Week 9 features five matchups between teams ranked in the AP Top 25.
Despite some big differences, this is the highest-ranked matchup so far this season. Out of those five games, the batting line was in single digits or less in only one game.
But don’t think that means Saturday can be a failure. This season has already seen some surprising upsets by big losers, and some Top 12 teams are trailing on the road against unranked opponents.
Here’s what to expect in Week 9: All times are Eastern Time and all odds are from BetMGM.
Time: Noon | TV: ABC | Line: Notre Dame -12.5 | Total: 51.5
After the Fighting Irish opened as 14-point favorites, the front moved 1.5 points in Navy’s favor.
You can see why bettors prefer navy. The Midshipmen had an absolute lead with a 6-0 start. Navy’s 44.8 points per game ranks fourth in the nation, but its opponents are averaging just 19.7 points per game. Yes, Notre Dame is the toughest team Navy has seen this season, but don’t overlook the fact that the Midshipmen put up 56 points in Week 4 against Memphis.
Navy is led by QB Blake Horvath. He rushed 79 times for 621 yards and 10 TDs while also taking advantage of a defense that tried to thwart the triple option. Horvath completed 64% of his passes for 888 yards and 10 TDs with only one interception. He is averaging 12.3 yards per attempt and 19.3 yards per completion.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame continues to struggle with injuries. The Fighting Irish are without five starters, including kicker Mitch Jeter, who is out with a back injury. However, the Irish looked very strong against Georgia Tech, with the passing game continuing to improve after some early-season struggles. Riley Leonard was 21-of-30 for 217 yards against the Yellow Jackets. Opponents haven’t had much success against Notre Dame this season, but Notre Dame hasn’t played against a triple-option team either.
Time: 3:30pm | TV: CBS | Line: Oregon -21.5 | Total: 54.5
The Ducks did exactly what they were supposed to do after a big win over Ohio State on a cross-country trip to Purdue in a short week in Week 8. After defeating Michigan State a week ago, they will now visit Illinois State.
Unless a team like Michigan or Wisconsin reenters the Associated Press poll in the coming weeks, oddsmakers are clearly betting on Oregon, as the Illini are the last remaining ranked team on Oregon’s schedule. I like it. QB Dillon Gabriel completed 77% of his passes and totaled 19 TDs. Jordan James is averaging 5.9 yards per carry and scoring 8 TDs. TE Terrance Ferguson will likely miss the game after undergoing an appendectomy before the game against Purdue, and defensive lineman Jordan Burch will also miss his third consecutive appearance after having five sacks in the first four games of the season. There is a possibility that
After Purdue lost to Illinois by 49 points in overtime, Illinois held Michigan’s lackluster offense to just one touchdown in Week 8. Illinois is allowing just 18 points per game and could rely heavily on turnovers. Illinois won its first seven games of the season in 13 games. The only two games in which Illinois did not commit a turnover were a 21-7 loss to Penn State and a 50-49 win over the Boilermakers.
Time: 3:30pm | TV: ABC | Line: Alabama -16.5 | Total: 51.5
The Tigers seem to have a longer chance of an upset this week. Leading rusher Nate Noel is reported to be out with a leg injury sustained in the team’s come-from-behind win against Auburn. And quarterback Brady Cook, who is orchestrating that return, is reportedly questionable to play after injuring his ankle on the first drive against Auburn. Cook missed most of the first three quarters but led the Tigers with two TD drives in a 21-17 victory.
Without Noel, Missouri will rely on No. 2 rusher Marcus Carroll. He was the team’s short yardback. The transition at QB isn’t as seamless. Former Arizona State and Notre Dame QB Drew Pyne replaced Cook against Auburn, but was just 10-of-21 for 78 yards.
This is the first time Alabama has lost two of its first seven games since Nick Saban’s first season as coach in 2007. Penalties are a big factor. California, UTSA and New Mexico State alone average more penalties per game than the Crimson Tide. Alabama was penalized 15 times for 115 yards in the loss to Tennessee, marking the third time all season that the Crimson Tide was flagged at least 10 times.
