In what has probably been the most chaotic college football season in recent memory, more top ranked teams in the country lost last week. One reason why Ohio State and Georgia remain in the top 5 is because they didn’t play. Both programs face a challenge in Week 9, though, with the No. 2 Buckeyes visiting USC minus quarterback Julian Sayin, and No. 3 Georgia hosting No. 17 Florida in one of two games on the slate between ranked opponents. Among the best NCAAF picks this season, Miami remains No. 1 in the national polls after thrashing Pitt and is one of three unbeaten teams remaining in the FBS.
NCAAF Today: Weekly College Football Schedule
Upsets have become a part of everyday life in college football. Last week five ranked teams lost to an unranked opponent, setting up a hectic Week 9 with massive conference matchups, traditional rivalries and a narrowing playoff race. In a massive Big Ten tilt, Ohio State travels to USC. The Buckeyes saw their NCAAF futures odds lengthen when QB Julian Sayin was injured. Luke Fahey is in line to get the start and OSU opened as a 7-point favorite on the early NCAAF odds.
Leading up to the fireworks on Saturday, fans will get multiple games over four days starting on Tuesday. There will be a pair of C-USA matchups over the first two days with Jacksonville State looking to remain perfect in league play taking on New Mexico State on Wednesday. Fresh off their upset of No. 2 BYU, Central Florida hosts Baylor and new interim coach Joe Klanderman after Dave Aranda was fired following two straight losses.
Biggest NCAAF Games Today
- One of the biggest games in the NCAAF today is the Big Ten clash between Ohio State and USC. Following last week’s loss to Wisconsin the Trojans can not afford another one. Meanwhile, OSU looks to keep rolling behind a backup QB.
- There’s always a crucial matchup in the SEC with Week 9 giving us one of two games between ranked foes. Known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” the game between Georgia and Florida gets going long before teams take the field. Playing in Atlanta this year, both teams are fighting for the top of the conference standings.
- The top-ranked team for a second straight week, Miami takes on North Carolina as a more than 2-touchdown favorite as the Canes look to remain perfect. After last week’s scoring outburst they are the highest scoring team in the FBS.
NCAAF Scores Today
- Colorado State didn’t disappoint last week beating San Diego State 56-49. Their points allowed were actually the fewest in four games. The offense is doing its best to keep up averaging nearly 39 points which leads to enormous NCAAF scores today in their games. The Rams have cashed the OVER in all seven games.
- Miami is the highest scoring team in the FBS averaging 49 points per game. The Canes have topped 40 points six times going OVER the total in six of seven games. After throwing for 387 yards and 4 TDs last week, Darian Mensah saw his Heisman futures odds shorten.
- The best scoring defense in the FBS belongs to New Mexico giving up just 11.3 points per game. The Lobos have not conceded more than 18 points in any game and face a struggling San Jose State squad on Saturday. NCAAF scores today could have a matchup with few points.
NCAAF Odds for This Week
Following another wild week of college football upsets that saw five teams ranked among the top 16 lose to unranked opponents, opening NCAAF betting lines have been released. The odds highlight heavy favorites among the nation’s remaining unbeaten teams with UCLA a 22.5-point home favorite against Nevada and Miami laying 14.5 points to North Carolina.
How to Read NCAAF Betting Lines
- Reading NCAAF betting lines requires understanding of three main types of wagers; the point spread, moneyline and the total (over/under).
- The spread is designed to even the playing field between two unequal teams. The minus (-) sign indicates the favorite with the team needing to win by more than that number to win the bet. The underdog is shown with a plus (+) sign. They can with the game outright or lose by fewer points than the number to cash a winning ticket.
- The moneyline is a straight bet on the game winner. There is no point spread, but the payouts are adjusted base on who’s expected to win. The minus (-) number is the amount you must risk to profit $100. The plus (+) number is the amount of profit on a $100 wager.
- The total is a bet on the combined number of points scored regardless of who wins the game. If the teams score more than the set number the OVER wins. If fewer points are scored than the number the UNDER is a winner.
NCAAF Lines Movement to Watch
- There are several factors that will trigger movement on the NCAAF lines. Roster announcements prior to the game are a big reason and once into the season injuries to key players become a major factor.
- Public confidence in Wisconsin after their decisive victory over USC has tightened the line for their game against Iowa with the Hawkeyes coming off a stagnant loss to Minnesota.
- Sharp money is hitting Florida after their win in Austin and a bye dropping the line for the matchup with Georgia a few points. The Dawgs are now -10.5 on the NCAAF odds.
NCAAF Predictions for This Week
With nationally ranked teams dropping like flies over the last few weeks, there’s a good chance we see more of the same until the season ends. For Week 9 NCAAF predictions, analysts are monitoring how quarterback injuries, critical rest advantages and neutral site matchups will impact the outcome of games and the CFP landscape.
NCAAF Game Predictions
- Both Georgia and Florida are coming off a bye ahead of their Saturday confrontation. With the rivalry game moved to Atlanta from Jacksonville, the Dawgs have a structural advantage and motivation after losing to Auburn. UGA also takes a 5-game winning streak against the Gators into the matchup.
