College Football Week 9 Odds, Predictions & Best Bets To Back Today

The air is starting to bite, the leaves are changing colors and the action is getting serious entering Week 9. 

The College Football Playoff picture continues to take shape, with eight unbeaten teams in the AP Top 25 poll and a host of one and maybe even two-loss contenders. 

We’ve got a big one in Jacksonville, where No. 1 Georgia is a two-touchdown favorite over Florida as the Bulldogs look to stay unbeaten in their quest for a third straight national title. We’ve also got a huge Pac-12 matchup, as No. 8 Oregon travels to No. 13 Utah with major conference title implications at stake.

Those are just a few of the best options for another glorious Saturday of and as the season heats up entering Week 9.

College Football Week 9 Odds

College Football Week 9 Best Bets

Oklahoma (-10) at Kansas

The Sooners are holding strong at No. 6 in the AP Top 25 poll, a spot they’ve worked hard to keep in recent weeks. There was the thrilling 34-30 upset win over Texas in the Red River Rivalry, followed by a hard-fought comeback win over UCF Saturday that kept the College Football Playoff dreams alive and well. 

The Jayhawks picked up loss No. 2 over the weekend in a close one with Oregon State, but this is still a dangerous Kansas team capable of competing with the best. It took Oklahoma to the wire last year in a 52-42 loss, but this is another opportunity for Lance Leipold & Co. to snap an 18-game losing streak and beat the Sooners for the first time since 1997. 

Best Bet: TBD

Georgia (-14.5) at Florida

It’s time once again for the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonville. Two early losses for Florida have taken a bit of the shine off, but this is a massive game for the No. 1 Bulldogs as they look to keep it going with star tight end Brock Bowers on the shelf. 

We don’t know when or if Bowers will return this season. That’s a massive loss for the two-time defending national champs, especially going into a rivalry game like this. The Gators just picked up another win at South Carolina and still have hope at 2-1 in conference. It’ll be all eyes on EverBank Stadium Saturday, where Georgia can prove it’s still the unquestioned team to beat with or without Bowers. 

Best Bet:

Oregon (-6.5) at Utah

How ‘bout those Utes! They’ve been an afterthought almost all season in the absence of star quarterback Cameron Rising, who still hasn’t returned to the lineup. Now they’re 6-1 after an upset win at USC, sparked by a solid performance from backup QB Bryson Barnes and another standout effort from the defense. 

Oddsmakers have Oregon as a one-score favorite in what suddenly looks like a potential Game of the Year in a loaded Pac-12 conference. The Ducks bounced back from a close loss at Washington by beating Washington State over the weekend, and neither team can afford a loss in this one if they hope to remain in the conference championship race.

Best Bet: TBD

Pittsburgh at Notre Dame (-18)

The Panthers are heading to South Bend after coming up short at Wake Forest, the fifth loss over the last six games. But motivation is never an issue when Notre Dame is on the schedule. Oddsmakers have the Panthers as a three-score underdog against an Irish team with the rest advantage. 

Notre Dame had a bye week to heal up after the beatdown win over USC, so the Irish should be close to full strength for this one at home. The CFP dreams aren’t done yet with a very manageable schedule down the stretch, but the Irish can’t afford to take their eyes off the prize. 

Best Bet:

Duke at Louisville (-4)

We’re used to seeing these teams meet in big-time, top-25 matchups on the hoops court. Football, not so much. But here we are, with the Cardinals favored by a little more than a field goal for a big ACC matchup with the Blue Devils. 

Duke fought hard against Florida State for 45 minutes Saturday, ultimately giving up 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for a brutal loss. But the Blue Devils have lost to two top-15 teams and aren’t out of the race yet. Louisville, meanwhile, needs to get serious after a 38-21 loss to Pitt that broke up their unbeaten start.

Best Bet: TBD

Tennessee (-3.5) at Kentucky

The Vols looked like the best team in the country for a half on Saturday, racing out to a 20-7 win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa. They never showed up for the final 30 minutes, getting outscored 27-0 in the second half for a 34-20 loss at Alabama. That type of loss can make or break a team in the final weeks and we’ll see how the Vols respond to another tough road matchup Saturday in Lexington. 

The Wildcats have dropped two straight, falling at Georgia and at home against Missouri. The Vols delivered a 44-6 beatdown in this matchup a year ago, but they’re down bad after that loss to the Tide and Kentucky will be ready to go from the jump. 

Best Bet: TBD

Ohio State (-14.5) at Wisconsin

Ohio State passed another huge test Saturday with a 20-12 home win over Penn State, with the Buckeyes holding the Nittany Lions to just 240 total yards. It has to be tempting to start looking ahead. Wisconsin is one of four remaining unranked opponents before the big showdown on Nov. 25 at Michigan. We’ll see if Ryan Day can keep the Buckeyes focused at the moment in the coming weeks. 

Wisconsin hasn’t looked like anything special in Year 1 under Luke Fickell. But the Badgers are 5-2 and coming off a road win at Illinois. Oddsmakers have them as two-touchdown home underdogs, and the Badgers have lost nine straight against the Buckeyes – including three times at the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis. We’ll see if they can make things interesting in Madison. 

Best Bet: TBD

Oregon State (-3.5) at Arizona

We’ve got another huge Pac-12 matchup for a nightcap, with Oregon State and Arizona feeling great coming off their bye weeks. The Beavers are up to No. 11 in the AP Poll with three straight wins over Utah, Cal, and UCLA. Arizona brushed off one-score losses to Washington and USC with a truly stunning 44-6 road win at Washington State. 

The Beavers are small favorites and remain very much alive in the CFP race. This is a chance to establish themselves as serious Pac-12 title contenders, but the Wildcats are a scrappy bunch looking to make a big statement of their own in Tucson.