College Football Picks Against the Spread: Expert Betting Predictions for Week 13 (Tuesday-Friday Slates)

Mike's Week 13 college football betting picks against the spread for Tuesday, November 18, Wednesday, November 19, Thursday, November 20, and Friday, November 21, 2025. Free CFB betting predictions, odds analysis, and ATS picks from RotoBaller.

There was more carnage in the ACC, but we somehow got more clarity. The AAC is the new ACC, with no one wanting to win it. The bottom half of the rankings was blown up again last week. The Big Ten wants a 24-team playoff, but we have problems finding 24 teams that deserve to be ranked. However much you hate the Big Ten, it's not nearly enough.

We have a very busy weekend again this week, even though it's cupcake season in the SEC. Four teams are slumming with FCS teams (Clemson and three SEC teams). We still have a total of 60 games this week, starting tonight!

We've got some good midweek DFS slates this time around to go with the betting. MACtion is in full swing, but there is only one game on Thursday again this week. Lame!

CFB Betting Picks for Week 13

I will pick every college football game every week. Not a top five. Not a top 10. All of them. Big deal, right? Lots of people make picks. Well, I do them all against the spread. I take the odds for each game, average them across all Vegas casinos, and round to the nearest half. There will be no ties here. Ties are for the other (European) football.

I think you should know who you're listening to. I've been doing this since 2014, and I have most of my record available for viewing here. This can help you determine which teams I usually pick correctly or incorrectly.

Akron at Bowling Green (-3.5)

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Akron may have burned me last week, but Kent at least has a pulse. All Bowling Green has is a Pudge.

Pick: Akron +3.5

Massachusetts at Ohio (-32.5)

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

This line is all over the place. The only constant is that it's above 30. I hate lines like this, but NIU covered this line against UMass last week. They had scored the second-fewest points in the MAC before that game.

Pick: Ohio -32.5

Western Michigan (-6.5) at Northern Illinois

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

It would be typical MACtion for NIU to throw a wrench in everything and win this outright.

Pick: Northern Illinois +6.5

Miami (OH) (-1.5) at Buffalo

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Even without Dequan Finn, the Redhawks are a superior team.

Pick: Miami (OH) -1.5

Central Michigan (-9.5) at Kent State

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I don't want to bet against Kent right now, do you?

Pick: Kent State +9.5

Louisiana at Arkansas State (-2.5)

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

The Cajuns are cooked. Jaylen Raynor is going to have a monster game.

Pick: Arkansas State -2.5

Florida State (-4.5) at North Carolina State

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I don't want to let the Pack not showing up last week cloud my judgment. Both teams need this for bowl eligibility. I'm probably leaving this alone.

Pick: Florida State -4.5

Hawaii at UNLV (-2.5)

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

The Rebels are money in Vegas.

Pick: UNLV -2.5

CFB Betting Picks - Last Week's Results

I promised transparency, and you will get it, warts and all. I don't like to be wrong, but I will admit when I am. Why listen to someone if they won't admit the good or the bad? I think I had a decent week, even though I didn't believe in my team. So it goes.

You can track my wins and losses on this sheet. I have everything updated from 2014-18 and 2023-present. I'm still looking for missing articles from 2019 and 2020 to get a running total of all of my picks. Winners against the spread will be in bold. My result will follow.

Kent State at Akron (-5.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

If you thought Weekday Conference USA was nuts, MACtion proved that the original is still the best. This was one of the more exciting games of the entire season.

Kent State went 1-23 over the last two years. Now they're 4-6 and planting the Wagon Wheel on Akron's field. Heck of a year. https://t.co/3dcrZ7LcCj

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) November 12, 2025

We had everything in this game. Muffed punts, turnovers, snow, an 89-yard touchdown, and one of the most perfect onside kicks you'll ever see. Kent may not make a bowl this year, but four times the combined win total of the past two years with two games remaining is a turnaround for the ages.

Ohio (-0.5) at Western Michigan: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

It seems that teams want to win the MAC as badly as someone wants to win the ACC...

Buffalo at Central Michigan (-1.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

I have no idea how Buffalo won five games.

Northern Illinois (-11.5) at Massachusetts: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

If only they were all this easy. How bad is UMass? They still set off fireworks for hitting a fourth-quarter field goal for the first points of the game, down 45-0.

