We have reached the home stretch of the 2024 college football regular season.
Conference championship week is just three weeks away in the first week of December. Week 13 isn’t the most loaded slate, but it features two games between ranked opponents and games across the country that have implications for the conference title races.
And once again, those ranked games are in the SEC. The big game of the week is in Athens, Georgia, when the Bulldogs play for their lives in the College Football Playoffs against Tennessee. Meanwhile, Missouri tries to keep the CFP flame burning as a two-point underdog against a South Carolina team that beat Texas A&M two weeks ago.
Here’s what to watch in Week 13. All times are Eastern and all odds are from BetMGM.
Time: Noon | Television: Zorro | Line: Colorado -11.5 | Total: 46.5
The Buffaloes’ path to the playoffs is clear. Colorado will earn a bye in the first round of the College Football Playoff if it wins its final four games.
Coming into the season, we thought this game could have impacts on the playoffs, but that those impacts would be limited to Utah. Instead, it’s been an injury-filled nightmare season for the Utes again, as they were down to two healthy quarterbacks and lost TE Brant Kuithe to a season-ending injury against BYU in Week 11. The QB Brandon Rose made his first career start in the controversial loss to the Cougars and suffered a leg injury on the final possession. Freshman Isaac Wilson will once again start for Utah. He has appeared in seven games so far this season.
Colorado’s defense should be up to the task of slowing down Utah’s depleted offense. While Shedeur Sanders’ passing prowess and Travis Hunter’s two-way exploits make a lot of Colorado headlines, the Buffs’ defensive improvement is the main reason they’re in the Big 12 race. Teams average just 217 passing yards per game against Colorado and 5.3 yards per play. That’s a full 60 yards per game and one yard per play less than in 2023.
Time: 4:15 pm | TV: SEC Network | Line: South Carolina -12.5 | Totals: 44.5
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz was technically correct when he said his team was in the playoff hunt after its wild victory over Oklahoma. Yes, this Mizzou team has been beaten at Texas A&M and Alabama, but it will receive serious postseason consideration if it finishes the regular season with a 10-2 record.
That task seems much more difficult than it seemed at the beginning of the season. Quarterback Brady Cook is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game with ankle and wrist injuries. Cook injured his ankle against Auburn and then hurt his wrist against Alabama. He missed the win over OU when Drew Pyne started in his place. The offense hasn’t been as good with Pyne at QB instead of Cook, but he led the Tigers on two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. The Tigers only have a chance if Pyne plays like this throughout the game.
South Carolina has won three straight games following its two-point loss to Alabama. That includes a 44-20 win over Texas A&M. Given the way the Gamecocks played against the two teams that dominated Mizzou, you can understand why the Gamecocks are heavy favorites. Especially with the way LaNorris Sellers is playing. He has recorded five touchdowns and nearly 500 passing yards in the last two games and has not thrown any interceptions.
Time: 7:30 pm | Television: NBC | Line: Oregon -14 | Total: 52.5
Is this the toughest game left on the Ducks’ regular season schedule? Oregon will be bye in Week 13 before a home game against Washington to end the season. A win in just one of those games also puts Oregon in the Big Ten title game, even though the Ducks are tied atop the conference with Indiana and just one game ahead of Ohio State and Penn. State.
We won’t be knee-deep in the playoffs here, but if Oregon wins on Saturday night, they’ll likely play the winner of the Indiana vs. Indiana game. Next week’s Ohio State in the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis. And since Oregon is away, they’ll be able to follow that game very closely.
Ducks QB Dillon Gabriel’s pursuit of Bo Nix’s completion percentage record will likely be futile, although he could end up winning the Heisman at the end of the season. Gabriel is responsible for 28 touchdowns and will surpass 3,000 passing yards on the season if he throws for 153 yards on Saturday night.
Wisconsin enters the game on a two-game losing streak after three straight wins. The Badgers fell 28-13 at Penn State on October 26 and were defeated 42-10 at Iowa on November 2. Wisconsin is averaging just 25 points per game in 2024 as Tyler Van Dyke is out for the season with a knee injury. .
