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College football Week 12 odds, picks against the spread: Tennessee-Georgia, Oregon-Wisconsin and more
We are entering the stretch run of the 2024 college football season, and now that we are getting weekly playoff rankings, every game will become even more important.
This week’s biggest game on the schedule is in Athens, Ga., where No. 12 Georgia hosts No. 7 Tennessee. The Bulldogs were the first team out in this week’s rankings, and a third loss might be a dagger for their playoff chances. But a win over a top-10 team would almost certainly push them back in.
The only other game between teams in the top 25 of the College Football Playoff Rankings is in South Carolina, where the No. 21 Gamecocks host No. 23 Missouri.
The top four teams in the rankings are all playing games where they are double-digit favorites, including No. 2 Ohio State (against Northwestern at Wrigley Field) and No. 4 Penn State (at Purdue). Both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions are favored by four touchdowns. No. 1 Oregon (at Wisconsin) and No. 3 Texas (at Arkansas) are both two-touchdown favorites.
There is a sneaky big ACC game in Pittsburgh. Pitt is trying to snap a two-game losing streak and keep its conference title hopes alive when it hosts No. 20 Clemson. Even with a win on Saturday, both teams would need help from SMU or Miami to reach the ACC title game.
No. 17 Colorado controls its path to a Big 12 championship (and, by extension, a playoff appearance) and is a big favorite against Utah.
There is another massive game in the AAC where Navy can play its way back into a top-two spot in the conference if it can beat No. 25 Tulane. A Navy win would put a potential Army-Navy conference championship game back on the table.
—Adam Gretz
All games listed are on Saturday. Kickoff times are Eastern. Rankings are from the College Football Playoff Rankings. All odds are from BetMGM.
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No. 3 Texas at Arkansas
Noon on ESPN
The SEC race is a jumbled mess, but Texas is in the upper portion of that group with one loss in conference play. The Longhorns, favored by about two touchdowns, hope to stay a game ahead of the chasing pack at Arkansas on Saturday.
As it stands, the Texas-Texas A&M game at the end of the regular season could decide which team goes to the SEC title game, but first, Texas must clear another rivalry reborn this weekend. Texas and Arkansas were both in the old Southwest Conference until Arkansas bolted for the SEC in 1992. Texas moved to the Big 12 in 1996, back when the number of teams in a conference actually dictated the conference’s name.
The recent series history between these two is symbolic of why “Texas is back” became a running joke. Arkansas has won four of the six meetings since the Southwest Conference days, including both bowl games between the two. That’s a good reminder that Texas was not back for a lot of years this century.
The Razorbacks haven’t always been an easy out for top teams this season. While LSU (34-1) and Ole Miss (63-31) decimated the Razorbacks, Arkansas shocked Tennessee 19-14 and held a fourth-quarter lead against Texas A&M before falling 21-17.
Arkansas is coming off a bye, while Texas is coming off what might have felt like a scrimmage. The Longhorns left no doubt in a 49-17 win against a Florida team that was on its third-string quarterback. Texas led 42-0 midway through the third quarter before calling the dogs off.
—Dan Santaromita
Picks against the spread
Utah at No. 17 Colorado
Noon on ESPN
Everything is aligned for No. 17 Colorado to secure a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game, starting with the game against Utah on Saturday. The Buffaloes are not only a double-digit favorite, but this is the first time they have been favored against Utah since 2016, the last time they beat the Utes.
If Colorado simply handles its business the rest of the way and beats three teams, Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma State (with a combined record of 10-18), the Buffaloes will have a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game and a chance to play their way into the College Football Playoff, completing an incredible turnaround from last year’s four-win season.
The Utes are the first team up in that stretch, and the Big 12 Championship comes down the road.
Utah enters the game having lost five in a row and dealing with major problems on offense. The Utes are on their third quarterback of the season after starter Cameron Rising and replacement Brandon Rose have both been lost for the season. Utah has scored more than 23 points in a game just three times and is averaging 15.5 points per game in Big 12 play.
Utah will need more offense than that on Saturday to keep pace with a Colorado team averaging 32.4 points per game. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders is the focal point of the Buffaloes’ offense, completing more than 72 percent of his passes with 24 touchdown passes to six interceptions.
Two-way star Travis Hunter is also continuing his Heisman Trophy campaign by playing over 100 snaps per game and leading the team in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns while also being tied for the team lead in interceptions.
