Adam Kramer’s Faculty Football Locks and High Bets for Week 13

In overall, Thanksgiving weekend marks college football’s wind-down. Competition video games. Convention championships staunch round the bend. In peculiar years, and 2020 has been anything nonetheless peculiar, the produce line comes snappily.

Some teams are shut. Others no longer so mighty. And whereas the masses of starts and prevents all three hundred and sixty five days long will form for a chaotic shut to the season, the cowl must dart on. 

What does that point out for you? Extra video games. Extra circulate. Extra Locks of the Week.

Now, in quite loads of weeks that is a correct element. Closing week? No longer so mighty. An inadequate 2-6 document in Week 12 may well no longer slash it. If fact be told, “inadequate” does not operate it justice. Humorous. Embarrassing. All warranted.

I’m unruffled 31-28 on the three hundred and sixty five days, though the huge cushion built up about a weeks previously has all nonetheless dwindled. Or no longer it’s about time we form that cushion encourage up. 

Before we score to this week’s picks, let’s salvage a watch at the becoming and the depraved that turned into. (Spoiler alert: no longer mighty correct.)

The Correct, Leisurely-Night Points: The over in Hawaii-Boise Narrate cashed, and I felt alive staring at a football sport that started shut to center of the evening. Clear, the early field-aim fest had me terrified. But then the touchdowns came in bunches, and the over cashed without concerns. It turned into laborious to search out the distinct in a bleak week, so this may maybe simply prefer to operate. 

The Substandard, Enormous Ten Dumpster Diving:  We received Minnesota. Controversial? Fully. But the reduction of our Enormous Ten picks were, successfully, suboptimal. Deciding on Penn Narrate? Substandard. Deciding on Nebraska? Very depraved. There is masses of badness to pass round, nonetheless I dart to focal point on the convention advance and pricey to my coronary heart. We’re taking a week off of dumpster diving. Promise. Well, presumably.

Let’s earn out. Right here are the Week 13 alternatives, using point spreads offered by DraftKings.

North Carolina (+5) vs. Notre Dame

When that that you’ll be a Notre Dame fan, right here’s the sport that that you may simply unruffled pain. That’s no longer to verbalize that UNC has the talent of Clemson. Even supposing I’m deciding on an upset—and to make certain out of the gate, that is exactly what I’m doing moral now—I will protect it genuine.  

What may well be most scary about this for the Irish is how UNC performs. In that sport in opposition to Clemson, the Notre Dame defense allowed 439 passing yards. Or no longer it’s miles mainly the most the Irish occupy allowed in a single sport, and that’s no longer particularly correct news heading into this matchup. 

UNC QB Sam Howell is coming off a 550-yard passing performance in opposition to Wake Forest. And whereas I don’t think we’ll watch that roughly production, this does if truth be told feel take care of a chunk a doable mismatch.  

Certain, North Carolina misplaced to Florida Narrate. Certain, North Carolina misplaced to Virginia. But this feels take care of the appropriate set up at the appropriate time to shake things up.  

UNC with the points. UNC outright. Massive college football shake-up, ahoy.

Texas Narrate (+17.5) vs. Coastal Carolina

Hear me out. When you have not any longer discarded this part yet due to the North Carolina chance above, enable me to at least point out why I’m deciding on a 2-9 group to quilt a exclusive line in opposition to in all likelihood the most in model group in college football.

The Bobcats are certainly 2-9. There will not be any getting round that. But it indubitably’s a enthralling 2-9 riddled with delicate opponents and a few shut, brutal losses. Granted, there occupy been some depraved losses in there as successfully, though right here’s a much better group than its document would cowl. (I’m sorry how cliche that sounds, nonetheless I essentially think it.) 

Maybe this may maybe simply assist. Despite the document, Texas Narrate is unruffled 7-4 in opposition to the unfold.

The different ingredient I if truth be told take care of roughly this sport? The timing. Coastal Carolina is coming off an exhilarating victory (and quilt) over Appalachian Narrate. There could be a definite chance that the Chanticleers will reach out flat. Coastal wins, nonetheless it’s tighter than expected.

SMU (-12.5) at East Carolina 

I’ve watched a form of East Carolina football this season. If fact be told, though it wasn’t integrated in final week’s picks, I jumped on the Pirates (-7) in opposition to Temple final weekend. It turned into one in every of my few stress-free performs Saturday. And no, I did no longer embrace that in my updated document. 