Time: 7:30 pm | Television: ABC | lline: Georgia -10.5 | Total: 48.5
Will Nico Iamaleava be healthy enough to play on Saturday? The Tennessee quarterback is reportedly in concussion protocol after leaving Tennessee’s Week 11 game against Mississippi State at halftime. He is officially listed as questionable on the SEC injury report.
If Iamaleava can’t go, it’s hard to see how Tennessee has much of a chance against the Bulldogs. Tennessee’s offense hasn’t lived up to its lofty expectations with him under center, and asking Gaston Moore to go on the road in Athens and earn his first start may be a bridge too far.
The Vols are in the top 10 despite an offense that has been sluggish due to a phenomenal defense. Tennessee has one of the best defensive lines in the country and will look to give Georgia fits like Ole Miss did in Week 11. James Pearce Jr. leads the team with 5.5 sacks and is an All-American candidate.
Georgia is out of the College Football Playoff mix with one loss; The Vols’ visit on Saturday night gave the committee an easy out with the Bulldogs’ placement on Tuesday. If Georgia wins, the Bulldogs will return to the provisional bracket after Week 12. If Tennessee pulls off the upset, Georgia will not be considered for the playoffs for the remainder of the season. A loss seems crazy to us. Just look at how Kirby Smart motivated his team before the game against Texas. A 12th place ranking can provide a lot of motivation.
Time: 22:15 | Television: ESPN | Line: BYU -3 | Total: 56.5
Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. The undefeated top 10 BYU Cougars are favored by just one field goal at home against a team that has a losing record.
You can understand why bettors are hedging against BYU. The Cougars have escaped twice in the last three games with late scores. Overall, four of BYU’s nine wins came by a single possession and three of those wins were by three points or less. Even if the Cougars win on Saturday, don’t be surprised if they are the underdog at Arizona State in Week 13.
Kansas defeated Iowa State 45-36 in Week 11 and has won two of its last three games. The Jayhawks were among the preseason favorites for the Big 12 title, but they have been the masters of the one-score loss. Five of Kansas’ six losses have been by six points or less. That includes a two-point loss at Kansas State, a four-point loss at Arizona State and a four-point loss at West Virginia.
Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels has thrown at least one touchdown and rushed for a score in each of KU’s last four games. Against ISU, the 2023 preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 68 yards and a score. BYU will need to contain it to get the win.
Other games to see
No. 3 Texas at Arkansas (noon, ABC): These two old Southwestern Conference rivals meet for the first time as members of the same conference since 1991. The Longhorns are heavy favorites, but we’re not sure about anything with this Arkansas team. Don’t be surprised if the game is close, at least through the first half, with QB Taylen Green and RB Ja’Quinden Jackson listed as probable.
No. 20 Clemson at Pitt (noon, ESPN): This game lost a lot of its luster with Pitt’s loss to Virginia in Week 11. Clemson still has a good chance to win the ACC title, but needs some help. That opportunity disappears with a loss to the Panthers, who need QB Eli Holstein back on the field. He left the loss to the Cavaliers in the second half with an apparent head injury.
Boston College at No. 14 SMU (3:30 p.m., ESPN): The Mustangs’ manageable path to the ACC title game begins with the Eagles at home. SMU has BC, Virginia and Cal during the final three weeks of the season. Boston College will start Grayson James at QB after he replaced Thomas Castellanos in Week 11. Castellanos will not travel with the team to Dallas and is reportedly considering a transfer.
Arizona State at No. 16 Kansas State (7 p.m., ESPN): Don’t overlook any of these teams in the race for the Big 12 title. Both ASU and KSU are tied for third place entering Week 12. Kansas State has the head-to-head tiebreaker over Colorado and Arizona State hosts BYU next week. ASU running back Cam Skattebo appears ready to play after missing the Sun Devils’ Week 10 win over UCF.