Once the competitive week wraps up on Saturday night, next week’s conference championship game will be all about competition between some of the top teams in the country and the College Football Playoff. As the penultimate week of the season continues, those opportunities dwindle as each Saturday passes, and some of the aforementioned contenders will engage in the competitive head-to-head matches that can make or break a season.
The biggest game of the day was the game itself. Do not. 2 Ohio State hosts 3 Michigan State, the winner advances to the Big Ten championship game and gets insider access to the CFP. The underdog will be watching from the outside and hoping some form of chaos allows it to sneak into the four-team field. Jim Harbaugh is looking for his second straight win after leading the Wolverines to their first series win since 2011 last season, while Ryan Day is hoping to avoid becoming the first player since John Cooper (1999-2000). First Buckeyes coach to lose back to back.
No. 2 in terms of playoff impact is Saturday night’s matchup between No. 2 opponents. 6 USC and no. 10 Notre Dame de Paris. A win could catapult the Trojans to No. 4 in the CFP rankings next Tuesday, while a loss would once again send the Pac-12 out of the playoffs for the sixth time in eight tournaments.
Also on the deck is No. 7 Alabama, which visits Auburn for the SEC’s Iron Bowl game on the CBS Weekly Game, No. 7. 8. Clemson hosts a South Carolina team that shocked Tennessee last week, as well as a Civil War vs. No. 1 team. 9 Oregon Access no. 21 Oregon, both programs have had a terrific season.
Be sure to follow CBS Sports’ college football coverage throughout the day, starting with Opening Ceremony. Let’s take a look at our experts’ picks for the best games of Rivalry Week.
Do not. 5 LSU Texas A&M
featured games | Texas A&M Aggies vs. LSU Tigers
7 p.m. ESPN, Fubo TV (free trial) – Texas A&M wants its season to go from hell to over. LSU has a potential College Football Playoff berth. The differences in motivation between these two teams are off the charts, and that doesn’t even include the skill and coaching gap between the two programs. Double-digit road lines are big, but the Tigers will take care of business. Prediction: LSU -10 — Shehan Jaaraja
Do not. 10 Notre Dame Cathedral 6 United States Code
featured games | USC Trojans vs Notre Dame fight Irish
7:30 PM | ABC, Fubo TV (free trial) – The Trojans will find Notre Dame will be one of the toughest tests of the season, as the Irish Fighters try to play solid ground away from Caleb Williams and then supplement that with flexing but not breaking the defense. But if forced to choose between Williams and Drew Pine in what I consider a close game, I’d side with the Heisman Trophy contenders. Prediction: USC -5.5 — Chip Patterson
Do not. 3 Michigan ranked No. 2 Ohio State
featured games | Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan Wolverines
noon | fox, Fubo TV (free trial) – I don’t know who will win this game. I’ve played both sides in our expert draft. I went straight to Ohio State, but the Wolverines objected to the spread. the truth? My confidence in both picks is low. However, I do like the following. In my opinion, if Michigan is going to win, it has to win on the field. That should keep the score low. Meanwhile, Ohio State doesn’t face as many defenses as Michigan does. We’ve seen its offensive struggles when it has. Meanwhile, if there is a blowout, I have to assume it’s good for Ohio State; however, that’s only going to happen if Michigan doesn’t score. All of these scenarios ended with an overall score below 56. Prediction: Under 56 — Tom Funelli
No. 8 South Carolina Clemson
featured games | Clemson Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
Noon | ABC, Fubo TV (free trial) – Can lightning strike twice? Of course, why not. Clemson has dominated the game, winning seven in a row since 2014. However, the Tigers got Shane Beamer’s gamecocks as they found their rhythm. Quarterback Spencer Rattler rediscovered his mojo with a school-record six touchdown passes in a 63-38 win over No. 1. 10 Tennessee. South Carolina scored nine of its 10 full possessions, leading to back-to-back winning seasons. If all goes well, South Carolina has a path to have the best quarterback on the field. Prediction: South Carolina +430 — Shehan Jaaraja
Odds by Caesars Sportsbook | All Time East
Auburn No. 7 Alabama
3:30 p.m. | CBS, cbs sports network, CBS Sports App — I’m going to drive the Crimson Tide to win and cover, even though it won’t be easy. Auburn’s quick offense is lethal, but the Crimson Tide has enough talent to maintain discipline and ensure that Tank Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter don’t come loose on a consistent basis. That defense would weaken Auburn’s offensive line and force Robbie Ashford into some uncomfortable positions. The game would end around two and a half quarters, but Alabama would pull away for late coverage. Prediction: Alabama -22 — Barrett Sully
Do not. 9 Oregon State Ranked 21 Oregon State
3:30 PM | ABC, Fubo TV (free trial) – The Ducks will have a must-win matchup with arch-enemy, but Oregon isn’t going to make it easy. The Beavers put Washington and USC in jeopardy, and they ended up in close range losses with one of the best defenses in the Pac-12. Ultimately, the health of Oregon quarterback Bo Nix will decide the game, and his performance in a narrow win over Utah was enough to clinch the Ducks’ berth in the Pac-12 championship game. Prediction: Oregon -3 — Shehan Jaaraja
Which college football teams can you confidently pick in Week 13, which top-25 teams will be hit hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the difference — all from a proven computer model that has returned nearly $3,000 in profits over the past six-plus seasons — and find out.
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