Wise is the fan who consults Nick’s No-Nonsense predictions before watching this weekend’s games.
Throughout the 2025 college football season, I give you my just-for-fun picks for contests involving the best teams in the West across five conferences.
Those teams include Arizona, ASU, BYU, Colorado, and Utah in the Big 12; Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington in the Pac-12; Cal and Stanford in the Big Ten; Oregon State and WSU in the Pac-12; and all the teams in the Mountain West.
I went 6-4 in the 10 games I previewed for Week 10. That brings my overall record to 70-33 on the season, good for 68%.
This week, I make picks for the following 10 games:
- Northwestern at USC
- BYU at Texas Tech
- Oregon at Iowa
- Kansas at Arizona
- Washington at Wisconsin
- Stanford at North Carolina
- California at Louisville
- Nebraska at UCLA
- UNLV at Colorado State
- San Diego State at Hawai’i
You will also want to read my previews of ACC and Pac-12 games, Stephen Vilardo’s preview of the Mountain West and Big Ten matchups, and Dane Miller’s previews of the Big 12 contests.
As always, my selections come with my best game-score guesses and just enough commentary to keep me from drinking too much coffee here in the South Shore District of Seattle.
I’m already on my second cup, so let’s get on with the picks!
Northwestern @ USC
Friday, November 7, 6:00 PM
(USC 38-27)
Oh, that’s a big game, I mumble to myself after seeing Northwestern’s record. The Wildcats enter this contest with a 2-3 mark in the Big Ten, barely losing to Nebraska last week. USC enters this contest having knocked off Nebraska last Saturday; they’ve played three out of their previous four on the road. The key to this matchup should prove whether NU can tally enough points to keep pace with SC. Northwestern is 0-3 when giving up more than 23 points, and it feels likely that the Trojans will eclipse this number. The Wildcats must convert on third downs and limit turnovers to help their defense. NU has eight turnovers in its three losses. The only problem with this strategy is that USC is better than Northwestern on the ground. SC ranks 20th in rushing yards per game, while NU is 29th. The Trojans have two halfbacks who’ve rushed for over 500 yards this season. Waymond Jordan leads the group with 576 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. King Miller’s also a threat. Makai Lemon is USC’s best player on offense—Lemon is sixth nationally in receiving yards. Halfback Caleb Komolafe is the Wildcats’ best offensive player. Northwestern’s better than I thought, but that doesn’t change anything. Traveler bucks Willie.
BYU @ Texas Tech
Saturday, November 8th, 9:00 AM
(Texas Tech 35-17)
The most expensive ticket in college football this week can be found in Lubbock, Texas. Mike Leach is smiling somewhere with a pirate sword and an energy concoction by his side. BYU enters this matchup undefeated. Texas Tech’s only loss came at Arizona State, but they were without their starting quarterback, Behren Morton. The key for the Cougars in this contest is protecting the ball. Texas Tech has the second-best defense, according to FEI, and ranks third in the nation in turnovers forced. The Cougs will also need a plan to slow down David Bailey, he’s proven a terror at defensive end. Bailey leads the nation in sacks with 11.5; he has a sack in every game this year. Bear Bachmeier must also create chunk plays with his arm. Bachmeier’s everyday rushing style likely won’t prove effective against Tech, they’re first in rushing yards allowed nationally. This means that Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston will need to make a couple of contested grabs. The duo has combined for 1,107 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Texas Tech ranks 37th in pass yards allowed per game, while BYU ranks 19th nationally in points scored per contest. The Big 12 may enforce a fine, but Cosmo gets wiped out by a tortilla.
Oregon @ Iowa
Saturday, November 8th, 12:30 PM
(Oregon 28-24)
If this contest were last month, Oregon probably would be favored by a lot more. The Ducks looked beatable in October, with a loss to Indiana and an ugly win against Wisconsin. Iowa started 3-2 this season, but they’ve won their last three contests to push their record to 6-2. They trounced Minnesota by 38 last week. The key to this matchup should prove to be UO’s rushing attack. Oregon has multiple halfbacks who can impact the game. Noah Whittington, Dierre Hill Jr., and Jordon Davison each have over 350 yards rushing this season. The Ducks rank ninth in rushing yards per game nationally. It should be interesting to see who controls the line of scrimmage, as Iowa ranks 10th defensively in this statistic. Flipping the field, the Hawkeyes will need to find a way to get production from their passing attack. UI will likely be able to move the ball on the ground with the combination of Kamari Moulton and Mark Gronowski, but to keep pace with Oregon, they’ll need to connect on some passes. Iowa’s a stout team, but they lack productivity at wideout. UO allows the fewest passing yards per game nationally. “Quack Diddle O so, quack quack quack,” ducks eat corn.
