Does it get any better than this? Thanksgiving, one of the best holidays of the year, time to be with family and friends, maybe some duck or deer hunting, golf, or just watching some superb college football, and that’s what we have this weekend on the College Football landscape.

Week 13 is headlined in these parts by the 86th Iron Bowl taking place down on the Plains Saturday at 2:30 PM CT on CBS. The No.3 Crimson Tide is 10-1 and 7-1 in the SEC and has earned a trip to play the Georgia Bulldogs next Saturday, 12-4, at 3 PM CT in the SEC Championship Game on CBS. Should be a classic. But this game is the most important one for both teams at present. Auburn is 6-5 overall and 3-4 in the SEC. Alabama leads the series at 47-37-1, but the Tigers lead in the Iron Bowls that are played on campus, 17-11, and are 10-5 at games at Auburn. So, despite the records, this one just means more, more than any rivalry in the country. Can’t beat this 365 day a year spectacle, it doesn’t get any bigger or better than this.

Some other key SEC intra-state rivalry games along along with gigantic national tilts headlined by Ohio State @ Michigan with so much at stake this time around. Oklahoma at Oklahoma State in Bedlam has tremendous implications riding in Stillwater on Saturday. The Cowboys are trying to get the very heavy albatross off their back in this heated rivalry.

So, here it is, Week 13, unplugged.

Last Week, 21-3, Overall, 199-86, 70%

ATS, 12-12, Overall, 150-133, 53%

No.3 Alabama @ Auburn

Jordan-Hare Stadium

2:30 PM CT

CBS

Brad, Gary, Jamie

Crimson Tide by 19 1/2

This is always a tricky one to predict, particularly in Auburn where magic happens for the Tigers. The late great Rod Bramblett had the historic call on the Kick 6 in 2013, “And Auburn’s going to win the football game! ” There have been incredible moments on both sides. While this means more to the Crimson Tide on a national scale with playoff implications riding, it means just as much for the Tigers, which want to finish the regular season with the best victory on their resume in 2021, as it always is for both sides. T.J. Finley will once again be under center for the Tigers. He did some good things against South Carolina last Saturday in a loss, and he’s capable. Bryce Young is soaring right now. I’d call him the Heisman favorite going into this weekend as he’s completed 72% of his passes, 263-of-387, for 3,584 yards, 38 TDs against only 3 interceptions. I don’t see the Tigers having great success stopping the Tide passing game with Jameson Williams and John Metchie being forces in the game. I like the Crimson Tide at Auburn this year.

Alabama 38, Auburn 21

No.1 Georgia @ Georgia Tech

Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta

11 AM CT

ABC

Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Kris Budden

Dawgs by 35

This has got to be the best name for a Rivalry, “Clean Old Fashioned Hate.” Can anybody stop the Dawgs? Maybe the Crimson Tide or Ohio State. The list is a short one.

Georgia 45, Tech 7

No.2 Ohio State @ No. 5 Michigan

The Big House, Ann Arbor, MI.

11 AM CT

FOX

Gus, Joel, Jenny

Buckeyes by 8

I just think the Ohio State offense is too much for Michigan to handle.

Ohio State 35, Michigan 24

Thanksgiving Night, Thursday

No.9 Ole Miss @ Mississippi State

Davis Wade Stadium, Starkvegas

6:30

ESPN

Tess, Gregory, Katie George

State by 1 1/2

Does it get any better than the Egg Bowl on Thanksgiving Night, especially this one with the teams and their respective quarterbacks excelling? Lane and Leach are stellar coaches and their teams reflect that. Ole Miss is 9-2 and Mississippi State is 7-4, but had one of the most impressive victories of the season coming back from a 28-3 deficit @ Auburn 2 weeks ago in winning, 43-34. Matt Corral of Ole Miss and Will Rogers of Mississippi State are prolific quarterbacks. I’m going with the Bullies at home this time in what will be an epic game in the Magnolia State.

Mississippi State 31, Ole Miss 28

Saturday

No, 15 Texas A&M @ LSU

Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge

6 PM CT

ESPN

Tom, Jrodg, Cole

A&M by 6 1/2

I like the Aggies by a few, but for O and his team to give it a great effort in O’s last game in Baton Rouge. Sorry to see him go.

