nico-odds-1.jpg
USATSI

It was easy to look at the logjam of teams in the AP poll last month and assume that everything would sort itself out over the second half of college football's regular season. But as the 2024 campaign enters the home stretch, the crowd assembling around the admission gate for the 12-team College Football Playoff remains awfully thick. According to DraftKings, 24 teams still have betting odds of +1000 or better to make the CFP this year. 

There are seven teams from the SEC alone with either one or two losses. Four teams from the Big Ten have one loss or fewer, and two ACC teams have just one loss. While BYU stands atop the heap in the Big 12 as the conference's only unbeaten or one-loss team, several schools still have a shot at the conference title.

Will any of the clutter get cleared this week? It would require some chaos as many of the nation's highly ranked teams are massive favorites. However, an SEC showdown between No. 7 Tennessee and No. 12 Georgia is sure to create movement in the projected CFP bracket, and No. 6 BYU is only a slight favorite at home against Kansas on sports betting apps.

As Week 12 action arrives, here's a viewer's guide to help you navigate through all of Saturday's games.

Odds via DraftKings. Use DraftKings promo code at DraftKings Sportsbook to get in the game with all the Week 12 action

All times Eastern

The best games

No. 3 Texas at Arkansas -- noon on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): Arkansas and Texas played every season from 1932 to 1991 until the Razorbacks left the Southwest Conference for the SEC. Since then, the border foes have met only six times. Now, they are back in the same league and squaring off in a game with big stakes for both. The Longhorns are in the thick of the SEC title race and CFP picture, while the Razorbacks are angling for their second home win over a top-10 opponent this season. Arkansas fans have had this game circled on their calendar since the 2024 SEC schedule was released as they seek to replicate the jubilee of a 2021 non conference victory over the Longhorns.

Utah at No. 17 Colorado -- noon on Fox, fuboTV (try for free): Utah won 11 of its 13 meetings with Colorado between 2011 and 2023 when the teams were Pac-12 foes, including each of the last seven. But entering their first meeting as Big 12 enemies, it's the Buffaloes who have emerged as one of the league's top teams. Colorado controls its own destiny for reaching the Big 12 Championship Game. Subsequently, the Buffs are well-positioned to make a run at the College Football Playoff. The Utes are coming off a brutal loss to BYU and are at risk of missing a bowl for just the third time in coach Kyle Whittingham's 20-year tenure.

No. 4 Penn State at Purdue -- 3:30 p.m. on CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free), Paramount+ with Showtime: Penn State responded well from its loss to Ohio State last week by manhandling Washington for a 35-6 win. Now, the Nittany Lions are in a potential trap spot as a tricky road game against Minnesota awaits next week. Purdue hasn't shown much to indicate it's capable of pushing the issue, but the Boilermakers also have nothing to lose in their final home game of the season. If faltering second-year coach Ryan Walters wants to make a statement about why he should retain his job, this is his chance.

No. 1 Oregon at Wisconsin -- 7:30 p.m. on NBC, fuboTV (try for free): The finish line for an unbeaten regular season is within reach for Oregon as the Ducks make their third trip to the Central time zone. The first two produced convincing wins over Purdue and Michigan and they are hoping for similar success in their third. Wisconsin has lost two straight but can salvage its season from the malaise of mediocrity by pulling a stunner against the nation's top-ranked team. If the Badgers are going are going to do it, they'll need to win the turnover battle and produce a level of offensive explosiveness that's been lacking the last three weeks.

No. 7 Tennessee at No. 12 Georgia -- 7:30 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): After a humbling 28-10 loss at Ole Miss, Georgia's back is against the wall as it hosts Tennessee in a game with massive College Football Playoff implications. The Bulldogs can ill-afford to take a third loss, and Tennessee's case would get shaky if it suffered a second defeat. UGA has won the last seven in the series, but the Volunteers bring one of the nation's best defenses into this matchup against a struggling Georgia offense.

Kansas at No. 6 BYU -- 10:15 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): Kansas played the role of spoiler last week in a 45-36 win over Iowa State, handing the Cyclones a second conference loss. Now, the Jayhawks can inflict a punishing blow on another conference foe as they travel to BYU. It's looked like a season of destiny for the Cougars, who are 4-0 in games decided by one possession. But this will be another challenging spot as the Jayhawks appear to be finding their stride after a frustrating start to the season.

Best of the rest