KSL.com Sports' College Football Pick'em Week 13 preview

SALT LAKE CITY — Week 13 of the college football season has many important games to preview as many of this week's matchups have conference title games on the line as well as spots in the College Football Playoffs up for grabs.

Five games across four different conferences around the country will help define the 2025 college football season with this week's matchups as teams look to clinch their spot in championship games while others look to stay in the hunt and await the chaos of college football.

No. 15 USC (8-2) vs. No. 7 Oregon (9-1)

Saturday, Nov. 22, 1:30 p.m. MST – Autzen Stadium (CBS)

Former Pac-12 rivals face off against each other as Big Ten foes in a matchup with CFP implications

Why USC will win:

The Trojans may be more of a surprise team than many think this season. After a tumultuous first season in the Big Ten, USC has risen to the top of the conference in year two and have a chance to still make the conference championship game with a win over Oregon.

Head coach Lincoln Riley has arguably had one of his best coaching jobs this season, leading the Trojans to a 8-2 record without a nationally regarded quarterback at the helm. That doesn't mean Jayden Maiava is a slouch by any means, as the junior transferred into USC after helping revive a UNLV football program.

Maiava has thrown 2,868 yards and 18 touchdowns and has developed a great on-field connection with wide receiver Makai Lemon, who has emerged as one of the top pass catchers in the nation. Their connection has the ability to give the Ducks' secondary problems on Saturday.

This new-look Trojan defense will be the key in this one as they have improved greatly this season after being one of the worst units in 2024. They face a tough challenge on the road against Oregon but if they can slow down Dante Moore and their offense, it will give Riley and Maiava a chance to upset the Ducks.

Why Oregon will win:

After surviving a scare on the road against Iowa, Oregon was able to come back strong and dominate Minnesota 42-13. Just like USC, the Ducks still have a chance to reach the Big Ten Championship but will need to win over the Trojans to keep those hopes alive.

Oregon has National Championship aspirations this season and they have played like it this season but the question remains if they can beat an elite team. The Ducks defeated Penn State on the road but after the Nittany Lions' slide, their best win is a close road victory over the Hawkeyes, a team that isn't great offensively.

Oregon has a chance to show their might and dominate this game. Moore has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country this season and with a strong running game and reliable weapons around him, this offense can be as good as any in college football.

The Ducks have the seventh best scoring offense and sixth best scoring defense in the nation and even though the Trojans have improved defensively, they still allow 21.7 points per game. It is always hard to win in Autzen stadium and with an explosive offense and elite defense, Oregon should have the advantage in this one.

Line: ORE -9.5

Over/Under: 59.5

Kansas State (5-5) vs. No. 12 Utah (8-2)

Saturday, Nov. 22, 2 p.m. MST – Rice-Eccles Stadium (ESPN2)

The Utes look to stay in the hunt for the Big 12 Championship game when they host the Wildcats.

Why Kansas State will win:

Kansas State played one of the closer games against the Red Raiders among their fellow Big 12 teams as it was a nine-point game until late in the fourth quarter. They have proved they can play at a high level and hang with the top members of the conference.

A lot of that rests on the shoulders of their quarterback Avery Johnson, who has been up and down this season but when he's on, the Wildcats are a much better team. With the team performing to the level as their quarterback, Johnson will need to have a good game to give his team any chance of upsetting the Utes.

Utah has some holes in their pass defense if their pass rush can't get to the quarterback as the Utes allowed 430 passing yards. Baylor's Sawyer Robertson is a much more polished passer than Johnson but Johnson's dual-threat ability might give Utah problems like Bear Bachmeier did in BYU's win over the Utes.

Kansas State can benefit from Utah's own struggles in the passing game and can really give themselves a chance if they stop the run and force Devon Dampier to beat the Wildcats with his arm.

As long as Johnson can play well and take care of the football, Kansas State will have a chance, if the Utes win the turnover battle then the Wildcats will be in trouble.

Why Utah will win:

Utah may have discovered a secret weapon last week as freshman Byrd Ficklin rushed for 166 yards and two long rushing touchdowns. The Utes' 380 yards on the ground helped power them to a 55-28 win over the Bears last week. The combination of Ficklin and Dampier gives Utah explosiveness at the quarterback position and that should carry over into this game.

Kansas State is allowing 152.2 rushing yards per game, setting up another potential dominant rushing performance on Saturday. Dampier may also find some success through the air against the Wildcats' defense. The Utes' offense can be in for a big day with Kansas State allowing 25.5 points per game.

Utah will need their defense to help set the tone early. If their defense can make it hard on Johnson and get him to make mistakes that he has been prone to in the past. Being at home will be a huge boost for the Utes as they have outscored their opponents 98-21 in their last two home games. With the way they play at home and with what they have on the line, Utah should be in line to dominate once again.

Line: UTAH -17.5

Over/Under: 51.5

Pittsburgh (7-3) vs. No. 16 Georgia Tech (9-1)

Saturday, Nov. 22, 5 p.m. MST – Bobby Dodd Stadium (ESPN)

Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech meet in a game that could help decide the ACC Championship and who gets into the College Football Playoffs.

Why Pittsburgh will win:

The Panthers fell short against Notre Dame last week in a game that head coach Pat Narduzzi said didn't matter because it wasn't an ACC game. Well now his team plays their biggest conference game of the season after an embarrassing loss at home to the Fighting Irish.

Pitt had been playing some of their best football of the season before their loss to Notre Dame and a lot of it was due to the change at quarterback, going from Eli Holstein to freshman Mason Heintschel. The offense has performed better with Heintschel at the helm and they will need to regain that form after struggling against the Fighting Irish.

Georgia Tech hasn't played their best over their past two games, losing to NC State by double digits before escaping a one-win Boston College team by two points. If the Panthers can slow down Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, they will have a chance to win this game.

Pitt has a chance to flip the whole ACC upside down with an upset win and possibly ensure that only one ACC team makes the College Football Playoffs. It won't be easy but the Panthers have a slightly better scoring offense and defense than the Yellow Jackets and with how both teams have been trending over the last month, Pitt may have the edge in this one.

Why Georgia Tech will win:

King has been a dominant quarterback on the ground and through the air for Georgia Tech this season, The super senior has been in Heisman conversations throughout the season and the team has taken on the identity of their quarterback, gritty and tough.

The Yellow Jackets can't get caught looking ahead to their matchup against their in-state rival Georgia as all their goals will be in front of them no matter what happens in that game next week. A win over the Panthers will put them into the conference championship game with a chance to secure their spot in the College Football Playoff.

They face a young quarterback this week with Heintschel at the helm for Pitt and the freshman has thrown six interceptions this season as he has had highs and lows in his young career. Getting him to make mistakes will help put King and the Georgia Tech offense in a better position to put points on the board.

King has been nails all season for the Yellow Jackets, racking up over 3,000 total yards with 24 total touchdowns. King will need to have one of his typical performances through the air and ground if Georgia Tech is going to win and clinch a spot in the ACC title game.

Line: GT -2.5

Over/Under: 62.5

No. 11 BYU (9-1) vs. Cincinnati (7-3)

Saturday, Nov. 22, 6 p.m. MST – Nippert Stadium (FOX)

Big Noon Kickoff heads to Cincinnati for the Bearcats matchup against the Cougars.

Why BYU will win:

BYU demolished TCU this past Saturday night as they bounced back well from their only defeat of the season. The Cougars were firing on all cylinders, showing off a balanced offensive attack while also recording two interceptions in their rout over the Horned Frogs.

It was the type of performance that BYU needed after losing handedly to Texas Tech and their response shows that this isn't the same team as last year. One more true test awaits the Cougars as they take on the Bearcats on the road. Cincinnati is coming off a loss to Arizona and their chances of reaching the Big 12 Championship are fading away.

Kansas played spoiler to BYU a year ago and the Bearcats will have the chance to do so as well. The Cougars will hope to show that they have grown as a team since last season as they look to win out and force a rematch with the Red Raiders.

Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby struggled against the Wildcats last week as he finished with 154 yards and two interceptions despite totaling two scores. BYU shutdown Josh Hoover and an explosive TCU passing offense last week and their defense remains one of the best in the nation.

With their offense returning to form and the way the defense is playing, the Cougars should be able to pick up the road win before hosting UCF in their last regular season game.

Why Cincinnati will win:

It has been a year since the Bearcats have lost back-to-back games and now they will look to avoid a three-game skid. Hosting one of the top teams in the nation on primetime will have their fan base juiced up for this one but Cincinnati will need a better performance from their offense to pull off the upset.

Consecutive losses to Utah and Arizona have hurt the Bearcats hopes of winning the conference but they still have the opportunity to finish the season strong and play spoiler to BYU. Cincinnati is capable of just that, as they rattled off seven-straight wins after losing their opener against Nebraska. A big reason for that was the play of their quarterback, Sorsby, who has struggled the past two games.

With 31 touchdowns on the year with just four interceptions, Sorsby has the ability to be a game-changer in this one. Establishing the run with their running back duo will also be key for the Bearcats in opening up the passing game for Sorsby. Tawee Walker and Evan Pryor have combined for over 1,000 rushing yards this season with both averaging over 6.0 yards per carry.

Finding success on the ground will help open things up for Cincinnati but they will also need to stop the run on the other side. Slowing down LJ Martin has been a tall task for many teams but it is possible, especially if the Bearcats can go up on the Cougars early.

We saw Bear Bachmeier struggle on the road against Texas Tech and this Cincinnati team is not the same but a tough road environment might be the key to making Bachmeier look more like a freshman quarterback. The key for the Bearcats will likely be to go up early on BYU and play from ahead. If not, they may find themselves in the same fate as the past two games.

Line: BYU -2.5

Over/Under: 54.5

Utah State (5-5) vs. Fresno State (7-3)

Saturday, Nov. 22, 8:30 p.m. MST – Valley Children's Stadium (CBSSN)

The Aggies hit the road for the second straight game as they travel to Fresno to take on the Bulldogs.

Why Utah State will win:

Utah State blew their chance to beat UNLV last week after three missed field goals doomed the Aggies as they eventually lost in double overtime. They cannot continue to beat themselves or else they will see the same result against Fresno State.

It was a wasted opportunity for Utah State last week as quarterback Bryson Barnes threw for 256 yards and rushed for another 124 as he totalled two touchdowns. Braden Pegan had his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and the team won the turnover battle. It still wasn't enough to give them the win over the Rebels but it showed that they can still hang with the conference's best.

The Bulldogs are 7-3 but one of their losses came against Colorado State, one of the bottom feeders of the Mountain West. That loss shows that this Fresno State team is beatable and with the way the Aggies played last week, they can pull off the road upset as they hope to build towards next season.

Limiting mistakes and being able to finish drives with points will help put Utah State in a good position for the win, especially if the defense can play like they did last week and if Barnes can continue his hot stretch of play.

Why Fresno State will win:

The Bulldogs' march towards the conference championship can continue with a win over the Aggies on Saturday. After picking up a much-needed win over Boise State, Fresno State followed it up with a win over Wyoming and now they have a chance to make it three-straight victories.

E.J. Warner, the son of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, was the Bulldogs' starting quarterback after transferring from Rice but Carson Conklin has taken over that spot. The move hasn't changed the offense completely as Fresno State's success on offense has come from their running game, though Conklin has been a good game manager for the team.

Rayshon Luke and Bryson Donelson have both rushed for over 500 yards and five touchdowns this season and could be in line for a big game as Utah State has allowed 175.2 rushing yards per game this season. With the Aggies also allowing 29.7 points to opposing offenses, the Bulldogs could be in line to take advantage.

Fresno State has a solid defense and if they can slow down Barnes, they will be able to give their offense a chance in this one.

Line: FRES -2.5

Over/Under: 50.5

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