College Football Picks Week 9: Odds and Spread Predictions for Top 25 Teams
A few straight weeks of Top Five showdowns and enticing upsets have college football viewers spoiled entering Week 9, but there's plenty to watch over the weekend despite a lack of the Top 10 affairs we're used to in October.
Nevertheless, some of the nation's best teams will welcome tough matchups, and there is definitely the potential there to see even more unpredictable outcomes. If Week 9 is on par with what we saw early on in the season, that much wouldn't be surprising.
Here's a quick breakdown of odds and predictions for every Top 25 game.
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| No. 6 Oregon at California | ORE -18 | Oregon |
| No. 4 Alabama at Tennessee | ALA -17.5 | Alabama |
| No. 1 Mississippi State at Kentucky | MSU -14.5 | Mississippi State |
| No. 3 Ole Miss at No. 24 LSU | OM -3.5 | Ole Miss |
| South Carolina at No. 5 Auburn | AU -19.5 | Auburn |
| Michigan at No. 8 Michigan State | MSU -17 | Michigan State |
| Texas Tech at No. 10 TCU | TCU -22.5 | Texas Tech |
| Texas at No. 11 Kansas State | KSU -9.5 | Kansas State |
| No. 13 Ohio State at Penn State | OSU -14 | Ohio State |
| No. 14 Arizona State at Washington | ASU -3.5 | Arizona State |
| No. 15 Arizona at Washington State | ARI -2.5 | Arizona |
| Rutgers at No. 16 Nebraska | NEB -20 | Rutgers |
| No. 20 USC at No. 19 Utah | Pick 'Em | USC |
| Syracuse at No. 21 Clemson | CLE -14.5 | Clemson |
| No. 22 West Virginia at Oklahoma State | OKST -1 | West Virginia |
| Florida Atlantic at No. 23 Marshall | MAR -28 | Marshall |
| No. 25 UCLA at Colorado | UCLA -14.5 | UCLA |
Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated Oct. 23 at 11 p.m. ET
Top Matchups to Watch
No. 3 Ole Miss at No. 24 LSU
The Ole Miss Rebels have already validated their win over Alabama with two impressive victories, but their brutal and unforgiving SEC schedule rears its head once again with a trip to face the LSU Tigers.
It's not a typical year for Les Miles' 24th-ranked squad, however. Usually the SEC West's biggest threat to Alabama year in and year out, the Tigers have already fallen twice to Mississippi State and Auburn.
Many wouldn't think it to be much of a surprise entering the season, but it's the Rebels of these two teams that have impressed the most. After a late comeback win to knock off the Crimson Tide, Ole Miss has throttled both Texas A&M and Tennessee—showing road prowess along with home dominance.
"Coach Freeze is doing a great job building a quality program," Miles told Houston Chronicle's Bryan Lazare. "They are a very talented team on both sides of the ball. Ole Miss has a style of team that deserves being nationally ranked and deserves the best efforts of their opponents."
LSU's run game has been a big part of its resurgence over the last two weeks, holding on at Florida before dominating Kentucky in a game many experts called upset alert on. But it will be easier said than done keeping that up against Ole Miss' vaunted front seven that features Robert Nkemdiche.
The Rebels have shown their teeth on the road already in the brutal SEC West, and they'll do so again to stay unbeaten.
Prediction: Ole Miss 30, LSU 24
No. 20 USC at No. 19 Utah
It's a pretty quiet college football weekend as far as ranked matchups go other than the SEC West battle in Death Valley, but a promising matchup between USC and Utah could deliver one of the best Week 9 games.
Two defeats somewhat early in the season had halted the momentum of Steve Sarkisian's team, but the Trojans got it back with an upset of then-No. 10 Arizona and Cody Kessler's seven-touchdown day against Colorado.
Meanwhile, the Utes are flying high after toppling then-No. 8 UCLA before a two-overtime victory over Oregon State on the road had folks around the Pac-12 turning their heads.
After an incredibly productive offensive day, USC will have its hands full with a Utah defense that leads the country in sacks with more than five per game. Utah defensive end Nate Orchard—10.5 sacks on the year—leads the charge.
“They’re pretty stout up front,” USC freshman guard Viane Talamaivao told ESPN.com's Garry Paskwietz. “They get after the ball and they have good pass rushers. We’re going to have to work really hard to make sure the pocket is clean for Cody.”
Utah will get after the passer, but it hasn't gone up against an offensive attack that is feeling as confident as USC's currently is. The Trojans won't be throwing seven touchdowns on Saturday, but it won't take seven to pull out a win over a pesky Utah team.
Prediction: USC 29, Utah 24
South Carolina at No. 5 Auburn
A few games into the 2014 season, this matchup had the potential of pegging the best of the SEC West against the SEC East's top team. Now, South Carolina just looks like another victim of an Auburn team set on contending for college football's most competitive division.
The Gamecocks looked set on bouncing back from a season-opening drubbing to Texas A&M when they toppled then-No. 6 Georgia, but since then, they have fallen to both Missouri and Kentucky. A South Carolina secondary with questions entering the season has been far from elite, giving up 31.4 points per contest.
Meanwhile, even in Auburn's worst performances, the Tigers have looked like College Football Playoff contenders—including a loss to Mississippi State in which the Tigers gave up chance after chance to get back in it.
South Carolina will have to overcome an Auburn offense that is quite potent at home, as the team's official Twitter recognized:
Nick Marshall has been making opponents pay with his arm more in 2014 than ever before, and that should continue against one of the worst SEC secondaries he'll face this season.
Prediction: Auburn 41, South Carolina 17
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