College Football Picks 2025: Week Fourteen

Julian Sayin, Ohio State

Current Picks Record: 63-44

Upset: 5-10

Superdogs: 5-4

Locks: 6-6

(#3) Texas A&M Aggies @ (#16) Texas Longhorns

Line: Texas A&M -2.5

O/U: 52.5

Last season, Texas and their stingy defense shut down Texas A&M in their first game in a decade-and-a-half en route to a SEC Championship Game appearance. This year, instead it's the Aggies in position to compete for a conference title and eventual Playoff berth. Still, A&M is out to prove they are worthy of their high ranking, and going into Austin and beating the Longhorns would go a long way in proving their legitimacy.

Marcel Reed has proven a lot of people wrong this season, and his performance in the South Carolina win two weeks ago was potentially his most impressive yet. Reed, and A&M as a whole, had an atrocious first half, with multiple turnovers and nearly multiple more. Instead of mailing it in during the second half, Reed responded in a major way, fueling the Aggies to an epic comeback and finishing with 439 passing yards and three touchdowns. Now, Reed is looking to keep the magic going against a tough Longhorn defense, albeit one that has struggled to defend the pass at points this fall. Reed has plenty of help, namely K.C. Concepcion and Mario Craver out wide, plus several options in the backfield. Being without veteran Le'Veon Moss at tailback hurts, but the likes of Rueben Owens and Amari Daniels, plus Reed's legs, give this A&M rushing attack just enough bite. I'm watching the A&M offensive line closely, too - they were pushed around by this Texas defensive front last fall and face a stiff challenge once again. The Longhorns are nasty along the line of scrimmage, and have to be fired up for this type of rivalry game. As impressive as Reed has been, if Texas is able to pressure him and contain this ground game, you do wonder if we are going to see Reed start to press. A huge turnover or two in a game like this, that could come down to the wire, could ultimately make all the difference. The Longhorn secondary is banged up and vulnerable, but it's up to Reed to set up this Aggie offense for success.

Was the Arkansas win last weekend finally what the Texas offense needed to finish a disappointing season on a high note? It feels like we've been waiting all season long for the Longhorns to get going on this side of the ball, but they remain frustratingly inconsistent. They have looked good against the worst of the SEC defenses, but can it carry over to a well-coached, disciplined group like A&M? Arch Manning does feel like he's found something during the season's second half, even if there remain growing pains week-to-week. Yet, Manning has been far from the sole problem for this Longhorn offense this fall. On the contrary, the rushing offense and offensive line have been immensely disappointing. Even in wins, the Longhorns have struggled to get anything going on the ground, and it's made this team completely one-dimensional. The offensive line has struggled to get any push, even against defenses you'd imagine they'd have an advantage over. Now, they face an A&M front that includes sack machine Cashius Howell and several other players likely to play on Sundays, including Dayon Hayes and Tyler Onyedim. Quintrevion Wisner ran for 186 yards for Texas last year in this matchup, but I don't envision that happening again. It truly does feel like A&M is going to have the better athletes on the field Saturday, a stark difference to what we saw a season ago.

At multiple points this fall, I've expected A&M to get caught by someone and yet here they are, sitting at 11-0 with a Playoff berth essentially clinched. This is a game the old A&M would lose, but this team just feels different. They aren't just the better team, they've proven an ability to overcome adversity and still come out on top on the other side. With Texas being so inconsistent, the Aggies are the smarter pick here, even on the road.

The Pick: Texas A&M, 34 Texas, 24

(#1) Ohio State Buckeyes @ (#15) Michigan Wolverines

College Football Picks 2025: Week Thirteen

Jayden Maiava, USC

Current Picks Record: 58-41

Upset: 3-9

Superdogs: 5-4

Locks: 6-6

(#15) USC Trojans @ (#7) Oregon Ducks

Line: Oregon -10.5

O/U: 59.5

Old Pac-12 foes collide in the most important game of the weekend, albeit one with different stakes. For one, this matchup could have major implications for the Big Ten Title race, if one of Ohio State or Indiana were to falter. But more importantly is the College Football Playoff - USC remains on the outside looking in, but a win here and they could secure their first Playoff trip in program history. Of course, that would simply require the Trojans to go into Eugene and steal away a win from a Top 10 Oregon.

