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College Football Week 13 Odds, Picks & Predictions (Saturday)

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Gear up for another awesome weekend of college football action with BettingPros! We’ll have you covered with all of our top picks for the week along with our projected spreads and totals to help guide your college football bets. Below are our top picks and predictions for Saturday’s games.

Top College Football Odds & Picks: Saturday

Alabama vs. Auburn

The Tigers are coming off one of the most embarrassing losses in program history. They fell 31-10 at home against the New Mexico State Aggies. They managed just 213 total yards, while the defense gave up 414. Though this game is being played in Auburn and it’s a rivalry game, the Tigers don’t have the talent to keep up with the Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide’s last four wins have all been by at least 14 points, and they’ve played much better teams during that stretch than they’re going to see on Saturday. With the Crimson Tide still needing to win the SEC Championship and get some help to make the College Football Playoff, they’re not going to let up if they build a huge lead in this game. The Tigers are 67th in the NCAA in scoring. The Crimson Tide are allowing the 13th-fewest points in college football. That’s going to be the story of Saturday’s game as the Crimson Tide cruise to victory.

Pick: Alabama -14.5 (-110)

-Phil Wood

Kentucky vs. Louisville

Louisville has already punched their ticket to the ACC Championship game so outside of a long shot chance at the CFP, Louisville has very little to play for here. Kentucky has hit a rough slide after a 5-0 start to the season. Many teams would have had similar struggles given the competition that Kentucky played. They’ll head into this rivalry game with a chance to finish off the season strong. The offense for the Wildcats has left a lot to be desired, but the defense has still performed well. They’re 54th in EPA per play on defense while ranking 32nd in run defense EPA. The Cardinals have had a solid offense, but Kentucky is more than capable of slowing them down. Obviously, Louisville wants to win this, but it is so much more important for them to get through this game as healthy as possible. I expect them to play rather vanilla. Against a rival who should be more motivated, that spells an advantage for Kentucky. I’ll back them on the spread.

Pick: Kentucky +8 (-110)

-Ryan Rodeman

Arizona vs. Arizona State

The Arizona Wildcats have become my darling team of the 2023 season. The Cats are 8-3 on the year and 9-2 against the spread, plus can get into the PAC-12 Championship Game with a win and an Oregon loss. After working through some issues at quarterback, freshman Noah Fifita has been a revelation under center, throwing for 1,988 yards, 18 touchdowns and only four picks. Meanwhile, Arizona State has been a tricky team to read over the last month. Since losing 15-7 to Washington on the road, the Sun Devils have traded wins over Washington State and UCLA with blowout losses against Utah and Oregon. Arizona State's greatest strength is a pass defense that ranks 51st in yards allowed per rush attempt. However, the Sun Devils are abysmal offensively and have issues stopping the run. It's a bit harder to trust the Wildcats in this situation, as they recently failed to cover as 8-point favorites in a similar spot against Colorado. But the Buffs also knocked off Arizona State by three on the road earlier this season. I'd prefer to see if this line dips to below -10, but Arizona is the superior team and I'd lean with them in this spot.

Pick: Arizona -10.5 (-110)

-Matt Barbato

North Carolina vs. North Carolina State

North Carolina had their worst loss of the season at Clemson. The pressure from the Tigers' defensive front was a tough task for Drake Maye as he had a career-worse 44.1% completion rate, and the first time he's thrown a pick in back-to-back games. This could be another tough defensive matchup against NC State, whose 31 sacks are 17th and have the fourth-most interceptions. What they don't have is the offensive talent to push them, as they're 76th in points scored, but UNC isn't a shutdown defense, being 64th on points allowed. We could definitely see an exciting game, and while the spread is too small to push for one team, this should be a lower-scoring game with NCST’s defense to stop UNC, but they wont get much form their offense.

Pick: Under 55 (-110)

-John Supowitz

Colorado vs. Utah

The hype for the Colorado Buffaloes has faded. While the offense has been good enough, the defense has allowed nearly 36 points per game this season. Opponents have earned over 280 yards in the air and another 168.09 yards on the ground. The Buffaloes are certainly one of the worst defenses in the Pac-12 this season. Meanwhile, they'll take on a Utah defense that is consistently at the top of the Pac-12. The Utes have allowed only 20 points per game, with just 202.45 yards in the air. With Shedeur "not feeling well" heading into this game against Utah, the Buffaloes' offense will more than likely struggle against Utah. While Utah doesn’t have much of an offense, Bryson Barnes can orchestrate a good offense against Colorado. He helped Utah score 55 against Arizona State. Arizona State and Colorado are comparable defensively. Back the Utes at -22 at home.

