College Football Picks: Expert Predictions For Texas-Texas A&M, South Carolina-Clemson, Kansas State-Iowa St.

Rivalry week is upon us, and all eyes will be on College Station, Texas, as No. 3 Texas and No. 20 Texas A&M for the first time since 2011. This one is even bigger than expected as the winner will move on to play Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. The Longhorns will likely stay in the College Football Playoff bracket if they lose, but the Aggies almost certainly are in a CFP do-or-die situation.

Kansas State and Iowa State will tee it up in Ames, and South Carolina will head upstate to take on Clemson in games that, very quietly, can still impact the CFP race.

Here are the picks from Outkick writers Trey Wallace and Barrett Sallee, who are tied in straight up and against the spread heading into the biggest weekend of the season. Keep in mind, winners against the spread in the wild card games are worth two points in our completely made-up game.

Trey: 38-14 straight up, 27-25 against the spread (29 points)

Barrett: 38-14 straight up, 27-25 against the spread (29 points)

Texas (-5.5) at Texas A&M

Wallace: Thank goodness this rivalry has returned after 13 years. I don't know what type of wakeup call Texas A&M needed last week in Auburn, but they got it. Now, the Aggies still control their destiny, but so do the Longhorns, and I expect their offense to cause the opposing defense some problems. I think this one comes down to the fourth quarter, and Texas A&M finds a way to win this game late, something they couldn't do last week against the Tigers. 

Texas and Texas A&M will play for the first time in 13 years on Saturday (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Sallee: Give me the Longhorns to win - and do it by double digits. I don’t care that their quarterback situation is in flux because both Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning are capable of getting the job done against an Aggies bunch that has to be down in the dumps after last week’s quadruple overtime loss at Auburn. Expect Texas’ defense to have its best performance of the season.

Kansas State at Iowa State (-2.5)

Wallace: Another wild game in the Big 12 awaits, as both teams still fight for a spot in the championship game, thanks to some wild tiebreaker rules. While this feels like a game for Avery Johnson to flourish at quarterback for Kansas State, I think Iowa State's Rocco Becht could be the one that comes out on top. Even though the Wildcats have only given up more than 20 points just once in the last 5 games, this is the Cyclones day. 

Iowa State wins, and covers. 

MANHATTAN, KS - NOVEMBER 23:  Quarterback Avery Johnson #2 of the Kansas State Wildcats runs to the outside against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Manhattan, Kansas. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

Sallee: I’m a big Avery Johnson fan, and he will show you why in what will be a win for the Wildcats en route to the Big 12 Championship Game. He’s healthy again, which means that they will unleash a punishing rushing attack against a Cyclones defense that hasn’t fared well stopping the run.

South Carolina at Clemson (-3)

Wallace: This one should be a lot of fun. Both offenses have been playing well, but its the Gamecocks defense that continues to amaze me at times. I would argue that South Carolina is playing some of the best football in the SEC right now/ For Clemson, they are fighting for a spot in the college football playoff as well, which adds so much more fuel to this game. This one comes down to Tocket Sanders running the ball for the Gamecocks, and Clemson QB Cade Klubnik tossing a few interceptions. 

I'm going with the Gamecocks to win the game. 

Can Dabo Swinney lead the Clemson Tigers to the College Football Playoffs? . (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Sallee: The Gamecocks are one of the hottest teams in the country, and still have an outside chance at making the CFP. However, it needs to win and have several dominoes fall around the country. Expect coach Shane Beamer to unleash a monster rushing attack with quarterback LaNorris Sellars and running back Rocket Sanders, and the defensive front to rattle Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik.

Wild Card Games

Notre Dame (-7.5) at USC

Honestly, I have no idea why this is a single-digit spread. I call Notre Dame the "best, most boring team in the country" because the Fighting Irish casually go about their business bludgeoning their opponents until they say "mercy." That will happen on Saturday against a broken Trojans team that has been a massive disappointment.

Can Alabama QB Jalen Milroe have a bounceback game against Auburn in the Iron Bowl (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

Auburn @ Alabama (-11.5)

The Tigers have the momentum entering this game, but Alabama is still playing for a potential spot in the college football playoff. So, what gives on Saturday afternoon? If Auburn can follow the same defensive plan as Oklahoma, who upset Alabama last week, then maybe they can cause Jalen Milroe to give up the ball a few times. If not, and they let Jalen make plays outside the pocket, it could be a long day for Auburn. 

I don't know if I trust Payton Thorne to win this game for Auburn, but I do trust Jarquez Hunter to run the ball. I think Alabama wins, but the Tigers cover. 

Alright, that will do it for this week's picks. Email your thoughts about the weekend to Trey.Wallace@OutKick.com