SALT LAKE CITY — Plenty of vital video games headline this week’s KSL.com Sports’ College Football Pick ’em for Week 12. BYU and Utah are each in motion Saturday whereas Arizona and Cincinnati battle it out in an vital Big 12 matchup.
Oklahoma and Alabama face off in a convention defining sport within the SEC that will very properly have CFP implications.
Arizona (6-3) vs. No. 25 Cincinnati (7-2)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m. MST – Nippert Stadium (FS1)
The Wildcats journey to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats in an early window sport.
Why Arizona will win:
Arizona is driving a two-game win streak after choosing up wins towards Colorado and Kansas. Quarterback Noah Fifita has thrown for six touchdowns over these two wins and he has put collectively a pleasant bounce-back marketing campaign with 2,200 yards, 26 whole touchdowns, and simply 4 interceptions. Fifita has reduce down on the turnovers which has helped the Wildcats discover extra consistency on offense.
The largest enchancment that Arizona has made out of final yr has been on protection. After permitting 31.8 factors per sport a season in the past, the Wildcats are holding opponents to 19.9 factors in 2025. Combine a greater protection with Fifita discovering the success that made him standout as a freshman and also you get a way more harmful Arizona staff.
Cincinnati has performed one of many weaker Big 12 schedules this season with their 5 convention wins coming towards groups who’ve a .500 or worse file in convention play. The Wildcats sit at 3-3 in Big 12 play however could have an opportunity to make a press release with their a lot improved staff in yr two underneath head coach Brent Brennan.
Why Cincinnati will win:
The Bearcats had been blown out of their final sport after they fell 45-14 towards Utah. Coming off a bye as they enter their Week 12 matchup, Scott Satterfield’s staff will look to rebound as they continue to be within the hunt for the Big 12 Championship sport.
Arizona has taken care of enterprise towards groups that had a worse file than them after they performed however have losses to each staff that has had a greater file than them. Cincinnati matches that class with the Bearcats sitting at 7-2. With the Wildcats touring to Cincinnati, they will be in for an earlier begin time that they are not used to which might play an element on this matchup.
After an abysmal displaying towards the Utes, quarterback Brendan Sorsby and the Bearcats’ offense ought to be poised for a greater efficiency after utilizing a bye week to regroup. Sorsby has accounted for 29 touchdowns this season and has over 2,500 yards of offense.
Arizona has a great protection however has allowed 30 or extra factors of their three losses. If Cincinnati can attain that mark they will have an ideal probability to get again on observe.
Line: CIN -6.5
Over/Under: 55.5
No. 11 Oklahoma (7-2) vs. No. 4 Alabama (8-1)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 1:30 p.m. MST – Bryan-Denny Stadium (ABC)
A prime quarterback matchup takes place in Tuscaloosa when Oklahoma visits Alabama.
Why Oklahoma will win:
The Sooners picked up an enormous win towards Tennessee of their final sport two weeks in the past earlier than being idle this previous weekend. It was a good time for a bye week for Oklahoma because it provides star quarterback John Mateer extra time to completely recuperate from his hand surgical procedure after he got here again comparatively early from the damage.
Mateer hasn’t been the identical participant because the damage as he was as soon as the Heisman favourite early within the season. The Sooners’ offense goes as Mateer does so he’ll want an enormous sport if Oklahoma goes to upset the Crimson Tide on the street. Mateer is greater than able to doing simply that as he will be efficient as a passer and as a rusher.
The Sooners’ might want to get extra from their working backs than they’ve this season in the event that they need to benefit from an Alabama run protection that struggled at instances this season. Sophomore Xavier Robinson has taken over that prime working again spot after back-to-back 100 yard video games and scoring a landing in three straight contests.
Oklahoma’s protection has been elite all season however the Crimson Tide has probably the most full offenses within the nation so the Sooners will want their offense to maintain up in the event that they need to pull off a serious shakeup within the SEC.
Why Alabama will win:
Mateer might have been the Heisman frontrunner earlier this season however Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has performed his approach into the highest of Heisman hopefuls. The final Nick Saban disciple has thrown for two,461 yards and 21 touchdowns with only one interception. Simpson has been in a position to out-duel his counterpart as a part of the Crimson Tide’s eight sport profitable streak.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer has helped proper the ship after the staff dropped their first sport towards Florida State in what now seems like one of many extra complicated outcomes of the season. DeBoer is beginning to replicate that electrical offense that he had in his remaining season at Washington with Simpson getting the ball out to loads of nice receivers that embody Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard, and Isaiah Horton.
Alabama has the expertise on protection to assist forestall Mateer from taking up this sport and with Oklahoma going into probably the most hostile environments within the nation at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Crimson Tide ought to be capable to outperform the Sooners on offense.
Line: ALA -6.5
Over/Under: 45.5
Utah State (5-4) vs. UNLV (7-2)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 5 p.m. MST – Allegiant Stadium (CBSSN)
Utah State and UNLV meet in a Mountain West showdown within the desert of Las Vegas.
Why Utah State will win:
The Aggies had a dominant victory this previous Saturday evening as they blew out Nevada 51-14. Utah State was up 41-0 at halftime earlier than going up by 48 earlier than the Wolf Pack lastly discovered the tip zone. Quarterback Bryson Barnes impressed with 288 passing yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Brady Boyd had his finest sport of the season, hauling in 5 receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
The newfound momentum on offense might be huge for the Aggies as they tackle a UNLV staff that has had their very own defensive struggles this season. A win for Utah State might put them again within the combine for the Mountain West title with two extra key matchups looming.
