Against the Spread: Week 12 CFB predictions

This season, Rivals.com's weekly college football predictions involve anyone on the national staff brave – or foolish – enough to risk embarrassment by making their picks against the spread.

Here are the Week 12 picks versus the midweek Vegas line, according to MGM Mirage.

MORE: Trocchi's Betting Man

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ROB CASSIDY: UCF (-14) over Temple. "Back to the UCF well. Scott Frost is a new dad, but deep inside he’s the same, ol’ spread-covering barbarian he was pre-child. Also, Temple is nowhere near as good as they’ve played as of late. The Knights will cover this spread twice over."

MIKE FARRELL: TCU (-7) over Texas Tech. "TCU was embarrassed on defense last week against Oklahoma and I don’t think that happens again as they cruise to an easy win here."

ADAM FRIEDMAN: N.C. State (+1.5) against Wake Forest. "The Wolfpack squeaked by Boston College last week but lost the two games before. This week they are getting 1.5 points at an in-state rival. Everybody thought N.C. State was a big contender in the ACC less than a month ago and I expect them to win their second straight game this week."

ADAM GORNEY: UCF (–14) over Temple. "I've been living large on Missouri the past month in this section, but 90 percent of the bets are on the Tigers this week and there are rules, people. One rule is if 90 percent of all bets are coming in on one team, something is up. The Vegas lights twinkle on the backs of guys betting on teams at 90 percent. So I'm going with UCF, which still isn't getting the respect it deserves as only a two-touchdown favorite at Temple. Scott Frost and his boys aren't going to Philly to eat cheesesteaks."

JOSH HELMHOLDT: Arkansas (+11.5) against Mississippi State. "Bret Bielema is fighting for his future in Fayetteville and gets a Mississippi State team at home that just came off an emotional, grueling loss to Alabama. Some of those factors appear to already be baked into this line, but I still like the set-up for the Hogs."

DEREK SAMSON: Boise State (+17.5) over Air Force. "Boise State has quietly become one of the best teams in the West once again, and I've had some luck – and last week, it was most certainly luck – picking the Broncos as my lock."

BILL TROCCHI: Missouri (-7.5) over Vanderbilt. "Picking against my alma mater here, but Missouri just trounced Florida and Tennessee, and the Commodores are not better than either of those teams. Missouri also likes to light up the scoreboard against weak defenses. Vanderbilt has given up an average of 46 points per game in SEC play."

WOODY WOMMACK: Nebraska (+26) against Penn State. "The Huskers are having a nightmare of a season but this spread is nearly four touchdowns and blustery weather conditions are expected in Happy Valley. I expect as a result the game will be sloppy and lower scoring and I like Nebraska's chances to cover."

Midweek lines according to MGM Mirage (all games Saturday & Eastern time):

- Michigan (+7.5) at Wisconsin, noon

- Navy (+18) at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m.

- Nebraska (+26.5) at Penn State, 4 p.m.

- LSU (–15.5) at Tennessee, 7 p.m.

- UCLA (+15) at USC, 8 p.m.