College football Week 15 odds, picks, and viewing guide

In any other season, the only college football game we would have to look forward to this upcoming weekend is the annual Army-Navy game.

Finally, we have our silver lining to 2020, as it’s mid-December and we still have a full slate on a Saturday. Let’s take a look at three games that should make for some of the best viewing of the week.

#7 Cincinnati vs. #18 Tulsa

This is a game that was originally scheduled for October 17 and was postponed due to COVID-19. Since that time, Cincinnati has continued its winning ways and enters this game 8-0 SU and (5-3 ATS).

This will be the Bearcats' final regular-season game of the season, and they will continue to need a tremendous amount of help and good fortune to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Their opponent, Tulsa, has had a good season of its own and sits at 6-1 SU (6-1 ATS). Their only loss came in the opener against Oklahoma State, meaning they are still undefeated in conference. Cincinnati is installed as a 12-point favorite.

When these teams played last year, Cincinnati prevailed 24-13. While Cincinnati has clearly improved a bit from last year’s squad, Tulsa has improved on last season's 4-8 campaign, as well.

The Golden Hurricane were just three-point underdogs back in October, and while we have more data to recognize Cincinnati is better than realized, this feels like too big of an adjustment.

Tulsa's defense is 27th in the country in yards allowed per rush, ninth in yards allowed per pass attempt, and eighth in total yards per opponent play.

Cincinnati's defense is better, but Tulsa’s unit should keep it in the game long enough to cover this number.

Tulsa +12

#3 Ohio State vs. Michigan

In most years, this Big Ten matchup arguably would be the game of the year in the conference, if not the entire country. One of the sports’ greatest rivalries with a history of highly-contested matchups, it is traditional appointment viewing for the Saturday of Thanksgiving week.

In 2020, it will hardly be competitive, but there is still a point spread and a chance to view one of the nation’s top teams.

Ohio State enters at 5-0 SU (3-2 ATS), while Michigan is just 2-4 SU (1-5 ATS). Ohio State is a massive 28-point favorite.

The biggest question mark headed into this game is whether the event will even take place, but assuming it does, it will be the largest point spread in the history of the rivalry and the most points Michigan will be getting as an underdog since 1978.

In its most recent game, Michigan lost to Penn State 27-17, and while the Wolverines are clearly overmatched, there is still talent and presumably some pride on the roster.

If you decide to go to Michigan, this is your Super Bowl. There are several blue-chip recruits across the offensive side of the ball, and while the Michigan defense has been well below standards this year, expect them to play conservatively and force Ohio State to grind them down, rather than break big plays, in order to keep things respectful.

With a historic spread on this great rivalry, I have to take the points.

Pick: Michigan +28

Army vs. Navy

The 3-6 Navy Midshipmen (4-5 ATS) face the 7-2 Army Black Knights (5-4 ATS) in another of the sport's greatest games. And football aside, thank you to all of our service men and women both past and present.

For years, Navy dominated this matchup, rattling off 14 straight wins from 2002-2015. Army then turned the tables, winning three straight before falling last year, 31-7. Army enters this game as a seven-point favorite.

While Army’s record and statistics look better on paper, the level of competition that each team has faced is noticeably different. Navy started the year with a struggling defense, but after missing several weeks of play, it has resumed with a much tougher defense. It surrendered just 19 points to Tulsa and 10 to Memphis.

Army has given up 4.1 yards per rush on the season, but 5.7 over its last three games, a bad trend heading into a matchup against the run-heavy Midshipmen.

Navy, meanwhile, has averaged 5.4 yards per rush surrendered on the year, but has improved to just 4.7 over the last three. In what should be a low-scoring, very competitive rivalry game, I’ll take the underdog that is playing better defensively.

Pick: Navy +7

 NCAAF Week 15 betting trends

• The underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 matchups between Ohio State and Michigan.
• The last 7 games between Ohio State and Michigan have gone Over the total.
• Tulsa is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games as an underdog.
• 15 of the last 17 games between Army and Navy have gone Under.
• 7 of the last 10 games between Army and Navy have been decided by a touchdown or less.

Find all the latest odds on NCAAF Week 15 at BetAmerica