College Football Week 9 Odds, Picks & Predictions (2024)
Gear up for another awesome weekend of college football action with BettingPros! We’ll have you covered with all of our top picks for the week along with our projected spreads and totals to help guide your college football bets. Below are our top picks and predictions for Week 9’s college football games.
- More NCAAF Betting Advice
- Expert Game Picks for College Football
- Top Bettor Picks for College Football
- NCAAF Betting Strategy
Top College Football Picks: Week 9
Texas vs. Vanderbilt
Georgia gave the Longhorns a proper 'Welcome to the SEC' last week, but the question now is how well Texas may or may not bounce back. While conventional wisdom says they should have no trouble doing so against the Commodores, we've already seen Vandy record one monster upset this year. Georgia did provide teams with a blueprint for defeating the Longhorns-make them one-dimensional. The Bulldogs shut down the run, forcing Texas to pass. Since Georgia knew what they would do, they could (and did ) stop it. However, Vanderbilt doesn't have quite the same personnel as the Bulldogs. They have a solid overall defense, but good enough to stop Texas? No. Slow it down? Maybe. I think Texas will come out guns blazing, but this is not your usual Vandy team. These guys can play and will not roll over to anyone.
Pick: Vanderbilt +17.5
-Travis Pulver
Illinois vs. Oregon
Oregon has already slain the Big Ten beast in Ohio State, so handling Illinois will be no problem— right? Not necessarily. The Fighting Illini have proven to be an excellent all-around team this year with wins over Kansas, Nebraska, and Michigan while giving Penn State a heck of a fight in their one loss. They have a solid run game powered by four running backs, all averaging at least four yards a carry. Quarterback Luke Altmeyer chips in at the run game, but his stats are not impressive. Altmeyer is having a good year at quarterback, completing 65.9% of his passes with 15 touchdowns and one pick. They'll face their most formidable challenge to date in the Oregon defense. Their own defense will have its hands full trying to slow down a Ducks offense led by Dillon Gabriel that keeps getting better as the season goes on. Does the Fighting Illini have a fighting chance against the No. 1 team in the country? Sure-but not enough of one to bet on them to win outright, but ATS...
Pick: Illinois +21.5
-Travis Pulver
Penn State vs. Wisconsin
Penn State heads to Madison to take on Wisconsin, and it will be a big test for the Nittany Lions. While Penn State is 6-0 on the season, and it has wins against Illinois, USC and West Virginia, the jury is still out on how good this team can be. It had a narrow 33-30 OT win at USC last time out two weeks ago, and that is looking less impressive after the Trojans went to Maryland and lost again. Wisconsin has picked up the intensity on defense in the past three games, allowing single-digit point totals in each victory. Officially, the Badgers have allowed just 5.3 PPG in the three-game span against Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern, with only the Scarlet Knights moving the needle in terms of being impressed. Wisconsin was dropped by 17 at USC, and humbled by 32 points vs Alabama, so the jury is still out for Wisconsin, too, although the arrow is certainly point upward. This is an intriguing game, but Penn State has won and covered five in a row in this series dating back to Nov. 24, 2012. QB Drew Allar has the tools to be successful, and Penn State has a pretty good defense in its own right. The total seems a bit high given the fact we have two heavyweight defenses locking horns. Go low, and feel confident in doing so.
Pick: Under 47.5
-Daniel Dobish
Nebraska vs. Ohio State
The Cornhuskers had a little wind taken out of their sails with a 56-7 thumping from Indiana on the road last weekend. After opening 5-1, with just a lone OT loss to Illinois, it looked like the Black Shirts defense was back in Lincoln. But, Curt Cignetti’s offense obliterated the Huskers, sending them back to the drawing board. Now, Nebraska must regroup and improve exponentially against an Ohio State team that is angry and motivated after losing a one-point thriller at Oregon two weeks ago. The Buckeyes were on a bye last week, and they’ll be champing at the bit to get back on the gridiron and prove themselves. And, to make matters worse for the Huskers, the Buckeyes will be doing it at mostly full health. QB Will Howard and true freshman WR Jeremiah Smith have been a tremendous pass-catch combination, while RBs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson could find little resistance against a Nebraska run defense that allowed 215 yards to Indiana a week ago. The Huskers need to take care of the ball better, too, as they a minus-4 turnover differential last week, and that simply won’t do against a highly-talented Buckeyes squad.