A&M 24, LSU 20

Other SEC featured Matchups both in and out of Conference

No. 23 Clemson 24, South Carolina 21

Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia

6:30 PM CT

SEC Network

Taylor, Stinch, Alyssa

Clemson by 11 1/2

I like Shane Beamer’s scrappy and impressive Gamecocks team to give Clemson everything they want. I’ll take the Tigers to barely prevail.

Friday

Arkansas 31, Missouri 21

War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock

2:30 PM CT

CBS

Noah Eagle, Rick Neuheisel, Aaron Murray, Jenny Dell

Hogs by 14 1/2

I like the Tigers to give the Hogs a hard fought game.

Saturday

Florida State 28, Florida 27

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville

11 AM CT

ESPN

Mark Jones, RGIII, Quint

Gators by 2 1/2

I like the Noles to pull off the upset of a team that has just been reeling lately and fired Dan Mullen. Gators are just too dysfunctional right now. A friend of mine asked me what is the best job out of Florida, LSU or USC. All 3 jobs are elite,. At SC you can recruit California and get all the elite players you need and add a few more on the Left Coast. At Florida, you have that state, which produces the second best talent in the country after Texas and right ahead of California. And LSU has a highly fertile recruiting area. I’d go in order of best recruiting states, 1. Texas, 2. Florida, 3. California, 4. Georgia, 5. Louisiana. Louisiana has major metropolises in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, which has 1 million people in its metro area. New Orleans has 2 million. Shreveport is a pretty decent sized town as are Lafayette and Monroe. So all 3 jobs are elite. USC would be the easiest job of the 3 because they’re in the PAC-12 and the other 2 play in the gauntlet that is the SEC. Mario Cristobal seems like a good fit at SC. LSU could stay in state and hire Billy Napier, though they may want to go with a more established head coach, but Billy has proven that he is ready in my opinion. Maybe Luke Fickell at Florida. Just some names to toss out there. I’d say in terms of best jobs, 1. LSU, 2. Florida, 3. USC.

Kentucky 24, Lousiville 20

Cardinal Stadium, Ville

6:30 PM CT

ESPN2

Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, Jalyn Johnson

Cardinals by 3

Give me running back Chris Rodriguez and the Wildcats to pull off the upset. Mark Stoops is another name that has come up for the Florida job.

Tennessee 31, Vanderbilt 17

Neyland Stadium, Knoxville

2:45 PM CT

SEC Network

Dave, Deuce, Andraya

Vols by 31

I was really impressed with how my Commodores played in the second half against Ole Miss last Saturday Night in a 31-17 defeat. They were the more physical team in the second half. Clark Lea has had to overhaul the psyche of this program after the traumatic 0-9 SEC season last season. I see Clark making progress. I like my Commodores to be competitive against the Vols and start building some momentum for the program to get back to bowl games.

Friday

No.4 Cincinnati 35, East Carolina 17

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, N.C.

2:30 PM CT

ABC

Jason, Andre, Carc

Cincy by 14

The Bearcats proved they are for real with their 48-14 victory over SMU last Saturday. They keep it going this Friday on the road and will face a very good Houston team in the American Championship Game next Saturday at Cincy. If they win out, it’ll be hard to keep them out, but a 12-1 Oklahoma State team would be tough to keep out also. A lot to be decided.

No. 7 Oklahoma State 27, No. 10 Oklahoma 21

Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater

6:30 PM CT

ABC

Chris, Kirk, Holly

Cowboys by 4

Really believe in the Pokes. Mike Gundy’s defense looks elite and they’ve played some pretty potent offenses, Maybe not Alabama or Ohio State, but they’ve been excellent on that side of the ball. The Sooners have owned this series with a 90-18-7 record and have won 16 of the last 18. But it’s a different year with different teams, and I like this Pokes squad to get over the hump and set themselves up for a rematch with Baylor in the Big 12 Championship Game with a playoff spot possibly on the line with a victory there. The Cowboys have already defeated the Bears this season.

No.6 Notre Dame 42, Stanford 14

Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto, CA.

7 PM CT

FOX

Joe Davis, Brock Huard

Irish by 19 1/2

The Fighting Irish need some chaos to ensue to make the playoff, but they’re playing as well as anybody in the country right now outside of Georgia and Ohio State.

