SMU, Wake, Maryland poised to cover
Top wagering picks for college football Week 12 based on lines from Tipico Sportsbook:
SMU (8-2) at No. 3 Cincinnati (10-0)
Cincinnati’s dream of an undefeated season gets a stiff test against an SMU offense that ranks sixth nationally with 498.7 yards and 41.6 points per game. The Bearcats haven’t covered in any of their last four games, though they’ve been 20-plus point favorites in each of those contests. The Mustangs should score enough to keep this close and cover a double-digit spread.
Pick: SMU +12.5
No. 12 Wake Forest (9-1) at Clemson (7-3)
Clemson’s defense has been stout in an otherwise down season; it’s giving up just 15.3 points per game (third nationally) and 311.1 yards per game (11th). Wake Forest is the best offense the Tigers will see all year, however, as QB Sam Hartman has the Demon Deacons averaging 54.5 points per game over their last four games. Clemson is just 2-8 against the spread this year; look for that downward trend to continue. Pick: Wake Forest +4.5
Nebraska (3-7) at No. 20 Wisconsin (7-3)
Wisconsin has turned its season around after a 1-3 start. The defense has always been stout – the Badgers giving up a nation-low 216.3 yards per game – and now the offense is averaging 36 points per game in its last four games, all of which have covered the spread against Big Ten competition. Nebraska has lost its last four and is 1-3 ATS in that span.
Pick: Wisconsin -7.5
No. 6 Michigan (9-1) at Maryland (5-5)
Look up “trap game” in the dictionary, and this is it for Michigan. The Wolverines go on the road to face an admittedly weak Terrapins team (3-7 ATS), but this one is sandwiched between a 21-17 win over Penn State last week and one of the biggest games of the year next week against rival Ohio State. Michigan will win, but Maryland has enough firepower through the air (319.5 passing yards per game; 13th nationally) to keep this somewhat close.
Pick: Maryland +14.5