The best, worst situational betting spots for teams in Week 12
Another week of college football means another handful of situational betting spots to consider. Before crunching the numbers and placing your wagers, be sure to keep these notes in your back pocket.
Potential hangovers/letdowns
Clemson (vs. Duke)
Line: Clemson -28
If you're looking for a pattern with regards to teams coming off weeks when they were featured on College GameDay this season (Clemson in Week 11), there isn't much to work with - the 20 examples have gone an even 10-10 against the spread in their next game. If there's any sort of takeaway, it'd be fading programs at home coming off a win in prime time (also Clemson). Those teams are just 1-4 against the spread in 2018.
Clemson did post an impressive road win over Boston College last weekend, but is now laying a ton of chalk against a Duke team that's 6-1 against the number in its last seven road games. The Blue Devils beat Miami on the road as 9.5-point underdogs back in Week 9.
Kentucky (vs. Middle Tennessee State)
Line: Kentucky -14
Kentucky makes the list for the second week in a row. Following a home loss to Georgia (and with the SEC East out of reach), the Wildcats traveled to Tennessee in Week 11 as 4.5-point favorites - and were walloped 24-7. With a bowl bid already in hand, lack of motivation is officially a factor for this team down the final stretch of the season.
Arkansas (at Mississippi State)
Line: Mississippi State -20.5
Arkansas falls into the letdown category as a team coming off a near-upset win. The Razorbacks put forth a valiant effort at home against No. 7 LSU, only to lose by a touchdown. This matchup at Mississippi State will be their first on the road since all the way back in Week 5.
Lookahead/scheduling spots
Ohio State (at Maryland)
Line: Ohio State -16.5
Ohio State has a big date with Michigan on deck, but needs to get past Maryland first. After covering three of their first four games of the season, the Buckeyes are just 1-5 against the spread, and they've failed to cover four straight times as double-digit favorites. Head coach Urban Meyer is also 0-5 against the spread in the game prior to facing Michigan across the last five seasons.
Georgia (vs. UMass)
Line: Georgia -44
Georgia doesn't figure to struggle with 4-7 UMass, but it's a clear sandwich spot following a big home victory over Auburn and with archrival Georgia Tech coming to town in Week 13. If Georgia sleepwalks - even for a quarter - 44 points will be too many to give.
Oklahoma (vs. Kansas)
Line: Oklahoma -36.5
There aren't many defenses that can stop Oklahoma. Perhaps the schedule can?
The Sooners are coming off their most thrilling victory of the season, a 42-41 barnburner in Bedlam against Oklahoma State to keep their season and CFP implications interesting. Now, they get lowly Kansas at home before closing out the regular season against a top-10 West Virginia team.
Bowl eligibility
This is a new wrinkle we'll implement for the final two weeks of the season with teams aiming for six wins - the magic number for bowl eligibility.
Miami (OH) (at NIU)
Line: NIU -6.5
Four-win Miami (OH) would already have a bowl bid locked up if not for a pair of one-point losses and another one-score defeat. Now, following a home win as a 4.5-point underdog against Ohio in Week 11 to stay in the hunt, the Redhawks desperately need to get past NIU before a date with 3-7 Ball State in the finale.
SMU (vs. Memphis)
Line: Memphis +8.5
Should SMU become bowl eligible, the team would certainly have earned it. The Mustangs have won three of their last four, including two as seven-plus-point underdogs. At 5-5, it's either a victory this Saturday against Memphis or next week on the road at Tulsa to reach the postseason.
Wake Forest (vs. Pitt)
Line: Pitt -5
This is likely the last gasp for 5-5 Wake Forest with a road game at Duke looming to close the curtain on the season. The Demon Deacons earned an upset victory over N.C. State last Thursday as 19-point underdogs and they'll need one more big win - this time over a red-hot Pitt team - to officially get into the mix.
Minnesota (vs. Northwestern)
Line: Northwestern -2.5
Minnesota could really use win No. 6 on Saturday against Northwestern rather than hoping for a road victory at Wisconsin in Week 13. It might be an opportune time, too, given Northwestern already locked up a berth in the Big Ten title game last weekend.
Colorado (vs. Utah)
Line: Utah -7
At 5-5, Colorado gets another shot at upending a big-time opponent one week after falling to Washington State in Boulder. The Buffaloes either need to win this Saturday against a banged-up Utah team or next week at stingy Cal.
Tennessee (vs. Missouri)
Line: Missouri -6
Tennessee should have all the confidence in the world after an upset win over Kentucky to stay bowl eligible. The Vols just need one more win to reach six - either at home against Missouri or next week at Vanderbilt.
USC (at UCLA)
Line: USC -3.5
USC probably doesn't want to mess around against UCLA, because a slip-up would keep the team at 5-5 with a date against Notre Dame in Week 13.
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.