Toledo (-3.5) at Miami (OH): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

The absence of Dequan Finn made Miami more one-dimensional, but it may not have mattered. Toledo dominated this game.

Troy at Old Dominion (-10.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

The return of Goose Crowder didn't help Troy at all, considering they were down two touchdowns already when the staff made the switch.

Clemson at (15) Louisville (-3.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

This was a master class on how not to close out a game by Louisville. Stupid penalties and three missed kicks knocked the Cardinals out of the playoff discussion, for real this time.

Minnesota at (9) Oregon (-24.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

This game was littered with controversial calls, mostly on touchdowns by Oregon. It likely didn't affect the outcome, but it did for those who bet on Minnesota. That first one by Noah Whittington should have been a touchback. He had control of the ball for less than a second before fumbling again.

The second one was called a touchdown on the field, and after review, it still could have gone either way. I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the official who was less than two feet away, but I still don't think he completed the catch.

Wisconsin at (2) Indiana (-29.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

Wisconsin played its best game of the season and still lost by 24.

South Carolina at (3) Texas A&M (-19.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Oh, South Carolina. You had the chance to turn the college football world on its ear and draw attention to the Aggies' painfully easy conference schedule. It's a bad look for Shane Beamer to leave the field as he did at halftime, only to completely blow the second half.

No, this was not a Heisman moment for Marcel Reed. You don't get to play awful for a half and help dig your team a 27-point hole, then flex when you play well in the second half. That's not how it works.

As noted by @bradthejag, Texas A&M's 31-30 win over South Carolina was the biggest comeback in program history.

It was also the 14th time the Aggies have come back from a double-digit halftime deficit to win.

(Based on box score data compiled from the 1936 season forward.) pic.twitter.com/sJTnjGfVzM

— Matt (@MattMMXI) November 17, 2025

(9) Notre Dame (-12.5) at (22) Pittsburgh: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Pitt was the only team that could have kept the Irish out of the CFP based on where the committee ranked them in the initial rankings. Thanks a lot, guys...

(18) Michigan (-12.5) at Northwestern: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

If I were a Michigan fan, I would be very concerned about the play of Bryce Underwood and the health of Jordan Marshall. Northwestern is not a bad team, but if Michigan truly has a chance at the CFP, it shouldn't be struggling with the likes of Northwestern and Purdue.

(24) South Florida (-10.5) at Navy: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Byrum Brown again had a monster game, but South Florida's defense was gutted by Blake Horvath and Eli Heidenreich.

Arizona at (25) Cincinnati (-6.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Not enough is being said about the improvement of the Arizona defense from last year. I do hope that Noah Fifita comes back for one more year, but I have a feeling that if he does, it won't be at Arizona. I don't know how I feel about that.

Kansas State (-19.5) at Oklahoma State: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

Zane Flores still can't throw a touchdown, and Kansas State still can't keep players healthy. The was a very ugly game. My eyes need an acid bath after sitting through this one.

Air Force at Connecticut (-7.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

UConn QB Joe Fagnano threw his first interception of the season 😔

His streak of 385 consecutive pass attempts without an INT has been snapped. pic.twitter.com/U8G4JHje1P

— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) November 15, 2025

It was a great run while it lasted, Joe. I'm sure you'll gladly take the W over the stats anyway.

UTSA (-17.5) at Charlotte: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Charlotte and UMass need to be thankful that FBS doesn't have relegation.

Eastern Michigan (-2.5) at Ball State: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Ball State took my money in Muncie this week.

Arkansas at LSU (-5.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

LSU should have been starting Michael Van Buren Jr. for at least the last month. I hope that Garrett Nussmeier can recover from the injury and that playing for 10 weeks with an abdominal strain didn't do permanent damage.

Oregon State (-2.5) at Tulsa: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Are we at the point where Oregon State needs to just pull a Bill Veeck stunt and let a fan coach the next game? Can they fire the interim interim coach? It can't possibly get any worse for the Beavers, but they may still win the Pac-12 title. Only in 2025...

West Virginia at Arizona State (-11.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Rich Rodriguez has that fire back that was missing at Arizona, and for the first half of this year. Scotty Fox Jr. is fun to watch. Now the bad news: West Virginia still lost despite Arizona State playing without Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson.

Marshall (-7.5) at Georgia State: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

This is something we didn't see from Carlos Del Rio-Wilson at Syracuse. If he had a bad game, he usually followed it up with a worse one. Not this time.

