasn’t all that mistaken. He didn’t play all that well, but he only turned the ball over once, while Bear Bachmeier—the guy I expected to play a clean game—coughed it up 4 times. I still don’t think Utah is that good, so I will take Noah Fifita and the Arizona passing attack to win.

Pick: Arizona +2.5 and o54.5

#6 Texas vs #21 LSU -4 Total: 45.4

Besides having an SEC patch on their jersey, what has LSU done to earn a top-25 ranking? Their best wins are close losses to Ole Miss and Kentucky, two teams that lost last week by a combined 63 points. I am sick and tired of pretending that LSU is any good as long as Sam Leavitt is their quarterback.

Not only that, but this vaunted defense I had heard so much about was utterly embarrassed on their own field against Alabama. I don’t even love this Texas team that much, but this bet is strictly a pick against a terrible, overrated LSU team that has no business being favored over a top-10 team.

Pick: Texas +4