Week 12 of the college football season was the perfect prelude to what should be an exciting finish to the year this week. There will be plenty of important rivalry games played across the country including key showdowns in the SEC and the Pac-12. For everything that the top teams in the country have accomplished so far this season, there will be a lot on the line when they take the field this weekend. Here is a look at the top four ranked teams on upset alert heading in to Week 13 of the college football season.
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide @ #6 Auburn Tigers
Saturday, 3:30 PM ET
There is no game in Week 13 with more on the line than this year’s Iron Bowl. The top-ranked Crimson Tide are absolutely rolling but they will be in tough on the road against Auburn in the latest installment of this SEC rivalry. The Crimson Tide will be tough to stop but it’s impossible to sleep on the Tigers. Alabama hasn’t lost to Auburn since 2013 but we have seen some wild finishes in this rivalry in the past and it wouldn’t be a major surprise if we saw another this weekend. The Tigers have the home field advantage and know what to expect from the Crimson Tide this Saturday. All eyes will be on the top two teams in the SEC West in a game with major playoff implications this weekend.
Pick: Auburn +4
#9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ #20 Stanford Cardinal
Saturday, 8:00 PM ET
Notre Dame bounced back from a tough loss to the Miami Hurricanes with a close win over Navy last week but the 24-17 result wasn’t exactly convincing. The Fighting Irish needed a late touchdown to pull away from the Midshipmen to the final frame. Their schedule gets a lot tougher this week when they travel to face Stanford. The Cardinal is coming off back-to-back wins over Washington and Cal and will be hungry to reach the nine-win mark. The issue might be a Notre Dame defense that couldn’t stop the run last week. What does that mean for Heisman Trophy candidate Bryce Love and company?
Stanford is a slight home underdog but it won’t be a surprise to anybody if they upset Notre Dame to win and cover at home.
Pick: Stanford +1.5
#15 Washington Huskies vs. #14 Washington State Cougars
Saturday, 8:00 PM ET
This will be the second week in a row that a key Pac-12 showdown will highlight the college football schedule as the Huskies visit Washington State. The Cougars are ranked one spot ahead of their rivals but Washington will be a 10-point favorite at home. Washington State is playing for a spot in the Pac-12 championship game while the Huskies will be defending their home territory. Luke Falk has led the Cougars to a 2-0 record against ranked opponents this season. It will be interesting to see if he can extend that win streak with another upset win this Saturday in prime time.
Pick: Washington State +10
#13 Central Florida Knights vs. #22 South Florida Bulls
Saturday, 3:30 PM ET
Central Florida is undefeated and primed to reach a New Years’ Six Bowl with a win over South Florida this weekend. The Bulls might have other plans. South Florida is 9-1 under former Texas head coach Charlie Strong and they will be motivated to end the Knights run with a signature win on Saturday. All season long, South Florida has been questioned as a ranked team. Yes, they have had a number of soft showings against feeble opponents – including last week. However, they’ll be up for this game. This is on the one contest that mattered to them.
UCF has beat every team from the American East leading into this matchup but they can’t afford to overlook what should be another tough test in Week 13. The Bulls are a 10.5-point favorite on the road so it wouldn’t be a surprise if they at least managed to cover on the road while putting the Knights on upset alert this weekend. South Florida is being overlooked a little bit here.
Pick: South Florida +10.5
Click here to bet on the college football season right now. DSI has a full list of spreads, totals and props for every single game on the board. Get all of the latest lines that you need to get a piece of the action!
