Deal hunting is a significant part of Black Friday, especially in America, and with a significant slate of college football games kicking off the competition week a day early, perhaps some value can be found in the picks and predictions of our CBS Sports experts. No time to waste starting week 13. Six teams in the College Football Playoff rankings will be in action with a top-25 showdown that will go a long way in determining how a portion of the postseason will unfold.
That matchup leaves No. 19 Tulane visiting Cincinnati with an AAC Championship Game berth — and the top-ranked Group of Five seed in the CFP rankings. While the loser won’t be completely eliminated from the conference race, he’ll need some help building a playoff chance given the tight AAC standings.
Elsewhere, the battle line resumes as Arkansas visits Missouri in two SEC games of the week. No. 23 Texas will look to end its stop-and-start position in the CFP rankings when it hosts Baylor. and no. 16 Florida State will be proving its importance late in the season as it hosts in-state rival Florida in college football’s most exciting rivalry game.
Be sure to stay tuned to CBS Sports throughout the day for college football coverage from the opening kickoff. Let’s take a look at our expert picks for the best games on Black Friday in Week 13.
Odds by Caesars Sportsbook | East at all times
Utah State at Boise State
Special game | Boise State Broncos vs. Utah State Aggies
Noon | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Oddsmakers have Utah State as a substantial 17-point underdog. It’s a big number, and I don’t feel comfortable taking a page from it. That being said, it feels like a low-scoring game. Both the teams are running backs on offense and more importantly, this game starts at 10 am local time on Friday. It’s easy to imagine both offenses getting off to a slow start given the circumstances. Prediction: Under 51.5 — Austin Nivison
Baylor no. 23 in Texas
Special game | Texas Longhorns vs. Baylor Bears
Noon | ESPN, fuboTV (try it for free) — Despite a four-loss season, oddsmakers have been overwhelming Texas all year, and that trend continues into the Finals. Red River Showdown: The Longhorns have beaten a team from Kansas by just over 8.5 points. Baylor is ready to tackle Texas’ athletes, playing on the road in Austin. Prediction: Baylor +8.5 — Shehan Jayaraja
No. 24 Cincinnati at No. 19 Tulane
Special game | Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Tulane Green Wave
Noon | ABC, fuboTV (try it for free) — The Green Wave and Bearcats will square off at Nippert Stadium in the biggest AAC game of the year. The winner of this one will host the conference championship game next week, and the loser needs a few dominoes to get back into the matchup. Tulane got back on track with a 59-24 win over SMU last week, rushing for 310 yards and scoring five touchdowns on the ground. Cincinnati’s defense has won three straight, including last week’s 23-3 win over Temple in which they allowed just 202 total yards, held the Owls to 3.67 yards per play and forced four turnovers. Seek the protection of Bearcats to win a fierce battle. Prediction: Cincinnati -2 — Barrett Sally
Arkansas at Missouri
Special game | Missouri Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks
3:30 pm | CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App — Of the 14 SEC games the two have played together, nine have been played under this point. Missouri is ranked No. 7 nationally, while Arkansas is No. 8. Missouri’s red zone defense is terrible, while Arkansas ranks 86th nationally in red zone offense. Could be a busy day for kickers. Prediction: Under 55.5 — David Cobb
Florida State No. 16 Florida
Special game | Florida State Seminoles vs. Florida Gators
7:30 pm | ABC, fuboTV (try it for free) — It’s an interesting summary of the Florida-Florida State rivalry, and even as the series heats up, the results have rarely been close in recent years. Since 2007, only two games between the Gators and Seminoles have been decided by single digits. I think we’ll get another double digit win here on Friday, this one in favor of the home team. Prediction: Florida State -9.5 — Chip Patterson
Which college football picks can you confidently make in Week 13, and which top-25 teams will go hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — from a proven computer model that has made nearly $3,000 in profits over the past six-plus seasons — and find out.
