CFB Week 12 Betting Odds: Are Line Moves Correct?
Several Games See Fair Line Movement From Opening Numbers
There’s getting to be a little less line movement in college football at this point of the season. The sportsbook has a pretty good grasp of the teams and most games remain fairly close to the opening CFB odds. There are a few exceptions, however, and those are some of the games that will be featured here. It’s time for a look at the CFB Week 12 betting odds with emphasis on the lines that have moved.
Georgia State Panthers at LSU Tigers
Date, time:
Line: LSU -31.5
Total: 71.5
Streaming: Live Sports Stream
The Georgia State Panthers are in the midst of a three-game losing streak. That’s not ideal when you’re heading to face the No. 15 LSU Tigers on the road. But the Panthers are taking a large payday and getting on ESPN2 at the same time. Unfortunately, bettors also think Georgia State is going to get thumped. LSU opened as 30-point favorites and the line is up to 31.5. The total on the game is 71.5.
The Panthers clinched a bowl berth just seven games into the season. And they haven’t won since. Georgia State has lost its last two games 42-14 and allowed more than 250 yards rushing and passing in the process. None of the teams Georgia State has played has close to the talent LSU possesses.
The Tigers have shown they’re not shy about running up the score, having covered as 56.5-point favorites against Grambling and as 32.5-point favorites against Army. LSU is 4-1 against the spread when favored by double-digits this season. The line is high and Texas A&M is on deck for the Tigers, but LSU is trying to get quarterback Jayden Daniels the Heisman Trophy. Expect Daniels to play into the third quarter and pad his stats even more. Take the Tigers and give the 31.5.
Appalachian State Mountaineers at James Madison Dukes
Date, time:
Line: James Madison -8.5
Total: 56
Streaming: Live Sports Stream
The CFB Week 12 betting odds saw James Madison open as 11.5-point favorites and the line is now down to 8.5 points. The Dukes aren’t only battling on the field. They’re also battling the NCAA to try and become bowl eligible. The team’s one-year transition waiver in April was denied by the NCAA. But they’re trying again. If denied a second time, the only way JMU can appear in a bowl game is if there aren’t enough 6-6 or better teams to fill the 82 bowl slots.
The Dukes can’t control what the NCAA decides. But they can control what they do on the field and so far, it’s been awfully impressive. James Madison is 10-0 straight-up and 7-3 against the spread. The Dukes are No. 18 in the Associated Press poll, primarily due to a defense that is allowing 18.2 points per game. The offense isn’t bad, scoring 34.3 points against teams allowing 28.8 points. But the defense has been the difference for James Madison this season.
The Mountaineers can match the Dukes offensively. But James Madison’s defense is much better than Appalachian State’s, which is allowing 27.1 points per game. But the Mountaineers are playing better, having won their last three to become bowl eligible. The Sagarin football ratings have JMU winning by 8.3 points, so he’s in agreement with the spread.
The line move here makes sense. The Dukes are bound to be a bit distracted by all the wrangling with the NCAA. And James Madison should begin feeling a little bit of the pressure that comes with being an undefeated team this late in the season. Take the Mountaineers +8.5 points to keep this one close.
Tulane Green Wave at Florida Atlantic Owls
Date, time:
Line: Tulane -9.5
Total: 46.5
Streaming: Live Sports Stream
No. 24 Tulane has pulled off a rare feat, but not in a good way. At least for bettors. The 9-1 Green Wave have won their last four games and lost all four against the point spread. That makes Tulane just the fourth team since 2015 to pull off the feat. But bettors haven’t lost faith in Tulane just yet. The CFB Week 12 betting odds had Tulane move from -7.5 to -9.5 at Florida Atlantic. The Green Wave were favored by double-digits in each of their last four games and won three games by a field goal or less. The other win came by a touchdown.
But there are a few reasons to believe the Green Wave can get things turned around here. Tulane throws the ball well and is solid at stopping the run. That should pay dividends against the Owls.
Florida Atlantic is 4-6 and needs to pull off two upsets to become bowl eligible. It’s unlikely to happen, however, as Tulane should prove to be too much for the Owls. Look for Tulane to pull away from FAU as the game goes on and take the Green Wave in this one. Be sure to check back right here for all the latest picks and parlays.