Unsurprisingly for a Lincoln Riley-coached team, USC's success this fall has rested on an explosive offense, one averaging over 38 points per game. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has been at the controls, nearing the 3,000-yard mark in terms of passing yards, with 18 touchdowns through the air. Maiva isn't a prototypical Riley quarterback, as a lightly recruited signal-caller who began his career at USC. But, his dual threat ability and lively arm have worked wonders in this offense, which has also benefitted from a monster season from wide receiver Makai Lemon and company. The most underrated aspect of this Trojan team, however, is their ground game. With Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders going down with injuries, the expectation was that this group would struggle, but freshman King Miller has been a revelation, hitting the 100-yard mark in three of his last five games. Miller's hard-running style has added some real bite to this offense, forcing defenses to commit resources to the run and opening up massive windows for Maiva, Lemon, and Ja'Kobi Lane. Miller has been successful even against strong run defenses, but now faces arguably his greatest test yet in Oregon. The athletes the Ducks feature in their defensive front resemble an NFL team more so than a college football team. Linebacker Bryce Boettcher and company are going to make the Trojans work for every single yard. That would be a challenge for any team, let alone a USC team that is fresh off a win over Iowa, a team that always leaves opponents battered and bruised. Riley may be able to scheme his weapons open as much as possible, but he'll still need his offensive line to have their best game of the season if they are to spring an upset.

The Ducks have lit up scoreboards all season long, although in a different way than the Trojans. They're still fairly balanced, but their ground game is certainly the primary fuel behind their success on the year. This may be the deepest backfield in all of college football - there isn't one alpha necessarily, but all of Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison, Dierre Hill Jr. and Jayden Limar can carry the load when needed. Quarterback Dante Moore can also break open plays with his legs, giving Oregon an endless supply of options. It's hard to overstate how significant of an advantage that is over the course of a game, particularly so late in the season. It allows Oregon to rotate in fresh legs on a nearly constant basis, giving them a leg up on just about every play. USC's defense has improved tremendously under coordinator D'Anton Lynn, but do they have the players to hang with this Oregon rushing attack over an entire sixty minutes? That's not to ignore the Ducks can throw the ball quite well, too, with Moore and a deep collection of pass-catchers. Freshman phenom Dakorien Moore is the most dangerous weapon and one who Oregon looks to get out in space as much as they can. But, the Ducks can also bring in tight end Kenyon Sadiq, a true matchup problem, along with veterans Gary Bryant Jr. and Malik Benson. All of that is anchored behind an elite offensive line, giving the Ducks quite the imposing offense. It's not a group known for the big play quite in the way USC is, but the pure amount of weapons available for play-caller Will Stein and company is staggering.

The Trojans are going to try and follow the Indiana model, like every other opponent against Oregon has. The Hoosiers were able to slow the game down and win in the trenches, a feat we don't see come often against teams like the Ducks. That just doesn't cater to USC's strengths - this is a team that would rather play a shootout, where they can extend the number of possessions with an aggressive defenses that forces a turnover or two. This has been a good USC team, but the matchup is just not favorable, especially in Autzen Stadium.

The Pick: Oregon, 35 USC, 24

(#22) Missouri Tigers @ (#8) Oklahoma Sooners

College Football Picks 2025: Week Eleven

Marcel Reed, Texas A&M

Current Picks Record: 52-38

Upset: 3-8

Superdogs: 5-3

Locks: 5-6

(#7) BYU Cougars @ (#8) Texas Tech Red Raiders

Line: Texas Tech -10.5

O/U: 52.5

It's the most important game of the year for the Big 12 this weekend, with the undefeated BYU Cougars traveling to Lubbock to take on a Red Raider team with just one loss to their credit. The winner not only sets themselves up as the clear favorite in the league, but positions themselves on the inside track to their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

Even without star tailback Tajh Brooks, who graduated over the offseason, the Texas Tech offenses has not skipped a beat in 2025. They've averaging nearly 44 points per contest, riding a balanced and productive unit to success. At the heart of it is veteran quarterback Behren Morton, who appears fully healthy again after suffering through an injury-plagued October. Injuries have been an unfortunate theme throughout much of Morton's career, but he's arguably the best in the Big 12 when healthy. His health will be extra important down the stretch, as the Red Raiders lost high-quality backup Will Hammond for the season. Morton looked good in his return against Kansas State, and it does help that the rest of this offense is full of playmakers. Cameron Dickey and Ja'Koby Williams have more than made up for the absence of Brooks on the season in this backfield, while the pass-catchers include five different players who have all eclipsed 300 yards. It's not even just the explosiveness or speed you'll notice with this Texas Tech offense, either. They have worked hard to build up the lines of scrimmage through the portal, and it's become a very physical, hard-nosed football team. Against a BYU defense that has long been known for it's physicality, this has the looks of a really feisty, hard-hitting contest. This Cougar defense has been the epitome of bend-not-break this season, letting up tons of yardage, but making plays when it matters most. Texas Tech may be the best offense they've seen yet, which sets up quite the challenge.

