The penultimate week of the 2024 regular season is here.
The weekend features three matchups between ranked teams, and one of those contests is in the Big 12. No one will mistake the Big 12 for an elite conference this season, but it was extremely entertaining and extremely even. Nine teams are still mathematically in contention for the conference title. If you like chaos, you want to get a little rough during the last two weeks of the season.
BYU and Colorado are tied for the top of the conference at 6-1 and both head to the road in Week 13. The Cougars are underdogs to third-ranked Arizona State, while Colorado is a slight favorite on a Kansas team that just ended BYU’s undefeated season.
Here’s a look at what to watch in Week 13. (All times are Eastern and all odds are from BetMGM.)
Time: noon | TV: Fox | Line: Ohio State -13.5 | Total: 51.5
Here’s Indiana’s big test.
Indiana’s undefeated streak against schedule teams has unfairly dominated the College Football Playoff discussion. The Hoosiers had a weak non-conference slate as well as a weak Big Ten schedule. Either Michigan or Washington is the best team the Hoosiers have beaten this season.
That conference schedule isn’t Indiana’s fault. And the Hoosiers didn’t schedule non-conference games like a team needing to post their strength in the College Football Playoff schedule because, well, they weren’t in playoff contention. After years of being in the same division as Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, we think the Hoosiers deserved a season where they didn’t have to play all three teams.
Indiana is powered by an efficient passing offense led by fringe Heisman candidate Kurtis Rourke and a defense that forces nearly two turnovers per game. DB Amare Farrell has four tackles, while linebacker Mikail Kamara has 9.5 sacks.
Ohio State will enter the game down two starting offensive linemen following center Seth McLaughlin’s torn Achilles on Tuesday. The Buckeyes did a fantastic job of moving pieces on offense after Josh Simmons was injured. Can they adequately replace the Alabama transfer as well?
The Buckeyes are giving up the fewest points per game of any team in college football after scoring just seven over their last two games. Only Oregon scored more than 17 points against Ohio State all season. Indiana will need more than 17 goals to win.
Time: 15:30 | TV: Fox | Line: Colorado -3 | Total: 59.5
The Buffaloes are riding a four-game winning streak into Arrowhead Stadium to face a team that just destroyed BYU’s undefeated season.
Colorado has scored at least 34 points in each of those wins as Shedeur Sanders plays like one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Sanders is completing 73% of his passes and has already thrown for over 3,200 yards. If Colorado makes it to the Big 12 title game, it has a good chance to throw for over 4,000 yards before the postseason.
It’s a good thing Sanders is picking apart opposing defenses because Colorado still can’t run the football. The Buffaloes are averaging just 77 yards per game on the ground as Isaiah Augustave leads the team with 362 yards and four touchdowns.
Kansas is not far from a team with a winning record. The win over BYU was KU’s sixth one-possession game and just the team’s first this season. The Jayhawks held BYU to just one TD as the Cougars turned the ball over twice.
QB Jalon Daniels has played better as Kansas has won three of its last four games. But the key to the next upset could be RB Devin Neal. Opponents rushed for more than 100 yards in each game against Colorado until Utah managed just 31 in Week 12.
Time: 15:30 | TV: ESPN | Line: Arizona State -3 | Total: 48.5
It’s time to start paying attention to the state of Arizona if you haven’t already. The Sun Devils are fresh off a win at Kansas State and have won three straight since a loss at Cincinnati that led coach Kenny Dillingham to call for open attempts at kicker.
The Sun Devils are led by RB Cam Skattebo. He rushed 198 times for 1,098 yards and 11 TDs and also added 31 catches for 448 yards and two scores. In addition to being ASU’s leading rusher, he is also the team’s second-leading receiver behind Jordyn Tyson.
Michigan State transfer Sam Leavitt flourished after Jeff Sims took over at QB. He is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and has 21 total TDs in nine games. Eight defensive players have recorded a tackle so far this season as safety Myles Rowser leads the team in tackles. A win will likely keep Arizona State out of the Big 12 title game as well.
