There are just two weeks left in the FBS regular season. Questions still abound throughout the sport — think Matthew Lesko commandeering the “College GameDay” bus, or Mario Kart mystery boxes dropped upon the power conferences.

How many SEC programs are going to crack the College Football Playoff bracket? Does anyone want to win the ACC? Is James Madison for real? What about North Texas? Will the Heisman Trophy really go to an Indiana quarterback? So far, the 2025 campaign has been memorable mayhem, a gyroscope of final-drive spectacle. Believe it or not, conference championship games are on the horizon.

Here are some of the biggest matchups to focus on this weekend. As we’ve done all year, we’re picking each Saturday broadcast window’s best game on paper and its potential chaos agent. Because we’re getting down to the bottom of the bag, we’re also throwing in a few schadenfreude hits. The spell of 2025 cuts both ways — Curt Cignetti, but also Brian Kelly; Vanderbilt, but also Clemson. Here’s to an entertaining slate ahead.

All times ET, all odds via BetMGM and rankings based on the CFP Top 25.

Week 13 viewing guide

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GameTimeTVStream

Hawai’i at UNLV

10:30 p.m., Fri.

FS1

Missouri at Oklahoma

Noon, Sat.

ABC

Louisville at SMU

Noon, Sat.

ESPN2

USC at Oregon

3:30 p.m., Sat.

CBS

Kansas St. at Utah

4 p.m., Sat.

ESPN2

Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech

7 p.m., Sat.

ESPN

BYU at Cincinnati

8 p.m., Sat.

Fox

ABC, CBS and Fox are free over the air. ABC and all ESPN networks stream on ESPN Unlimited. CBS also streams on Paramount+. Fox and FS1 also stream on Fox One.

There are three rounds of MACtion on Tuesday’s schedule, then two more Wednesday. Louisiana and Arkansas State represent the Sun Belt as Thursday’s sole FBS game. Each of those could be smashes in their own ways, but for expediency, we’re starting our spotlight on Friday night:

FridayHawai’i at UNLV

The earlier kickoff is Florida State-NC State, but those two are a combined 4-9 in the tilt-a-whirl ACC. Bummer, headache, etc. Let’s turn to the late revelry, with the Rainbow Warriors (7-3) meeting the Rebels (8-2) near the Las Vegas Strip. Both sit at 4-2 in the Mountain West, and UNLV is a field-goal favorite at home, which makes this about as even as it gets. A scoring total of 64.5 points sounds awesome. The Rebels rank in the top 20 in points and rushing yards per game. Hawai’i QB Micah Alejado was born in Honolulu but played high school ball in Las Vegas.

Saturday, early windowBest on paper: No. 22 Missouri at No. 8 Oklahoma

Norman will be noisy after the Sooners stunned fourth-ranked Alabama on the road. Brent Venables’ defense was a crimson-and-cream pile driver last Saturday — three takeaways, four sacks, 2.4 yards per carry allowed. The John Mateer-led scoring punch is more of a light jab, but 8-2 Oklahoma has a path to the CFP party if it wins out. Ahmad Hardy, the nation’s leading rusher, now tries to deny entrance to that party. He’s the rare bouncer who’s fresh off a 300-yard, three-touchdown performance:

Can’t. Stop. Him. @Ahmadhardy29 pic.twitter.com/pugWpwigsF

— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) November 16, 2025

Best potential chaos agent: Louisville at SMU

The other ranked teams in this window have hilariously lopsided draws. Ohio State is favored by 31.5 points against Rutgers, Georgia is a 43.5-point favorite versus Charlotte, and spreads are unlisted for Samford-Texas A&M and Eastern Illinois-Alabama. Miami’s a fair play for all things unpredictable, but the Hurricanes are laying three scores to sputtering Virginia Tech. We roll with SMU, 5-1 in the ACC and still active in the conference championship chase.

The Mustangs are true knights of disorder: a 13-12 loss to Wake Forest on Oct. 25, then a 26-20 overtime upset of Miami on Nov. 1. Louisville’s last two Ls came by a combined four points. The Cardinals bring chaos to the chaos potluck. Wideout Chris Bell has a first-round grade from The Athletic draft sage Dane Brugler. He faces the conference’s second-worst pass defense (298.6 yards per game) on Saturday.

