Expert CFB Betting Locks for Oklahoma vs. Ole Miss and Week 9's Biggest Games

Some weeks, you feel like Ohio State. Nothing can beat you and everything goes as planned. And some weeks, you feel like Auburn. Well, you get the gist.

Last week, we were Auburn. That's fitting, because we also bet on the Tigers. That didn't go well, which could be said about a slew of other picks that also ended poorly. While we've had losing weeks this season, last week was rough to say the least.

Unlike many teams, however, we're not firing the head coach. Well, not yet.

Instead, we're digging deep in search of winners. We always do. And to say we love this slate of games would be an understatement.

So, let's get back on track in Week 9.

Last Week's Record: 3-6

Year to Date: 39-38-1

Oklahoma (-4.5) vs. Ole Miss

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Lane Kiffin

Despite a solid effort from Lane Kiffin's team in Week 8, Ole Miss is a reasonably sized road underdog in Week 9.

And along the lines of last week, one can't help but wonder how a team (and coach) will respond both emotionally and physically following a disappointing outcome against Georgia.

In that game, the Rebels led a good chunk of the way. In fact, Ole Miss did a lot of really good things. Playing defense wasn't one of those good things, though, as the Bulldogs totaled more than 500 yards of offense.

While Oklahoma has had its struggles offensively, this could be the elixir.

The Sooners weren't dazzling in South Carolina, but they didn't have to be. The 26-7 road victory was defensively-charged, which has been the case all season. Oklahoma currently has the No. 2 scoring defense in the country, and it has allowed less than 10 points in five of seven games.

Ole Miss is destined to post double-digit points, but this will be a significant challenge for Kiffin's team. In terms of timing and matchups, it feels like a lot is working in the Sooners' favor.

The Pick: Oklahoma (-4.5)

Iowa State (-2.5) vs. BYU

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Rocco Becht

To be clear, BYU is on a roll.

The Cougars have won 18 of the past 20 games, and the two losses came by eight combined points. They've done it with multiple quarterbacks, and true freshman QB Bear Bachmeier has wildly surpassed all expectations in 2025.

This is an excellent football team. Full stop.

Now, despite being unbeaten and ranked No. 11, BYU is an underdog to an unranked, two-loss opponent.

Seems a little curious? We think so, too.

Iowa State has lost its last two games, both of which came on the road. Last week, the Cyclones enjoyed a bye that couldn't have come at a better time.

Playing in Ames will also serve as an enormous boost. The environment is no stranger to derailing seasons, and BYU could be the next in line. While Iowa State has navigated injuries, quarterback Rocco Becht should be up for it.

Remember, when Iowa State wins, it won't be an upset. Don't follow the rankings; follow the spreads.

The Pick: Iowa State (-2.5)

LSU (+2.5) vs. Texas A&M

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Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly's seat is getting warmer. While it's not scorching just yet, the LSU head coach could desperately use a win.

Desperation is not a strategy, and that's not the reason we're backing the Tigers. Instead, we're looking at a fascinating line given Texas A&M's current top-five ranking along with a potent home-field advantage.

For A&M, it'll play its third road game of the season. The first game was at Notre Dame, and the Aggies won a thriller. Last week, they played at Arkansas, and the game turned out to be closer than they wanted. (It was also one of the few games we won last week.)

Playing in Baton Rouge at night will be no picnic for the SEC's only unbeaten team. While LSU is coming off a loss to Vanderbilt, it is more than capable of bouncing back. And playing at home, where the Tigers are unbeaten, will make a world of difference.

Don't expect a shutout. Don't expect a blowout. Expect a tight game with plenty of defense to come down to the wire. And expect one of the few remaining unbeaten teams to fall.

The Pick: LSU (+2.5)

Missouri (+2.5) at Vanderbilt

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Ahmad Hardy

Oddly enough, Vanderbilt is likely to be an overwhelming public darling come Saturday.

The resurrection of the program along with the emergence of the spark-plug QB makes the Commodores a sensational story. It's not all fluff, either. At 6-1, coming off an impressive win over LSU, a program this team rarely conquers, things are truly looking up.

With that acknowledged, Missouri is going to win.

Sure, last week was a mess for the Tigers. Auburn gave up that game in very Auburn-y ways, which allowed Missouri to win.

Still, the Tigers' offensive line struggled, as did quarterback Beau Pribula. There's no sugarcoating what a mess the game was.

In terms of pressure, Vandy will not be able to duplicate what Auburn just did. To be clear, the Commodores' defense is solid. But I expect we'll see a much better version of Pribula this week as he attempts to go toe-to-toe with Diego Pavia.

In general, there's nothing terribly complicated about this pick. Both teams are excellent, and the environment should be tremendous.

Look for running back Ahmad Hardy to respond in a major way and look for the Tigers to deliver a tough road win.

The Pick: Missouri (+2.5)

Washington (-4.5) vs. Illinois

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Demond Williams Jr.

Don't sleep on this sneaky-good Big Ten matchup, which still doesn't feel quite like a Big Ten matchup.

Whether we have fully come to grips with realignment yet doesn't matter. Illinois has a long road trip to a tricky environment, and the Huskies are favored over a ranked team.

The good news for Illinois is that it enjoyed a bye last week, one week removed from a 34-16 home loss to Ohio State. The other loss for the Illini, of course, was a doozy. Final score: Indiana 63, Illinois 10.

In between, the Illini have done plenty of good, including a tight win against USC.

In terms of this matchup, however, there are two concerns. For one, the road trip and environment are a massive edge for the home team. And the Illinois defense, which ranks No. 77 in scoring, could be in for a long afternoon against a Washington offense loaded with weapons.

That offense had a rough go of it last week at Michigan. The Huskies scored just seven points, and QB Demond Williams Jr. threw three interceptions. Playing at home this week should help immensely.

The oddsmakers seem to favor Washington, and so do I.

The Pick: Washington (-4.5)

Other Games on the Card

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Kirk Ferentz, left, and P.J. Fleck

Virginia Tech (-4.5) vs. Cal

Cal is 5-2, and Virginia Tech is 2-5. Despite these record, the Hokies are getting plenty of respect at home. Although the overall record is ugly, the team has played much better of late.

Baylor (+4.5) at Cincinnati

Vegas hasn't given up on Baylor. That much is clear. The Bears are 4-3, but they have been competitive in every game. Although they are playing a ranked team on the road, they seem set to pull off an upset.

Iowa (-8.5) vs. Minnesota

Despite Minnesota's dominant win over Nebraska, the Hawkeyes are a sizable favorite at home following a win over Penn State. In his career, Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck is 1-6 when taking on Iowa counterpart Kirk Ferentz.

Michigan State vs. Michigan (Under 48.5)

Oh, this rivalry has produced its fair share of weirdness of the years, and weirdness isn't normally good for unders. In this instance, however, look for the Wolverines to win an ugly-ish football game.