Clay Travis' Gambling Picks, Week 12: Believe In Arkansas, Take Northwestern And The Points
This year's gambling picks have been an unmitigated disaster.
Not quite as bad as Florida State's season, but close.
We went 4-10 last week to run our season college football record to 60-81.
I have no excuses. Like the Mississippi State Bulldogs, I have no defense.
But I do have nine winners for all of you in what is shaping up to be a relatively quiet day of college football action.
I will be on Fox's Big Noon Kickoff show from Athens for the biggest game, by far, of the day, Tennessee at Georgia. And hopefully, we can finally have a winning week although, truth be told, I don't blame anyone fading me at this point.
I'm as cold as Kamala's career prospects.
Like her, I may even have to get a side job at McDonald's to make up for all these losses.
Texas at Arkansas +13.5 and the over 56.5
Here's the deal, I may be the last believer in Arkansas football on the planet.
Since the Tennessee upset, Arkansas has gotten LSU and Ole Miss both in Fayetteville and been outscored 97-41, losing the two games by 24 and 32.
Now Arkansas gets their final chance against a top opponent, one that just three years ago they smoked at home. I know it happened, trust me, I was there to watch it. So will the Razorbacks show up and give us a decent game, or will they roll over and get dominated yet again?
Here's at least one vote for the Hogs.
Remember, despite Texas's lofty ranking, they still don't have a single top 25 win on the season. That won't change with this game, but here's betting it's a four-quarter battle.
Woo Pig for the cover and the over hits too.
AUSTIN, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 14: Quinn Ewers #3 of the Texas Longhorns signals at the line of scrimmage in the first quarter against the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Ohio State at Northwestern +30.5
Ohio State has Indiana and Michigan at home in the next two weeks.
But first they travel to Northwestern, in front of a tiny crowd, for a game there's no way the Buckeyes are fired up about.
Give me Northwestern plus the huge number here for the cover.
STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 02: TreVeyon Henderson #32 of the Ohio State Buckeyes runs the ball during the second quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on November 02, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
LSU at Florida +4.5 and the over 55.5
LSU's season is over.
The Bayou Bengals got embarrassed at home by Alabama, and now they have nothing left to play for. Florida's a mess, but at least they still play hard.
A win here and a win against Florida State and the Gators are bowl eligible.
I like Florida to find a way to get the win and the over to hit too. But I'll take the 4.5 points just because LSU is a mess and tricky to predict.
GAINESVILLE, FL - SEPTEMBER 07: Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) yells out direction to his offensive line during a college football game between the Samford Bulldogs and the Florida Gators on September 7th, 2024 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL. (Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tennessee +9.5 at Georgia and the under 48.5
I love the under here, it's my blood bank guarantee for the week.
Tennessee hasn't allowed over 19 points all season long and Carson Beck is a mess right now and neither team's offense has distinguished itself of late.
So I feel good about the Vol defense against the Bulldog offense.
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 09: Nico Iamaleava #8 of the Tennessee Volunteers runs with the ball in the first half during their game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium on November 09, 2024 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, Tennessee has quarterback health issues with Nico and hasn't been very good on offense against decent teams.
Both teams will try to establish the run, but both defenses will sell out to keep this from happening. Meaning the winning team will have to make a couple of big plays in the passing game or by turning over the opposing quarterback.
This feels like a 20-17 style game to me and I think Georgia, at home, finds a way to get it done in the end.
But give me the under and the Vols to cover.
Missouri at South Carolina -12.5
Shane Beamer's Gamecocks squad is shutting down everyone on the defensive side of the ball and may be playing top ten caliber overall.
Mizzou?
Mizzou's not good.
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 19: Sidney Williams #3 of the Missouri Tigers celebrates with Daylan Carnell #13 after recovering a fumbles during the game against the Auburn Tigers at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
And Mizzou has been especially bad on the road against decent teams, getting blown out by both Texas A&M and Alabama.
Make it three blowouts on Saturday, because, tap the veins boys and girls, South Carolina wins by 20+ for our second blood bank guarantee of the day.
Kansas +3.5 at BYU
You know how undefeated Miami flirted with losing for several weeks before finally losing?
Yeah, that's where BYU is right now.
Kansas has nothing to lose and is suddenly playing decent football.
BYU feels all the pressure of the undefeated season and isn't playing as well.
Plus, let's be honest, this line stinks to the high heavens, a 3.5 underdog Kansas team on the road against an undefeated BYU? Vegas smells something -- it's a big underdog road win.
Rock, chalk, cover.
PROVO, UT - OCTOBER 18: Brigham Young Cougars linebacker Lucky Finau (49) runs onto the field holding an American fag before the Oklahoma State Cowboys and BYU Cougars on October 18, 2024, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Boyd Ivey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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There you have it, boys and girls, nine winners for a college football Saturday.
I'll see you from Athens on Saturday morning.
And as always, get rich, kids!