What? Why?!: Minnesota vs. Northwestern, noon on Big Ten Network — Why are we watching football on a baseball diamond? The Wrigley Field dimensions are so thoroughly awkward for this. Minnesota is the Big Ten’s 14th-ranked scoring offense; Northwestern is 15th.

Saturday, afternoon windowBest on paper: No. 15 USC at No. 7 Oregon

Here’s our headliner, 8-2 USC and 9-1 Oregon. Trojans WR1 Makai Lemon is third in FBS in total receiving yards, with 1,090 yards in just 10 games. His last two lines are ridiculous: 11 catches for 161 yards versus Northwestern, 10 for 153 versus Iowa, both capped with a touchdown. Brugler has six different Ducks in his latest NFL Draft top 50. Dante Moore (No. 12) has 21 TDs to five interceptions, and he completed 27 of 30 throws in his most recent go. Kenyon Sadiq (No. 17) forces all kinds of mismatches at tight end, with a 6-foot-3 frame and receiver instincts. There’s a bevy of pro talent and a combined 12-2 Big Ten record here. This is the biggest test of Lincoln Riley’s USC tenure. It’s a CFP fastener for Dan Lanning. Game on.

SADIQ GETS HIS TD 😤

The @oregonfootball TE comes down with it for SIX! pic.twitter.com/BhZbPACgtk

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 15, 2025

Best potential chaos agent: Kansas State at No. 12 Utah

The Athletic’s projection king Austin Mock has the 8-2 Utes with 30 percent CFP likelihood after last weekend’s results. Of course, that tanks to 0 percent with a stumble on Saturday. Other options for this window include Notre Dame, a 30-something-point favorite hosting Syracuse, and Texas, a three-loss team hosting 2-8 Arkansas (0-6 SEC). Vanderbilt also risks what Mock sees as 15 percent playoff odds in its Kentucky trap game.

We’ll opt for Utah, with its top-10 scoring offense and defense, versus a K-State squad with only 10 sacks allowed through 10 games. The Wildcats are also tied for fourth in fewest penalties per game. And Utes QB Devon Dampier is playing through ankle pain. A highly unlikely upset, but one that’s still on the Big 12 table, somewhere at its wobbly edge.

What? Why?!: Duke at North Carolina, 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network — Bill Belichick won six Super Bowls as an NFL head coach. He’ll grit his teeth and claw for postseason eligibility in a sparsely attended stadium Saturday. All this for a chance at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, or something to that effect.

Saturday, evening windowBest on paper: Pittsburgh at No. 16 Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets have pole position for the ACC title tilt, 6-1 in the conference and 9-1 overall. With a win on Saturday night, Tech punches that ticket for the first time since 2014. The Dodd will embrace the moment accordingly. Haynes King’s senior night gets glamorous treatment under the lights. The Panthers stacked five straight wins before falling to Notre Dame last Saturday. The offense scored at least 30 points in each of those Ws. Since taking over in early October, freshman Mason Heintschel has 300+ passing yards in four of six starts.

Pat Narduzzi can match Brent Key in a scowling contest. “Slice me open and see what colors I bleed.” Emo band lyric or ACC coach quote? That line has never been thinner.

Best potential chaos agent: No. 11 BYU at Cincinnati

A win at Cincinnati just about locks BYU in as Texas Tech’s championship opponent, because the Cougars close with UCF (1-6 in the Big 12) at home next weekend. A loss Saturday opens the door for rival Utah … plus the conference’s other two-loss members in Houston, Arizona State and these Cincinnati Bearcats. Chaos, indeed. Bill Connelly’s SP+ predictive model has BYU eking this one out with a 29-25 final. There’s no room for error, and there’s a lot of pressure on a Cougar named Bear. Said Bear, the BYU freshman quarterback Bachmeier, showed resolve in an Oct. 18 triumph over Utah, but fell flat in the Nov. 8 loss to Texas Tech. Which one shows up in hostile territory?

What? Why?!: Nebraska at Penn State, 7 p.m. on NBC — The Nittany Lions were once ranked No. 2. James Franklin used to be their coach. We insist on these lost truths, as our grandchildren pat our heads and tuck us into bed.

Updated Week 13 college football odds

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