Deal-hunting is an important part of Black Friday, especially in the US, and with a slate of college football games starting competition week a day early, perhaps some value can be found with picks and predictions from CBS Sports experts. Week 13 wastes no time getting started. Six teams in the College Football Playoff rankings will see action with one matchup in the top 25 go a long way to determining how a portion of the postseason plays out.
That game sees No. 19 Tulane visit No. 24 Cincinnati with an AAC Championship Game berth—and the spot as the best-five team in the CFP rankings—at stake. While the loser won’t be completely eliminated from the conference race, they will need some help creating a chance for a rematch due to the tight AAC standings.
Elsewhere, Battle Line Rivalry is heating up with Arkansas visiting Missouri in the first two SEC Divisions on CBS Games of the Week. 23rd-ranked Texas will seek to park its placement in the stop-start list in the CFP rankings when it hosts Baylor. And No. 16 ranked Florida State will be looking to prove its rise to prominence late in the season is no accident as it hosts in-state foe Florida in one of college football’s hottest rivalries.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports all day for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onwards. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games for Black Friday week 13.
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook | All times are oriental
Utah in Boise
Featured game | Boise State Broncos vs Utah State Aggies
Noun | CBS, CBSSports.comAnd the CBS Sports app – The odds makers have Utah as a 17-point big underdog. That’s a big number, and I don’t feel comfortable taking sides. Having said that, it feels more like a game with low goals. Both teams are powerhouses on offense, and perhaps more importantly, this match kicks off at 10am local time on Friday. It’s easy to imagine a slow start in both offenses given the circumstances. Prediction: Less than 51.5 – Austin Nevison
Baylor at No. 23 Texas
Featured game | Texas Longhorns vs. Baylor Bears
Noun | ESPN, fuboTV (Try for free) — The Oddsmakers overplayed Texas all year despite a four-loss season, and the trend is finally continuing. The Longhorns have defeated one team by more than 8.5 points since facing Red River: Kansas. Baylor is more than ready to tackle the athletes in Texas and even plays on the road in Austin. Prediction: Baylor +8.5 – Sheehan Jayaraj
No. 19 Tulane at No. 24 Cincinnati
Featured game | Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Tulane Green Wave
Noun | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — The Green Wave and the Bearcats will meet at Nippert Stadium in the AAC’s biggest game of the year. The winner of this game will host the conference championship game next week, and the loser will need some dominoes to fall in order to earn a rematch. Tulane got back on track last week with a 59-24 win over SMU that saw him roll for 310 yards and score five touchdowns on the ground. Cincinnati rode their defense to three straight wins, including a 23-3 win over Temple last week in which they allowed just 202 total yards, holding the Owls to 3.67 yards per game and forced four turnovers. Look out for the Bearcats’ defense to win what should be a remarkable battle. Prediction: Cincinnati -2 – Barrett Sally
Arkansas in Missouri
3:30 PM | CBS, CBSSports.comAnd the CBS Sports app – Of the 14 matches shared between these two initiatives, nine were played under that total of points. With Missouri ranked seventh nationally in time of possession and Arkansas eighth in rushing offense, there could be long periods of bleeding time in this game. While Missouri’s red zone defense is dreadful, Arkansas ranks 86th nationally in red zone offense. It can be a busy day for the kickers. Prediction: under 55.5 – David Cobb
Florida at No. 16 Florida State
Featured game | Florida State Seminoles vs. Florida Gators
7:30 PM | ABC, fuboTV (Try for free) — It’s an interesting wrinkle of the Florida-Florida State rivalry that, while the series is hot, results have rarely been close in recent years. Since 2007, only two games between the Gators and Seminoles have been decided in single figures. I think we had a double win here on Friday, this win for the home team. Prediction: Florida State -9.5 – Chip Patterson
What college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 13, and which top-25 team will fall behind hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the gap – all from a proven computer model that’s made nearly $3,000 in profits over the past six seasons – and find out.
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