No.8 Baylor 34, Texas Tech 17

McLane Stadium, Waco

11 AM CT

Fox Sports 1

Dan Hellie, Robert Smith

Baylor by 14

The Bears have had a super year in Dave Aranda’s second season. Aranda is another guy whom LSU and USC will be interested in. Florida, too.

Friday

No. 19 Utah 38, Colorado 10

Rice Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City

3 PM CT

FOX

Joe Davis, Brock Huard

Utes by 23 1/2

Utes were spectacular last Saturday in hammering Oregon, 38-7. After a slow start to the season, Utah is now 8-3, and 7-1 in the PAC-12 South. They will face the Ducks in a rematch next Friday Night, 12-3, at 7 CT on ABC.

No. 13 BYU 34, USC 21

Memorial Coliseum, L.A.

9:30 PM CT

ESPN

Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore, Stormy Buonantony

BYU by 7

Like the Cougars to move to 10-2. What a season under Kalani Sitake.

No. 11 Oregon 30, Oregon State 27

Autzen Stadium, Eugene

2:30 PM CT

ESPN

Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Lugues

Ducks by 7

Expecting a highly competitive “Civil War.” Ducks have to win to get into the PAC-12 Championship game, so a lot on the line for them.

Minnesota 24, No,. 14 Wisconsin 23

Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

3 PM CT

FOX

Timmy B., Spencer

Badgers by 7

Like P.J. Fleck and his team to “row the boat,” and pull off the upset at home.

Friday

No. 20 North Carolina State 35, North Carolina 28

Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh

6 PM CT

ESPN

Matt Barrie, Roddy Jones, Tiffany Blackmon

NC State by 6

Like the Wolfpack to keep their excellent season going and move to 9-3 and 6-2 in ACC

No. 24 Houston 52, UConn 14

Pratt & Whitney Stadium, East Hartford, Conn.

11 AM CT

CBS Sports Network

Jason Knapp, Ross Tucker, Tina Cervasio

Cougars by 32 1/2

Like the Cougars to have a lot of momentum going into Cincy next Saturday.

No. 18 Wake Forest 34, Boston College 31

Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, MA.

11 AM CT

ESPN2

Dave O’Brien, Tim Hasselbeck, Kelsey Riggs

Wake by 4 1/2

Like the Demon Deacons to slip by the Golden Eagles on the road and make the ACC Championship game, which is quite an accomplishment in Winston-Salem. If Wake were to lose and N.C. State and Clemson were victorious, then I just don’t know the answer to that as there would be a 3 way tie at 6-2 and Wake has defeated N.C. State, N.C. State has defeated Clemson and Clemson has defeated Wake. The ACC has rules for that. Will cross that bridge if we get to that point.

Penn State 17, No. 12 Michigan State 14

Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI.

2:30 PM CT

ABC

Sean, Todd, Molly

Nittany Lions by 1

James Franklin just signed a 10 year contract extension with Penn State. His players are fired up about that and will show it in a very good defensive contest with Sean Clifford and the Penn State offense doing just a little more than Kenneth Walker III and the Spartan offense.

Friday

Nebraska 23, No. 16 Iowa 21

Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE.

12:30 PM CT

Big Ten Network

Brandon Gaudin, James Laurinaitis, Rick Pizzo

Iowa by 1 1/2

Like Scott Frost and his Cornhuskers to win a big game this season after so many close calls. Still believe in Frost. Think he’s the man for Nebraska.

Friday

Boise State 28, No. 21 San Diego State 24

Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA.

11 AM CT

CBS

Rich Waltz, Aaron Taylor, Sheree Burruss

Boise State by 2 1/2

Like the Broncos to win on the road. They defeated BYU on the road, and they are 7-4. I’ll take them over the Aztecs.

No. 18 Pittsburgh 35, Syracuse 21

Carrier Dome, ‘Cuse

6:30 PM CT

ACC Network

Pitt by 13

The Panthers cruise into the ACC Championship Game as Coastal Division champions.

No. 22 UTSA 30, North Texas 24

Apogee Stadium, Denton, TX.

1 PM CT

ESPN+

UTSA by 10 1/2

The Roadrunners have a tougher time than expected against the Mean Green, but clear their final hurdle before matriculating to the C-USA Championship Game to play Western Kentucky-Marshall victor on Saturday.