2023/24 College Football season: Week 12 Games to Watch

We’re winding down the 2023 college football regular season which means top teams are starting to meet more often.

Much of the focus is already on next week’s slate with it being the last week of the campaign, but we can’t sleep on the matchups in Week 12 either. 

Here are our picks for the top college football matchups this weekend.

No. 5 Washington Huskies vs. No. 11 Oregon State Beavers

The biggest game of this week’s slate is no doubt the borderline top-10 matchup we’ve got taking place in Corvallis. 

The Washington Huskies look to keep their perfect record and CFP hopes intact when they face the Oregon State Beavers. OSU is 8-2 on the season and has yet to lose a home game, so it’s safe to say that a streak of some sort will end on Saturday no matter the result.

As two of the most explosive offenses in the conference – and for Washington, the country – this has the chance to be a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair that makes watching loads of fun. 

Will QB Michael Penix Jr. be able to continue his quest for the Heisman Trophy, or will the Beavers spoil the Huskies’ party? We’ll see come Saturday, as Oregon State enters as a -135 ML favorite by -2.5 on the spread.

No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers

The number one ranked team in the country always has eyes on them, but that’s even more true when they’re playing on the road against a ranked opponent. 

Such is the case this week, when the Georgia Bulldogs take on the Tennessee Volunteers. 

The Bulldogs have clearly looked like the best team in the country, yet again, but certainly shouldn’t take UT lightly.

They were rather unimpressive in last week’s loss to Missouri, but being back at home should help this week. 

Plus, QB Joe Milton is a physical specimen that, when everything is clicking, is one of the most challenging signal callers to face in the nation. 

Georgia is a strong favorite in this one, so we’ll see if the Volunteers are able to shock the world. The Bulldogs are favored by -10.0, while Tennessee is +320 ML.

No. 22 Utah Utes vs. No. 17 Arizona Wildcats

Another matchup between a pair of ranked teams features the Utah Utes vs. Arizona Wildcats. 

The Utes have performed well this season considering QB Cam Rising didn’t take a single snap, but this Arizona squad has rattled off four wins in a row and appears to be firing on all cylinders since freshman QB Noah Fifita took over under center.

The Utes, meanwhile, are 3-3 in their last six games, losing to fellow ranked teams in Washington, Oregon, and Oregon State.

This should be a defensive battle through and through as that’s what both teams build their success upon. 

Look for a tight, low-scoring contest here in a game that should be close from start to finish. 

That's also what the odds reflect: Arizona is favored by -1.0 and Utah is the -105 ML underdog.

No. 21 Kansas State Wildcats vs. No. 25 Kansas Jayhawks

In a week where the matchups may not quite live up to the hype of most slates, this rivalry game should be a fun one. 

The Kansas State Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks are barely clinging on to CFP rankings but will meet in their in-state rivalry this weekend. 

Both teams hold 7-3 records this season and have delivered much stronger performances at home as opposed to on the road, and the Kansas Jayhawks have home field advantage this time around.

Boosting the case for a fun contest between these schools is the fact that defense isn’t either of their strong suits. 

This means the chance for a boatload of points which is certainly more entertaining for us spectators. Despite their struggles on the road, Kansas State is favored by -8.0 while Kansas is a +255 ML underdog.

No. 7 Texas Longhorns vs. Iowa State Cyclones

We’ll cap off our list of top college football games to watch in Week 12 with maybe one of the more under-the-radar contests. 

The Texas Longhorns still have an outside shot at making the CFP, but they’ll need to take care of business on Saturday first. 

The Iowa State Cyclones have had great success against the Longhorns at home in recent years, which is exactly the case this weekend.

Between the recent results, Texas clinging on to a potential College Football Playoff spot and the well-documented trash talk that took place earlier in the week, don’t sleep on this matchup. 

Texas should win here and they are favored by -7.5. But as we know in college football, anything is possible.