It's amazing in many different ways that BYU has reached the month of November with a perfect record, but the offensive success may be the most surprising. This is a group that lost their starting quarterback, Jake Retzlaff, when he was kicked off the team and transferred to Tulane mere weeks before the season. Bear Bachmeier, with no experience, has stepped in and put together a magical season. Bachmeier isn't a player who is going to step back and zip it all over the field to the tune of 300 yards. But, he's a truly gritty quarterback who does enough to put his team in position to win. He's particularly dangerous with his legs, with 408 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground to this point. Texas Tech did shut down dual-threat Devon Dampier in their game against Utah earlier in the year, but Bachmeier's a bit of a different runner. He may not have Dampier's speed or athleticism, but he's a real slippery runner that will demand attention all game long from the Red Raiders. Bachmeier is flanked by a real capable tailback in ultra-reliable L.J. Martin, with the pair combining for one of the best rush offenses in the conference. It is shaping up to be quite the battle between this BYU rushing offense and Texas Tech's front seven. I'll be the first to admit, I was skeptical the Red Raiders and their money was going to be enough, but they've completely changed the tenor of this defensive front. This a relentless front seven that is as disciplined as you'll find in college football today. They're going to force Bachmeier into tighter windows and tougher decisions than he's had to make for much of the season, and it's on the road. We may still see the Bachmeier magic, but there's going to have to be even more than usual in this one.

BYU has been an awesome story, but it's not unfair to say they likely should have multiple losses. It's not complete luck, this team has performed when it has mattered most, but someone is going to catch them. Texas Tech is the best team, top-to-bottom in the conference, and I think they have more than enough to finally give the Cougars their first loss of the fall.

The Pick: Texas Tech, 24 BYU, 20

(#3) Texas A&M Aggies @ (#22) Missouri Tigers

Line: Texas A&M -6.5

O/U: 48.5

Old Big 12 foes clash in Missouri over the weekend, albeit with different goals. Texas A&M, off to their best start in decades, is out to prove they are a legitimate National Title contender by adding another ranked win to their resume. Missouri is on the outside looking in when it comes to the College Football Playoff race, but has a chance to change their entire season with a home upset.

Still riding high after a 49-point outburst against LSU, Texas A&M's offense is aiming to keep the momentum going on the road. Quarterback Marcel Reed has been the real deal, throwing for nearly 2,000 yards and adding 349 with his legs. He's still incredibly young, so the bad decisions still sprout up, but he's shown significant improvement so far this season and his dual-threat ability is a constant headache for opposing defenses. He's benefitted greatly from who the Aggies landed in the portal, as Mario Craver and K.C. Concepcion have been among the best receivers in the SEC this season. Craver is the more traditional perimeter receiver, but when you factor in Concepcion's ability to impact games on special teams, this duo becomes downright terrifying. In the backfield alongside Reed, Rueben Owens II and Le'Veon Moss have been an impressive duo themselves, although Moss is likely still out for this game stemming from an ankle injury suffered in the Florida game. The Aggies didn't need Owens quite as much in the LSU game as you may expect, but if Reed is contained by this Missouri defense, they'll need the tailback to make his presence felt. This is a good Missouri defense, but one prone to the big play. If Reed can take care of the ball and not turn it over, this team should be in good position to keep putting points on the board. 

Missouri's season took a turn in the Vanderbilt game. Not only did they come up short against the Commodores, starting QB Beau Pribula was lost for the season. With backup Sam Horn also injured, the Tigers turned to freshman Matt Zollers, who looks to be the starter for this game. Zollers actually looked pretty good considering the circumstances against Vanderbilt, and has now had a week to prepare for this contest. But, this A&M defense is a different animal completely - the Aggies will let up yardage, but this is one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to third down defense. Taurean York at linebacker and defensive linemen Cashius Howell (9.5 sacks on the season) lead an aggressive group that is going to apply the pressure on Zollers constantly. Missouri's offensive line has held up well on the season, but this is arguably the best front seven they've seen to this point. The Tigers are also going to need a big day from Ahmad Hardy, their star tailback. Hardy has been having a monster season as this team's workhorse, but it's been no secret teams have sold out to stop the run. There was no better example of that than Alabama, who limited Hardy to 52 yards on 12 carries, and forced a then-healthy Pribula to beat them through the air. With a young quarterback, Missouri may have to be creative with how they get Hardy the ball and scheme their other weapons open.

I'm always a bit hesitant to take teams fresh off a massive victory, like A&M's win over LSU two weeks ago. This has the feels of a classic letdown spot, but the absence of Pribula makes me hesitant to predict the upset. Zollers may still surprise, but this is not the ideal matchup for a freshman QB making the first start. I think the Aggies win in a game that may get just a bit ugly.

