College Football Bets: Picks Against the Spread for Top-25 Week 12 Games
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Another round of relevant games is on tap in the College Football Playoff race this week. There are four games between teams ranked in both the CFP and AP Top 25 that stand to solidify some teams’ postseason cases and threaten others.
The game of the week is in the Steel City, where No. 23 Pittsburgh is set to host No. 9 Notre Dame with ESPN’s “College GameDay” in town. The Panthers are one of a handful of teams in the mix for a spot in the ACC championship game. The Fighting Irish need a win on the road to stay in the CFP field.
Keep an eye on the SEC on Saturday as well with two titanic clashes on deck. No. 11 Oklahoma is on the playoff bubble and on the road at No. 4 Alabama. You might remember the Sooners upsetting the Crimson Tide a season ago, effectively knocking them out of the CFP. ‘Bama can return the favor this time around.
- College Football Playoff Bubble: Who’s on the Cusp?
No. 11 Texas heads to Athens to face No. 5 Georgia for a rematch of last year’s SEC Championship. The Bulldogs won both meetings in 2024, and the Longhorns are holding onto the last at-large spot.
Also watch out for No. 25 South Florida on the road against Navy. The Bulls are the projected American conference champion. However, the Midshipmen can shake up the Group of 5 race with a win at home. No. 20 Virginia at Duke is also of importance in the ACC picture. The weirdest possible outcome would be a four-loss Blue Devils team winning the conference and throwing a wrench into the CFP race. After a tight loss to Oregon, Iowa takes on No. 17 USC in a clash of play styles in the Big Ten.
Week 12 has a little bit of everything, and the stakes keep getting higher. Athlon Sports’ writers made against-the-spread selections for all the games featuring a top-25 team and shared their best bets below.
(Rankings are from the latest AP Top 25.)
College Football Predictions: ATS Bets for Week 12 Top-25 Games
| Steven Lassan | Thomas Neumann | Kyle Wood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Clemson | @ No. 19 Louisville -2.5 | Louisville | Clemson | Clemson |
Minnesota | @ No. 7 Oregon -25.5 | Oregon | Minnesota | Oregon |
Florida | @ No. 6 Ole Miss -15.5 | Ole Miss | Florida | Ole Miss |
Wisconsin | @ No. 2 Indiana -29.5 | Indiana | Wisconsin | Indiana |
South Carolina | @ No. 3 Texas A&M -18.5 | S. Carolina | S. Carolina | A&M |
No. 9 Notre Dame -11.5 | @ No. 23 Pittsburgh | Pitt | Notre Dame | Pitt |
No. 18 Michigan -12.5 | @ Northwestern | Michigan | Michigan | N’western |
No. 11 Oklahoma | @ No. 4 Alabama -6.5 | OU | Bama | OU |
UCF | @ No. 8 Texas Tech -23.5 | TTU | TTU | TTU |
No. 20 Virginia | @ Duke -6.5 | Duke | Duke | UVA |
No. 14 Georgia Tech -16.5 | @ Boston College | BC | BC | Ga. Tech |
NC State | @ No. 16 Miami -14.5 | NC State | NC State | NC State |
Iowa | @ No. 17 USC -6.5 | Iowa | Iowa | Iowa |
New Mexico State | @ No. 21 Tennessee -41.5 | NMSU | NMSU | NMSU |
No. 15 Utah -8.5 | Baylor | Utah | Baylor | Utah |
No. 11 Texas | @ No. 5 Georgia -6.5 | Texas | Texas | UGA |
UCLA | @ No. 1 Ohio State -32.5 | UCLA | UCLA | UCLA |
No. 25 South Florida -10.5 | @ Navy | Navy | USF | USF |
TCU | @ No. 12 BYU -4.5 | TCU | TCU | BYU |
Appalachian State | @ James Madison -20.5 | JMU | App State | JMU |
Arizona | @ No. 22 Cincinnati -6.5 | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona |
Record: | 91-97-1 | 87-101-1 | 82-106-1 |
Week 12 College Football Best Bets
Steven Lassan: UCF at No. 8 Texas Tech – Texas Tech -23.5
This is a hefty bit of points at 23.5, but Texas Tech has won all nine of its games by 20-plus points this season. UCF is also dealing with a couple of injuries at quarterback and lost all three of its road games this season. A shorthanded Knights’ team facing a Red Raiders’ squad that’s on a roll after last week’s win at BYU is a tough spot for coach Scott Frost.
Thomas Neumann: No. 25 South Florida at Navy — USF -10.5
The Midshipmen, already stinging from a 39-point loss to Notre Dame, are still without quarterback Blake Horvath. Navy has the home field, but the weather should be mild. Look for USF QB Byrum Brown to lower his shoulder on the run at least once in this pivotal American Conference matchup.
Kyle Wood: UCF at No. 8 Texas Tech — Texas Tech -23.5
The Red Raiders, who have been favored by 20-plus points four times this season, are an FBS-best 9-1 against the spread this season. Texas Tech has won three in a row by 22 or more, including last week’s game against BYU, and is an especially tough out at home. The Knights, on the other hand, are winless away from Orlando. This could be another Red Raiders rout.
Related: 2025 Bowl Projections after Week 11: Texas Tech Rising, ACC Chaos Shakes Up Playoff Field
Related: Heisman Trophy Rankings: Fernando Mendoza Has His Moment
Related: 2 Most Overrated Teams in Latest College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings
Athlon Sports may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over our coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice. Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos