Notre Dame has had a week to reflect on a loss to Clemson, and that’s bad news for Wake Forest on the Week 12 NCAAF odds board.
Picks Summary
- Utah-Arizona Over 44½ (-110) at BetRivers
- Notre Dame -24½ (-108) at SugarHouse
- Florida-Missouri Under 59½ (-110) at Bet365
Utah Utes vs. Arizona Wildcats
Saturday, November 18, 2023 – 02:30 PM ET at Arizona Stadium
A couple of teams headed in opposite directions collide as the Utah Utes look to right their ship and stop a recent swoon while the Arizona Wildcats try to continue a midseason turnaround, and take down a fourth-ranked team in their last five games.
Utah Wins Last 3 Trips to Tucson
The Utes posted a 45-20 victory in Salt Lake City last season, having the 18½-point spread on the odds boards covered in the third quarter before the Wildcats scored a couple of times late to make the game look closer than it really was.
Utah’s win was its sixth in a row over Arizona, and it marked the fifth time in that span the Utes covered as the favorite. The win streak has given Utah a 26-19 lead in the rivalry – 7-4 as Pac-12 opponents – and totals have split the last four meetings in Tucson.
‘Under’ Cashes in All 5 Arizona Home Games
Everything started well for Utah last week in Seattle. The Utes pushed the football across the goal line in four consecutive drives during the first half, then the offense died and Washington rallied for a 35-28 win.
Arizona looked dead in the water with a 3-3 record one Saturday into October, but the Wildcats have since won four in a row after kicking the winning field goal on the final play of a 34-31 decision at Colorado this past week.
You can get either team and a point depending on your book, and BetRivers is carrying 44½ for the total. Look for the final to just make it past that mark.
NCAAF Pick: Over 44½ (-110) at BetRivers (check our BetRivers Review)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Saturday, November 18, 2023 – 03:30 PM ET at Notre Dame Stadium
Coming out of its bye week, Notre Dame has had plenty of time to put a tough loss at Clemson in the rearview mirror. That could be bad news for a pretty bad Wake Forest bunch making the trip to South Bend in Week 12.
1st Meeting in 5 Years
Notre Dame has won all five previous meetings, the most recent in 2018 when the Fighting Irish easily covered a 6-point spread at sharp sportsbooks with a 56-27 triumph at Winston-Salem. That one almost got past a 60-point total on Notre Dame’s side of the scoreboard alone.
The previous season was also a high-scoring affair in South Bend where the Fighting Irish claimed a 48-37 win. Wake Forest backers cashed with their +15½, and the final made it 30 points past the total.
Irish 5-1 ATS at Home
That 3-0 start for Wake Forest seems a lot longer than a couple of months ago. The Demon Deacons have since dropped six of seven contests and showcased one of the weakest offenses in the country.
That doesn’t bode well for taking on the 7th-ranked defense on the road. Notre Dame’s offense has also had its share of trouble at times, especially with untimely turnovers, but should win big in field possession against Wake Forest.
Sunshine with autumn temps in the upper-40s should make for a perfect afternoon in the shadows of Touchdown Jesus. Notre Dame rolls, 37-10.
NCAAF Pick: Notre Dame -24½ (-108) at SugarHouse
Florida Gators vs. Missouri Tigers
Saturday, November 18, 2023 – 07:30 PM ET at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field
The Missouri Tigers didn’t let a loss at top-ranked Georgia a couple of weeks ago get them down. Now, we get to see if the Tigers can avoid the proverbial hangover following a big win over Tennessee, and take care of business with a visit from the Florida Gators.
Home Teams Have Won 7 of 11 SEC Tilts
There are options for college football bettors depending on where they shop for wagers, with Missouri favored from 10½ to 11½ at various sportsbooks. Most shops have 59½ for the total.
Florida’s 24-17 win in Gainesville last season gave the Gators a 6-5 lead in the SEC portion of the rivalry. The teams only met once before they became conference foes, and that was in the 1966 Sugar Bowl where Missouri slipped last UF, 20-18.
Mizzou’s Schrader Tops SEC in Rushing
By all appearances, Florida forgot to pack its defense for the trip to Baton Rouge last week. The Gators were manhandled in a 52-35 loss as LSU rolled up more than 700 yards of offense, the only silver lining being Florida came close to covering as a 16½-point underdog.
Missouri was getting 2½ at home against Tennessee and made the oddsmakers look foolish with a 36-7 victory. Cody Schrader rushed for more than 200 yards and the Tigers held almost a 20-minute advantage in the time-of-possession column. My final free college football pick is on the final staying well ‘under’ the total.
NCAAF Pick: Under 59½ (-110) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