The Pick: Texas A&M, 31 Missouri, 21

Other Picks

(#9) Oregon Ducks @ (#20) Iowa Hawkeyes -- I'm always interested in the upset factor when it comes to Top 10 teams coming to Kinnick. But, the Hawkeyes have been an unlucky charm for me this fall - the Ducks come away with the victory.

The Pick: Oregon, 27 Iowa, 13

LSU Tigers @ (#4) Alabama Crimson Tide -- What once looked like a possible SEC Championship Game preview almost feels like a foregone conclusion at this point. The Crimson Tide have been through the gauntlet and have made it to the other side. I think this battle-tested team has little issues with a Tiger team now led by an interim staff.

The Pick: Alabama, 38 LSU, 24

(#2) Indiana Hoosiers @ Penn State Nittany Lions -- I keep waiting for a potential Indiana slip-up, but the Hoosiers look to be a well-oiled machine. Penn State still has talent, they are a better team than what the record may indicate, but I can't pick against Indiana right now.

The Pick: Indiana, 34 Penn State, 20

(#23) Washington Huskies @ Wisconsin Badgers -- Rumors out just today are that Luke Fickell is likely to be back next season in Madison. Something tells me that isn't going to change the product on the field. Washington rolls on the road.

The Pick: Washington, 30 Wisconsin, 14

Upset: Northwestern Wildcats @ (#19) USC Trojans -- Friday night games can always get a bit strange, and this one has that energy. USC won a thriller over Nebraska last week, but Northwestern is a better team than most may realize. This feels like a game where the Wildcats muck it up into an ugly Big Ten game, and find a way to win.

The Pick: Northwestern, 24 USC, 21

Superdog (covers > 21 point spread): Navy Midshipmen (+27) @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish -- Navy may have suffered their first loss of the season a week ago, and going into South Bend is not an ideal follow up. However, the Irish have struggled at times to stop the run, and the triple-option can close the talent gap.

The Pick: Notre Dame, 35 Navy, 17

Lock of the Week: Vanderbilt Commodores (-6) vs. Auburn Tigers -- Interim coaches do tend to make things a bit strange, and the fact of the matter is that Auburn's defense is still elite. However, the offense is just such a disaster, I don't see them keeping up with a Commodore team that has scared on everyone they've played.

The Pick: Vanderbilt, 24 Auburn, 10

College Basketball Preview 2025-26: Top 25

Braden Smith, Purdue

1. Purdue Boilermakers -- The ever-steady Purdue Boilermakers are about as consistent as you can find in today's world of college basketball but they have their sights set on even loftier goals in 2025-26: a National Title. The stars all seem to be aligning, with the roster full of veterans who have all played with each other for several years, plus a Big Ten that is wide open beyond the projected top two. Braden Smith is back as the floor general and should be in the hunt for National Player of the Year honors, while shooting guard Fletcher Loyer and big man Trey Kaufman-Renn provide plenty of scoring punch alongside him. Matt Painter and staff further bolstered the roster through the portal by bringing one of the most well-rounded big men on the market in South Dakota State's Oscar Cluff. Cluff is so much more than the traditional back-to-the-basket post we've become accustomed to under Painter, with a well-rounded and versatile offensive game. If he can acclimate quickly with Smith and company, Purdue should have more than enough firepower for what should be a special season in West Lafayette. 

2. Duke Blue Devils -- The Blue Devils lost a pair of Top 5 NBA Draft selections over the offseason, including the reigning National Player of the Year. They then watched their top transfer portal target, Washington State's Cedric Coward, stay in the Draft after a strong Combine. Despite all that, Duke seems to be one of the best bets to hoist the National Title in 2026 after coming up short last year. Such is the luxury of being arguably the sport's premier brand. Cameron Boozer is expected to take over Cooper Flagg's role as the freshman phenom on the roster, as the 6'9" forward from Miami has all the offensive attributes to immediately be one of the best players in the country in Year One. He's flanked by several other highly touted true freshman, including his twin, Cayden, and wing Nikolas Khamenia. However, beyond just the newcomers, it's the holdovers that may make all the difference on this Duke team. Isaiah Evans is ready for his breakout moment after showing real flashes off the bench last season, while Caleb Foster is hoping for a resurgence after seeing his role diminished a year ago. And down low, Maliq Brown has proven his worth as a top-notch defender and force on the glass whose importance goes far beyond the stat sheet. The blend of experience and star power provides Jon Scheyer the clear ACC fronrtunner, and all the ingredients to bring home the first National Title to Durham in a decade, and his first as head man.

3. Florida Gators -- Todd Golden and company brought a National Title back to Gainesville for the first