Ricky Dimon
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It’s time for a Thanksgiving feast – not only on food, but also on football. MACtion has already begun this week, there are multiple college games on Thanksgiving, and then we have huge schedules on both Friday and Saturday. It’s also rivalry week, and you know just about anything can happen in battles between teams that are extremely familiar with each other and have a great disdain for each other.
I’m not necessarily saying to expect the unexpected. Georgia Tech isn’t going to beat Georgia; Auburn almost certainly won’t beat Alabama; Michigan probably won’t beat Ohio State. But those underdogs could be able to cover the spread, and some other dogs may even win outright this week.
Let’s take a look at a few underdog plays for Week 13 of the college football season.
Eastern Michigan +8.5 over Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan’s offense is led by quarterback Ben Bryant. He has thrown for 2,700 yards and 14 touchdowns this season while completing nearly 70% of his passes. Bryant has struggled over the past couple of weeks, but should be able to bounce back against Central Michigan’s secondary – which is allowing an average of 266.5 passing yards per game. One thing to keep an eye on is the Chippewas’ defensive front. They consistently pressure quarterbacks, so if Eastern Michigan is unable to handle the defensive pressure then Bryant could be in for a long day. Ultimately, 8.5 points is too many to lay in this game with offenses that should be able to have success. None of Eastern Michigan’s 3 conference losses has come by more than 8 points.
Check out our full game preview
Auburn +19.5 over Alabama
Alabama and Auburn are headed in two different directions right now, and oddsmakers clearly feel like these teams are not in the same class. Alabama is a -19.5 favorite in Saturday’s game, and that may be too big of a number. Yes, Bama is better than Auburn. But speaking of not being in the same class, Alabama also isn’t Georgia. The Crimson Tide aren’t just humiliating every opponent every week. They lost to Texas A&M earlier this year and they thoroughly underwhelmed against the likes of Florida and Arkansas – the latter just this past weekend. Weird things happen in the Iron Bowl, too, especially at Jordan-Hare Stadium. That’s not to say that the Tigers are going to pull off an upset, but they should be able to cover. TJ Finley looks like he is a capable replacement for Bo Nix and the Auburn offense is capable of scoring enough to keep this under the number.
Check out our full game preview
Syracuse +13 over Pittsburgh
Pitt picked up its 9th win of the season with a 48-38 home victory over Virginia last weekend. The Panthers have had one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 530.7 yards and 43.9 points per game in 2021. However, their defense is in the middle of the pack – allowing 363.2 yards and 24.1 points in 2021. A mediocre Pittsburgh defense combined with having to go on the road to the Carrier Dome means this game will probably be closer than expected. The Orange have not lost a home game by more than 10 points in 2021. Their offense has averaged 377.8 yards and 25.9 points per game and is led by a rushing attack that has averaged 230.6 yards per game (1st in the ACC). Syracuse’s defense has been solid, allowing 330.1 yards and 25.9 points per game to opponents. The Orange are giving up just 203.8 passing yards per game and that will be key in stopping the Pittsburgh offense. Cuse is 5-1 ATS at home this season. Pittsburgh has not won by more than 10 points in any of its last 5 visits to the Carrier Dome.
Check out all of our Week 13 college football predictions
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