The College Football season is quickly winding down as teams are in the home stretch of trying to solidify their postseason plans. Last week was once again full of upsets or near big-time upsets in some cases. We’ll comb through the College Football Week 12 schedule, best bets, and try to identify the best underdogs on the board as we build our Week 12 upset parlay.
Week 11 delivered more thrilling upsets. California took down Louisville at +700 money line dogs. Wake Forest was north of 2/1 when they beat Virginia. Wisconsin downed Washington at +320 in the Big Ten while Oregon escaped an upset bid by Iowa. Penn State was nearly 5/1 when they gave Indiana everything they could handle and fell just short of pulling the upset. Saturday closed out with Nebraska chasing for us pretty easily and small dogs. Unfortunately, we struck out shooting for the moon with BC and Navy, who both were big dogs for a reason and proved that on Saturday.
Week 12 is highlighted by more great matchups. Friday night, Louisville and Clemson are in action, as are Minnesota and Oregon. Sunday features the classic Big Ten matchup of Iowa vs USC (yes, that’s still weird to me!). The SEC has two big games as Oklahoma and Alabama square off, and Texas and Georgia do battle. Now is a good time to remind you to bet these teams individually on the moneyline, and I like to bet them with the points as well. If you did this last week, it was hugely successful. If they are good enough to pull the upset, it makes a great case for taking them with the points as well.
College Football Week 12 Best Bets: Upset Parlay
Iowa (+190)
Let’s start in that classic Big Ten game. I wouldn’t go as far as to say this Iowa team is good, but they know how to grind out a football game. They proved it once again last week as they held one of the best offenses in College Football, the Oregon Ducks, to just 18 points in an almost-upset. It’s what this Iowa team does best. Iowa allows just 13.7 points per game, fifth in the nation.
They are fourth best in the nation in yards allowed per game (250.2). Iowa needs to go out and control the ball and control the clock. It’s what they do best. USC faced a tough defense just two weeks ago in the Nebraska Cornhuskers and couldn’t do much with the ball. If not for an injury to Dylan Raiola, the Huskers might have won that game. Iowa will be up for this challenge as they takes Big Ten football west.
West Virginia (+340)
It’s a Big 12 clash as the Mountaineers of West Virginia travel west to the Sun Devil state. They’ll take on the Arizona State Sun Devils, or at least what’s left of them. Arizona State looks like the San Francisco 49ers of College Football, and their injury report is a mile long. Jeff Simms got the win last week over Iowa State, but looked far from perfect. He racked up 228 rushing yards, which is what West Virginia needs to focus on. If they can make him beat them with his arm, I just don’t think he can do it.
The Mountaineers have seemingly figured out their offense over the last few games and come into this on a two-game winning streak. Scotty Fox Jr has looked good in his three starts and got his legs involved in the Mountaineers’ two wins. West Virginia pulls the upset here and completely cools the seat of Rich Rodriguez.
Mississippi State (+210)
We’ll round out this College Football parlay with an SEC matchup in Columbia, Missouri. The Bulldogs of Mississippi State come to town looking for one more win to make themselves bowl eligible. Luckily for them, Missouri is down to just one healthy quarterback, and he’s a true freshman. Zollers hasn’t been overly impressive in any of the game action he’s seen so far this year. He went just 7-22 against Texas A&M last week. Mississippi State will need to sell out in the run and make Zollers beat them with his arm.
State head coach Jeff Lebby has been vocal about wanting to get this team to a bowl game, and with only Ole Miss left on the schedule this year. The Bulldogs will be motivated to get up. They almost brought us home against the Texas Longhorns a few weeks back in this article, and this time we get the win, and they’ll head to a bowl game.
Parlay Iowa + West Virginia + Mississippi State (+3992)
Toss the three upsets together in a parlay, and a cool $20 will net you $818.40. Get comfortable on the couch and root for the dogs on Saturday!
