College football betting picks: NCAAF week 13 rundown and odds

With the college football schedule coming toward a close each team has its sights set on extending their season and qualifying for the best possible bowl game.

One of the biggest factors to consider here is the FBS qualifications that every team must win at least six games and have a record above .500 to be bowl-eligible. While the race to make the College Football Playoffs dominates most of the headlines, there are plenty of teams with their backs against the wall in pursuit of the other 41 bowl games.

As the current situation sits there are 130 teams eligible to play in the postseason with 68 of them having at least six wins already. 39 programs cannot reach six wins and 23 teams can reach this total and have the potential to qualify for a bowl. It also should be noted there has been a significant change in the College Football Playoff outlook.

After Washington secured an impressive 22-20 upset victory on the road against Oregon State, the Huskies have jumped to 4^th in the rankings. Florida State dropped to 5^th following their 58-13 victory over North Alabama, but their title hopes have decreased significantly due to the gruesome leg injury to QB Jordan Travis which put an unfortunate end to his college career.

There also is a can’t-miss matchup between 2^nd-ranked Ohio State and 3^rd-ranked Michigan which has the potential to be one of the most-watched games of all time considering all the off-field storylines and overall rivalry between the programs. With several important games for a variety of teams here is a look at the best value on the college football betting board for the Week 13 slate. 

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⚡ Quick tips for NCAAF week 13:

1. Texas vs. Texas Tech: Texas -12.5 outcome at -136 odds with BetRivers
2. Boise State vs. Air Force: Boise State -7 outcome at -110 odds on BetMGM
3. Ohio State vs. Michigan: Under 46 outcome at -112 odds with DraftKings

🏅 Win odds overview for this week’s matchups

• #9 Missouri (-7.5) vs Arkansas (+270 ML) | DraftKings
• #7 Texas (-12.5) vs Texas Tech (+390 ML) | BetRivers
• #6 Oregon (-13.5) vs #16 Oregon State (+400 ML) | BetMGM
• #3 Michigan (-3.5) vs #2 Ohio State (+142 ML) | DraftKings
• #10 Louisville (-7) vs Kentucky (+220 ML) | BetRivers
• #8 Alabama (-14.5) vs Auburn (+500 ML) | BetMGM
• #15 Arizona (-10.5) vs Arizona State (+310 ML) | DraftKings
• #4 Washington (-16.5) vs Washington State (+540 ML) | BetRivers
• #5 Florida State (-6.5) vs Florida (+200 ML) | BetMGM
• #1 Georgia (-24) vs Georgia Tech (+1100 ML) | DraftKings

NCAAF weekly predictions

With several cross-state rivalries taking place, it is set to be a spirited week of college football. 23 games have the potential to close the door on teams' bowl goals bringing immense pressure for plenty of programs. Most notably, Nebraska (5-6) will take on Iowa, Syracuse (5-6) will face Wake Forest, Florida (5-6) will play Florida State, and South Carolina (5-6) will kick off against Clemson. The season-ending injury to Jordan Travis changed the college football playoff landscape in a major way.

Florida State looked to have the inside track to the postseason with their 11-0 record and impressive overall resume. Travis remained a dark horse in the Heisman Trophy race with his 27 total touchdowns, 2756 passing yards, and just two interceptions on the season. He has been the engine of the Florida State offense for the past few years, and this is an unfortunate end to his impressive collegiate career. This also is the caliber of injury that will have an impact on the rest of the college football landscape as Tate Rodemaker will step in and attempt to keep the Seminoles' goals alive.

Following the injury to Jordan Travis, Florida State has dropped to +2800 odds to win the National Championship after sitting at +950 odds last week. Georgia has overtaken Michigan as the favorite at +240 odds with the Wolverines right behind them at +260. Ohio State has the third-best odds at +550 although the results of this week’s matchup against Michigan are sure to shift the odds one way or another. Oregon at +600 and Alabama at +700 also remain in the mix.

The Heisman Trophy race has also seen a switch-up as Jayden Daniels has climbed to the favorite for the first time all season. The LSU quarterback sits at -115 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook with Oregon QB Bo Nix right behind him at +130 odds. Michael Pennix Jr holds the third-best odds at +600 with Marvin Harrison Jr significantly behind at +4000 odds and no one else in the vicinity. Even still, things can change so quickly in college football and the results of this week can turn expectations completely around. Here is a look at what to expect from more of the intriguing Week 13 matchups from the betting perspective

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Week 13 college football betting picks

With plenty on the line this week, here is a look at the best value on the betting slate and a breakdown of each matchup.

