College football predictions: JD PicKell gives picks for top Week 11 games

Get ready for more college football predictions for the biggest games of Week 11 of the 2024 season as On3’s JD PicKell gave us the must-watch games.

There are some big headliners but some absurd lines. Still here at On3, no one will shy away from making picks even with lines that might make you look twice.

PicKell broke down the biggest games of the weekend on The Hard Count and made his predictions. Let’s dive in.

Alabama at LSU (+2.5)

PicKell: “Alabama going to LSU will be cinematic. It’ll be college football poetry for those four quarters. Now, it does not matter who portaled In, who portaled out. It doesn’t matter what x, y and z guy is getting paid, it is going to be all about this game, this atmosphere, these intense fan bases. Now, the words elimination game has been appropriately given to this matchup, because that’s what it is. … [The] loser, you’d have to believe at 9-3 you’re not making the College Football Playoff. If you were to win out after losing this game, probably not happening. But I want to make sure we say this too. This game to both those fan bases, it meant something before the College Football Playoff had 12 teams, it meant something before the BCS era like Alabama-LSU, while these stakes being factored into it, will obviously turn up the volume at certain points throughout this game and definitely turn up the volume for whoever loses this game.”

There’s a lot on the line here for both teams. Alabama and LSU both have two losses and the loser could very well be out of the playoff discussion as the season concludes this month. The winner, as PicKell noted, can breathe a sigh of relief momentarily. As far as the pick is concerned, PicKell is going with LSU to win being a home underdog.

Georgia (-2.5) at Ole Miss

PicKell: “Was saying going into the season, yourself included, or yours truly included, rather that this was the year for a national splash, and it still could be (for Ole Miss). Now, you’ve made it a little bit difficult on yourself with the losses to Kentucky … but still, I think 10-2 Ole Miss with a win over Georgia would get you in the College Football Playoff, but remains to be seen. Got to get it done. Lane Kiffin said something at his press conference this week that I thought was right on the money. Speaking to their College Football Playoff path, speaking to what they want to accomplish, is like if you want to, if you want to do anything in the postseason or in the SEC it still goes through Georgia … This is the ultimate litmus test, I believe, for everything we thought was true about Ole Miss going into the season.”

This is an elimination game for Ole Miss, make no mistake about it. PicKell doesn’t think the gap between them and Georgia was necessarily closed this season. But the Bulldogs’ fate could rest on QB Carson Beck, who’s struggled in recent weeks. Georgia isn’t as dominant, but they’re consistent in the month of November. PicKell is rolling with Georgia 34-28, covering the spread.

Colorado (-3.5) at Texas Tech

PicKell: “Colorado’s favored by three and a half points. The over is 62 and a half or over under, I should say, showing our cards there. We love the over. We absolutely love the over in this game. … Now, I’ll say this for Colorado, this will be the toughest environment they have played at this point in the year since they played at Nebraska, right? Lubbock will be on fire [for] Texas Tech. The vibes are immaculate after beating the undefeated Iowa State team. Look at the Big 12, though, man, just look at how awesome this is. We’re in the month of November. We have no idea who the team is going to be out of that conference to represent that conference in the College Football Playoff.”

Colorado is hot right now, so is Texas Tech in terms of their offense. PicKell said this game will come down to who can make that one key stop. Right now, he’s leaning towards the Buffaloes to improve to 7-2 by a final score of 42-31, covering the spread and hitting the over.

Miami (-11.5) at Georgia Tech

PicKell: “Miami, 11 and a half point favorite, Miami has been rolling. … Miami has been undefeated and still not playing a full four quarter football game since the game against Florida. I want to make sure I say this too. I’ve had a lot of good folks from Coral Gables getting in my Twitter mentions, and we appreciate that, and always encourage that. But surprisingly to me, this narrative started to develop … ‘he doesn’t like Miami because he doesn’t like the fact that I’m playing four quarter games.’ No, no, I was actually the one before the season started telling you Miami is going to win the ACC, they’re only going to lose one game, and Cam Ward’s going to have a historic season. …  The reason why I get frustrated with them is because of the potential I see with them. Because the way that roster [is built] … the reason why I believe that spread is what it is is because Miami has made some folks nervous playing Duke as close as they did in the first half, having to have a superhuman comeback against Cal on the road in the game against Va Tech, like Miami is yet to play to their roster talent.”

As PicKell put it, this game is all about Miami and everything favors them, even on the road. If you’re Georgia Tech, the best way to go about it is to play ball control and keep QB Cam Ward off the field. PicKell predicted Miami will have some more “giddy up” in this game and has the Hurricanes winning and covering.

South Carolina (-3.5) at Vanderbilt

PicKell: “South Carolina minus three and a half points at Vanderbilt. … Vandy is ranked [while] South Carolina for whatever reason is not. I said it once, I’ll say it again: this is the people’s Top 25 matchup. This is the matchup that should be Top 25, however, I guess we can’t have nice things. It is what it is. For Vanderbilt, man, this is not your parent’s Vanderbilt, all due respect to your parents, I’m sure they’re wonderful people. This Vanderbilt team is not just like a different logo, because they did change their logo from what it used to be, but they beat Bama, and that’s awesome, and the vibes are crazy, and you’re throwing goal posts into the Cumberland and like awesome, cool. … But it wasn’t just like they beat Bama they were feeling a bit frisky that day and got it done like, we haven’t seen the major Vanderbilt letdown since that game.”

PicKell loves Vanderbilt but it seems like he prefers the South Carolina offense. Shame Beamer is going to get the Gamecocks to play. So, PicKell is leaning towards SC 27-23 on the road and they cover. But Vandy is “for real” despite a loss.