—Adam Gretz
Picks against the spread
No. 20 Clemson at Pitt
Noon on ESPN
Clemson at Pitt looked like a marquee game on the ACC schedule just a couple of weeks ago. Since then, Clemson got manhandled by Louisville at home, and the Panthers have dropped two straight. Still, both teams are in the ACC title race but need some help. Clemson is favored by two scores on the road.
This is Clemson’s ACC regular-season finale. The Tigers are 6-1 in ACC play, with a game against The Citadel preceding the in-state rivalry game against South Carolina. A win at Pitt leaves Clemson at 7-1 but in need of help from SMU and Miami to advance to the ACC title game.
Pitt is only 3-2 in the league and still has a trip to Louisville ahead, so the Panthers’ path to the title game is less likely and fraught with danger. On top of that, quarterback Eli Holstein left last week’s loss to Virginia due to injury. He got hit while sliding in the third quarter and did not return. It’s not yet clear if Holstein will play. Junior Nate Yarnell was 4-for-12 for 44 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in Holstein’s absence. Virginia outscored the Panthers 17-6 in the second half of a 24-19 win.
Clemson bounced back from its loss to Louisville with a 24-14 win at Virginia Tech, but the Tigers’ offense once again looked uninspiring. The Tigers were scoreless in the first half.
—Dan Santaromita
Picks against the spread
No. 23 Missouri at No. 21 South Carolina
4:15 p.m. on SEC Network
After Missouri beat Oklahoma last week, Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said the win kept his team in the playoff picture. While Mizzou is a two-loss team in the SEC, making that statement technically true, it doesn’t seem likely for this Missouri team to stay a two-loss team by the end of the regular season. A big reason why is this week’s game at South Carolina, where the Gamecocks are favored by nearly two touchdowns.
The big question for Mizzou is the status of quarterback Brady Cook. Cook suffered a sprained ankle against Auburn four weeks ago. He went to the hospital during that game and returned to lead his team to a comeback victory. He then played against Alabama a week later and left with a hand injury that kept him out against OU.
While Cook returning would seem like the glimmer of hope Mizzou would need in this game, putting in an injured quarterback against this South Carolina defense sounds downright terrifying. The Gamecocks are third in the country in sacks with 33 and handily beat a Texas A&M team that destroyed a healthy Missouri earlier this season.
If Cook doesn’t play, the quarterbacks in this matchup are stylistically very different. Drew Pyne, yes, that’s former Notre Dame starter Drew Pyne, started against the Sooners and threw for three touchdowns in a wild game, but he makes Peyton Manning look fast at times. Meanwhile, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers has nearly 400 rushing yards on the season, including 106 yards in a gem against the Aggies.
Sellers is just one dynamic playmaker in this matchup. Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III is a likely first-round pick and South Carolina running back Raheim Sanders is averaging more than five yards per carry and has 11 touchdowns this season.
—Dan Santaromita
Picks against the spread
No. 7 Tennessee at No. 12 Georgia
7:30 p.m. on ABC
The biggest game on the Week 12 college football schedule will take place between the hedges on Saturday night when Tennessee and Georgia square off. The Volunteers are ranked higher than the Bulldogs but are sizable underdogs for this critical SEC contest.
If No. 7 Tennessee (8-1, 5-1 SEC) defeats No. 12 Georgia (7-2, 5-2) and then Vanderbilt in two weeks, the Vols will be in Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game and should also be in good shape to make the College Football Playoff. The Bulldogs need to win out to have a shot at playing for a title of any kind.
The big concern for Tennessee is the status of redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava. He didn’t play in the second half of last week’s win over Mississippi State and was placed in concussion protocol. There’s optimism he’ll be cleared in time, but backup Gaston Moore could get the start.
The Volunteers’ offense has revolved around a rushing attack ranked second among Power 4 teams and averaging 235.1 yards per game. Dylan Sampson (SEC-leading 1,129 yards and 20 touchdowns) has been the workhorse, but Iamaleava’s role in coach Josh Heupel’s system can’t be overlooked. If he doesn’t play, that could be a big advantage for Georgia’s defense. The Bulldogs rank in the top 25 nationally against the run and are limiting conference opponents to 3.6 yards per carry.
The bigger issue for Georgia is that quarterback Carson Beck has thrown seven interceptions compared to two touchdowns in the last three games, and the team managed just 60 rushing yards on 32 attempts in last week’s loss at Ole Miss. It won’t get any easier for Beck and company against a Tennessee defense giving up fewer than 17 points per game to SEC foes.