Pick: Utah -22 (-110)

-Jason Radowitz

Iowa State vs. Kansas State

After a brutal start to the season, Iowa State is already bowl-eligible. The Cyclones lost to a MAC school but somehow found a way to earn six wins before even playing the final game of the season. They've won three of the last five games but fell short against Texas last weekend, 26-16. Iowa State seemed like they were out of the game but clawed back in and gave themselves a chance against the Longhorns. They'll likely do the same against Kansas State. The Wildcats have a great secondary, just like Iowa State. However, we can make the argument that the Cyclones are the better pass rush, with more tackles converted, and a more balanced run defense. Kansas State's got the better offense behind Will Howard. But I don't think the offense for the Wildcats is worth 10 points against Iowa State. I'll take the Cyclones at +10.

Pick: Iowa State +10 (-110)

-Jason Radowitz

BYU vs. Oklahoma State

It hasn't been a great inaugural season in the Big 12 for BYU. Last week, they almost upset Oklahoma and never trailed by more than a touchdown. The quarterback situation is up in the air as Keldon Slovis is still dealing with a shoulder injury, but Jake Retzlaff had his best performance by throwing for two touchdowns. Oklahoma State was able to rebound after the embarrassing loss to UCF and beat Houston. This is an important game for OSU because with a win, they're in the Big 12 championship, and with a loss, their chances become slim. The ground game is going to be key because while Alan Bowman has been throwing well, he's prone to turning the ball over. This is how the OSU will grab this win, as the Cougars are 109th in rushing yards allowed per game.

Pick: Oklahoma State -16.5 (-110)

-John Supowitz

Ohio State vs. Michigan

We’ve finally made it to The Game and boy was it a ride to get here. With a spot in the Big Ten Championship and the CFP at stake as well as all of the off-field drama, this could be one of the biggest installments of this heated rivalry ever. Early season struggles by the Ohio State offense seem like a thing of the past. Led by QB Kyle McCord and WR Marvin Harrison, the Buckeyes have been scoring 33.1 points per game over their last seven games. Michigan has also had a ton of success offensively. Early in the season it was QB JJ McCarthy that was leading the Wolverines, scoring 30+ in every game. They managed only 24 against the Nittany Lions of Penn State, but that included a second half where they pounded the ball on every play. The offense looked bad against Maryland in the second half last week, but they still managed 31, aided by some defensive scores. These two teams come into this matchup with top-ranked defenses, just like the last two years. That didn’t stop either team from scoring successfully. Final score totals of 69 and 68 defined those games, and I expect much of the same as these high-powered offenses overtake the solid defenses.

Pick: Over 46.5 (-110)

-Ryan Rodeman

Texas A&M vs. LSU

The post-Jimbo Fisher era began for the Aggies last week in a decisive 38-10 victory, albeit over FCS Abilene Christian. On the opposing sideline 14th ranked LSU has had a successful yet underwhelming season at the same time, losing 3 games to the likes of Florida State, Ole Miss and Alabama. Heisman hopeful Jayden Daniels has led the Tigers to one of the most high-powered offenses in the country, leading the conference decisively in yardage (both rushing and passing), and scoring north of 46 PPG. Their defense has been abysmal though, allowing nearly 28 PPG and allowing the 2nd-most yardage per game of any SEC team, besting only Vandy in that category. The Aggies have been much more sound defensively, outdoing even Georgia on a yardage basis and allowing fewer than 20 PPG, conceding over 30 points only twice on the season. They've been fairly confident on the offensive side of the ball for SEC standards as well, putting up nearly 35 PPG despite having to start backup QB Max Johnson for most of the season. LSU overs have been an ATM this year, going 9-1 to the over in their last 10 games, and I don't see this game being any different. Daniels is going to do everything he can to keep his Heisman hopes alive, and their defense hasn't been able to stop anyone this season. Give me the over.

Pick: Over 66 (-108)

-Austin MacMillan

Washington State vs. Washington

Which version of Washington State shows up here, the team that lost 10-7 to Stanford at home, or the team that obliterated Colorado 56-14 a week ago? Ultimately, I think we get a strong effort from the Cougars, who need a win to become bowl eligible and could spoil their arch-rival's national championship hopes. While Washington State's offense is predicated on an air raid led by Cam Ward, the Cougs have shown more willingness to run the ball in recent weeks after opponents started dropping seven or eight defenders back to contain the pass. After a five-game stretch during which Wazzu ran it no more than 24 times in any individual game, the Cougs have handed the ball off a combined 71 times in their last two games. A greater emphasis on the ground game could bode well for the Cougars against a Huskies defense that's giving up 4.3 yards per carry. Michael Penix will get his against a below-average Washington State defense. But the Cougs have the offensive talent to keep up and make the Huskies sweat.

