College Football Picks Week 9: Best Favorites to Bet Before Odds Change

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are taking on the shape of a Matt Rhule-coached team.

The Huskers quietly won four of their last five games with impressive defensive efforts to get over .500.

Nebraska can get one win away from bowl eligibility if it follows the same formula to beat the Purdue Boilermakers in Week 9.

Purdue comes into Memorial Stadium with four losses in its last five games and with a lot of defensive issues.

Saturday's clash could take on the same feel as Nebraska's four victories and lead to an easy cover of a small point spread.

The UCF Knights and Ole Miss Rebels could have easy games on their hands on Saturday as favorites.

UCF carries momentum from a close loss to the Oklahoma Sooners into Week 9, while Ole Miss hosts one of the worst power-five teams.

Purdue at Nebraska (-2.5)

Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - OCTOBER 21: Wide receiver Malachi Coleman #15 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers celebrates with tight end Luke Lindenmeyer #44 after scoring against the Northwestern Wildcats in the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

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Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, FS1

Nebraska's defense helped it reach 4-3 with a pair of conference victories.

The Huskers held the Northwestern Wildcats and Illinois Fighting Illini under 10 points in their last two games.

The two strong defensive performances came as a response to a 45-7 home loss to the Michigan Wolverines.

Nebraska conceded no more than 14 points in each of its four victories. It should follow a similar path to victory against a Purdue team that is trending in the wrong direction.

The Boilermakers let up at least 35 points in three of their last four losses. Their offense did get over the 20-point mark in those defeats.

Purdue could run into all sorts of issues against a Nebraska defense that can take away its biggest offensive strength.

Purdue has 970 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. It is going up against a rushing defense that allows 76.6 yards per game.

The Huskers should frustrate Purdue's ground game, and they can get pressure on Hudson Card, who has not done much in the last month to inspire confidence in the Boilermakers' passing attack.

West Virginia at UCF (-7)

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

NORMAN, OKLAHOMA - OCTOBER 21: Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee #10 of the UCF Knights looks to throw against the Oklahoma Sooners in the first quarter at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 31-29. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Saturday, Noon ET, FS1

UCF looked like a completely different team in its loss to Oklahoma with John Rhys Plumlee back at quarterback.

The veteran signal-caller got the Knights within a game-tying two-point conversion of sending the game to overtime last week in Norman.

The close loss should set UCF on the right track for the rest of Big 12 play, starting with Saturday's home clash against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

West Virginia's defense has been torn apart in the last two games, as it allowed over 40 points to the Houston Cougars and Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Plumlee and the UCF offense, which averages just under 500 total yards per game, could find all sorts of holes in the reeling WVU defense.

West Virginia could be hurt the most on the ground. It allowed 282 rushing yards to OK State's Ollie Gordon last week.

Plumlee is one of the more underrated rushing quarterbacks in the FBS and he has two running backs with over 450 yards to work with.

UCF should run rampant against the West Virginia defense to produce a cover and earn its first conference win in Big 12 play.

Vanderbilt at No. 12 Ole Miss (-24)

Michael Chang/Getty Images

AUBURN, ALABAMA - OCTOBER 21: Running back Quinshon Judkins #4 of the Mississippi Rebels during their game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Ole Miss should be the latest SEC team to pick on the Vanderbilt defense.

Vanderbilt allowed at least 37 points in each of its four conference losses. Its defense comes into Oxford, Mississippi averaging 437.5 total yards allowed per game.

Ole Miss' offense averages 480.1 total yards per contest and has had at least 27 points in its six victories.

Lane Kiffin's side already proved it can take advantage of a vulnerable defense in its win over the LSU Tigers in which it scored 55 points.

The key difference between the September 30 shootout win over LSU and Saturday is that Vanderbilt does not have the offensive capabilities to keep up with the Rebels.

Jaxson Dart, Quinshon Judkins and Co. should do anything they want against the Vandy defense.

Judkins could have the best day of all Ole Miss offensive players. He has two 100-yard ground performances in the last three weeks and had a pair of touchdowns against Vandy in a 52-28 rout last season.

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