There will more than seemingly be no gambling manipulation, although the picks stink as soon as in a while. 

East Carolina is severely better than what it turned into the last few years. Seriously. This turned into one in every of the worst teams in college football, and the improvements are worthy. 

That said, right here’s a big step up at college. And whereas final weekend’s effort turned into though-provoking—seriously, I wished it—I don’t watch final weekend’s effort being duplicated. 

SMU unruffled ultimate has two losses this season, one in every of which came in opposition to Cincinnati. The Mustangs occupy an offense that may well simply unruffled give East Carolina suits, and I request that to be the case early on. 

Iowa Narrate (-1) at Texas

There will not be any craftiness right here. No contrarian slump. No dumpster diving or conspiracy theory of any form. Merely set up, I take care of Iowa Narrate. The Cyclones, coming off one in every of essentially the most dominating wins of the three hundred and sixty five days in opposition to Kansas Narrate, are having fun with successfully. And right here’s a extremely correct opportunity to nab a big convention take. 

Also, occupy you watched Breece Hall play football yet? If the acknowledge is no, then form it a show think Iowa Narrate’s sophomore working encourage this weekend. He’s electrical.

He may maybe be the nation’s leading rusher and a doable well-liked for the Heisman next season. (Certain, I are aware of it’s nearly no longer doable for non-working backs to take the award. But he may well simply be that correct.)

This point unfold says relatively a chunk brooding about Texas is at house. And whereas the Longhorns occupy received three video games in a row, it staunch feels take care of Iowa Narrate is peaking on either aspect of the ball at the moral time. Would possibly well presumably maybe maybe very successfully be a extremely stress-free sport. ‘Clones in a thriller. 

Clemson vs. Pittsburgh (Over 54.5)

There will more than seemingly be points. If fact be told, Clemson is seemingly to score a form of them. Heck, for all I care, the Tigers can score all 55 of them required to hit this over.

I fancy Pittsburgh’s efforts final week in opposition to Virginia Tech. Down a indispensable number of avid gamers due to COVID-19, the Panthers replied with an awesome effort and take. But right here’s a diversified beast, and Trevor Lawrence is encourage at quarterback. While D.J. Uiagalelei conducted incredibly successfully in his absence, successfully, you perceive what this dude is ready to by now.

With that said, Pittsburgh’s offense may well simply unruffled have the flexibility to score. It does not prefer to bring a Notre Dame-take care of output. If fact be told, 20 points may well simply unruffled be adequate.

Even supposing Clemson is a heavy well-liked, I’ll well watch these teams trading touchdowns for a whereas. It would no longer be the indispensable sport the Tigers occupy conducted that sides this develop of rhythm. 

Points, points, points. 

Varied Performs on the Card

Maryland at Indiana (Over 63.5): I if truth be told take care of every of these quarterbacks. Taulia Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. are stress-free and explosive. And I don’t think we’ll watch an Indiana letdown following the loss to Ohio Narrate. As a change, we’ll watch a aggressive sport (for a whereas) the set up touchdowns are traded. Then, in the 2d half of, Indiana wins by double digits. But alongside the formulation? Relate it with me one more time…points, points, points. 

West Virginia (+10.5) vs. Oklahoma: Right here is a enthralling sport, and the timing is relatively intriguing a week removed from Bedlam. While Oklahoma has seemed though-provoking all one of the best blueprint thru the final month, West Virginia has the defense to protect dart and boring things down—or so I hope. The Sooners will take, nonetheless the Mountaineers present an apprehension. 

San Jose Narrate (+10.5) at Boise Narrate: Merely set up, San Jose Narrate is valid. I’ll well leave it at that, nonetheless I dart to be succesful of add some context. I if truth be told cherished the take over San Diego Narrate about a weeks previously, and the Spartans defense may well simply unruffled fresh some points. I dart to salvage it a step extra. The money line feels a runt full of life right here given the cost. 

Cal (-1.5) vs. Stanford: I if truth be told had been hesitant to step out on Pac-12 video games, though the time is now. In a fight between winless teams, I dart to salvage Cal. The Stanford teams we grew accustomed to staring at? The ones with the huge defense and big quarterback play? Well, this group is no longer exactly that. Cal wins by a landing

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Myth. Practice him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs. Lines correct as of 4 p.m. ET Wednesday.

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