College Football Week 13 Parlay: Backing an underdog trio

Oklahoma shook up the CFB Playoff picture with an upset win at Alabama last week, and we’re excited for the blockbuster action to come as the regular season winds down. Week 13 won’t feature the high-profile games we’ll witness over the Thanksgiving Holiday. Still, some prime wagering opportunities remain, and YouBet.com will recommend three best bets for a college football Week 13 parlay. All lines courtesy of BetMGM, times listed as Eastern Standard Time.

CFB Week 13 parlay (+644): Louisville +2.5 – Nebraska +9.5 – USC +9.5

Louisville at SMU, 12 p.m.

Louisville easily outgained and was in position to defeat Clemson last week, holding their rival to a 1-for-13 rate on third-down completions. But they self-destructed with penalties and missed field goals, drawing a pair of fouls (including an unsportsmanlike penalty) while driving deep into Clemson territory, which ultimately doomed them late in the fourth quarter. Cardinals poised to switch to backup quarterback but still have offensive weapons in first-round projected receiver Chris Bell and emerging star running back Keyjuan Brown. And defense received a boost when top linebacker Stanquan Clark returned from injury last week. SMU ruined Louisville’s ACC title game hopes with an upset road win last year, but the Mustangs lack the same offensive firepower this season, losing to lowly Wake Forest 13-12 in recent weeks. Kevin Jennings completed 16 of 32 passes in his last outing; that won’t work against a well-coached Louisville squad that figures to be motivated after consecutive narrow losses. Points are attractive in a projected close game.

Pick: Louisville +2.5

Nebraska at Penn St., 12 p.m.

Penn St. avoided losing every Big 10 game this season, snapping a six-game skid with a 28-10 win over Michigan St., but don’t be fooled. Michigan St. arguably has the worst offense in CFB and still had 100+ rushing yards against a woeful Penn St. defense that has allowed an average of 169 rushing yards in seven conference games. Nebraska’s run defense sucks too, but the Cornhuskers have the better backup quarterback, with TJ Lateef completing 13 of 15 passes for three TDs while making his first start on the road last week, and an emerging All-American running back candidate in Emmett Johnson (418 rushing yards and four touchdowns over the last three games). Nebraska’s offensive game plan hasn’t changed since Dylan Riola went down (unlike Penn St.), and they still have plenty to play for against an inconsistent opponent.

Pick: Nebraska +9.5

USC at Oregon, 7:30 p.m.

Oregon is big up front and has the speed on the edge to take advantage of limited opponents. They lack, however, the offensive firepower from past seasons, and teams with size and athleticism have been competitive in every game this year, with the Ducks losing to Indiana, defeating Penn St. in overtime, and edging Iowa by two points. USC ranks eighth in scoring offense (38.2 points per game), and they’ve reeled off three consecutive wins since a hard-fought loss at Notre Dame. Their versatility behind quarterback Jayden Maiava shouldn’t be underestimated. The Ducks hope to get banged-up receivers Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. back from injury, but their status remains clouded in doubt. And the Ducks don’t blow out teams like USC.

Pick: USC +9.5