College Football Odds Week 13: Latest Top 25 Picks and Final-Score Predictions
Week 13 of the 2019 college football season looks...interesting.
The marquee matchup is easy to spot, and it could be a doozy. With No. 2 Ohio State and No. 8 Penn State set to tussle at the Horseshoe, the playoff committee will surely be keeping a close eye on Columbus.
But it's hard to say what, if anything, those voters might learn elsewhere. With Alabama and Auburn hosting Western Carolina and Samford, respectively, this slate could be heavy on blowouts.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
We're here to break out the crystal ball and, after laying out the latest lines from Caesars Sportsbook, provide a score prediction for all the Top 25 tilts.
Week 13 Schedule and Odds
Saturday, November 23
No. 8 Penn State at No. 2 Ohio State (-18.0), 12 p.m. ET
Western Carolina at No. 5 Alabama (no line), 12 p.m. ET
No. 10 Minnesota (-13.5) at Northwestern, 12 p.m. ET
Samford at No. 15 Auburn (no line), 12 p.m. ET
Illinois at No. 17 Iowa (-15.5), 12 p.m. ET
No. 21 Oklahoma State (-6.5) at West Virginia, 12 p.m. ET
Kansas at No. 22 Iowa State (-24.5), 12 p.m. ET
Boston College at No. 16 Notre Dame (-19.0), 2:30 p.m. ET
Texas State at No. 24 Appalachian State (-29.0), 2:30 p.m. ET
Texas A&M at No. 4 Georgia (-13.5), 3:30 p.m. ET
No. 13 Michigan (-9.5) at Indiana, 3:30 p.m. ET
Texas at No. 14 Baylor (-5.0), 3:30 p.m. ET
UCLA at No. 23 USC (-14.0), 3:30 p.m. ET
No. 25 SMU at Navy (-3.5), 3:30 p.m. ET
Purdue at No. 12 Wisconsin (-25.0), 4 p.m. ET
No. 18 Memphis (-14.5) at South Florida, 4 p.m. ET
Arkansas at No. 1 LSU (-43.5), 7 p.m. ET
Temple at No. 19 Cincinnati (-10.0), 7 p.m. ET
No. 6 Oregon (-14.5) at Arizona State, 7:30 p.m. ET
TCU at No. 9 Oklahoma (-18.0), 8 p.m. ET
No. 7 Utah (-22.5) at Arizona, 10 p.m. ET
No. 20 Boise State (-8.0) at Utah State, 10:30 p.m. ET
No. 8 Penn State at No. 2 Ohio State
As the point spread suggests, these teams could be separated by a wider gap than their respective rankings indicate.
The Nittany Lions are rock-solid. Their 9-1 record includes ranked wins over Iowa and Michigan, and their lone blemish was a five-point road loss to then-undefeated Minnesota. Sophomore quarterback Sean Clifford has thrown 22 touchdowns against only six interceptions, and he's one of three Penn State players with at least five rushing scores.
But the Buckeyes look unbelievable. They haven't let anyone finish within fewer than 24 points of them, including Michigan State (34-10) and Wisconsin (38-7). Sophomore quarterback Justin Fields has 31 touchdown passes and just a single interception, plus he's had 10 rushing scores. Junior running back J.K. Dobbins averages a whopping seven yards per carry, and he's found the end zone 15 times (twice through the air).
Their past three meetings, all of which saw each team ranked in the top 10, featured one Penn State win and two single-point Ohio State victories. But toss recent history aside, and it's hard to see this contest coming down to the wire. In the end, it will probably be too much Fields, who can make an interesting Heisman argument with a strong finish to the season.
Prediction: Ohio State 42, Penn State 21
Texas A&M at No. 4 Georgia
Two of the SEC's best are set to lock horns in Athens, as the Aggies search for their first win in four tries against a top-10 opponent.
Texas A&M lost by multiple-score margins to then-No. 1 Clemson (24-10) and then-No. 1 Alabama (47-28), but it nearly knocked off then-No. 8 Auburn (28-20). The Aggies also made quick work of South Carolina (30-6), which is the only team to top Georgia this season. Junior quarterback Kellen Mond is a big-time playmaker with his arm (2,435 yards passing, 18 touchdowns) or his legs (400 rushing yards, seven scores).