✔️ Texas vs. Texas Tech: Texas -12.5 outcome (-136) with BetRivers

• Date and time: Friday, November 24th, 7:30 PM EST
• Location: Austin, Texas (University of Texas)
• TV/Stream: CBS

Texas will face off with their cross-state rival in their final Big 12 regular season contest before they leap to the SEC next season. The Longhorns enter with a 10-1 record on the season with their only loss coming at the hands of Oklahoma. However, they still need to win this game to guarantee their spot in the conference championship and keep their playoff hopes alive.

They have not been as consistent the past few weeks although some of this has been due to injuries as quarterback Quinn Ewers has missed time with an AC joint sprain and running back Jonathan Brooks is out for the year. Ewers is back in action now and on the season has completed 70.3% of his passes for 2513 yards and 16 touchdowns with just four interceptions. As a team, Texas ranks 29^th in the country in scoring at 33.1 points per game and are holding opponents to just 18.2 points per game which is the 16^th-best rate. 

Don’t expect Texas Tech to roll over as they are playing their best football at the right time. After starting the year at 1-3, they have climbed to 6-5 and won their last three games. These six wins mean they are eligible for a bowl matchup even if the process to get there has not been pretty. Texas Tech is led by quarterback Behren Morton who has looked good in stretches this year but has yet to face a defense the caliber of Texas.

Morton’s last matchup against a ranked team was two weeks ago against Kansas when he passed for just 176 yards and an interception. He was held without a touchdown pass in that game. He has struggled when blitzed this year, completing less than 43% of his passes under pressure, which is concerning considering Texas will likely be the most intimidating defensive line he has faced. On the season, Texas Tech ranks 60^th in the country in scoring at 28.6 points per game and are allowing 24.3 points per game which ranks 58^th. 

While the rivalry will be felt in this matchup, expect Texas to have the upper hand when push comes to shove. They still have plenty to play for on the season and will also have some revenge on their mind as the Red Raiders secured a 37-34 victory last year. It should be noted that the Longhorns produced a convincing victory with a margin of over 25 points in the two prior meetings.

Expect the defense to make the biggest difference with Texas’ defensive front to wreak havoc on the Texas Tech offensive line and prevent Behren Morton from finding his stride. The Longhorns will attempt to produce another convincing victory to further strengthen their resume. Expect them to get the win by at least two touchdowns and for them to cruise past this 12.5-point spread. Don’t be surprised if this number moves up slightly ahead of kickoff and it is something worth taking up to 14 points. You can currently wager on this at BetRivers to get the -12.5 spread at -136 odds. 

🏈 Bet on Texas with a -12.5 outcome at -136 with BetRivers 🏈

✔️ Boise State vs. Air Force: Boise State -7 outcome (-110) at BetMGM

• Date and time: Friday, November 24th, 4:00 PM EST
• Location: Boise, Idaho
• TV/Stream: FS1

Clemson has been one of the biggest disappointments in college football this season, sitting at 6-4 and completely out of the Top 25 rankings. However, they enter this game as 7.5-point favorites making it the first time in the 2023 season that the North Carolina Tar Heels are underdogs.

While this is unfamiliar territory for the team, they were 4-1 against the spread as underdogs in 2022 and have the pieces in place for a strong performance here. They are led by QB Drake Maye who has not received the proper buzz amid all the strong quarterback play this year.

The future NFL first-round pick has completed 65.8% of his pass attempts for 3145 yards and 21 touchdowns while throwing just six interceptions. Maye has also been the driving force behind why the UNC offense ranks 8th in scoring, 3rd in yards per game, and has a 92.2% red zone success rate. 

On the other side, Clemson has played their best football of late which leaves some room for optimism for them. The Tigers most recently defeated Georgia Tech 42-21 and took down Notre Dame 31-23 the week prior.

Cade Klubnik is coming off an impressive performance in which he threw for 205 yards and four touchdowns during the victory. Clemson also has an impressive backfield duo of Will Shipley and Phil Mafah who have collectively run for 1313 yards on the ground and 12 touchdowns this season.

As a team, Clemson ranks 46th in the country in scoring at 30.3 points per game and is allowing 21.2 points per game which is the 41st-best rate. They have struggled to keep the ball this season with their 18 total turnovers ranking 107th in the country. Clemson also has been known for their red zone defense in years past but sits at 67th in the rankings for this area of the field this season. 

While Clemson is playing their best football of late, North Carolina is still the better team and the 7-point spread feels far too large. The Tar Heels have the 3rd best turnover margin among FBS teams and have only turned the ball over 8 times in 10 games.

It would take North Carolina opening the door for Clemson to capitalize if they have not proven to make these types of mistakes this season. Expect Drake Maye to lead the way and for UNC to have a real chance at the outright victory. The 7-point spread is far too large of a margin so jump on North Carolina to cover this figure and don’t be surprised if there is an outright upset. You can take this 7-point spread at -110 odds on BetRivers. 