Pick: Washington State +16.5 (-110)

-Matt Barbato

Florida State vs. Florida

Florida State has hopes of reaching the National Championship, but even with a win last week, they were knocked out of the top spot by Washington. Maybe if they win out, and as a result of the Ohio State/Michigan, one goes out of the top four, and they can make it. It's going to be tough because their star quarterback and Heisman hopeful Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending leg injury against North Alabama, and now it will be Tate Rodemaker stepping in. The Gators suffered the same ill fate as quarterback Graham Mertz suffered what's being called a "significant collarbone injury," and he's likely to miss the rest of the season. Two backup quarterbacks with could spell heavy on the run game and slow-paced game, so grab the under.

Pick: Under 49 (-110)

-John Supowitz

California vs. UCLA

This should be a fun Pac-12 matchup. UCLA has allowed 16.73 points per game defensively, while California has averaged 31.45 points per game on offense. The California Bears are better at running the football. They've added 186.36 yards on the ground this season. However, UCLA has held teams to 64.64 yards per game. It will also be difficult for California to find offense in the air against a sensational pass defense that has only allowed 210.45 yards in the air this season. UCLA's pass rush and secondary are both underrated and not talked about enough in the college football world. On the other hand, UCLA has tried three different quarterbacks this season. It's safe to say that Ethan Garbers is the guy, He just led UCLA to a 38-20 win over USC, where he threw three touchdowns. If the UCLA defense can hold USC to 20 points, imagine what the Bruins will do to California. I'll take UCLA at home at -9.5.

Pick: UCLA -9.5 (-110)

-Jason Radowitz

Georgia vs. Georgia Tech

It's been a long time since Georgia has seen defeat. They're on a 28-game winning streak as they look for a three-peat. Not only have they been winning, but easily with ten of their 11 victories being by more than one possession. Carson Beck had been the long-time backup, but in his first year, he's thriving as he's fourth in the nation in QBR, and there's that defense they keep rebuilding and is fifth in points allowed. For Georgia Tech, this has no weight on their aspirations to win the ACC, they're just looking to pull off an upset. The Yellow Jackets' offense has been better than in recent years, as they're 37th points per game. Quarterback Haynes King won't win a game with his arm, but he's impeccable with his legs, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and seven rushing touchdowns. There's also Jamal Haynes, who is averaging six yards per carry and seven touchdowns. All that is great, but they just don't measure up to the Bulldogs, who can beat you on either side of the ball

Pick: Georgia -24 (-110)

-John Supowitz

Notre Dame vs. Stanford

Notre Dame is a total mismatch for Stanford. Although the Fighting Irish have three losses to their name, they're still a top-25 team in the nation. Notre Dame has a lethal secondary and an awesome run defense. They've held opponents to under 260 yards total per game this season. Opponents have only scored 16 points a game. Meanwhile, Stanford has lost four of their last five games, including three games where the Cardinal allowed 42 or more points. Notre Dame will dominate in the trenches against a Stanford team that is below-average in almost every category defensively. The Cardinal have converted tackles at an above-average rate, but that's about all of the good things to say about Stanford. They've allowed 36 points per game, including nearly 300 yards in the air. I've got Notre Dame making a statement on Saturday night.

Pick: Notre Dame -26 (-110)

-Jason Radowitz

James Madison vs. Coastal Carolina

I wouldn’t want to be Coastal Carolina this week. Last Saturday, James Madison’s perfect season was broken up in overtime against App State. The Dukes will look to start another streak as this will be their last game of the season, being ineligible for postseason play due to archaic NCAA rules. The Coastal Carolina offense has not been as explosive as in seasons past, but their defense is still susceptible to giving up big plays. Defensively, James Madison should have success containing this Chanticleer offense. The Dukes sit 14th in EPA per play defensively and against a Coastal Carolina team with a backup QB they could have a great day. It may not be a high-scoring affair, but James Madison will be extra motivated in their final game and should be able to cover this large spread.

