Mizzou at South Carolina and Tennessee at Georgia are the only ranked matchups in College Football today. It’s a big Saturday within the SEC, so let’s make some Week 12 picks.
The College Football regular season is winding down as we enter Week 12. No. 23 Missouri Tigers at No. 21 South Carolina Gamecocks and No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs highlight the SEC slate, plus there’s more key games within the conference to set up your Saturday viewing guide.
Let’s make some picks. Standings update after Week 11:
Chad Moller (40-15)
Sammy Stava (39-16)
No. 23 Missouri Tigers at No. 21 South Carolina Gamecocks (-12.5) (3:15 p.m. CST on SEC Network)
Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) walks off the field after his team defeated Oklahoma on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Faurot Field in Columbia. (CAL TOBIAS/ROCK M NATION)
Sammy Stava: Mizzou has the potential to win this game. They have won five in a row in this series. They know how to beat South Carolina. But Eli Drinkwitz needs to prove that he can win on the road, and he hasn’t yet. The Gamecocks are playing their best football of the season right now with plenty of confidence and momentum. Pair that up with Mizzou’s depleted roster with injuries and it’s just a tough matchup for the Tigers right now.
South Carolina pulls away late to win 31-23,
Chad Moller: I love this position for the Tigers from a mindset standpoint. Everyone and their dog is counting Mizzou as dead in the water in this one. Carolina has been playing the underdog role all season, but now all of a sudden, they’ve got CFP conversations going and big expectations weighing on them. That’s a lot different feel than being the plucky underdog, and remember, they’ve got a freshman QB who hasn’t been in this position before. That being said, I do understand why Mizzou is a double-digit dog here, the Carolina defense is nasty, the Tigers are so banged up on offense. But I feel a big game coming for the Tiger defense after they forced four Oklahoma turnovers last week. I’m going to say that turnover luck continues, and Mizzou scratches its way to a 21-20 win.
No. 20 Clemson Tigers (-10.5) at Pittsburgh Panthers (11:00 a.m. CST on ESPN)
Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images
Sammy Stava: Clemson gets it done on the road with a big day from Cade Klubnik. 35-23 Tigers.
Chad Moller: I’ve not been a believer in Pitt at any point this season, and as much as I detest Clempsum (as Steve Spurrier used to call them), I think the Tigers roll in this one. I’ll say Clempsum 31, Pitt 17.
No. 3 Texas Longhorns (-13.5) at Arkansas Razorbacks (11:00 a.m. CST on ABC)
Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
Sammy Stava: I’ve been picking Arkansas on some upset alerts a few times this season and they have let me down. Not this time. Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns get it done on the road in convincing fashion. 38-21, Texas.
Chad Moller: This seems like a game that UT will never be in doubt of losing, but you’ll see Arkansas hang around the margin and get a cheap score late for a backdoor cover. I’ll go Texas 34, Arkansas 21.
No. 22 LSU Tigers (-4.5) at Florida Gators (2:30 p.m. CST on ABC)
Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images
Sammy Stava: Here’s my upset pick of the day. LSU might be the better team and a better roster on paper, but with the Tigers out of the playoff race, they might be checked out, and Brian Kelly will have a difficult time motivating them. The Gators also need to win two out of their last three games to get to bowl eligibility — and this is a good spot for them to get one of those wins. DJ Lagway and Billy Napier get it done. 27-21, Florida.
Chad Moller: Florida is who we thought they were – a non-good team. LSU is schizophrenic. Despite that assessment, I’d feel less bad about backing the team with the better QB (LSU) and the better head coach (LSU, although I think Brian Kelly is fraud-ish). I’ll say LSU wins this one 31-21.
No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs (-9.5) (6:30 p.m. CST on ABC)
Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images
Sammy Stava: A mad and desperate Georgia team looking to keep their playoff hopes alive and bounce back after the Ole Miss loss? At home? In primetime? That’s a tough task for the Vols. Tennessee is in trouble in this one.
31-20, Dawgs.
Chad Moller: Surprised to see this spread over a TD, but that must have to do with the health of Tennessee’s QB in question, as he got dinged late in their game against Mississippi State last week. Georgia is in must-win territory to keep playoff hopes alive, and a win here would get them back in the inner circle. The Bulldog offense has mimicked Mizzou’s in that they just haven’t lived up to expectations, and they’re going against a very stout Volunteer defense. If this was in Knoxville, I’d go with UT, but Athens is such a tough place to play, I’m taking the home team to win and cover in a low-scoring affair. Give me Georgia by a 24-13 score.