Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
In a normal college football season, the first weekend in December would be conference championship weekend, but everything has been pushed back in 2020 due to the coronavirus so that’s not the case this Saturday. It will be the regular-season finale for many teams around the nation, though.
On Saturday, it could be a bit of a trap game for top-ranked Alabama (all rankings from most recent College Football Playoff Top 25 and some could change) when the Tide visit LSU. Bama played in the Iron Bowl last Saturday without Coach Nick Saban due to a positive COVID-19 test but still easily handled bitter rival Auburn and is on the verge of clinching a spot in the SEC Championship Game. Assuming all goes well, Saban would be cleared ahead of this one.
LSU is of course the defending SEC and national champion but has been absolutely gutted by graduation, opt-outs (top WR Terrace Marshall Jr. just opted-out a couple of days ago) and injuries in 2020, which helps explain a 3-4 record. The Tigers are 28.5-point underdogs for this rescheduled matchup. It was originally set for November 14. The road team has covered the past four in the series.
Also from the SEC West, No. 5 Texas A&M still has a shot at reaching the College Football Playoff even though the Aggies aren’t even going to win their division. A&M needs to win out and get some help above it in the CFP Top 25 rankings. Jimbo Fisher’s team visits No. 22 Auburn. The Aggies are -7 and the visiting team is 6-1-1 ATS in the past eight in the series.
Meanwhile, No. 6 Florida could clinch the SEC East title and a spot in the conference tile game with a win at Tennessee. This rivalry has been hugely one-sided in favor of the Gators since 2005, and they are 17-point favorites. The Vols are 3-10 ATS in their past 13 at home against teams with winning records.
Will No. 4 Ohio State be able to play at Michigan State? The Buckeyes had some COVID-19 issues last week, and their game at Illinois was canceled. If OSU has one more called off, by conference rules it would not be eligible for the Big Ten title game even though they are by far the league’s best team. They are -23.5 in East Lansing and have covered six of the past seven trips to MSU.
In the Big 12, No. 13 Iowa State could clinch its first-ever trip to the Big 12 Championship Game (probably against Oklahoma) with a home victory over West Virginia. The Cyclones are 7-point favorites, and the favorite is 4-1-1 ATS in the past six in the series.
