College football predictions: JD PicKell gives picks for top Week 12 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.

Tennessee (+9.5) at Georgia

PicKell: “This line was all over the place. Started at eight and a half, went up to 10 and a half on Sunday morning, and now it’s down to, I guess down it’s at nine and a half, favoring the Bulldogs … I mean, Athens will be absolutely on fire. I think there’s a lot of conversation around the home atmosphere between the hedges. You’re going to get their best. I promise you that they will be absolutely dialed in to the nth degree. Think about it this way too. The reason why they will be dialed in as much as I think we’ve seen a Georgia crowd be, this is the most important regular season game under Kirby Smart, I think, you’ve had since he got the job.”

Georgia is reeling right now from its loss to Ole Miss and the playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread. The Bulldogs need this win while Tennessee is playing with house money. Granted, the Vols are trying to keep their playoff and SEC hopes alive, but they might be able to play a little looser. So where’s PicKell going?

He’s leaning towards Georgia but taking Tennessee to cover. An epic Kirby Smart pregame speech? PicKell says the coach has another one in him for a 29-24 win.

Nebraska (+8.5) at USC

PicKell: “I wish USC was a little bit better so that home field advantage, or that home field like just vibe within the Coliseum could be there … Eight and a half feels like a lot, especially with the changes that both schools are bringing into this matchup for USC, there’s a lot to unpack here, because this year has not been the year that you just wanted to have … This year you thought maybe you could be a dark horse college football playoff team (if you’re USC). You could maybe find your way back door if you know you got the defense right. Defense got right … 

“They’re allowing 23 points a game. If you told me going into the year that the USC defense would allow 23 points a game, I say okay yeah, they’re probably flirting with a double digit kind of season, when it comes to the win total, hasn’t been that case.”

There’s a new QB in there for USC: Jayden Maiava. Will it be the spark USC needs? Maybe. Nebraska is dealing with its own changes, going to Dana Holgorsen as the new OC and hoping QB Dylan Raiola’s back is healthy enough for Saturday.

PicKell likes this weird Big Ten matchup. But he’s leaning towards the Huskers in this one, partly due to more confidence in Matt Rhule than Lincoln Riley right now. So, PicKell took Nebraska outright to win this one.

Utah (+9.5) at Colorado

PicKell: “When Deion Sanders got there … they were a one win operation … like they were a one win team and they were getting bodied in every other game it felt like. Deion Sanders takes that wins, four wins, one year, the next year, right now, they control their own destiny to win the Big 12 and make the College Football Playoff. There’s no more wondering like can Deion Sanders do it? He’s done it, he’s flipped Colorado, period.”

Utah is going to cover in this game, according to PicKell. That’d be a surprising pick if he went outright, but he’s leaning Colorado to win. The Buffaloes are a favorite to win for a reason: they’re hot and Utah is not. Deion Sanders, Shedeur and Travis Hunter will be 8-2 and two wins away from a Big 12 Championship Game appearance.

However, PicKell is gonna lay a few shekels on the Utes.

Missouri at South Carolina (-12.5)

PicKell: “South Carolina, they’re rolling right now. There’s a reason they’re a 12 and a half point favorite. This is what Shane Beamer does … He is 8-2 against SEC opponents in the month of November at South Carolina. That’s not coincidental. That is him having his team ready to play and trending upward. What we just said a second ago in our previous breakdowns, fixing mistakes, getting guys in position to play their best football towards the end of the year South Carolina, and that’s been them. Really the last few games.”

South Carolina has been rolling lately and Missouri thinks it’s still in the College Football Playoff picture. Either way, it’s a good SEC matchup for PicKel. He likes Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers in this one.

It’s a big spread though, but PicKell is going South Carolina to win and cover. A big bet, but get your wallets out!