This sport is more likely to be a shootout however the Rebels have struggled towards groups with profitable information this season and could also be in hassle as soon as once more.
Why UNLV will win:
The Rebels are coming off a blowout win of Colorado State final week with quarterback Anthony Colandrea persevering with his nice first yr in Las Vegas. The switch from Virginia has thrown for two,251 yards and 17 touchdowns whereas additionally speeding for an additional 484 yards and 6 touchdowns. Colandrea can benefit from an Aggies’ protection that has allowed 29.8 factors per sport.
Dan Mullen has at all times led nice offenses throughout his time in faculty soccer, whether or not as an offensive coordinator or head coach however he’ll want his protection to get key stops if UNLV goes to remain within the hunt for the Mountain West Championship sport.
Both of those groups have a lot better offenses than defenses however the Rebels may need only a bit extra firepower on offense to get the job accomplished on Saturday.
Line: UNLV -6.5
Over/Under: 70.5
No. 13 Utah (7-2) vs. Baylor (5-4)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 5 p.m. MST – McLane Stadium (ESPN2)
Baylor hosts Utah in a Big 12 matchup with the Utes seeking to proceed their climb up the Big 12 standings.
Why Utah will win:
Since dropping to BYU, the Utes have demolished their final two opponents and outdoors of their losses to the Cougars and Red Raiders, Utah has dominated their opponents. Baylor could also be outmatched on this one with the best way the Utes have performed, particularly towards opponents with worse information.
Quarterback Devon Dampier returned to Utah’s lineup towards Cincinnati after nursing an ankle damage and lacking the sport towards Colorado. Dampier helped lead an efficient floor sport that totaled 267 speeding yards whereas Dampier additionally handed for 213 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bears have one of many bottom-tier defenses in faculty soccer and it’s possible that the Utes will be capable to benefit from a staff that’s permitting 29.3 factors per sport. On the opposite facet, Utah is ranked because the eighth finest scoring protection and may be capable to cease the Baylor passing assault or on the very least maintain them sufficient to permit their offense to run away with this one.
Why Baylor will win:
Early on within the season, it appeared just like the Bears had the potential to be a sleeper to look at for within the Big 12 this season after quarterback Sawyer Robertson obtained out to an ideal begin to start the season. Robertson has continued to place up huge numbers however Baylor’s protection has been the pitfall of this staff.
The Bears have a path to profitable this sport however Robertson might want to have one other nice efficiency so as to take action. Robertson has handed for over 400 yards twice this season, together with towards an Auburn protection that has accomplished properly towards the elite quarterbacks of the SEC.
Baylor must keep away from getting right into a gap early but when they’ll maintain the rating shut and get well timed stops or turnovers, the Bears could have an opportunity with Robertson’s arm.
Line: UTAH -8.5
Over/Under: 60.5
TCU (6-3) vs. No. 12 BYU (8-1)
Saturday, Nov. 15, 8:15 p.m. MST – LaVell Edwards Stadium (ESPN)
The Cougars want to bounce again at house towards TCU after struggling their first lack of the season final week.
Why TCU will win:
The Horned Frogs have had an up-and-down season and sit at 6-3 with a 3-3 file in convention play. TCU’s offense has been the power of the staff as quarterback Josh Hoover leads a dynamic passing assault with 2,690 passing yards and 23 landing passes.
Eric McAlister and Jordan Dwyer have been the highest targets for Hoover they usually have the flexibility to trigger comparable issues for this BYU protection simply because the Red Raiders did final week. Despite being a pass-first offense, head coach Sonny Dykes and the Horned Frogs are getting nice manufacturing from their working backs, with 4 gamers averaging no less than 4.5 yards per carry.
TCU could have an opportunity on this one, particularly if their protection can pressure turnovers towards a younger quarterback in Bear Bachmeier. The security duo of Jamel Johnson and Bud Clark has been wreaking havoc on opposing offenses this season as each gamers have recorded 4 interceptions this season.
Bachmeier struggled final week, albeit in a troublesome atmosphere and towards an ideal protection, however the Horned Frogs can nonetheless discover methods to take benefit towards a younger quarterback.
Why BYU will win:
The Cougars had their worst offensive efficiency of the season towards Texas Tech whereas their protection held on for so long as they may earlier than lastly being overwhelmed. After two consecutive street video games, BYU returns house to host a TCU staff that’s coming off a loss at house to Iowa State.
A late evening kickoff at all times appears to profit the Cougars however they’ve fallen a few instances, together with final season’s sport versus Kansas. To keep away from the identical end result, BYU will want a greater displaying on offense which ought to be potential because the Horned Frogs have nowhere close to the identical degree of protection because the Red Raiders do.
Falling behind early additionally took the working sport away from the Cougars, which has been their best power on offense. Getting LJ Martin established early ought to assist open issues up for Bachmeier. The offense as a complete ought to look a lot better being again at house and in entrance of their followers.
Line: BYU -4.5
Over/Under: 52.5
The Key Takeaways for this text had been generated with the help of massive language fashions and reviewed by our editorial staff. The article, itself, is solely human-written.