NCAAF Upset Alert: Can Favored Longhorns Finally Deliver Against Elite Competition?
TCU Enters Saturday's Huge Big 12 Clash as the Underdog
One of the most surprising developments heading into Week 11 is setting Texas Christian, one of the top four teams in the College Football Playoffs, listed as an underdog. That is just one of the games where the college football betting lines are rather interesting.
Some of the games on the Week 11 schedule viewed as upset specials aren’t so many games where the favored team will land on the wrong end of the scoreboard as much as gaudy lines could result in plenty of action from those who bet online.
Check out some of the games where the underdog might be undervalued just a bit.
Let’s check the latest NCAAF picks, stats, injury reports, and NCAAF predictions. We’ve plenty of NCAAF expert picks for you to consider.
Colorado vs Southern California
- Date, time (TV): Friday, Nov. 11, 9:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Line: Southern California -34
No, we aren’t expecting Colorado to take down a nationally-ranked USC team. However, the Trojans (8-1, 6-1 in the Pac-12) haven’t exactly been blowing out teams.
They beat Pac-12 have-nots Arizona and California by eight and six points respectively.
Colorado’s defense is a mess and the Buffaloes allow more yards than any other conference team. However, they played TCU within 25 points and fell to UCLA by 28 so a 34-point line seems well within striking range for Colorado (1-8, 1-5). This could be a big game for Heisman Trophy candidate Caleb Wiliams of USC. However, will it be enough to cover as 34-point favorites?
.@CalebCSW’s 4th touchdown of the night goes to @lake_mcree!
📺: @ESPN
📱: https://t.co/u8lzQspS5a pic.twitter.com/4dKK3GBqj0— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) November 6, 2022
Miami vs Georgia Tech
- Date, Time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
- Line: Georgia Tech -1½
This has been a dreadful season for a Miami team that came into the season favored to win the Coastal Division title. Still, being listed by the sportsbook as an underdog at Georgia Tech is sure to open a few eyes.
Georgia Tech (4-5, 3-3) has the worst rushing defense in the ACC. Miami has hardly been running wild this season but perhaps this is a week where the offense can get going.
Northwestern vs Minnesota
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 3:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
- Line: Minnesota -17½
It’s hard to know what to expect from this Northwestern team.
The Wildcats (1-8, 1-5) held Penn State to 17 points, had a chance to beat Maryland and with the aid of some nasty weather conditions, held Ohio State to 21 points. They also gave up 42 points to Wisconsin. What will happen when the Wildcats make the trip to Minnesota (6-3, 3-3)?
Minnesota’s passing offense has been a bit offensive at times in recent weeks with only one touchdown pass over the last five weeks.
Northwestern does rank at the bottom of the Big Ten in rushing defense so slowing down Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim. Can the Wildcats make enough plays to stay within a couple of touchdowns?
UCF vs Tulane
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Line: Tulane -1½
Tulane has been a great story coming out of the American Athletic Conference as the Green Wave are sitting alone in the first place.
Tulane (8-1, 5-0) joins East Carolina, South Florida, and Southern Methodist as teams yet to appear in the AAC title game. That seems likely to change.
However, a win by UCF (7-2, 4-1) would open the door for the Knights to play for the conference title for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.
UCF has the No. 1 rated offense in the conference while Tulane has the top defense and usually in these sort of matchups, it is the defense that rules the day.
The Knights have already defeated Cincinnati and Memphis and this seems like a game where the visiting team can find a way to get things done.
Washington vs Oregon
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Line: Oregon -13
Take a look at how the UCLA-Washington game played out as the Huskies made a late charge before falling by eight points on the road.
Washington (7-2, 4-2 in the Pac-12) also won at Michigan State earlier this season and shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the stage of playing at Oregon (8-1, 6-0). The Ducks have looked like the best team in the conference for much of the season.
It should be noted that Oregon ranks 11th out of 12 conference teams in passing defense, allowing 276.6 yards per game. Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. leads the Pac-12 with 3,232 passing yards and is second with 23 touchdown passes. Rome Odunze tops the conference with 858 yards on 57 catches so it won’t be surprised if Washington stays close enough to cover as a 13-point underdog.
The Huskies are also playing for the chance to remain in the race of a spot in the Pac-12 title game.
Oregon has scored at least 40 points in every game since its season-opening loss to Georgia so this could be an entertaining game.
The Ducks are sixth in the College Football Playoffs. At least one team ahead of them will lose with Michigan and Ohio State playing in the final weekend of the regular season so the Ducks need to take care of business.
Texas Christian vs Texas
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Line: Texas -7½
Texas (6-3, 4-2 in the Big 12) has lost its last six games to Top 10 teams and yet the Longhorns are favored against a TCU team that is one of four remaining undefeated teams in the country.
The Horned Frogs (9-0, 6-0) have been surprising teams and there figures to be a bit of a chip on their shoulder going into this game as the underdog.
The teams rank sixth and seventh in the conference in passing yards allowed per game so this could be a night for the offenses to shine. That type of game is right in the wheelhouse of the Horned Frogs, who are undefeated despite allowing more than 30 points four times this season.
