Week 9 of the college football season features several high-profile matchups, highlighted by the first Big Ten meeting between No. 2 Ohio State and USC. The Buckeyes are 6.5-point favorites over the Trojans, according to the latest odds. In the SEC, Florida visits Georgia in a rivalry that has been played over 100 times, with the Bulldogs winning the last five meetings; Georgia is a 12.5-point favorite with both teams coming off a bye week.
Other Top Games
Top-ranked Miami faces North Carolina as a 14-point favorite, marking Bill Belichick's first matchup against a No. 1 team. Among other undefeated teams, No. 6 Utah is a 6.5-point favorite at Cincinnati, while No. 7 UCLA is favored by 22.5 points against Nevada in a non-conference game.
Model Predictions
SportsLine's computer model, which simulates every FBS game 10,000 times, entered Week 9 on a 68-59 run on top-rated picks. The model projects Mississippi State (+20.5) to cover at No. 11 Texas in well over 70% of simulations, citing Texas's 3-9-1 record against the spread following a win since Arch Manning became starter. The model also favors Oregon (-3.5) to cover at home against No. 20 Northwestern in more than 60% of simulations, noting Northwestern's three straight double-digit losses on the West Coast and Oregon's strong rushing attack.
Notable Week 9 Odds
Key games and spreads for Saturday, Oct. 31 include: Auburn at Ole Miss (-12.5), Florida at Georgia (-12.5), Utah at Cincinnati (+6.5), Northwestern at Oregon (-3.5), South Carolina at Oklahoma (-4.5), Clemson at Florida State (-6), Miami at North Carolina (+14), Mississippi State at Texas (-20.5), and Ohio State at USC (+6.5). Thursday and Friday games feature FAU at North Texas (-14), Troy at James Madison (-19.5), Tulane at Charlotte (+8.5), Baylor at UCF (-1), and Kent State at Sacramento State (+8.5).
