The week after Thanksgiving can be a bit of a slog both in real life and in sports. I get it. But the ACC/SEC challenge’s arrival on Tuesday brings with it some good cheer and some great action to help rally the spirits.
The event will take place over two days and features 16 games across the country — starting with a loaded nine-game slate (!!) on Tuesday and concluding Wednesday with seven more games.
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The first day of the challenge features four games in the 7 p.m. ET tipoff slot led by No. 13 Tennessee at Syracuse and Texas A&M at Pittsburgh. The night gets better as it goes along and features No. 15 Florida visiting No. 4 Duke before eventually getting us to the nightcap at Rupp Arena, where No. 16 North Carolina visits No. 18 Kentucky.
That’s a mouthful! That means there’s a ton of action on deck. So I’ve sounded the horn and rallied the troops to prepare accordingly with picks for every game straight up and against the spread below.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook | All times ET
Missouri at Notre Dame
9 p.m. on ESPNU, fuboTV (try for free): The first real test for Missouri (8-0) comes Tuesday with a trip to South Bend. Notre Dame’s 5-3 record won’t intimidate but its competitiveness against quality competition should. It was a thorn in the side vs. Kansas, Ohio State and Houston, and I’d expect more of the same as the Irish return home from a rough week in Vegas. Give me ND to win and cover. Pick: Notre Dame -2.5 — Boone
Miami at Ole Miss
9 p.m. on SEC Network, fuboTV (try for free): Oddsmakers have this one as nearly a toss-up and that’s how I see it, too. For me: Tie goes to the home team in this spot. The Rebels have lost just once at home to an unranked opponent since Chris Beard took over in 2023 and that trend continues. Expecting big games from Ilias Kamardine and AJ Storr as they shake off consecutive losses to Iowa and Utah from last week. Pick: Ole Miss -2.5 — Boone
Georgia at Florida State
9 p.m. on ACC Network, fuboTV (try for free): Coming off a 36-point beatdown at the hands of Texas A&M on Friday, Florida State limps into this one tail tucked and, presumably, out to prove a point. That’ll be tough to do vs. this Georgia team that is third in scoring margin nationally and first in turnover rate forced defensively. But FSU gets its home venue to try and get back on track – and I expect it does. Taking the points here with the home dog. Pick: FSU -1.5 — Boone
No. 16 North Carolina at No. 18 Kentucky
9:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): Kentucky’s metrics look great (No. 11 at KenPom, No. 15 in the NET) but it is 0-2 with a scoring margin of -25 vs. ranked opponents and 5-0 in its other games – all opponents ranked 208th or worse at KenPom. To put it plainly: We know very little about this UK team but its opportunities to shine this season have thus far made it look dull. In Rupp Arena, that trend changes Tuesday – but I like UNC keeping it close and covering the number. Pick: UNC +6.5 — Boone
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
7 p.m.
No. 6 Louisville at No. 25 Arkansas
ESPN
7 p.m.
Clemson at No. 12 Alabama
ESPNU
7 p.m.
LSU at Boston College
ACC Network
9 p.m.
NC State at No. 20 Auburn
ESPN
9 p.m.
Virginia at Texas
ESPNU
9 p.m.
SMU at No. 17 Vanderbilt
SEC Network
9 p.m.
Mississippi State at Georgia Tech
ACC Network
Who will win and cover in every college basketball game? Visit SportsLine to get picks from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times and is up more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated spread picks the past six years.
