The Minnesota Gophers will look to bounce back in a big way against Northwestern after having their unbeaten season come to a crashing halt this past weekend. The Iowa Hawkeyes will look to build on their impressive win over the aforementioned Gophers when they host a dangerous – and streaking – Illinois Fighting Illini’ team in Week 13. Last but not least, the Penn State Nittany Lions will be looking to get back in the playoff mix by pulling off the huge upset over unbeaten, No. 2 Ohio State. If you’re ready for some expert college football week 13 picks, then let’s get down to business.
2019 College Football Week 13 Odds, Overview & Picks
No. 11 Minnesota (9-1) at Northwestern (2-8)
- When: Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 12:00 PM ET
- Where: Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois
- TV: ABC
- College Football Week 13 Odds: Minnesota -13 / Total: 38
Sure, Minnesota had their CFP hopes completely and utterly dashed in their crushing 23-19 road loss against Iowa, but the Gophers are by far, the better team in this Week 13 Big Ten pairing. While Northwestern managed to snap a seven-game skid by subduing Massachusetts 45-6 on Saturday, the Wildcats average a pitiful 14.5 points per game to rank 129th in scoring nationally while Minnesota puts up a healthy 35.7 points per game.
More importantly, the Gophers have gone 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games against a team with a losing record while also going 7-1 ATS in their last 8 conference games and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall. Northwestern has gone a winless 0-7-1 ATS in their last 8 home games and 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games overall and the way I see it, the Wildcats have no chance of winning this contest or covering the chalk.
Pick: Minnesota 38 Northwestern 21
Illinois (6-4) at No. 19 Iowa (7-3)
- When: Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 12:00 PM ET
- Where: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
- TV: BTN
- College Football Week 13 Odds: Iowa -13.5 / Total: 58
Iowa recorded an absolutely huge win by taking out previously ninth-ranked and unbeaten Minnesota 23-19 on Saturday to improve to 3-1 over their last four games. Still, though, I’m thinking the Hawkeyes are facing a tall task in trying to cover the chalk as a nearly two-touchdown favorite against an Illinois team that has won four straight including a hard-fought 34-31 win over Michigan State on Saturday. While Iowa has an elite defense that limits the opposition to just 12.4 points per game, it is Illinois that has the more explosive offense in this matchup by averaging 30.7 points per game to Iowa’s far more modest 24.0 points er contest.
Iowa has gone 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win, but Illinois has gone a perfect 5-0 ATS in their last five conference games and 4-0 ATS in their last four games following an ATS win. With the road team in this Big ten rivalry going 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and the Fighting Illini’ playing their best football of the season at just the right time, I say Illinois covers the chalk while pushing for the outright win!
Pick: Iowa 24 Illinois 23
No. 9 Penn State (9-1) at No. 2 Ohio State (10-0)
- When: Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 12:00 PM ET
- Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- TV: FOX
- College Football Week 13 Odds: Ohio State -18 / Total: 59
Penn State bounced back from their crushing loss against Minnesota one week earlier to get past an underrated Indiana team 34-27 on Saturday despite failing to cover the chalk as a 15-point home favorite. Ohio State continued their stupendous season by spanking Rutgers 56-21 on Saturday although the Buckeyes never came close to covering the chalk as an insane 52-point road favorite.
While Ohio State ranks a stellar first in scoring and fewest points allowed, I just don’t see the Buckeyes dispatching Penn State by the three touchdowns it will take to cover the spread in this affair. While the Buckeyes have gone 5-0 ATS in their last five home games and 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games following an SU win, Penn State has gone 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS loss and 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games against a team with a winning home record.
More importantly, the Nittany Lions have an elite defense that limits the opposition to just 13.5 points per game (seventh) and
each of the last three meetings between these longtime rivals has been decided by three points or less, with the last two meetings being decided by an identical one point. Ohio State wins, but Penn State cover the chalk in a tight affair.
Pick: Ohio State 31 Penn State 27
