Week 12: College Football Picks
Our college football Week 12 predictions start with our Louisville vs Duke pick (Nov. 18). We’re also offering a Memphis vs Houston prediction (Nov. 19), as well as an SMU vs Cincinnati projection (Nov 20). Here’s each of our Week 12 college football predictions.
Louisville vs Duke Prediction (-19.5)
In this ACC contest, the Louisville Cardinals (5-5 Overall, 3-4 ACC) are fresh off a 41-3 win over Syracuse. Prior to that victory, they had lost three straight games. After starting the season at 3-1, the Duke Blue Devils (3-7 Overall, 0-6 ACC) have gone on a massive six-game ACC losing streak. For our Louisville vs Duke prediction, we like the Cardinals. They’re scoring on average about six more points per game than the Blue Devils and allowing 11 fewer. Opponent offenses are averaging 499.9 YPG against Duke. That total includes 304.8 passing and 195.1 rushing yards. Within the ACC, Duke has lost by an average of 29.7 PPG. In our first college football Week 12 prediction, we take Louisville at -19.5.
Louisville vs Duke - Cardinals -19.5 (-115)
Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 7:30 pm ET.
Memphis vs Houston Pick (-8.5)
In the AAC, the Memphis Tigers (5-5 Overall, 2-4 AAC) are tied for seventh place with Navy. Conversely, the Houston Cougars (9-1 Overall, 7-0 AAC) sit alone in first place, one-half game ahead of the #5 Cincinnati Bearcats. It’s interesting to note that Memphis and Houston have performed similarly against certain conference clubs. After Houston beat the then 23rd-ranked SMU Mustangs 44-37, the Tigers took down the unranked Mustangs the following week 28-25. Last week, the week following their victory over SMU, Memphis lost to ECU 30-29 in OT. A few weeks earlier, when the Cougars played the Pirates, they eked out 31-24 win in OT. Memphis beat Navy 35-17, while Houston took down the Midshipmen 28-20. At the same time, two teams that the Cougars annihilated, Temple and Tulsa, Memphis lost to in what were close games.
In some ways, this is a tight call. However, based on Houston’s recent penchant for blowing out teams, as well as their total PF/PA of +15.6 when compared to the Tigers, our Memphis vs Houston pick is the Cougars at -8.5
Memphis vs Houston - Cougars at -8.5
Friday, November 19 at 9:00 pm ET.
SMU vs #5 Cincinnati Prediction (-12.0)
Our final college football Week 12 prediction is for two more AAC teams, as the third-place and formerly nationally-ranked SMU Mustangs (8-2 Overall, 4-2 AAC) play the second-place and 5th-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats (10-0 Overall, 6-0 AAC). In comparison, these two teams match up more closely than one might think. It’s true that the Cats have a much stingier D than the Mustangs. However, SMU has a running game, and in that area, Cincinnati is vulnerable. Additionally, SMU has a robust offense that can score points. In our final NCAAF Week 12 pick, we’re going with the visiting Mustangs at +12.0.
SMU vs #5 Cincinnati - Mustangs +12,0 (-110)
Saturday, November 20 at 3:30 pm ET
Final Word: College Football Week 12 Predictions
Louisville vs Duke Prediction - Cardinals at -19.5
Memphis vs Houston Pick - Cougars at -8.5
SMU vs #5 Cincinnati Prediction - Mustangs at +12.0
That’s it for our College Football Week 12 predictions. Be sure to bookmark Sports Betting Smarts, please visit our sportsbook reviews of some of the best betting sites on the internet. To become a smarter NCAAF bettor, take a look at our college football betting guide.
