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College Football Picks Week 12: Odds, Predictions, Schedule, Rankings for Top 25
November 12, 2018
Week 11 was an unusual one in college football, and not because there were a lot of upsets.
None of the Top 10 teams lost, and seven of those winners won by 20 points or more.
Will the college football Gods allow that type of outcome once again, or will the upsets finally start to come?
Nobody expects the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide to have any kind of issue with The Citadel, and it also seems unlikely that Duke will give No. 2 Clemson much to worry about.
However, No. 3 Notre Dame has a challenge from No. 12 Syracuse, as those two teams will do battle at Yankee Stadium. If the Irish can hold off the Orange in this game, they will have only one game remaining to claim a perfect regular season and a nearly guaranteed spot in the College Football Playoffs.
Here's a look at this week's Associated Press rankings as well as predictions on this week's games involving teams in the Top 25.
Week 12 AP Rankings (Released November 11)
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Notre Dame
4. Michigan
5. Georgia
6. Oklahoma
7. West Virginia
8. Washington State
9. Ohio State
10. LSU
11. UCF
12. Syracuse
13. Texas
14. Utah State
15. Florida
16. Penn State
17. Washington
18. Iowa State
19. Cincinnati
20. Kentucky
21. Utah
22. Boston College
23. Boise State
24. Northwestern
25. Mississippi State
Week 12 Top 25 Schedule and Predictions (All times ET)
Friday, Nov. 16
Boise State (23) at New Mexico, 9 p.m., Boise State -19, Boise State 33, New Mexico 13
Saturday, Nov. 17
The Citadel at Alabama (1), noon, No line, Alabama 49, The Citadel 0
Ohio State (9) at Maryland, noon, Ohio State -13, Ohio State 35, Maryland 17
Middle Tennessee at Kentucky (20), noon, Kentucky -14.5, Kentucky 41, Middle Tennessee 24
Idaho at Florida (15), noon, NL, Florida 35, Idaho 7
Arkansas at Mississippi State (16), noon, Mississippi State -18.5, Mississippi State 38, Arkansas 20
Penn State (16) at Rutgers, noon, Penn State -26.5, Penn State 34, Rutgers 10
Northwestern (24) at Minnesota, noon, Northwestern -3.5, Northwestern 31, Minnesota 24
North Carolina State (14) at Louisville, 12:20 p.m., NC State -18.5, NC State 28, Louisville 20
Utah (21) at Colorado, 1:30 p.m., Utah -7, Utah 33, Colorado 14
Utah State (14) at Colorado State, 2 p.m., Utah State -26, Utah State 45, Colorado State 10
Syracuse (12) vs. Notre Dame (3), 2:30 p.m., at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY, ND -10, Notre Dame 31, Syracuse 13
West Virginia (9) at Oklahoma State, 3:30 p.m., West Virginia -4.5, Oklahoma State 38, West Virginia 35
Boston College (22) at Florida State, 3:30 p.m., NL, Boston College 31, Florida State 17
Iowa (21) at Illinois, 3:30 p.m., Iowa -18, Iowa 33, Illinois 27
Indiana at Michigan (4), 4 p.m., Michigan -26.5, Michigan 34, Indiana 17
UMass at Georgia (5), 4 p.m., Georgia -43.5, Georgia 45, UMass 17
Oregon State at Washington (17), 4:30 p.m., Washington -31, Washington 44, Oregon State 10
Duke at Clemson (2), 7 p.m., Clemson -27, Clemson 34, Duke 6
Kansas at Oklahoma (6), 7:30 p.m., Oklahoma -35.5, Oklahoma 54, Kansas 10
Rice at LSU (10), 7:30 p.m., LSU -44, LSU 38, Rice 10
Cincinnati (19) at UCF (11), 8 p.m., UCF -9, UCF 28, Cincinnati 27
Iowa State (18) at Texas (13), 8 p.m., Texas -3, Iowa State 30, Texas 27
Arizona at Washington State (8), 10:30 p.m., WSU -10.5, Washington State 32, Arizona 20
All point spreads courtesy of OddsShark.
Syracuse (12) vs. Notre Dame (3) at Yankee Stadium
The Orange may be 10-point underdogs, but this is not a team that Notre Dame nor anyone else can take lightly. Syracuse (8-2) has won four games in a row and has averaged 46.5 points in those wins.
Quarterback Eric Dungey has keyed the attack, as he has thrown for 2,193 yards while throwing 14 TD passes and just five interceptions.
Dungey has also rushed for 690 yards, which puts him right behind Moe Neal, who has rushed for 716 yards while averaging 6.0 yards per carry. Dungey has rushed for 12 touchdowns, and Neal has pounded the ball into the end zone five times.
Jamal Custis and Sean Riley have combined for 96 receptions, and Syracuse has put together a diverse offense that is difficult to defend.
Notre Dame should be ready for Syracuse because the Fighting Irish have passed every test to date. Quarterback Ian Book did not play in Notre Dame's Saturday night victory over Florida State due to an upper-body injury, but he will be a big problem for Syracuse if he is back in the lineup.
Book has completed a razor-sharp 74.5 percent of his passes for 1,824 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. More than the numbers, Book exudes confidence and leadership.
Dexter Williams has given the Irish a solid ground game with 770 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, and Book has three fine receivers in Miles Boykin, Chase Claypool, and Chris Finke. Williams is coming off a 202-yard rushing performance against the Seminoles.
Syracuse has enough weapons to push Notre Dame hard in this game into the second half, but Notre Dame will stretch out their lead in the fourth quarter and win in convincing style.
Iowa State (18) at Texas (13)
The college football world tends to overlook Iowa State on a consistent basis, so why should it be any different this year?
The Cyclones are on fire as the season reaches the home stretch, having won five games in a row as they go to Austin, Texas.
Freshman Brock Purdy has done a solid job at quarterback, and he has completed 83 of 121 passes for 1,315 yards with an impressive 13-2 TD-interception ratio.
David Montgomery has run for 765 yards while averaging 4.5 yards per carry and rushing for six touchdowns. Hakeem Butler is averaging 22.7 yards per reception and has a team-high eight TD catches.
Texas is coming off a 41-34 victory over Texas Tech, but that came after back-to-back losses to Oklahoma State and West Virginia.
The Longhorns have problems with diverse attacks, and the Cyclones certainly qualify. Sam Ehlinger has put together solid numbers behind center, completing 205 of 319 passes for 2,483 yards with 20 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
Top receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey has caught 63 passes for 947 yards and seven touchdowns, and he is capable of stringing big plays together.
Look for a tight game, and the plucky visitors will find a way to come through at the end.