NCAA Football Week 13 Betting Preview & Top Picks

NCAA Football Week 13  is “Rivalry Week” — which puts regional games that matchup traditional foes across the nation with each of them. We’ll be profiling the Iron Bowl (Auburn at Alabama) in a separate article later this week, but for today we’re looking at The Game (Michigan at Ohio State), The Apple Cup (Washington at Washington State) and South Carolina-Clemson, one of the most under-the-radar in-state rivalries in college football, and a rivalry in which South Carolina won five in a row from 2009 to 2013. Take a look at our NCAA Football betting thoughts on each of these terrific games.

NCAA Football Week 13 Betting Preview & Top Picks

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Friday, November 22

WASHINGTON STATE (-3) over Washington, 8:30pm ET, FOX

Normally, Washington enters this game as the favorite every year, and the Huskies have put up an 8-3 record this season. However, Washington State sits at 10-1 and has shown some defensive prowess that they have not shown in seasons past. Washington comes in having won two in a row, including a 42-23 win over Oregon State a week ago. The Huskies outgained Oregon State by 140 yards and had a +2 turnover differential. Jake Browning went 17 for 23 for 242 yards and three scores. They get their running balance from Myles Gaskin, who averages just over 100 yards per game, and Salvon Ahmed, who has scored seven rushing touchdowns. The Huskies’ defense has been solid this year, permitting just under 17 points a game. Washington State has won seven in a row after knocking off Arizona 69-28 last week. They led 55-14 at the half and went into cruise control after the intermission, winning the yardage battle by 274 yards and posting a +4 turnover differential. Quarterback Gardner Minshew went 43 for 55 for 473 yards and seven touchdown passes. The Cougars score over 40 points per game while limiting their opponents to under 23 points per game. Washington State has covered in eight of their last nine games after a straight-up win and in 17 of their last 22 overall. The winner of this game will go to the Pac-12 Championship, and the Cougars have shown the tenacity that they will need to win this game. NCAA Football Week 13 Prediction: Washington State 34, Washington 27

Saturday, November 24

Michigan (-3.5) over OHIO STATE (12:00pm ET, FOX)

It’s not often that Ohio State enters this game as an underdog, particularly when playing at home, but that’s the case this year. Ohio State needed overtime to escape Maryland a week ago, in a game in which Urban Meyer showed so much physical discomfort that the broadcast’s attention was turned to his contortions as much as to anything else. It is true that the Buckeyes enter at 10-1 and have a 12-game home winning streak going. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins has thrown for 36 touchdown passes against just seven interceptions, but many of these statistics are turning out to be empty as the Buckeyes’ defense is giving up huge plays at just the wrong time. Michigan has not lost since their Week 1 setback at Notre Dame. Quarterback Shea Patterson has thrown for 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions, with Zach Gentry and Donovan Peoples-Jones his two favorite targets. Karan Higdon is the leading rusher with 1,106 yards on the season and ten scores. The real story is the Michigan defense, which permits an average of just 13.5 points per contest. Michigan has covered the spread in each fo their last four games against a team with a winning record — but just once in their last six road games. However, they have covered against Ohio State in four of their last five meetings. They have won six in a row by double digits. NCAA Football Week 13 Prediction: Michigan 24, Ohio State 16

South Carolina (+26.5) over CLEMSON (7:00pm ET, ESPN)

South Carolina enters this game at 6-4, although their biggest wins have been against Missouri and Ole Miss this year. Last week, South Carolina took down Tennessee-Chattanooga behind 339 yards and four touchdown passes from Jake Bentley, with Deebo Samuel his favorite target, catching five passes for 112 yards and a score. That sort of offensive mobility could catch Clemson if the Tigers are napping at all. Clemson took care of business against Duke last week, as quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 251 yards and a pair of touchdown passes and Travis Etienne scored two more touchdowns on the ground. However, South Carolina has covered in seven of their last nine road games and in four of their last five games against a winning team. The Tigers have covered just twice in their last seven home games and have failed to cover in any of their last four games outside the ACC. I see Clemson winning easily — but not quite covering that big spread. NCAA Football Week 13 Prediction: Clemson 45, South Carolina 21