Taking Bets | Thanks For Rivals | Week Thirteen

2024 ATS Record
Blaine Duncan: 30-21 (Week Thirteen: 3-1) 
TD Wood: 21-29-1 (Week Thirteen: 2-2)
Mallory McCormack: 25-26 (Week Thirteen: 2-2)
Greg Bosworth: 19-32 (Week Thirteen: 1-3)

Each Friday evening -- you know, unless it's Thanksgiving and Rivalry Week -- the “Taking Bets” column readies us all for football weekend with keen ideas on the bets to make or those with potential to avoid. It’s host of The Staredown Mallory McCormack, host of Takin’ On Sports TD Wood, editor-in-chief Blaine Duncan, and co-host of Takin’ On Sports Greg Bosworth! Find the bets, which includes one NFL game per week, on the site each Friday evening at 6:30!

Blaine Duncan 
I don’t know about y’all, but I found a record book and threw it out the window. 

Memphis (+14) at Tulane (Thanksgiving Night Special) - Folks really be out here hoping Tulane makes the playoffs. C’mon, man. Not only will the Tigers beat the spread, they’ll outright win by a touchdown and throw more shit into chaos. 

Georgia Tech at Georgia (-19.5) - Why, it seems like only yesterday we were wowed by the Yellowjackets traveling to Dublin and getting a surprise win over the Seminoles. We see now what the case was: Florida State ain’t worth a shit. The Bulldogs are looking to make a serious case for some playoff action, i.e. a bye week, so I got Georgia winning big. 

Auburn (+11.5) at Alabama - No way that this isn’t a three-point win for one of these teams. 

NFL Game of the Week (Thanksgiving Night Special): Dolphins at Packers (-3.5) - Last week I went with the Dolphins as they seem to be picking up the pieces and maybe putting together a decent season. This week, though, they’re running into a team who’s making bona fide playoff strides. The Pack in prime time on Thanksgiving at home. It sounds like a touchdown victory. 

TD Wood
Let me begin by reiterating a point Greg and I made on this week’s episode of Takin’ On Sports: The Egg Bowl not being on Thanksgiving night is some Grade-A horseshit. For that matter, there being only ONE college game on Turkey Day is an affront to the American way of life. Texas and Texas A&M used to ball on the holiday as well. I’m not asking for a lot, but just give me a slate of games throughout the day as an alternative to whatever slog-fest the NFL throws out because they choose to honor the “tradition” of Detroit and Dallas always hosting instead of scheduling prime matchups (at least the Lions are finally good, I suppose). Anyway, my picks… whatever. 

Mississippi State at Ole Miss (Over 61.5) – We’ll see how Lane Kiffin’s Rebels respond to their loss last week; I personally think it’ll be by scoring a lot of points. Things haven’t been great for the Bulldogs this year, but I like the quarterback they’ve found in Michael Van Buren, Jr., and they should put up some points, too.

South Carolina (+2.5) at Clemson – The Gamecocks are that proverbial “scariest team” right now, with that vicious pass rush and dynamic duo of LaNorris Sellers and Rocket Sanders. Clemson has only one win over a team with a winning record, Pitt, and the Panthers have lost four-in-a-row and aren’t so impressive anymore. It just seems fitting that South Carolina’s regular season ends with a win over arch rival Clemson in Death Valley.

Texas at Texas A&M (+5.5) – First time the rivalry has been played in over a decade, the winner goes to the SEC Championship to face Georgia, and A&M is coming off of that upset at the hands of the infamous Jordan-Hare Voodoo. This one is gonna be all kinds of the best kind of weird.

NFL Game of the Week: Seahawks (-2) at Jets – Seattle is heating up, and they’re on top of the NFC West after back-to-back wins over division rivals Cardinals and 49ers. The Jets…well, they suck. The Aaron Rodgers experiment has been a failure, and the Seahawks have something to play for here.

Mallory McCormack 
What an insane weekend. And we still have one left to go. It’s rivalry week, y'all!! Time to dry those tears and focus on one thing and one thing only: the opposition! For me, that means having my ears ready for anyone who is able to sneak in one of those awful cowbells. And you better believe I’m ready to silence them immediately! And the SEC can kiss my ass because I should be having my Thanksgiving meal in my tailgate spot. #teameggbowlonthanksgiving  Now that I’ve gotten that out, let’s see who we can knock out of contention shall we?

UTSA at Army (-7) - I like the Black Knights at home to continue undefeated in conference play. Just like I think Tulane will be when the meet on December 6 for the conference championship. 

Arkansas at Missouri (-3) - I love Eli Drinkwitz’s outburst against those Bulldogs last week. I think his intensity carries over again. Mizzou at home by more than 3. 

Kansas (-1.5) at Baylor - I’m not making the mistake of picking against Kansas. Also, I love the chaos they created!!

NFL Game of the Week: Seahawks (-2) at Jets - I’m not going to be surprised if both NY teams are looking for new starting QBs next year. A-a-Ron a-a-in’t it. 

Greg Bosworth 
Just like Alabama, my picks fell short in the clutch, but the fight for .500 continues. It should be a great weekend feast of football. Nothing is more beautiful in sports than a little hate, and Rivalry Week never disappoints. 

Tennessee at Vanderbilt (Under 48.5) – This might be the most interesting game we’ve seen between these two teams in a while. With a win, the Vols pretty much lock up a playoff spot, but the Commodores would love to play spoiler on Saturday. Neither offense has looked great in weeks so expect a low scoring one in Nashville.

Georgia Tech (+19.5) at Georgia – A rivalry that has been rather one sided as of late, but Georgia Tech is getting better. The Dawgs have already clinched a spot in the SEC Championship Game so we’ll see how motivated they are on Friday night.  One thing that Georgia doesn’t do that great is stop the run, and that is what the Yellow Jackets will look to exploit led by Haynes King. For what it’s worth, UMass did rush for over 220 yards last Saturday. No, I don’t see an upset here, but that seems like a mighty large point spread.

Texas at Texas A&M (+5.5) – After more than a decade, one of the most petty rivalries is back on the gridiron, and it will be a scene at Kyle Field Saturday night. To make it even better a spot in the SEC Championship Game is on the line and it will be a long year for the losing team, especially the Aggies. Everybody has been questioning who the Longhorns have beaten this season, so this would be a good win for their suspect resume. Coming into the season, I really thought Texas A&M would win this game, but after last weekend, I am not as convinced. It’s been a wild season, so nothing really shocks me at this point, but a blowout either way would be almost a shocker. 

NFL Game of the Week: Giants at Cowboys (-3.5) – Still believe this is the only Thursday the NFL should have games, and only the Lions and Cowboys games. With that being said, Dallas will have two wins in a row on Turkey Day and give those who still pay to see them their first win to see in person. This is the only Cowboys game I feel good about for the remainder of the season. 

Note: All games are against the spread. Odds are taken from MGM Grand Sportsbook.