"This team will probably be one of the most talented teams we've played against," Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters. "We all know who their three losses are against."
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, have a potential path to the College Football Playoff, but they almost assuredly can't afford another loss. So far, they've survived their biggest on-paper tests against then-No. 7 Notre Dame (23-17), then-No. 6 Florida (24-17) and then-No. 12 Auburn (21-14), but their 20-17 loss to unranked South Carolina puts an unsightly mark on their otherwise perfect record.
While junior quarterback Jake Fromm is steady (16 passing touchdowns against three interceptions), this team wins with rushing and defense. Junior running back D'Andre Swift has turned his 164 carries into 1,027 yards and seven touchdowns. Georgia's defense has surrendered the second-fewest points in the country (10.5 per game).
The Aggies can make the Bulldogs sweat, but Fromm, Swift and this feisty defense should be enough for Georgia to pull away late.
Prediction: Georgia 35, Texas A&M 20
Texas at No. 14 Baylor
Baylor could have taken an undefeated record into this showdown with one of its in-state rivals. Instead, the Bears couldn't protect a 21-point halftime lead against Jalen Hurts and the Oklahoma Sooners, so coach Matt Rhule's club brings only an awful taste in its mouth into this matchup.
"I think for our guys, having the chance to go out and play again and the fact that we're playing Texas—just cause they're a great football team—I think our guys are very, very much locked in," Rhule told reporters.
The Bears had been tightrope-walking through much of this season. They claimed victories over Iowa State (23-21), Texas Tech (33-30) and West Virginia (17-14) by a combined eight points. They also needed three overtimes to put away a TCU team that's just 5-5 on the year.
Baylor has the top-scoring defense in the Big 12 (20.5 points per game), and its offense runs through junior quarterback Charlie Brewer. He's already thrown for 2,532 yards while contributing 27 total touchdowns (18 passing, nine rushing). Senior wideout Denzel Mims is the preferred target with team highs in catches (50), receiving yards (767) and touchdowns (10, or one more than all his other teammates combined).
The Longhorns are as up-and-down as they come, alternating wins and losses over their last six games. But their good can be pretty good. They knocked off then-No. 16 Kansas State (27-24), and they came within a single score of both LSU (45-38) and Oklahoma (34-27).
Texas' defense can be leaky, but it's been stingier the past two weeks (24 points to Kansas State, 23 to Iowa State). If that remains the case, the Longhorns have the offensive firepower to pull off the upset. Junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger has already thrown for 2,914 yards and 27 touchdowns, while rushing for another 428 yards and five scores. Senior pass-catcher Devin Duvernay leads a talented receiving group with 87 catches for 1,017 yards and seven touchdowns.
These two teams have played a ton of close games, and while Baylor has caught more breaks to this point, this could be the game where luck turns in Texas' favor.
Prediction: Texas 34, Baylor 30
Remaining Top 25 Predictions
No. 5 Alabama 59, Western Carolina 7
No. 10 Minnesota 34, Northwestern 21
No. 15 Auburn 48, Samford 13
No. 17 Iowa 28, Illinois 17
No. 21 Oklahoma State 38, West Virginia 21
No. 22 Iowa State 42, Kansas 16
No. 16 Notre Dame 34, Boston College 17
No. 24 Appalachian State 48, Texas State 17
No. 13 Michigan 23, Indiana 20
No. 23 USC 34, UCLA 24
Navy 32, No. 25 SMU 30
No. 12 Wisconsin 38, Purdue 13
No. 18 Memphis 38, South Florida 24
No. 1 LSU 54, Arkansas 10
No. 19 Cincinnati 35, Temple 17
No. 6 Oregon 41, Arizona State 20
No. 9 Oklahoma 45, TCU 20
No. 7 Utah 40, Arizona 14
No. 20 Boise State 31, Boise State 24
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
