College football Week 13 odds, score predictions: USC vs. Oregon, Oklahoma vs. Missouri lead schedule

The week before rivalry week in college football has long seen many of the nation's top teams get a late-season tuneup against a lesser nonconference foe, and Week 13 of the 2025 season follows that trend. 

That's not to suggest the weekend won't be without drama. Oregon hosts USC (3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, Paramount+ Premium) and Missouri travels to Norman to face Oklahoma, which is fresh off its road upset of Alabama. The rest of the top teams in the country are getting a breather before rivalry week, as Indiana, Ole Miss and Texas Tech are all off, while Ohio State hosts Rutgers as a 30-point favorite, Texas A&M hosts Samford and Georgia hosts Charlotte this week. 

That means there won't be much suspense at the top of the College Football Playoff rankings aside from what Oregon and Oklahoma do, but there are some games that will be important in various conference title game races and for fringe playoff hopefuls. As we do each Monday, we're offering picks and score predictions for five of the biggest games this week, starting with an old Big East rivalry. 

NOTE: Rankings are from the previous week's CFP Top 25.

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Chip Patterson

No. 15 Miami (FL) at Virginia Tech

The 'Canes got back on track offensively against NC State and that blowout win will inch them closer to a potential at-large spot in the CFP. They need to take a note from a team they beat earlier this season in Notre Dame and keep stacking style points to close out the season -- if they're going to make an argument that they deserve one of the 12 spots without winning the ACC. 

This week against Virginia Tech is another opportunity to do just that as more than a two-touchdown favorite. Miami should be plenty focused on winning by as big a margin as possible given they need help to make the playoff, and after seeing Texas go down last week, they should feel like their path isn't completely shut off yet. The Hokies, meanwhile, are not playing for a bowl game and may be more concerned with finally getting James Franklin to put pen to paper and playing spoiler next week to rival Virginia. 

The one concern here is the 'Canes have yet to prove they can go on the road outside the state of Florida and get a win. Granted, they've only had one opportunity to do so, but the performance in Dallas against SMU was not encouraging. This VT squad isn't as talented as the Mustangs, though, and not all that unlike NC State, the Hokies defense is susceptible to big plays and giving up points in bunches. 

Miami's struggles have come when teams have dragged them into the mud, and I just don't see this Virginia Tech squad being capable of doing what's needed to keep this close for four quarters. PICK: Miami 34-13 over Virginia Tech

No. 17 USC at No. 8 Oregon

Two old Pac-12 rivals now meet as Big Ten foes and both teams have it all to play for. For those without a vested interest in either team, an Oregon loss is the outcome that would create the most chaos as it pushes both the Ducks and Trojans onto the CFP bubble. 

USC escaped with a win over Iowa last week in wet weather in LA and will be feeling as confident as they have been all season that they can take care of business against an Oregon team with a similar defensive profile. The game plan against the Ducks will be similar to what it was against the Hawkeyes, as it's extremely difficult to create explosives on this Oregon defense. Jayden Maiava will need to be patient and take care of the football in a hostile environment, but the real question for USC will be whether its defense is up to the task. 

This is not the Oregon of old that piles up points on everyone, but Dante Moore and the Ducks are still a dangerous threat, especially at home. After back-to-back weeks playing in downpours, Oregon opened things up on Minnesota in a blowout win and the weather is supposed to be ideal in Eugene this week. The oddsmakers expect a shootout, posting the early total at 59.5, and this could be a "styles make fights" situation where the Ducks push the tempo and find success against a USC defense that has had some leaks this year. 

For me, this comes down to which coach and which defense I trust more, and the answer to both of those questions is Oregon. I think USC will find success offensively, because Maiava and the uber-talented playmakers on the outside, headlined by Makai Lemon, are simply too good not to put points on the board. That said, USC's defense gave up 34 in both of its losses on the road to Illinois and Notre Dame, and this Oregon offense should have ample opportunity to get in the end zone. PICK: Oregon 35-24 over USC

No. 22 Pittsburgh at No. 16 Georgia Tech 

Just as we all expected coming into the year, this one is an ACC Championship Game eliminator. Pat Narduzzi said he didn't care if Notre Dame beat Pitt by 100 and the Irish tried their best to make that happen, but even with that loss, Pitt still has all of its ACC dreams in front of it. 