- The collapse of USC happened a bit earlier than in past years, but the script is the same. Ohio State has the roster depth to make up for the absence of Julian Sayin and the defense can smother the best offense making OSU a top NCAAF pick.
- Miami has rolled several opponents with a higher spread than what we saw in the game against UNC. The Canes are 5-2 ATS with four of those wins when favored by more than 20 points. They are laying just 14.5 points which for Miami is like a tossup.
Upset Watch for This Week
- Wisconsin replaced Iowa in the national rankings and the teams hook up on Saturday with the Hawkeyes a 3-point favorite on the NCAAF betting line. Bucky is coming off a dominant win over USC allowing just 241 total yards and metrics have them pegged as top NCAAF prediction for an upset.
- Oregon is a mess with rotating quarterbacks following the injury to Dante Moore. They haven’t scored more than 17 points in any of their last three games, losing two of them. Still, the Ducks are a 3.5-point home favorite against a surging Northwestern team that’s poised for a road upset.
NCAAF Picks and Best Bets
Early NCAAF best bets for Week 9 of the college football season target unique wagers for bettors. There are several high-profile squads coming off a mid-season bye and other teams facing crucial quarterback injuries that change their identity. We also have neutral-site atmospheres in the Georgia-Florida and Notre Dame-Navy matchups.
Best NCAAF Spread Picks
- Florida is getting backed, causing the NCAAF line to drop to 10.5 points putting Georgia in an even better place. With a strong defense and coming off an upset loss to Auburn, the Dawgs will be fired up with this game moved to their backyard. Backing Georgia in what amounts to a home game minus the points is a NCAAF best bet.
- With USC looking to stay afloat in the Big Ten and CFP race, they need to beat Ohio State. And the Trojans are presented with a good opportunity with Julian Sayin out. USC is also looking to rebound from an awful offensive display in a loss to Wisconsin.
- Backing a team laying 30.5 points is always risky. Notre Dame opened -30.5 against Navy in the annual matchup that’s been dominated by the Irish. Needing style points after recent criticism of their schedule and coming off their first loss, Notre Dame shows no mercy covering the NCAAF lines.
Best NCAAF Over/Under Picks
- Wisconsin has turned things around since their season-opening loss to Notre Dame led by a stingy defense that hasn’t allowed more than 20 points in any of the last six games. Iowa also boasts a tough defense making this clash one that clears the UNDER 37.5 points.
- The Miami at North Carolina game is a top NCAAF pick to clear the total. The Canes just dropped 52 on Pitt and lead the country averaging 49 points. UNC has a weakness against explosive offenses with this game having potential to be a shootout that soars OVER the number.
NCAAF Best Bets This Week
- This one is a little off the grid, but backing one of the top Group of 6 teams in New Mexico to cover the 14.5-point NCAAF odds point spread against struggling San Jose State is a smart play. The Lobos have the best scoring defense in the country and the Spartans used three QBs in last week’s loss to Nevada.
- The markets are expecting a bounce back effort from Texas Tech in its Big 12 matchup with Arizona. Tech is hungry after a crushing loss and looking to regroup. Laying 4-points at home is a line bettors can live with.
- The fast indoor track at Syracuse is a boost to passing offenses and SMU has shown the ability to score in bunches. The Mustangs scored 59 last week which would take them OVER the total of 58.5 for this contest.
NCAAF Futures Market Update
The loss of Julian Sayin impacted Ohio State’s NCAAF futures odds to win the national championship. Listed as the favorite over the last several weeks the Buckeyes dropped to third conceding their spot to Georgia with Notre Dame a close second on the board. The way things have gone over the past few weeks, the college football odds will continue to shift.
National Championship Futures
- Georgia +420
- Notre Dame +470
- Ohio State +500
- Miami (FL) +650
- Indiana +850
- LSU +1000
- Alabama +1000
- Texas +1500
- Ole Miss +2000
- Utah +4000
Heisman Trophy Futures
With his QB out for possibly the remainder of the season, Heisman Trophy NCAAF futures odds for Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith lengthened. He was a negative odds favorite and while he’s still tops on the board his price moved to +120. The Miami duo of Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney lead the country’s highest scoring offense and hold down the next two spots. There is a steep drop after the top three.
- Jeremiah Smith +120
- Darian Mensah +290
- Malachi Toney +370
- CJ Carr +1900
- Jesse Legree +2200
- Trinidad Chambliss +3000
- Drew Mestemaker +4000
- Gunner Stockton +5000
- Gio Lopez +6500
- Sam Leavitt +10000
- Braden Atkinson +10000
Final NCAAF Betting Thoughts
These are crazy times in college football with the number of upsets we’ve seen and national rankings shifting weekly. The biggest Week 9 matchups hinge on elite programs coming off a bye and teams forced into adjustments due to injuries. The biggest is Ohio State, which will navigate the remainder of the season without Julian Sayin. The loss affected OSU’s national championship NCAAF futures and forced a bump in the Heisman Trophy odds for Jeremiah Smith. Three teams remain unbeaten entering Week 9 and they are all heavily favored entering their matchups. Analysts recommend locking in early key numbers before public weekend volume forces NCAAF lines to move.