BYU’s run to the Big 12 title simply lost its place for mistakes with the loss to Kansas. The Cougars are in the championship game with two more wins. But it’s easy to wonder if the luck ran out against Kansas. The Cougars have been the opposite of the Jayhawks so far this season. The Week 12 game was BYU’s fifth one-score game of the season and just the Cougars’ first loss.
BYU’s offense needs to do a better job of scoring TDs against Arizona State. The Cougars scored the last 34 points in six straight games before a 22-21 win over Utah. And now BYU has scored just 35 points in its last two games.
Time: 19:00 | TV: NBC | Line: Notre Dame -14.5 | Total: 44.5
How long can the military stay with Notre Dame?
The Black Knights’ three-option offense isn’t built for a quick comeback. Just ask the Navy. The Midshipmen were buried by turnovers in the first half against the Fighting Irish earlier this season and had no chance to come back.
QB Bryson Daily leads the team with 174 rushes for 1,062 yards and 21 scores, while RB Kanye Udoh has 856 rushing yards and nine TDs. Also keep an eye on RB Noah Short as a big-play receiving threat. He has 11 catches for 259 yards and three TDs.
Army is giving up just over 10 points per game, though the Black Knights have also played a very manageable schedule. Before Notre Dame, Army’s toughest opponent was East Carolina. That game came before ECU fired coach Mike Houston and reeled off three straight wins to earn bowl eligibility.
Notre Dame is also stingy on defense. With Ohio State ranked first in scoring defense and Army second, Notre Dame is third at 11.4 points per contest. So pod can be a good game.
Possessions will be at a premium as Notre Dame’s offense is also heavily run-based. The Irish are averaging six yards per carry so far this season compared to QB Riley Leonard’s 6.9 yards per pass attempt. Leonard was a much better point guard in the second half of the season, but his legs drive the offense along with RBs Jeremiah Love and Jadarian Price.
Time: 19:30 | TV: ESPN | Line: Texas A&M -2.5 | Total: 46.5
Maybe this is the week Auburn puts together a complete game against a good SEC opponent. Oddsmakers certainly think there’s a chance it could happen.
The Tigers are 1-5 in the SEC this season and need to beat both Texas A&M and Alabama to even the game. Auburn is averaging nearly two turnovers per game, though the mistakes have eased up in recent weeks. After two five-turnover games in the first four weeks of the season, the Tigers haven’t turned the ball over more than once since.
But Auburn is still minus-11 in turnovers on the season thanks to a defense that has failed to force a turnover in six games this season. But when the defense comes up, the offense can’t do its job. Just look at the Vanderbilt game. Auburn held Diego Pavia to 9 of 23 passing for 143 yards and 227 total yards, but the Commodores won 17-7.
Marcel Reed is still the starting QB for the Aggies since taking over for Conner Weigman against LSU. He threw for two TDs and rushed for another a week ago against New Mexico State. A&M is tied with Texas atop the SEC and needs a win to make next week’s rivalry a semifinal for the SEC title. If both Texas and Texas A&M win on Saturday, the winner of the regular season finale is guaranteed a berth in the conference championship.
Other games to watch
Ole Miss No. 9 in Florida (noon, ABC): Florida is one win away from bowl eligibility, and Ole Miss needs to win its final two games to likely qualify for the College Football Playoff. The Gators upset LSU at home a week ago, though freshman QB DJ Lagway may have been chased by Ole Miss’ pass rush given his lack of mobility due to a hamstring injury.
No. 13 SMU at Virginia (noon, ESPN2): Like Florida, Virginia needs one more win to qualify for the postseason and hosts a team with playoff hopes of its own. The Mustangs can clinch a spot in the ACC title game with a win thanks to Clemson’s loss to Louisville earlier this season.
4 Penn State at Minnesota (3:30 p.m., CBS): Will the Nittany Lions be on upset alert? They’re two-score favorites, but Minnesota is good at spoiling a game or two, and we wouldn’t be surprised if this one was a little closer than expected. Penn State needs to win its final two games and get some big help to advance to the Big Ten title game.
no. 12 Boise State at Wyoming (7 p.m., CBSSN): Boise State is heavily favored in this one. We only have it in this category to remind you that Ashton Jeanty has a strong chance of breaking the 2,000-yard mark on Saturday night. A four TD night would also give Jeanty 30 rushing TDs on the season.