What's in the water in Huntington? Charles Huff wins a Sun Belt title, then leaves and takes half the team to Hattiesburg. Marshall is left with crumbs to rebuild from, and they still might make a bowl game this year.

North Texas (-17.5) at UAB: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Welcome to the world of Notre Dame, North Texas. You need the optics to work in your favor just in case you win the American. Beating the tar out of the UAB team that beat Memphis is a good look.

UTEP at Missouri State (-4.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 5

I know...it feels weird laying my highest bet of the week on a team in its first year in FBS. However, UTEP is horrible at home and somehow worse on the road. I'm going to go to a game in Springfield sometime soon. It looks like a hell of a good time down there!

Colorado State at New Mexico (-14.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

It's one thing to go up to Fort Collins and struggle. It's quite another to escape a 2-8 team at home.

(11) Oklahoma at (4) Alabama (-5.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I'm not going to sit here and say Oklahoma dominated. We did not. Alabama didn't allow a drive of more than 41 yards all game, but still lost at home.

Winning the turnover margin against Alabama is not only the reason why #Oklahoma won, but truly one of the most impressive team performances in all of CFB this year.

BV had this team dialed in for survival mode.

Before yesterday, #BAMA had committed 6 turnovers all year.… pic.twitter.com/4g94EYqdMM

— OklahomaMuse (@OklahomaMuse) November 16, 2025

Alabama doubled up Oklahoma in yardage, but the Sooners turned three turnovers into 17 points. That's how you win. Oklahoma's last national championship came with a dominant defense and an offense that was just barely capable.

There are many parallels between Josh Heupel and John Mateer. I'm not saying that Oklahoma is going to win a title this year, but I am saying that it's a lot more fun when our defense is dominating games. I missed watching this brand of Oklahoma football.

Central Florida at (6) Texas Tech (-23.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

The Big 12 took the wrong Florida directional school...

North Carolina State at (15) Miami (FL) (-15.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Miami is the one ACC team that would have a leg to stand on as an at-large team. How delicious would it be if Miami missed the ACC Championship Game and is sitting at 10-2, along with Notre Dame, with only one slot remaining? That is the CFP's worst nightmare.

(16) Georgia Tech (-16.5) at Boston College: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

We have reason to believe that a 7-3 SMU team is better than a 9-1 Georgia Tech team, even though they play in the same conference. Some jackasses in $25,000 suits have made a caricature of the game I love.

(21) Iowa at (17) USC (-6.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

The weather was an issue for USC, but it never really felt like Iowa was in control of this game. Not embracing the allowance of the forward pass by the Iowa offense has something to do with that. The longest pass play was on a trick play touchdown pass to quarterback Mark Gronowski.

(19) Virginia at Duke (-4.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

That Virginia offense is special. Wake Forest ruined the Virginia offense against an SEC defense for us. I may never forgive them for this transgression.

Penn State (-6.5) at Michigan State: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Call this season what you want: sad, pathetic, miserable, embarrassing, etc.

But guess what… THE LAND GRANT TROPHY IS STAYING HOME! #PennState https://t.co/VavDMiNIwv pic.twitter.com/5cC1TkE1jJ

— Jeff D. Lowe (@JeffDLowe) November 16, 2025

It has been a horrible season for Penn State, but at least this big, beautiful bastard is still in their trophy case.

Maryland at Illinois (-15.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Maryland has another phenom at quarterback, but much like with Taulia Tagovailoa, the Terps can't be bothered to put a decent team around him.

Middle Tennessee State at Western Kentucky (-13.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

100 Miles of Hate has been dominated by the Hilltoppers in the 2020s.

San Jose State (-9.5) at Nevada: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I have been witness to many strange things and unexpected outcomes during this glorious college football season, but Nevada blowing the doors off of San Jose State has to be one of the most bizarre outcomes.

Walker Eget was picked off three times and held to just 74 passing yards. He was third in FBS in passing yards coming into this one!

Appalachian State at James Madison (-20.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

James Madison can make all the statements that they want, but it's not going to matter unless Louisville wins the ACC and the rest of the conference falls apart even more than it already has.

South Alabama (-4.5) at Louisiana-Monroe: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

The Warhawks jumped ahead 14-0 in the first quarter, but failed to score again.

