TST Best Bets: November 13, 2026

The UCLA Bruins’ rise to No. 4 this late in the season has been one of college football’s most feel-good stories. Tonight, they put their unbeaten Big Ten record on the line against the Illinois Fighting Illini, who are riding a four-game winning streak.

Another ranked team is in action tonight as the No. 14 Houston Cougars take on the Colorado Buffaloes, with coach Deion Sanders under mounting pressure to close this season out on a high-note.

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First Pick: UCLA -10 over Illinois

Rundown: I’m laying the 10 with UCLA. The Bruins have covered every game this season, including all five at home, and their offense has several ways to attack an Illinois defense that has struggled to keep opponents on schedule. UCLA also has the edge when it comes to turning red-zone trips into touchdowns.

Illinois is playing well, but the common-opponent results point to a sizable gap: UCLA covered against Maryland, Michigan State and Purdue by an average of nearly 28 points, while Illinois went 1–2 ATS in those matchups. With UCLA’s unbeaten start and takeaway production, I’ll take the Bruins to win by margin.

Second Pick: Colorado +7.5 over Houston

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Nov 7, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders leads his team of the field against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Mountain America Stadium.

Rundown: I’m taking Colorado +7.5. Houston has the better record, but it hasn’t rewarded bettors as a favorite: the Cougars are 0–5 ATS in that role against FBS teams. That makes more than a touchdown with the home side appealing.

Colorado’s season has gone sideways, but Isaac Wilson and Joseph Williams have shown enough to give the offense a chance to stay in this. A Friday night at Folsom Field helps, too, especially against a Houston team that needed a late push to get past Cincinnati.

Deion Sanders is feeling the heat, and Colorado needs to win out to become bowl-eligible. That’s a lot of pressure, but it could also bring out the Buffaloes’ most urgent performance of the season. I’ll take the points and back them to make Houston earn it.