Kansas @ Arizona
Saturday, November 8th, 12:30 PM
(Arizona 42-24)
This game isn’t the biggest matchup in the Big 12 this week, but it’s still meaningful. Both of these teams are fighting for their bowl eligibility. Both of these squads won last week, but lost their two previous contests. Arizona obliterated Colorado, and Kansas cruised over Oklahoma State. The key to this contest should prove whether the Jayhawks can stop the Wildcats’ passing attack. KU’s secondary ranks 76th in passing yards allowed per game, and they’ll need to be ready to stop Noah Fifita. Fifita’s a veteran quarterback who gets multiple receivers involved. Javin Whatley and Kris Hutson lead the group; they’ve combined for 759 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. Fifita’s thrown for over 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns this year. Another thing to watch in this contest is if Kansas can get its ground game going. The Jayhawks rank 75th nationally in rushing yards per game, but it feels vital they get moving against a dangerous Arizona secondary. It will likely also help Jalon Daniels get back into rhythm; he’s only thrown for 229 yards in his last two outings. Daniels has had a good year, though; he’s thrown for 1,991 yards, 20 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He’s also added 271 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. In a classic basketball matchup, Big Jay gets denied by Wilma. Wilbur keeps his girl.
Washington @ Wisconsin
Saturday, November 8th, 1:30 PM
(Washington 35-14)
Washington’s back in the top-25, and if they’d like to stay there, they need to beat Wisconsin this week. Even though the Badgers have lost six in a row, they could upset the Huskies; they played Oregon tough in Eugene a week ago. The Dawgs are coming off a bye; Washington beat Illinois two weeks ago. The key to this matchup is whether Wisconsin can score enough points to keep pace with the Dawgs. In five conference games, the Badgers have only tallied 27 points. If home UW is going to pull off an upset, they’ll need whoever plays quarterback to have their best performance of the year. Away, UW ranks 19th in rushing yards allowed per game, so if Wisconsin proves one-dimensional, they’ll be in trouble. The Badgers’ best player on offense is probably Dilin Jones. Jones leads the team in rushing yards and touchdowns with 300 and two. Home UW ranks 127th in passing yards per game. For away UW, the formula remains the same. They’ll rely on the combination of Demond Williams Jr., Jonah Coleman, and Denzel Boston. Dezmen Roebuck’s been improving at wideout as well. Wisconsin’s solid against the run, but ranks 76th in passing yards allowed per game. The Huskies haven’t looked good on the road, but the Badgers haven’t looked good anywhere. Harry cuts the cheese.
Stanford @ North Carolina
Saturday, November 8th, 1:30 PM
(North Carolina 28-20)
Even though Stanford lost to Pittsburgh, they’ve continued to improve throughout the season. No one expected the Cardinal to compete this year, but they’ve been decent, notching two ACC wins. The key for this matchup, as well as the reminder of the season, will be the development of Elijah Brown. Brown has started one contest during his collegiate career; he’s played in five others. If he can find his rhythm from the jump, Stanford could win in Chapel Hill and take back “The Big Game.” The Tree should be able to compete against North Carolina, which ranks 121st nationally in points scored per contest. They’ve struggled both passing and rushing the ball; they rank 114th and 110th in yards per game, respectively. The Tar Heels’ most prominent duo on offense is Gio Lopez and Jordan Shipp. Shipp leads all UNC receivers with 384 receiving yards and three touchdowns. North Carolina’s defense is solid against the run, but it ranks 55th in passing yards allowed per game. This is a good feet-wetting matchup for Brown. The Tar Heels have the better defensive unit, but both teams struggle to score, so it should be a tight one. If Stanford continues to fight, they could steal one down the stretch. But not in Chapel Hill.