Pick: James Madison -8.5 (-109)

-Ryan Rodeman

Wisconsin vs. Minnesota

The battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe lacks the intrigue that it has had in previous years, with 6-5 Wisconsin traveling to Minnesota to take on the Gophers who are currently 5-6, fighting for bowl eligibility. Neither team has much to write home about offensively, as both rank in the bottom half of the Big 10 in scoring in a league that doesn't exactly have a ton of offensive firepower to begin with. Both squads are pretty middling on the defensive side of the ball, although the Badgers do surrender about a touchdown less per game than the Gophers. The close spread of this game tells us this is a coin-flip game, and I agree with it based on how these teams are near mirror images of each other on both sides of the ball. Instead, I'm looking toward the under in a game that features two pretty lackluster offenses that I think will play out like a classic low-scoring Big 10 rivalry game. These teams have combined to go 13-9 to the under in their past 22 games, and I think that trend continues this weekend.

Pick: Under 43.5 (-110)

-Austin MacMillan

Kansas vs. Cincinnati

Cincinnati has had a rough introduction to the Big 12 in their 1st year without former HC Luke Fickell, currently sitting at last place in the conference at 1-7, with their only win coming against fellow newcomer Houston. Kansas, on the other hand, has had another extremely successful season under HC Lance Leipold despite losing preseason Big 12 OPOY Jalon Daniels to injury. The Jayhawks then had to deal with the loss of their backup QB Jason Bean before taking on a really good Kansas State team, in a game that they covered and had a chance to win despite having to roll with their 3rd string QB. Leipold didn't name a starting QB for this game, but they are hopeful that Bean will be able to return. Both teams are pretty similar on the defensive side of the ball, both ranking in the top-4 in the conference at defending the pass and both pretty middling at defending the rush. They both surrender nearly the same PPG at well, with the Jayhawks fiving up around 26 and the Bearcats giving up around 28. Both squads also tun the ball much more effectively than passing it, though the Jayhawks have done a much better job of converting their scoring opportunities into points, scoring nearly a TD more per game than the Bearcats. I don't think Cincinnati has any motivation to get up for this game, and Kansas has the better coach by far - no matter who ends up starting for QB. I'll lay the points with the Jayhawks as the road favorite under a TD.

Pick: Kansas -6 (-110)

-Austin MacMillan

Best Ways to Bet College Football for Beginners

Game Total

Bettors new to the hobby can be confused by spreads, but game totals are simple. Every football game has a total posted for the combined final score between the two teams. Bettors have the option to choose the OVER or UNDER, generally at -110 odds (risk: $110; win: $100). So if the total is 42 and you take the OVER, you need 43 points to win the bet. If you put a bet down on the over to win $100 and it goes over, you get back the money you initially risked, plus $100. If it stayed under, you would have lost your $110 and that's it. If by chance the game ended with 42 total points, it's called a push; when a game pushes, you get the money you risked back but nothing more.

ie: California vs. Illinois, Over 42 or Under 42

tip: Over bets can be a really fun social event with your buddies. Have everyone throw in a few bucks, then take the over together. Instead of getting pumped when one side scores, everyone is pumped for ANY score, all game.

Moneyline

The moneyline is the easiest way to test your college football knowledge: who will win the game? That's it. The moneyline doesn't use favorites or underdogs, it's totally straight up. That said, the risk-reward can be challenging because they're weighted. Instead of every game being around -110, like game totals and spreads, moneylines vary depending on the matchup.

For our example, California was favored by seven points over Illinois, meaning oddsmakers think the Golden Bears are a touchdown better than the Fighting Illini. If you took Cal on the moneyline, points don't matter, they just need to win the game. But because it's safer to take them straight-up without points, you'll have to risk more when you make the bet - remember, they're seven points better than Illinois in the eyes of the oddsmakers. In this case, Cal is -280 on the moneyline, so if you want to win $100, you have to risk $280. On the flip side, moneyline bets can be valuable when taking the underdog because it's a riskier bet - they're seven points worse than their opponent. In this case, Illinois is the underdog - +220 on the moneyline. You'd win $220 on a $100 bet if you picked Illinois on the moneyline and they pulled off the upset.

ie: California (ML -280) vs. Illinois (ML +220)

tip: Check their history against one another. Keep an eye on the injury report and the weather.

Player Props

Player props are some of the most exhilarating bets you can place during a college football game, but they're also easy to understand. For major conferences, you'll have a wide array of options to choose from. Quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, and sometimes tight ends will have props to choose from. It's simple, fun and easy to follow, and odds on player props don't vary as much as moneylines. Generally, prop bets are in the -110 range like generic spread and total bets.

ie: How many passing yards will Brandon Peters have against California?  Over 250 or Under 250 

tip: Check how players have performed in the situation they're going to be in. Use split stats on any reliable site to see their numbers at home, on a neutral-site, in December, etc.


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