College Football Expert Picks: Stakes Are High as Week 12 Arrives


Who will capture an important win in the regular season's penultimate week? SI's staff predictions are in.

There are only two weeks left in the 2021 college football regular season, which means there is precious time left for playoff contenders to impress the selection committee. For some, though, just getting through these final weeks without taking a dreams-crushing defeat is the goal. 

Take No. 3 Oregon, for example, which travels to face a dangerous Utah squad on Saturday. Or No. 4 Ohio State, which welcomes in a one-loss Michigan State team looking to stay in the CFP picture itself. The loser in The Shoe will effectively kiss its playoff hopes for this season goodbye. Additionally, No. 6 Cincinnati hosts an 8–2 SMU team, and No. 2 Alabama gets a visit from No. 21 Arkansas.

Elsewhere, Los Angeles rivals USC and UCLA clash, Liberty hosts Louisiana in a juicy Group of 5 clash and Oklahoma looks to bounce back from its first loss when it faces Iowa State.

Week 12 Best Bets: Composite Ratings Picks The Winners

Who has the edge in 16 key Week 12 games? SI's staff picks are below.

Standings to Date:

John Garcia: 115–62
Molly Geary: 111–66
Ross Dellenger: 106–71
Richard Johnson: 100–77
Pat Forde: 98–79

Week 12 straight-up picks:

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