The offense has also turned the ball over twice in each of the past three games, as Jalen Milroe threw two picks in the Tide’s two-point wins against the Vols and South Carolina.
Time: 4:15pm | TV: SEC Network | Line: Texas -18.5 | Total: 53.5
Can Vanderbilt do for Texas what it did for Alabama?
The newly ranked Commodores will play the Longhorns at home three weeks after their biggest upset of the season. Vanderbilt, which was picked last in the SEC’s preseason media poll, is now one win away from a bowl berth for the first time since 2018.
QB Diego Pavia has completed 66% of his passes, with 11 passing touchdowns and just one interception. He is also the Commodores’ leading rusher with 470 yards on 118 attempts. The former New Mexico State QB has scored multiple TDs in every game against FBS opponents so far this season.
Texas is looking to come back after Georgia completely dominated the first half and won 30-15. Quinn Ewers will start at QB for the Longhorns. He played the entire second half against the Bulldogs after being substituted by Arch Manning for two series in the second quarter. Despite Texas giving up 30 points to Georgia a week ago, the Longhorns are still allowing just 9.7 points per game. No other team in college football allows fewer than 10.5 points a contest.
Time: 7:30pm | TV: ABC | Line: Texas A&M -2.5 | Total: 53.5
There are no undefeated teams left in the SEC, but these are the only two undefeated teams in the conference. LSU traveled to Fayetteville and easily defeated Arkansas 34-10 in Week 8, while Texas A&M faced Mississippi State in Starkville.
That win over Arkansas was the best game of the season for LSU’s defense. The Tigers held Arkansas’ strong rushing game to just 38 yards and forced three turnovers. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier didn’t record a passing TD in his first game, but it didn’t matter as Caden Durham ran 21 times for 101 yards and three scores.
Nussmeier threw for 2,222 yards and 18 TDs this season. Only five QBs have more passing yards. A&M’s defense is holding opposing QBs to just 54% success rate. No QB has completed more than 60 percent of his passes since Florida’s Graham Mertz in Week 3, but he left that game early with an injury.
The Aggies’ passing offense has been revitalized since Connor Weigman returned from a shoulder injury sustained in Week 1. Weigman has only thrown one TD since his return, but has completed 33 of 47 passes for 493 yards.
Other notable matches
No. 17 Boise State vs. UNLV (Friday, 10:30 p.m., CBSSN): If you can stay up late enough before Saturday’s football, this is your chance to watch Heisman front-runner Ashton Giunty. The junior running back is averaging over 200 yards and three TDs per game so far this season.
No. 11 BYU at UCF (3:30 p.m., ESPN): The Knights nearly pulled off an upset at Iowa State a week ago and will take on the Big 12’s other undefeated team at home. BYU avoided an upset in Week 8 with a 35-yard TD pass with 10 seconds left. UCF’s win also will not be considered an official upset. The Knights are 2.5 point favorites.
Texas Tech vs. TCU (3:30 p.m., Fox): The Red Raiders inexplicably lost to Baylor at home in Week 8, but are now part of a four-way tie for third place in the Big 12. . After a 13-7 win over Utah, TCU came from behind in the game. Both teams love to throw, averaging over 40 pass attempts per game.
No. 3 Penn State at Wisconsin (7:30 p.m., NBC): If the last time you saw Wisconsin was when the team lost to Alabama and USC, you might be surprised to learn that the Badgers are 5-2. I don’t know. However, Wisconsin entered this game on a three-game winning streak, outscoring its (lower) opponents 117-16.
No. 22 SMU at Duke (8 p.m., ACC Network): Who would have predicted before the season that this would be a pivotal game in the ACC race? SMU is one of four undefeated teams in the conference and Duke is one of three teams in the conference with a 2-1 record.
Cincinnati vs. Colorado (10:15 p.m., ESPN): The loser of this game will see their Big 12 title hopes take a big hit. The Bearcats and Buffaloes are both 3-1 in the Big 12, in a four-way tie behind BYU and Iowa State. This game will tell us how much Travis Hunter will play after missing the second half of the back-to-back games due to a shoulder injury.
