On this Black Friday, college football wards off an invasion from the NFL, which has opted to go head-to-head with what is normally a smorgasbord of action to kick off Rivalry Week. While some attention may be paid to the pros, there is a tremendous slate on tap with five notable games standing out -- not just because some may potentially impact the College Football Playoff and New Year's Six races.
No. 17 Iowa (at Nebraska) and No. 13 Oklahoma (hosting TCU) open the day attempting to ward off legitimate challengers as they seek to end the regular season as two-loss programs. Both are on the outside looking in New Year's Six bowl games, though the Hawkeyes are looking to put a bow on their season ahead of the Big Ten Championship Game.
No. 9 Missouri continues its magical season at Arkansas, and while the Tigers are presently in the New Year's Six -- projected by Jerry Palm for the Peach Bowl -- they could see their top bowl assignment since 2013 dissipate quickly with a loss to the Razorbacks. No. 7 Texas will attempt to continue rolling toward the Big 12 Championship Game as it hosts Lone Star State rival Texas Tech in the first nightcap, while the game of the day concludes the slate with No. 6 Oregon hosting No. 16 Oregon State.
The Ducks must win out in order to secure a spot in the CFP, and with a pair of top-16 opponents ahead -- No. 4 Washington awaits in the Pac-12 Championship Game -- it cannot afford to slip up. The Beavers have been live all season, including taking the Huskies to the limit in a 22-20 defeat last week, and Oregon must play its best to come out on top of the Civil War.
Be sure to stick with CBS Sports all day Saturday for college football coverage from the opening kickoff onward. Let's take a look at our expert picks for the best games on Friday in Week 13.
Odds via SportsLine consensus | All times Eastern
No. 17 Iowa at Nebraska
Noon | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Try for free) -- I'll probably bet the Under 26.5 in this game for the thrill of it, not because it's a smart bet. No, if you want an actual intelligent wager, take the obvious play. I know Iowa is awful offensively, but the spread is 2.5 points. That suggests this will be a one-score game. Between their respective records in one-score games and Nebraska's turnover problems, you are left with a simple question: Do you want to bet Nebraska to win a one-score game when it leads the universe in turnovers and is facing a defense that forces a billion turnovers? I don't! Pick: Iowa +2.5 -- Tom Fornelli
TCU at No. 13 Oklahoma
Noon | Fox, fubo (Try for free) -- TCU obliterated Oklahoma last year, 55-24, but fortunes have largely been reversed for the Horned Frogs and Sooners in 2023. Still, TCU has shown signs of life lately -- it was just three points shy against Texas in Week 11, then blew out rival Baylor last week at home. Quarterback Josh Hoover is coming off a huge day, throwing for more than 400 yards against the Bears. Let's not ignore the fact that the Sooners haven't been particularly dominant in the back half of the season after roaring to a 6-0 start. They are 3-2 in their last five, and two of those wins came in one-score contests. Home field will be enough for Oklahoma to get the job done Friday, but it may not come easy. Pick: Oklahoma -10 -- Dean Straka
No. 9 Missouri at Arkansas
4 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ with Showtime, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Try for free) -- Missouri shouldn't have too much trouble in this game. For starters, the Tigers should have the edge in terms of motivation. They've played with a chip on their collective shoulder all year, and this game matters for their postseason outlook. Arkansas, for all intents and purposes, is out of the bowl race. There's a path if the Razorbacks win here, but it would require a lot of dominoes falling their way. Outside of that, Missouri boasts one key matchup advantage: Arkansas' rush defense gives up 145 yards per game, while Mizzou has Cody Schrader, a workhorse that might just be the best running back in the conference. Missouri should be able to wear Arkansas down and open up some big plays for breakout star quarterback Brady Cook. Pick: Missouri -7.5 -- Barrett Sallee
Texas Tech at No. 7 Texas
7:30 p.m. | ABC, fubo (Try for free) -- Texas has played well all season and remains in the thick of the College Football Playoff race, but the Longhorns have struggled to put teams away. Outside of a four-touchdown win over BYU, the Longhorns are winning by just 5.8 points per game over their last four matchups. Texas Tech will throw the kitchen sink at the final iteration of this rivalry game and manage to keep things close. The 'Horns win, but the Red Raiders cover a big line. Pick: Texas Tech +12.5 -- Shehan Jeyarajah
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No. 16 Oregon State at No. 6 Oregon
8:30 p.m. | Fox, fubo (Try for free) -- The touchdowns that were missing in the deluge last weekend for Oregon State will show up against an Oregon team that might be comfortable with a higher-scoring affair. Assuming Oregon gets close to its average and score at least 40 points, the Beavers should be able to score enough to take this over the total. Pick: Over 62.5 -- Chip Patterson
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 13, and which underdogs will win outright? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons -- and find out.