For Georgia Tech, it's simple, a win and they're locked in to the ACC title game in Charlotte. Unfortunately for fans of the Yellow Jackets, this team winning games they've needed to has never been easy this season, as evidenced by last week's comeback against lowly Boston College. The good news for Haynes King and company is they get to play in the friendly confines of Bobby Dodd Stadium where they've looked excellent all season. 

The Yellow Jackets will have to tighten up defensively after back-to-back dismal performances on that side of the ball, but the offense shouldn't have much trouble moving the ball on this Pitt defense. The question for Pitt is whether the offense can keep up and that'll be a matter of how Mason Heintschel bounces back from the first poor performance of his college career. 

The freshman struggled against Notre Dame, and now has to go on the road in a huge spot. He's been fantastic since becoming the starter aside from last Saturday, but we'll learn a lot about the young man with how he rebounds from a tough game. 

Georgia Tech winning clears up a lot of ACC title game scenarios, which is exactly why I'm picking Pitt here. The Yellow Jackets haven't impressed in recent weeks and I think Heintschel can pick apart this defense if he's got his head on straight. Also, when it comes to picking games in the ACC, always go with the option that creates the most chaos. PICK: Pitt 34-31 over Georgia Tech

Missouri at No. 11 Oklahoma

Oklahoma did everything it needed to last week to set the table for a run to the playoff. All they have to do is beat Mizzou and LSU. What could go wrong?! 

The Tigers might get QB Beau Pribula back three weeks after he suffered a nasty looking ankle injury against Vanderbilt. How effective he would be running the ball would be a serious question, and one the Sooners defense would look to find an answer to early.

If nothing else, the quarterback uncertainty makes this a fascinating week for Brent Venables in trying to dial up the right defensive game plan, as this Oklahoma team lives and dies on that side of the ball. On the other side, John Mateer and the Sooners offense continue to find ways to put just enough points on the board to get wins, but one would expect another rock fight in Norman. 

That's been where Oklahoma's lived all season, and the problem you run into as a team that loves to play in low-scoring, defensive battles is that your margins for error are always slim. Against Alabama, they created turnovers and wreaked havoc to shock the Tide, but if those turnovers don't come, then things get a little dicey. 

I have a hard time thinking this week will simply go as planned for those at the top of the rankings and this screams letdown spot after an incredible road win against Alabama. I don't think Mizzou comes out and dominates or anything, but this will be a tight game throughout and that invites some weird results. PICK: Missouri 20-17 over Oklahoma

No. 12 BYU at No. 25 Cincinnati 

The Bearcats have had a very nice season, but the past two weeks have been a bit of a reality check in Cincinnati. Coming off back-to-back losses they have to deal with a BYU team that put a beating on TCU last week and has looked like the second-best team in the Big 12 all season. 

Those losses have the Bearcats on the periphery of the Big 12 title race, but they can keep things interesting with a win here to spoil the Cougars' hopes of setting up a rematch with Texas Tech. The question this week is what kind of success can Brendan Sorsby and the Cincy offense have against a BYU defense that has a lot of talent and experience. Sorsby can't have another two-pick game like he did against Arizona if the Bearcats are going to pull the small upset at home, but BYU will have to be sound in their run fits against a Cincy offense that is 22nd in the nation running the ball. 

The team they are just behind? BYU at No. 21. Cincy's defense is 87th against the run, which isn't ideal against this Cougars offense, and BYU shouldn't have much difficulty finding pay dirt. This all comes down to whether the good version of BYU's defense shows up, which hasn't happened as often as they'd like on the road. 

BYU only has the one loss at Texas Tech, but they've been taken into deep water in most every road game this season -- even a 14-point win over Iowa State was tied after three quarters. I think this game might follow a similar script, but BYU will eventually prove to be the better team. PICK: BYU 31-24 over Cincinnati