Beating the Bulldogs is not something the Volunteers have done since 2016. Since then, Georgia has rattled off seven straight victories in this series. The 2016 season, head coach Kirby Smart’s first, was the last time the Bulldogs lost back-to-back games. Georgia has also won 28 in a row at Sanford Stadium.
—Mark Ross
Picks against the spread
No. 1 Oregon at Wisconsin
7:30 p.m. on ESPN
No. 1 Oregon is in the “just don’t mess it up” section of its schedule, which consists of three soft games and a bye over the final four weeks. After easily dispatching Maryland, the Ducks head to Wisconsin as two-score favorites for the second game in this run.
The Ducks haven’t allowed an opponent to get within 21 points since they downed Ohio State 32-31 in Week 7 and have smothered teams in the second half of games. The Buckeyes managed just 10 second-half points, and they were the highwater mark. Opponents are averaging 6.2 points in the final two quarters over the last five weeks and Wisconsin, ranked 81st in total offense, isn’t equipped to buck the trend.
The Badgers aren’t in the top 50 in either rushing or passing and, outside of running back Tawee Walker, feature no individual challengers to Oregon’s defensive personnel.
The Ducks, meanwhile, have a Heisman candidate in quarterback Dillon Gabriel, and his favorite receiver, Tez Johnson, is tied for 11th nationally with eight touchdowns and is eighth in receptions (64). Wisconsin’s fifth-ranked pass defense could give them a fight, but Oregon can always turn to Jordan James on the ground. James has 10 touchdowns to go with nearly 1,000 yards and should have no problem chewing through the Badgers’ 91st-ranked run defense. Wisconsin is allowing 164.6 yards per game on the ground, and James is averaging nearly 95, so the Ducks should be just fine if the passing game is slow to get going.
Oregon should head into their bye week with just Washington between them and a perfect regular season. Then, in December, a likely Ohio State rematch awaits.
Just don’t mess it up.
—J.J. Bailey
Picks against the spread
Wild card picks
Picking only the biggest games is not the smartest way to bet, so each picker is adding another bet with everything from every game on the table. We are tracking the records in these picks as well as counting them in the overall picks standings.
Austin Mock: Navy +7 vs. Tulane
Chris Vannini: Tennessee/Georgia under 49.5
Dan Santaromita: LSU -4.5 at Florida
David Ubben: Michigan State +3 at Illinois
Picks records
| Writer | Overall record | Wild card picks | Last week |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chris Vannini |
49-33 |
7-4 |
2-6 |
|
Dan Santaromita |
39-43 |
3-8 |
3-5 |
|
Austin Mock |
39-43 |
6-5 |
4-4 |
|
David Ubben |
37-45 |
6-5 |
1-7 |
(Photo of Dylan Sampson: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images)
BBC Travel has published its list of the 20 best places to travel in 2026.
The list of global destinations only includes two U.S. travel spots, and one is the Oregon coast.
The BBC write-up is glowing, calling Oregon’s coastline “one of the country’s bucket-list road trips” – and noting that Oregon is the only U.S. state where all beaches are free and public.
- 6 Oregon towns make list of ‘most adorable’ in PNW
Kaitlyn Brajcich of Sustainable Travel International contributed to the BBC’s article, praising the coast’s accessibility and sustainability:
“Mobi-Mats laid over the sand and free beach wheelchairs enable more visitors to enjoy the shore, as does a new partnership with Wheel the World that maps inclusive lodging and experiences.”
Brajcich also cited the easy availability of bikes, sustainable seafood and transit options as reasons to visit the Oregon coast.
The Oregon coast has racked up plenty of superlatives over the years” “most adorable” small towns, most beautiful landmarks, best campground and more.
If you’re planning to visit the coast this winter, Winter Whale Watch Week begins Saturday, Dec. 27 and runs through Wednesday, Dec. 31.
“Trained Oregon State Park volunteers will be stationed at 14 sites along the Oregon Coast from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said in a news release, “to help visitors spot gray whales on their southward migration to the calving lagoons in Mexico.”
A map of the volunteer sites is available on the Oregon State Parks website.
Winter is also the best season to watch storms and view king tides at the coast, but remember to follow safety guidelines if you go.
- The 6 best places to witness king tides on the Oregon and Washington coasts this winter
The other U.S. location to make the BBC’s travel list? Philadelphia, where 2026 will see a yearlong celebration of America’s 250th birthday, including art and museum exhibits, concerts and a variety of sporting events like the FIFA World Cup.