Pick: Ohio State -25.5
-Daniel Dobish
Florida State vs. Miami
Typically, Miami vs. Florida State is one of the more exciting rivalry games; it may not be this year. Florida State had to revamp the team with several key offensive players leaving for the NFL. The new players, including quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, have not worked out as they have scored the second-fewest points per game in the country (15.0). To make matters worse, DJU is out with a broken finger, leaving Brock Glenn as the starter. On the other end of the spectrum, Miami is the second-best scoring offense in the country (48.3). Quarterback Cam Ward has been lighting up the stat sheet as his 2,538 passing yards are 154 better than the next Power Four quarterback, and he is a leading Heisman candidate. The Hurricanes’ defense has been non-existent in ACC play by allowing 39 points per game, but you cannot have any confidence the Seminoles can take advantage, and Miami's offense shouldn't make this a competitive game.
Pick: Miami -21
-John Supowitz
Missouri vs. Alabama
Missouri could be at a huge disadvantage as they will be without leading rushing Nate Noel and their starting quarterback Brady Cook is a game time decision. If Cook can’t go, former Notre Dame and Arizona State QB Drew Pyne would get the start and play game manager because while he doesn't turn the ball over, it's because he doesn't take shots downfield. The game would feature more of former Georgia State RB Marcus Carroll, who averages 4.9 yards per carry. This can be a get-right game for an Alabama team that has noticeably struggled. The defense allows 30.7 points per game against SEC opponents, and in the last game against Tennessee, the start could not stop them on third down. The offense isn't doing any better, especially the run game that was supposed to drive this team, but they averaged 2.8 yards per carry in the last three games. This could be a sloppy game for both sides, and we shouldn't expect much scoring from either side.
Pick: Under 51.5
-John Supowitz
LSU vs. Texas A&M
With losses in their season openers, the year did not get off to a solid start for the Aggies or Tigers. But fast forward to the present, and they enter this weekend's game as the only remaining undefeated teams in SEC play. So, both are proof that teams can and do get better as the season goes on. But who will win this matchup? LSU is a passing team that struggles to run the ball; the Tigers defend the run well but not the pass. Texas A&M is a solid run team that doesn't pass well; on defense, they are better at stopping the run than the pass, but they are not bad at either. The winner will be whoever can exploit the other's weaknesses more. Who will that be? That's an excellent question. But I will say that the A&M run game will keep either team from blowing up on the scoreboard.
Pick: Under 54.5
-Travis Pulver
BYU vs. UCF
This is one of the fishiest spreads you’ll ever see. The Cougars are undefeated and ranked 11th in the country, yet they’re underdogs against a UCF team that has lost four games in a row. While the knee-jerk reaction is to take the Cougars, looking deeper, this spread makes sense. The Cougars have the 116th-ranked run defense, allowing 186.3 rushing yards per game. The Knights have the fourth-ranked rushing offense in the nation, averaging 251.3 yards per game. The Cougars have an explosive offense, and they’re averaging 33.8 points per game, but the Knights are going to control the clock in this game and hand the Cougars their first defeat in convincing fashion.