Texas State at Southern Mississippi (-3.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

I knew that the lack of juice on the Golden Eagles was ominous, but I never expected them to get smoked on their own field by Texas State. Landry Lyddy was solid in this one, but the good news ends there.

Memphis at East Carolina (-2.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I knew better. I let the Vegas lines influence my pick when I was on ECU earlier in the week.

Florida Atlantic at Tulane (-17.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

It took a big fourth quarter from Caden Veltkamp and the Owls to get this one for me.

New Mexico State at (23) Tennessee (-39.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

There's a reason why I rarely bet these lines. It was never close, but Tennessee didn't score in the fourth quarter.

North Carolina at Wake Forest (-5.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Unfortunately, there was no Bill Belichick meltdown, but Wake still methodically controlled this game.

Liberty (-2.5) at Florida International: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

I still don't know how Liberty blew this. I guess the two interceptions didn't help.

Coastal Carolina at Georgia Southern (-3.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

This was one of the most entertaining games of the day. OJ Arnold ran for 267 yards, but practically no one noticed because a few hundred miles away, Ahmad Hardy was one-upping him.

Florida at (7) Mississippi (-12.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

I hope Lane Kiffin's halftime interview went well. This was a very uninspiring performance by the Rebels, and things are getting tense in Oxford between Kiffin and the athletic director.

(13) Utah (-8.5) at Baylor: HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

Utah's ranking means that as long as the Utes take care of business and someone else stumbles, they could sneak into the CFP.

Purdue at Washington (-16.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Washington destroyed Purdue without Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston. It's safe to say that Purdue is the worst team in the Big Ten.

Delaware (-9.5) at Sam Houston: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Nice try, Sam Houston. Nevada hanging 55 on San Jose State is still more surprising. You get an A for effort.

Utah State at UNLV (-6.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Yes, the two teams combining for 55 points in an overtime game constitutes a defensive struggle. It was a gutty win by UNLV, but the Aggies showed up. Utah State still has two more shots at a bowl berth.

UCLA at (1) Ohio State (-31.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

Ohio State may be the most untested top-ranked team in history through 10 games.

(10) Texas at (5) Georgia (-6.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 4

The scoreboard says that this game was close for most of the game, but it always felt like Texas was teetering on the edge. Georgia didn't just push them off the wall in the fourth quarter. They knocked them out.

Virginia Tech at Florida State (-13.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

Limbo is over for the Hokies, but James Franklin can't help his new team over the last two games. They still have to complete the nightmare on their own.

Mississippi State at Missouri (-6.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

Ahmad Hardy rushes for 301 yards on 25 carries against Mississippi State.

That brings him to 1,347 rushing yards on the season.

He is 280 yards from rushing for the most rushing yards in the SEC in the last 10 years with 3 games to play. 👀

pic.twitter.com/1Zccl49RCb

— SEC Numbers Guy (@secnumbersguy) November 16, 2025

Ahmad Hardy was the home run of the transfer portal this year. This was one of the better games I've seen by a running back in the last 20 years.

Kennesaw State (-2.5) at Jacksonville State: MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

The Gamecocks will be playing for a Conference USA title in about three weeks. It could be a rematch of this game. I wonder if Deondre Johnson can catch another Hail Mary that bounces off a couple of players in the rematch...

Louisiana Tech at Washington State (-8.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 2

I would like to think I knew better, but I let the cardinal sin get me. Oregon State beat me twice.

TCU at (12) BYU (-3.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 5

I can't believe that many think BYU doesn't deserve a spot in the CFP. What more do they have to do?

Boise State at San Diego State (-1.5): HIT!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3

The CFP dreams for the Aztecs may be over, but they'll have a shot at the Mountain West title while it still means something.

Wyoming at Fresno State (-3.5): MISS!

Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 1

You would think by now that I would know better than to trust the Wyoming offense.

College Football Betting Season Results

I finally had a good week again, even after a slow start. I went 33-25 this week, which is a good number that I can be proud of. I also hit both of my max bets, so I should be back in the black for the season.

The weekly totals follow the bet. Season totals are in parentheses.

1. 2-4 (42-33) = 9
2. 13-8 (101-122) = -42
3. 11-10 (106-97) = 27
4. 5-3 (44-46) = -8
5. 2-0 (20-14) = 30

I gained 29 points this week, which makes it my best week of the 2025 season. It also erased my losses on the season. I'm 16 points ahead of the casinos, which is always a good thing.

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