Last week was a winning week, but it could have been a great week if only Cincinnati had held on to cover against SMU. Let's keep it going with CFB Week 9 picks.
Last week was a winning week, but it could have been a great week if only Cincinnati had held on to cover against SMU. The Bearcats looked to be off to the races after taking a 17-0 lead over the Mustangs, but their offense had to settle for four field goals the rest of the way. That allowed SMU to get back into the game, and the Mustangs lost by just two points failing to score on a two-point conversion late.
The only other loser was Colorado, while the three winners covered their games with ease. Texas Tech blew out West Virginia as a six-point favorite, and East Carolina crushed UCF despite being an underdog at home by the college football betting odds. Oregon and UCLA went over the total too, although that one was a little close.
YTD 15-19-1 ATS
CFB Week 9 Selections
BYU -3 vs. East Carolina
This might seem crazy after last week’s results. East Carolina is coming off its biggest win in the Mike Houston era and is just one victory away from bowl eligibility. Meanwhile, BYU was blasted on the road by Liberty last week and has dropped three straight games.
Jaren Hall should have a lot of success moving the ball through the air against an East Carolina defense that is allowing 9.3 YPA and 277.7 YPG. Hall can be extremely efficient as a passer, and he doesn’t make mistakes with the ball. Puka Nacua is healthy once again, so he will have his top receiver, and that bodes well for the Cougars in this game.
Arkansas -3.5 at Auburn
If you haven’t seen the Auburn drama, you’ve been missing out. Bryan Harsin is almost certain to be fired sometime in the next month, as his recruits are fleeing the program. After A.D. Diamond announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Wednesday night, 10 of Auburn’s 18 recruits from the 2021 class have already moved on, and it feels like it’s only a matter of time before the hammer drops.
Arkansas has a great dual-threat quarterback in K.J. Jefferson, and the Razorbacks have run for 1,680 yards and 14 touchdowns already this season. They should be able to have success against an Auburn defense that doesn’t have a lot of depth now and may be looking forward to the offseason.
Under 37 in Iowa vs. Northwestern
Iowa has been one of the most consistent teams in college football this season. The Hawkeyes have the best defense in the country per SP+, but their offense ranks outside the top 100 as Brian Ferentz is not a good offensive coordinator. That has led to a lot of low-scoring games, and this week should be no different. Four of the last five games between these teams have had fewer than 30 total points, and the one exception was in 2020 when these teams combined for 47 points.
Kentucky +12 at Tennessee
This is just too many points to give a quality team like Kentucky. The Wildcats don’t have a great offensive line, and that has affected their offense, but this team is still ranked 13th in Overall SP+ and has an excellent defense. Kentucky can stall out this high-powered Tennessee offense to a degree and keep the ball on the ground to run clock, and Will Levis has the potential to make some big throws against this defense. There is an outside chance for the Wildcats to pull off the outright upset.
Georgia -22 vs. Florida
The Georgia Bulldogs were the whipping boy in this rivalry for a long time, but the tables have turned, and Georgia has enjoyed being on the other end of things. The Bulldogs have won four of their last five games with Florida, and they dominated the Gators last year in Jacksonville.
Anthony Richardson has proved that he is not a polished passer, while Florida doesn’t have a great defense this year. Georgia is going to be able to run the ball down Florida’s throat throughout the afternoon, and Brock Bowers will make his presence felt in what should be a laugher. Don’t expect Kirby Smart to take his foot off the gas pedal either.
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