🏈 Bet on Boise State at -110 with BetMGM 🏈

✔️ #2 Ohio State vs. #3 Michigan: Under 46 outcome (-112) at DraftKings

• Date and time: Saturday, November 25th, 12:00 PM EST
• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
• TV/Stream: Fox

The most highly anticipated matchup of the week will be taking place in Ann Arbor. This pair of 11-0 teams will be squaring off with the rivalry feeling at the height of its hatred. This is the first time in five years that Michigan is the favorite as Ohio State enters as a 3.5-point underdog.

It should be noted that Michigan has won the last two matchups between these opponents. This is sure to be a matchup viewed under a microscope with each side having National Title hopes. Jim Harbaugh remains away from the sideline due to the in-person scouting operation that led to a three-game Big Ten suspension. 

While you can argue over whether the suspension will add fuel to the fire and make the team band together or not, Harbaugh’s suspension has been felt on the offensive side of the ball. The Wolverines have already tended to play more conservatively in bigger games and this has been the case without Harbaugh on the sideline. Against Penn State, J.J. McCarthy attempted just eight pass attempts for 60 yards and without a touchdown.

While the game opened up slightly last week against Maryland, McCarthy completed just 12 of his 23 pass attempts for 141 yards and an interception. In addition to Michigan’s offensive line being weaker than in past years, Ohio State is also holding opponents to the fewest passing yards per game of any FBS team. With plenty of weapons on the offensive side of the ball for Ohio State, expect Michigan to look to control the clock and not get overzealous in their play call. While McCarthy punished the Ohio State defense last year and has looked even more improved as a passer, expect Michigan to keep the game plan simplified in this matchup. 

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Ohio State in this matchup. For starters, Michigan has not looked impressive against either Penn State or Maryland the past two weeks while Ohio State has outscored opponents 75-6 the past two weeks. The Buckeyes have improved consistently throughout the season and will have the best player on the field in Marvin Harrison Jr. Michigan’s defense has impressed this season, ranking 2^nd in EPA per play and 10^th in Early Down EPA, but Harrison Jr will provide a unique challenge. Both of these teams have been incredibly efficient against bad teams this year but have shown some points of weakness against tougher opponents. 

The winner of this game can pencil their name into the college football playoffs so there are some major stakes on the line. Expect both teams to struggle to move the ball and for this to remain a tight game throughout. Stay away from a side and take the under as each of these defenses will make their impact felt.

This game feels destined to finish in the vicinity of 20-17 as both teams make a conscious effort not to lose the game. Whichever team is able to break through for a few big plays will make the difference but take advantage of the conservative approach and hammer the under. You can wager on the under of 46 at DraftKings Sportsbook at -112 odds. 

🏈 Bet on under 46 outcome at -112 with DraftKings 🏈

College football betting weekly highlights

• Utah’s QB Cam Rising is out for the season as he recovers from a torn ACL
  • Rising announces he will return for a 7^th year in college football next year
• Iowa QB Cade McNamara is out for the season with a torn ACL
• Baylor QB Blake Shapen is doubtful vs West Virginia with a head injury
• Texas RB Jonathan Brooks is out for the season with a torn ACL
• Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders is questionable vs Utah with a shoulder injury
• Florida State QB Jordan Travis is out for the year with a broken leg
• Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart is questionable with an undisclosed injury
• Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended from being on the field by the Big 10 for the final three games.
  • He served his first two games against Penn State and Maryland
  • Harbaugh will miss this week against Ohio State
• Home teams are 513-281 this year straight up (64.6%)
• Away teams are 281-513 this year straight up (35.4%)
• Home teams are 377-397-20 against the spread this season (48.7%)
• Away teams are 397-377-20 against the spread this season (51.3%)
• Favorites are 380-394-20 against the spread this season (49.1%)
• Underdogs are 394-380-20 against the spread this season (50.9%)
• Home favorites are 258-275-14 against the spread this season (48.4%)
• Away favorites are 122-119-6 against the spread this season (50.6%)
• Home underdogs are 119-122-6 against the spread this season (49.4%)
• Overs are 392-388 on the season (50.3%)

🏈 Best college football betting sites

• bet365 (Available in: CO, OH, IA, VA)
• BetMGM (Available in: AZ, CO, FL, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MD, MA, MI, MS, NV, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, PR, TN, VA, WA, WV, and WY)
• DraftKings (Available in: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, and WV)
• BetRivers (Available in: AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV, and WY)
• Desert Diamond (Available in: AZ)
• Betway (Available in: IA)

Big football fan? Check out the best NFL betting sites for the season!

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