Pick: UCF -2.5
-Phil Wood
Washington vs. Indiana
Is there a bigger surprise in college football this year than the Hoosiers? Not only do these guys enter the game vs. Washington undefeated, but they do so with the No. 1 scoring offense in the country (48.7 ppg)! Not Ohio State, Alabama, or Georgia-but Indiana, now ranked higher than Alabama! But while the visiting Huskies are 4-3, they will not go quietly into the night. Washington has the No. 1 pass defense in the country, does a good job against the run, and has allowed 17 ppg this season. But while they have a solid passing game (17th) and a good overall offense (24th in total yards), they struggle to score points (24.1 ppg; No. 92). This will be a good test for the Hoosiers, who will be without star quarterback Kurtis Rourke. However, Tayveon Austin, who took over at halftime last week, led the team on four second-half touchdown drives. But even if the offense struggles to get on track, the IU defense can handle whatever the Huskies throw at them.
Pick: Indiana -5.5
-Travis Pulver
Kansas vs. Kansas State
The Jayhawks finally ended their five-game losing streak by defeating the Houston Cougars 42-14 last week. Now, they have some momentum as they head into their rivalry game against Kansas State. The Wildcats have won three in a row, scoring at least 31 in each contest. And while they’re the better side in this game, 10 points is a lot in a rivalry game, especially when you consider only one of the Jayhawks’ five losses this season has been by double digits. Instead, take the Over. Both of these teams are averaging at least 27 points per game. The Jayhawks are allowing 27.5 points per game, so the Wildcats should have no problem going over their season average in the game. Based on what both teams have done of late, it wouldn’t be surprising to see both teams in the 30s.
Pick: Over 55.5
-Phil Wood
Oklahoma vs. Ole Miss
It’s hard to gauge where Oklahoma is at mentally after getting obliterated at home by South Carolina, a week after getting drubbed in the Red River Rivalry. Meanwhile, Ole Miss is off a bye and at home after seeing their CFP hopes likely vanish after a heartbreaking loss at LSU. The Rebels might not be totally motivated, and Lane Kiffin’s flirtation season could be upon us soon. But the Sooners are decimated and deflated. This has blowout written all over it.
Pick: Ole Miss -19
-Matt Barbato
SMU vs. Duke
We get a pair of bowl-eligible ACC teams squaring off at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham on Saturday night. SMU has come into the league and rolled in its first season, scoring wins at Louisville and Stanford, while spanking Florida State. It’s lone blemish on the season is at home against an unbeaten BYU team back on Sept. 6. The Mustangs have picked up the pace on offense in the past month, going for 34 or more points in four straight games, including a 66-42 win over TCU. The defense has been a little better since then, but it still needs some work. Duke has quietly won six games, as Manny Diaz has picked up right where Mike Elko left off. The Blue Devils have wins over Northwestern, North Carolina and Florida State, but all of those wins were in one-score games. The Blue Devils have been finding a way to win, while relying upon a nasty defense allowing just 153.6 yards per game, with 17.3 PPG. Those defensive numbers will be put to the test against a high-octane and well-balanced Mustangs offense. However, SMU laying double digits on the road might be a bit much. Duke doesn’t necessarily have the offense to get into a shootout, but it has the defense to limit what SMU can do offensively.
Pick: Duke +11.5
-Daniel Dobish
Michigan State vs. Michigan
After upsetting Iowa at home last week, Michigan State should be a live underdog against Michigan at The Big House. The Wolverines offense still isn’t good despite changing QBs again last week against Illinois. With a total below 40, I like the underdog Spartans to keep it within a field goal, and perhaps win outright against a Michigan offense that just doesn’t have much upside.
Pick: Michigan State +4
-Matt Barbato
Notre Dame vs. Navy
Could this be a College Football Playoff elimination game? Notre Dame has righted things after their setback against NIU. But the better story has been the undefeated Midshipmen. As great of a story as Navy has been, they haven’t played many quality opponents, with their best win being against Memphis. I do think Notre Dame will be prepared for Navy’s offense, and they can’t afford a slip-up with their CFP hopes on the line.
