Eric Uribe
There are dozens upon dozens of games to wager on at the top NCAA Football betting sites, but only a few are deserving of your hard-earned money. After doing the research, we believe we’ve found the best college football free betting picks for Week 12. Allow us to explain and give you our expert advice:
Against The Spread: No. 7 Michigan State at No. 5 Ohio State
| Team |  |  |
| Michigan State Spartans | +19 | +19 |
| Ohio State Buckeyes | -19 | -19 |
Despite both teams being ranked in the top-10, despite both teams having only one loss, despite both teams being contenders in the College Football Playoff, the best online sportsbooks are pegging the against-the-spread line lopsided between Michigan State and Ohio State. Is that 19-point spread really warranted?
It might be. Not because there’s a huge talent difference between the two teams (spoiler alert: there’s not), but because one school’s strength plays perfectly against the other school’s weakness. We’re talking about passing — the Buckeyes can sling it and the Spartans can’t stop a nose bleed. That’s the biggest matchup to look out for ahead of this crucial matchup.
Get this, Michigan State has the worst pass defense among all FBS teams. Yes, the worst out of 100-plus teams! Opponents are shredding them for an average of 329 yards passing per game. That spells major trouble against an Ohio State team that has the most total yards of offense in the nation this season. Buckeye quarterback CJ Stroud is very much in the running for the Heisman Trophy and we expect him to strengthen his case against a leaky Spartans defense. Take the Buckeyes and the points!
Against The Spread: SMU at No. 3 Cincinnati
| Team | | |
| SMU Mustangs | +11.5 | +11.5 |
| Cincinnati Bearcats | -11.5 | -11.5 |
The CFP rankings were shaken when Oklahoma lost to Baylor last weekend. It’s created an opening in the coveted No. 4 spot for the aforementioned Buckeyes and Bearcats of Cincinnati. Still, the Bearcats need to take care of business from here on out, making SMU at Cincinnati an intriguing betting line on the spread.
What’s hurting 10-0 Cinci is not just the lack of competition in the American Conference, but more the lack of “wowing” in these wins. Opponents just seem to hang around when playing the Bearcats and that’s what we sense happens again against SMU, who is a respectable 8-2 on the year. Cincinnati hasn’t covered the spread in three straight games and we predict that becomes four this weekend.
Over/Under 65.5 Points: UCLA at USC
| Outcome | | |
| Over 65.5 Points | -110 | -110 |
| Under 65.5 Points | -110 | -110 |
Once upon a time, UCLA versus UCLA was one of the most must-bet, must-watch games of the season. That’s flipped in recent years thanks to struggles from both programs, which remain the case this time around. The Bruins are 6-4, while the Trojans are 4-5. Not much is at stake in this game besides bragging rights inside Los Angeles and a third-place spot in the Pac-12 South. But hey, money remains to be made and for us, that’s in the over/under line.
In the past two meetings between the rivals, points have been abundant. They tallied 87 points in the 2019 matchup and 81 in 2020. Based on that, you’d guess this season’s point tally of only 65.5 is on the low side. But we’d have to disagree for one major reason: this year, these two teams combine to allow 56.3 points per game — 9.2 fewer than the betting line. With that being said, take the under.
Against The Spread: No. 13 Wake Forest at Clemson
| Team | | |
| Wake Forest Demon Deacons | +4.5 | +4.5 |
| Clemson Tigers | -4.5 | -4.5 |
The Demon Deacons control their own destiny in the ACC. One win in their next two games and they become conference champions for the first time since 2006. Its first crack at achieving that is against the former ACC powerhouse, the Tigers. We’ll cut right to the chase: Wake Forrest covering the four-point spread versus Clemson is the bet to make, in fact, you might want to get their moneyline.
The Tigers just aren’t anything to fear without superstar quarterback play. The struggles of D.J. Uiagalelei continued last weekend. Sure, Clemson may have rolled over UConn 44-7, but Uiagalelei remained suspect. He was 21-of-44 passing with only 241 yards, one touchdown, and another interception. Let’s face the music: Uiagalelei just isn’t very good at quarterbacking. Period. And perhaps Dabo Swinney lucked out with two generational signal callers, Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence.
We’re fully of the belief that Wake Forrest will go on the road Saturday and win this game outright. Though, betting the spread by itself is the “safe” pick that gives you a small buffer in case Uiagalelei flashes (which he has done sporadically). Assess your own risk tolerance and bet this game accordingly, but either way, side with the Demon Deacons.
How To Bet On College Football
If you’re looking for more college football betting odds, you’ll find them at the listed bookmakers underneath. These sites carry any and all wagers, from basic bet types like moneyline, ATS, over/unders to futures and props. You’ll be hard pressed to find a college game WITHOUT bets available on these bookies.
If you join one of the sites before Saturday’s games, you could even earn hundreds to thousands of dollars in free play via sign-up bonuses. That free play can be used as you wish on college football (or another sport of your choosing)! Deals available now are detailed in the table. Pick one you like and redeem by hitting the “play now” button next to it!