Mater Dei junior defensive back Danny Lang has set a tentative commitment date and USC is firmly in the thick of his recruitment. The four-star junior, one of the top prospects in a loaded West Coast 2027 defensive back class, said he plans to make his college decision on in the summer after completing a final round of official visits.
“I’m most likely going to commit on July 2,” Lang told Rivals. “That’s my birthday so I think that would be a good time to lock it in.”
Lang, rated the No. 193 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, has emerged as a key target for several national powers. He spent his first two high school seasons at safety before transitioning to corner as a junior, a move that showcased his range, instincts, and positional flexibility.
USC’s Position with Lang
Lang confirmed the USC Trojans, Ohio State Buckeyes, Ole Miss Rebels, and Oregon Ducks will receive official visits. The Trojans, however, already hold one of the strongest relationships in the race.
“USC of course is in there,” Lang said to Rivals. “I’ve been there a lot already and have a really strong comfort level and I like what USC is building. My relationship with T-Reed (Trovon Reed, DB) is very strong.”
That track record matters. Lang has visited USC multiple times across the last two years, including two unofficial visits in 2025. The Trojans also offered early and are the only program to host him more than once. Because of this according to Rivals, the Trojans are an overwhelming favorite to land the hometown star with a 95.5 percent chance.
Lang’s game fits the modern college secondary. At 6-foot-1, he can play corner or safety, allowing staffs to match him to multiple roles. As a sophomore he totaled 33 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Those numbers reflect both physicality and a knack for creating turnovers, traits that translate well across alignments.
MORE: Lincoln Riley Gives USC Roster Updates Ahead of Alamo Bowl vs. TCU
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MORE: What Four-Star Elija Harmon’s Commitment to Oklahoma Means for USC Recruiting
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A Deep 2027 DB Class USC Wants to Control
The broader context heightens USC’s urgency. The 2027 recruiting cycle on the West Coast is unusually strong at defensive back, and the Trojans are in the mix for several national names.
Aaryn Washington, ranked No. 50 overall, recently named a top two of Georgia and USC, with the Trojans positioned as a legitimate contender. Should he commit, he would become USC’s first defensive back pledge in the 2027 cycle. Duvay Williams, ranked No. 40 nationally, is another priority target. The Gardena native is already polished in press coverage and consistently erases opposing receivers. He is widely viewed as a lean toward USC.
Lang fits cleanly into this picture. He is ranked No. 56 overall and No. 9 at corner, giving USC a chance to land three top-60 national defensive backs from Southern California alone. Honor Fa’alave-Johnson and Gavin Williams also remain high on the Trojans’ board, forming what could become the strongest defensive back haul of the Lincoln Riley era.
Why It Matters for USC
Landing even two of these prospects would reshape USC’s secondary pipeline. Adding three or more would qualify as a foundational class for the program’s long-term defensive rebuild. The Trojans’ staff has put themselves in a competitive position early in the cycle, particularly with local players who have repeatedly visited campus and built trust with the current defensive staff.
Lang’s July decision timeline gives USC a clear target window. His official visits will shape the final stretch, but the Trojans’ familiarity, development pitch, and strong connection with Trovon Reed ensure they will remain a major player until the end.
Gov. Tina Kotek’s commitment to boosting prosperity through economic development is encouraging, and I hope her efforts are successful, (“Oregon’s governor unveiled a ‘roadmap’ to business prosperity. Here’s what’s at stake,” Dec. 2). Too often, Oregon’s leading industries and businesses hear platitudes on the importance of economic development only to witness actions that dilute economic development funds, which provide high returns on investment.
Oregon hospitality and leisure is the third-largest private employer sector, creating more than 200,000 jobs and generating $14 billion in annual economic activity – driven in part by state and local lodging taxes.
The state’s 1.5% lodging tax raises approximately $40 million a year and is reinvested in economic development, including tourism promotion and related infrastructure. But some state lawmakers are trying to increase the tax and divert the additional revenue for things without economic benefits – things which should be paid for with general funds. Worse yet, there are efforts to change how county and city lodging taxes are distributed.
State and local lodging taxes are designed to be an economic development tool, and the current system has proven itself – a $40 million investment at the state level and hundreds of millions at local levels for a $14 billion return.
The economic headwinds facing Oregon’s economy are fierce. We should be laser focused on creating the strongest multiplier effect we can with these finite economic development resources. If lawmakers care about Oregon’s economic prosperity, they will abandon these harmful proposals in the upcoming session, and the governor should rebuke any efforts contrary to the goals of her economic development roadmap.
Jason Brandt
Brandt is president and CEO of the Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association
To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
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