Entering week 12 of the college football season, many squads have figured out where they stand in the landscape of the 2024-25 season, but still some are fighting for bowl berths. Over in Seattle, the Washington Huskies are aiming to lock up a bowl berth if they can score a win beyond their 5-5 record. This week they will face the UCLA Bruins in the friendly confines of Husky Stadium and look to bounce back from their loss at Penn State. Meanwhile, in the Big 12, Houston hits the road to Tucson as the Cougars square off against the Wildcats. Houston currently sits at 4-5 and a win here would be huge for its bowl aspirations, but the frisky Wildcats are not going to go down without a fight as they try to snap their current five-game losing streak.
For this article, SBS will explore what to look for from each of these teams, a predicted winner, and also some more thoughts and notes regarding NCAA football wagering and more.
| NCAA Football Week Twelve Games | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA at Washington | Washington ML | -170 | -170 | -170 |
| Houston at Arizona | Arizona -1.5 | -115 | -115 | -115 |
Team Spotlight: UCLA Bruins
Entering this contest, the Bruins are winners of three straight conference games, all coming in nail-biter fashion. This includes two impressive road wins at Rutgers (35-32) and Nebraska (27-20) and most recently, a win over Iowa at the Rose Bowl. Quarterback Ethan Garbers (1,906 passing yards and 12 scores) is a solid passer, but he has 11 picks so far on the season. That said, if he can mitigate the turnovers then the Bruins have an excellent shot here. It should also be noted that the three teams they just beat have a combined record of 16-12 and all have winning records on their own. Wide receiver Moloki Matavao is still looking for his first score of the season.
Team Spotlight: Washington Huskies
For the Huskies, Washington has a better quarterback in Will Rogers who has amassed 2,343 passing yards and 13 scores this year, with only five turnovers. However, a pivotal part of the UW attack is running back Jonah Coleman (913 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns). While Washington is 1-3 in their last four games, they still have some strong victories this season, including wins over then-No. 10 Michigan, USC, and Northwestern. Wide receiver Denzel Boston has notched 717 receiving yards this year along with an impressive nine scores as well. This trio will be huge if the Huskies are to score a win.
While Washington has been up and down as of late, the Huskies are the better team and have a home-field advantage here as well. Take them to win.
Team Spotlight: Houston Cougars
This year has been one to forget for Houston, but there is still hope that the Cougs can salvage the season with a bowl berth, especially after two encouraging victories. Houston is coming off back-to-back wins at home over Kansas State and also Utah, the latter of which came by a margin of three points, 17-14. Quarterback Donovan Smith (four touchdowns and eight picks) has been careless with the football this season but is a solid athlete. He will need to cut down on the turnovers in this contest so that Houston can make a run in Arizona. The Cougars also boast a strong road win against TCU included in their last four contests, so they have been playing some stronger football lately.
Team Spotlight: Arizona Wildcats
Coming into this game, the Wildcats are losers of five straight and desperately need a victory here to charge up their fan base a bit. While not every game in the losing streak has been a blowout, the Cats have lost in double-digit fashion to BYU, Colorado (34-7), and most recently at UCF. That said, they should be somewhat restored coming off a bye week and playing at home in Tucson. Additionally, Arizona does have a signature win this season, over then No.10-ranked Utah in Salt Lake, but that seems like ancient history at this point. Regardless, Arizona will need its big playmakers, specifically quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (1,066 receiving yards and seven scores) to play well this game.
Another back-and-forth affair, take the Wildcats to snap their losing streak in this conference showdown in the desert.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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