Week 12 of the college football season is actually more of a respite. Many of the nation's elite teams have manageable matchups -- or even tune-up games -- as rivalry weekend sits just around the corner. But if history is a guide, the quietest weeks can sometimes prove pivotal. 

There's a few sneaky opportunities up ahead. UCLA puts its undefeated record to the test against blue blood Michigan, while LSU tries to knock off a playoff contenders in Knoxville. Georgia and Notre Dame will try to avoid let down spots as they play a pair of teams that lost big in Week 11. 

With that in mind, lines are out for some of the top matchups of Week 12 and there's value to be found. Here's where oddsmakers' heads are at a week out from games. 

The big games

LSU (-1.5) at Tennessee: The Tigers are out of the College Football Playoff, but there's plenty of pride left to play for in the SEC. Lane Kiffin is set to return to Neyland Stadium for the first time since mustard-gate, and he has a chance to knock the Vols out of the postseason as well. Tennessee has played with fire each of the past several weeks, and LSU's defense is perhaps the best on Tennessee's schedule. 

Ohio State (-4) at Nebraska: Nebraska coach Matt Rhule has not beaten a ranked opponent as a Power Four head coach. What if it happened against Ohio State? The Buckeyes have shown plenty of cracks during a frustrating several weeks since Julian Sayin was injured. Nebraska keeps losing close games, but a historic home game for the Cornhuskers could be just the thing to finally win big. 

UCLA (-6.5) at Michigan: The Bruins have taken care of business during a 10-0 start, but a trip to Ann Arbor presents some interesting challenges. It's the first time UCLA's players will play in one of the cavernous cathedrals of sports on the road. The Wolverines also rank among the top defenses in the sport, even as their offense struggles. UCLA has played close games over the past several weeks in Big Ten play, and Michigan is desperate. 

SMU at Notre Dame (-17.5): Once seen as a game with major postseason implications, the matchup lost some luster after SMU's devastating loss against Wake Forest over the weekend. However, quarterback Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs offense rank among the most productive in the sport and could cause some issues for the Fighting Irish's secondary. 

Georgia (-15.5) at South Carolina: Before an ultimate lookahead spot, South Carolina looked like an interesting challenge to the Bulldogs. Instead, it will be more of a question about whether things are salvageable for the Gamecocks after a loss to Arkansas. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers did not play against the Razorbacks, but will need to hurry back. The backup quarterback situation looks concerning. 

Best of the rest