Pick: Notre Dame -13.5
-Matt Barbato
Arkansas vs. Mississippi State
Take away the game against LSU, and Arkansas has been more competitive in their SEC matchups. They beat, at the time, No. 4 Tennessee and nearly defeated No. 24 Texas A&M. They still play Ole Miss, Texas, and Missouri, so their season isn't done. The Hogs will try to wear down their opponent as they're one of the fastest teams in the nation with 75.6 plays per game (13th), with QB Taylor Green and RB Ja’Quinden Jackson leading a consistent rushing attack. The pass defense is excellent, and last week, they held Garrett Nussmeier to 233 passing yards, his lowest total as a starter. There isn't much optimism in a 1-6 Mississippi State, but watching QB Michael Van Buren gives hope. Over his last two games, the true freshman has thrown for 548 yards and six touchdowns against Georgia and Texas A&M. Accuracy is an issue with a 53.5 completion, but you hope he can build on his accomplishments. If the Bulldogs had any run game, the balanced attack could catch the Hogs off guard, but being dimensional that plays in your opponent's is a recipe for disaster.
Pick: Arkansas -7
-John Supowitz
Maryland vs. Minnesota
This a really hard game to pick because of how inconsistent both of these teams have been. Maryland lost back-to-back games to Northwestern and Indiana, allowing 79 combined points. The Terrapins followed up those performances with a 29-28 win over USC. Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers gave up 58 combined points to Michigan and Iowa in back-to-back weeks, then held USC and UCLA to just 17 points each in consecutive victories. The Terrapins have the advantage on the offensive side, but the Golden Gophers have a much better defense. In the Big 10, defense tends to win out. And with how bad Maryland’s defense has been, the Terrapins won’t be able to keep this within four points.
Pick: Minnesota -5.5
-Phil Wood
Auburn vs. Kentucky
The Auburn Tigers have lost four consecutive games heading into Saturday's bout against Kentucky. The latest loss came against Missouri after losing a massive lead in the fourth quarter. The Tigers certainly don't look like a great program. But at least they didn't get blown out by Florida! On the other hand, Kentucky was embarrassed, 48-20, on the road against Florida last week after already losing to Vanderbilt the previous week at home. Say what you want about Vanderbilt, but it's still Vanderbilt! There are ways to beat Kentucky. Florida showed us that last week. Look for running back Jarquez Hunter of Auburn to have a big game rushing the football against Kentucky. I'll back Auburn on the moneyline.
Pick: Auburn ML (EVEN)
-Jason Radowitz
Oregon State vs. California
Although California left for the ACC, it still scheduled a rivalry matchup against Oregon State this year. The Oregon State Beavers have taken a step back this season. With back-to-back losses against Nevada and UNLV and a near-loss against Colorado State, it's clear that Oregon State isn't a good football program. Ultimately, the Beavers can score at will. However, the defense typically gives up points at will, too. The Beavers have allowed 196.29 yards on the ground per game this season. Meanwhile, California’s starting running back, Jaydn Ott, could return for this game after missing the last two games with an ankle injury. He's been practicing this week, making it more and more likely he'll be back. Ott, or whoever runs the ball, should change this game. Take California at home at -10.5.
Pick: California -10.5
-Jason Radowitz
Cincinnati vs. Colorado
Whoever wins Saturday's game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Colorado Buffaloes will be bowl-eligible. Colorado wasn't eligible last season after only winning four games last year. However, Deion Sanders has turned Colorado into a competitive powerhouse in his second season. They're 5-2 behind Deion's son Shedeur, who has thrown 2,268 yards and 19 touchdowns. However, Sanders could have difficulty throwing the football this week. After all, Cincinnati has allowed passing below 229 yards and has looked really good in coverage as a unit. The tackling could be crisper, but Cincinnati's defense has only allowed 19.29 points per game. It's a good group. On the other hand, Cincinnati, led by Brendan Sorsby, is also 5-2. Sorsby isn't anything close to what Sanders is, but running back Corey Kiner will be the best running back on the field in this one. Cincinnati has rushed for 172 yards per game, and Colorado has allowed 153 yards per game on the ground. The Bearcats will keep this game close and potentially win outright. Take Cincinnati at +6.5.
Pick: Cincinnati +6.5
-Jason Radowitz