Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Braylon Braxton looks to pass against the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns during an NCAA football game at take on Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium in Lafayette, Louisiana.

It's Week 12 of the college football season, and we're getting down to the nitty gritty. Teams have 2 or 3 regular-season games remaining. Bowl eligibility is well in the bag for some, while it hangs in the balance for others. It makes for compelling football as wins and losses mean more in November.

Normally at this time of year, we see storm systems sweep through the Pacific Northwest, Upper Midwest, Mid-Atlantic states and New England ... some with plenty of wind, and sometimes, the wintry stuff. However, this weekend we have a powerful system coming onshore on the west coast and the southwest. What happened to, "it never rains in Southern California?"

After taking a beating in Week 10, we bounced back nicely in Week 11 with a clean sweep in this space. It was a wonderful plus for the checking account, that's for sure. Let's do it again, and get some grocery money for Thanksgiving, while getting into the black for the upcoming bowl and holiday seasons.

After analyzing BetMGM Sportsbook's college football odds, I found some lines we can take advantage of. Below are the best bets and same-game parlays I found, adding to SportsbookWire's expert college football picks and predictions for Week 12.

– Rankings: US LBM Coaches Poll, conducted by the American Football Coaches Association and USA TODAY Sports

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Best college football Week 12 bets

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 11:17 p.m. ET. All games ET.

BALL STATE +2.5 (-110) vs. Eastern Michigan / UNDER 49.5 (-110)

  • Noon ET (ESPN+)

In the Mid-American Conference (MAC), the Eastern Michigan Eagles (3-7, 2-4 MAC) pay a visit to Scheumann Stadium in Muncie, Indiana, to face the Ball State Cardinals (4-5, 3-2). Like last week's Jacksonville State-UTEP game, the wrong team is favored. Let's take advantage.

EMU is eliminated from bowl contention, while Ball State is still very much in the mix for a postseason spot. So, The Cardinals are underdogs? It makes no sense.

In addition, Ball State is unbeaten at home this season. The Cardinals are 4-0 straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) at home, including a 20-14 win over Ohio as 14.5-point underdogs Oct. 4. Two weeks later as 2-point home dogs, Ball State upset Akron 42-28 . The Cardinals are 6-2 ATS in the past 8 games (6-3 ATS overall this season), while Eastern is just 2-4 SU in the past 6 games, albeit 4-1 ATS in the past 5 outings.

It's Senior Day in Muncie, too, so there is even more incentive for the Cardinals to close out the home schedule perfect.

As for the total, the Under is 3-1 in the past 4 games for Eastern Michigan, but the Over is 4-1 in its road games. The Under is 4-1 in the past 5 games for Ball State, and 2-1 in its 3 home games against FBS opponents. Let's side with the Under here, too.

BEST BET: BALL STATE MONEYLINE (+120)

SAME-GAME PARLAY I: BALL STATE ML and UNDER 51.5 = (+260)

SAME-GAME PARLAY II (teasing 6 points): BALL STATE +8.5 and UNDER 57.5 = (-110)

MARSHALL -7.5 (-110) at Georgia State / OVER U 62.5 (-105)

  • 2 p.m. (ESPN+)

The Marshall Thundering Herd (4-5, 2-3 Sun Belt) travel to face the Georgia State Panthers (1-8, 0-5) at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fun fact about Center Parc Stadium, it was originally built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, known then as Centennial Olympic Stadium. It was then reconfigured to serve as the new home of the Atlanta Braves in 1997, and it was known as Turner Field. Canada's Donovan Bailey won a gold medal with a then-world record 9.84 seconds in the 100m, USA's Michael Johnson won gold in the 200m (then-world record 19.32) and 400m races. After really going down a rabbit hole in my research, I found Burundi's only gold medal in the Olympics came at the venue, as Venuste Niyongabo won a gold in the 5000m in Burundi's first Olympics. Carl Lewis won gold in the long jump, too, while Dan O'Brien won gold in the decathlon. Remember those old Dan and Dave Reebok commercials? Ha. Anyway...

... back to college football. That's why we're here, right?

Marshall has been tripped up in the past 2 games, but the losses were to James Madison last Saturday and to Coastal Carolina Oct. 30 -- the top 2 teams in the East Division. The Herd covered as 13.5-point home underdogs in a 35-23 defeat to JMU. They didn't cover as 6.5-point favorites at Coastal in a 44-27 setback. The Thundering Herd are 3-1 ATS in the past 4 games, and 5-2 ATS in the past 7, and they're still very much in the mix for a bowl game.

Georgia State is terrible. The Panthers are 1-8 SU/ATS in 9 tries this season. The only win (37-21) is against FCS Murray State Sept. 13. The Panthers have scored 20 or more points in 4 in a row, and in 6 of the past 7. However, they've given up 38+ points in 4 in a row, and 7 of 8 games vs. FBS foes. So, it's no surprise the Over cashed in each of the past 4 games. That upset over Vanderbilt and QB Diego Pavia last season in Atlanta Sept. 14, 2024, seems like centuries ago.

For Marshall, the Over has hit in 6 in a row. The Herd have scored 23 or more points in 7 in a row, and at least 38 points 5 times in the span. They have also allowed 35 or more points in 3 in a row, and 21+ points against all 8 of their FBS opponents.

Strike gold with the Herd and the Over here.

BEST BET: MARSHALL -7.5 (-110) / BEST BET II: OVER 62.5 (-105)

SAME-GAME PARLAY I: MARSHALL -7.5 and OVER 62.5 = (+225)

SAME-GAME PARLAY II (teasing 6 points): MARSHALL -1.5 and OVER 56.5 = (-105)

SOUTHERN MISS (-3) vs. Texas State / OVER 65.5 (-105)

  • 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Staying in the Sun Belt for our final play, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles (7-2, 5-0) host the Texas State Bobcats (3-6, 0-5) at M. M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Southern Miss has flown under the radar this season, perhaps more than any other team in the nation. It sits atop the SBC West Division at 5-0, a game and a half clear of Arkansas State and Troy -- both have 2 losses in conference. On the flip side, Texas State is 1 of 2 teams in the conference without a league win -- Georgia State is the other.

Last season, USM was whomped 58-3 in San Marcos, Texas, by TSU. The Golden Eagles come in hot with revenge on their minds, while looking to sew up a trip to the conference title game. The Golden Eagles have scored at least 38 points in each of their past 4 home games, cashing Overs in all 4, while going 5-3 O/U in the past 8 outings.

Texas State has allowed 40+ in 4 in a row, all Over results.

BEST BET: SOUTHERN MISS -3 (-110) / BEST BET II: OVER 65.5 (-105)

SAME-GAME PARLAY I: SOUTHERN MISS -3.5 and OVER 65.5 = (+250)

SAME-GAME PARLAY II (teasing 6 points): SOUTHERN MISS +2.5 and OVER 59.5 = (+120)

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: College football hidden games for Week 12 best bets

Reporting by Daniel Dobish, Sportsbook Wire / Sportsbook Wire

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