California @ Louisville
Saturday, November 8th, 4:00 PM
(Louisville 31-21)
The Golden Bears played the Cavaliers tough, but threw a pick-six on their final drive. California’s schedule becomes tricky to close out the year, which puts the program in an interesting position. Cal begins this stretch by traveling to Louisville this week. The Cardinals have won their last three games, including a notable victory at Miami in mid-October. UL features a balanced offense that should be able to exploit a Bears defense that allowed 73 points against the two Virginia schools. Louisville prefers to move the ball through the air, ranking 44th in passing yards per game, but they’re respectable on the ground. They’re 68th nationally in rushing yards per contest. Isaac Brown’s a problem at halfback; he’s rushed for 782 yards and five touchdowns this year. Brown’s averaging a scalding 8.6 yards per carry. The Cardinals’ quarterback is Miller Moss, the former Trojan, who is having a formidable year. Moss has thrown for 1,929 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He’s also added six touchdowns on the ground. California hopes that its passing attack will be able to move the ball against UL’s passing defense, which ranks 16th in yards allowed per game. Cal’s been hoping for a lot of things, but it just ain’t happening. Louie Louie the Cardinal.
Nebraska @ UCLA
Saturday, November 8th, 6:00 PM
(UCLA 21-20)
These programs differ from one another, and their respective seasons can end on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Bruins started their year as the laughingstock of college football, but won three straight after DeShaun Foster was fired; however, Indiana trounced them last week. For Nebraska, they’ve had a decent start to the year at 6-3, but their starting quarterback, Dylan Raiola, just got injured for the season. We’re about to find out if they can remain competitive. TJ Lateef will be Raiola’s replacement. Lateef has never started a game at the collegiate level. The Cornhuskers should consider giving a few extra touches to Emmett Johnson. Johnson leads the team in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns with 1,002 and ten. He’ll likely be able to exploit a UCLA defense that ranks 120th in rushing yards allowed per game, even if they are stacking the box. The Bruins should follow a similar game plan because the Huskers rank 96th in the same statistic. From a logical standpoint, whoever wins the run game should win this matchup. LA’s three victories have all come when they have at least 30 rushing attempts. Simply put, Nico Iamaleava should be able to handle Lateef. The Cornhuskers overeat at Roscoe’s.
UNLV @ Colorado State
Saturday, November 8th, 6:30 PM
(UNLV 42-14)
This matchup is vital to the remainder of UNLV’s season. The Rebels have lost their last two contests after starting 6-0. If LV wants to stay in the Mountain West race, they have to win against Colorado State. For CSU, they gotta find themselves after the firing of Jay Norvell. The Rams lost their first outing under Tyson Summers, 28-0, in Laramie. CSU’s hurting right now. The key for UNLV is to capitalize on the pain. LV’s defense has been subpar this year; they allow 2.48 points per drive. This would usually prove a problem, but Colorado State likely won’t be able to capitalize; in the last seven quarters, they’ve scored only 12 points. They rank 123rd nationally in points scored per contest. This should take pressure off of UNLV’s offense; it’s easy to play when you don’t have to score a lot. Jai’Den Thomas should be able to take advantage of a Rams rushing defense that ranks 112th in yards per game. Thomas has rushed for 649 yards and seven touchdowns this year. The Rebels also have a solid passing attack led by Anthony Colandrea. LV ranks 27th in passing yards per game. Rounding out the trio is Jaden Bradley at receiver. This game made fearless predictions because UNLV can still make noise in the Mountain West, and they’ll do so by quieting Fort Collins. The Rebels capture CAM.
San Diego State @ Hawaii
Saturday, November 8th, 8:00 PM
(San Diego State 28-17)
If Hawaii had won last week, this game would’ve proven monumental. But with Boise State’s shocking loss at home against Fresno State, San Diego State is in first place in the Mountain West. The Aztecs are 6-1, and have reeled off six straight victories after losing to Washington State, Jayden Denegal’s first start. The key to this contest should prove whether Hawaii can move the ball through the air. SDSU is ninth in the nation in pass yards allowed per game. Players like Chris Johnson, Dalesean Staley, and Dwayne McDougle are all playmakers. Bow’s quarterback, Micah Alejado, will need to be careful where he throws the ball, as San Diego State is tied for 14th nationally with ten interceptions. Alejado’s solid, but he’ll need his top two receivers to make plays in this game. Pofele Ashlock and Jackson Harris are the Rainbow Warriors’ best two wideouts; the combo has combined for 1,199 receiving yards and 13 touchdown receptions. UH ranks seventh nationally in passing yards per game. On offense, SDSU will look to exploit Hawaii’s secondary. The Aztecs struggle to pass the ball, but they have one dangerous receiver in Jordan Napier. Napier has 45 receptions, 610 receiving yards, and two touchdown receptions. To pick against San Diego State feels a little like a Tlaxcalan. The Aztecs blade through the rainbow.
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