College Football Picks, Predictions for Week 9: Opening betting lines, odds

We are now heading into Week 9 of the college football season, and even though each division has played a different number of games, we are starting to get a good handle of what these teams are capable of. Yes, the top four seem to be pretty clear, with the Clemson Tigers firmly planted as the top team in the nation. But there are some odds and betting lines that still present value. The PFN betting team looked at each of the game and opening betting lines to come up with our Week 9 college football picks and predictions.

College Football Picks, Predictions for Week 9: Opening betting lines, odds, and scores

Instead of listing all of the spreads, betting lines, and odds for the college football Week 9 slate, here is a collection of some of the premier matchups. We will break down more of this week’s games below.

Michigan State at Michigan (-24.5)
Time and Channel: Noon ET, Fox

Michigan State is heading into this game against their dreaded rivals, the Wolverines, after an embarrassing loss to Rutgers last week. The Spartans offense had seven turnovers against a decent Rutgers defense and now come up against a much more impressive unit in Michigan.

The Wolverines are off a victory over Minnesota, where junior quarterback Joe Milton looked good in his first career start. He didn’t have to do much, with only 225 yards passing, thanks to Michigan’s explosive run game. The run game might be in a bit more trouble in this matchup, with the Spartans sporting a much more physical defensive line than Minnesota.

This is a big number to lay with Michigan. Yes, they have now put themselves in the playoff discussion thanks to last week’s win, but Michigan State is not as bad as they looked in Week 1. I doubt the Spartans will turn the ball over that many times this week, and even though Michigan will win, it will be closer than this huge spread indicates.

Plus, Michigan hasn’t fared too well in this rivalry game in recent years, as they’re just 2-10 against the spread in their last 12 games against Michigan State.

College Football Week 9 Picks and Prediction: Michigan 34, Michigan State 17

UCF (-3) at Houston
Time and Channel: 2:00 PM ET, ESPN+

The UCF Knights are taking a road trip to face the Houston Cougars on Saturday afternoon. UCF bounced back from a two-game skid as they defeated Tulane 51-34 at home in their previous game last Saturday. Meanwhile, Houston got a 37-21 road victory over Navy in their most recent contest.

This is going to be an exciting, high-scoring matchup (like most of UCF’s games at this point). UCF averages over 90 plays a game. Houston, on the other hand, is averaging nearly 75. Houston is going to have a hard time stopping Dillon Gabriel, especially considering their pass defense was dismantled by BYU for 400 yards and then by Navy (a triple-option team!) for 206.

However, Houston is no schmuck on offense themselves. They stand at 14th in the nation in passing offense with an average of 321 yards per game through the air on the year. UCF’s defense is somewhat nonexistent at this point, so look for QB Clayton Tune to put up his best game of the year so far.

The Week 9 betting lines and odds for this one opened at below a field goal for UCF but have slowly shifted in their favor. The total is at a whopping 82.5 points. Even with a total this high, I still think the over is one of my favorite college football Week 9 picks on the board. I also think UCF’s offense will have the last laugh and get the win, potentially in overtime.

College Football Week 9 Picks and Prediction: UCF 62, Houston 55

Temple at Tulane (-4)
Time and Channel: Noon ET, ESPN+

The Tulane Green Wave will be searching for their first AAC victory when they host the Temple Owls in conference action on Saturday afternoon. Temple QB Anthony Russo is starting to get things together and had his best performance of the season last week, accumulating 387 passing yards along with four touchdowns, but he still added three picks.

Meanwhile, Tulane is trying to stick to what they are good at, and that is the run game. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been as successful as last season. Senior RB Stephon Huderson rushed for 88 yards last week.

The Green Wave defense continues to struggle and is the main reason they haven’t won a conference game this season. They are one of the worst teams in the FBS at defending the pass, ranking 94th overall, while the rush defense is 50th. They are also allowing 35.3 points per game.

This should be a somewhat competitive game, which is evident in the close betting lines. In a close game, I would rather take the team with a better offense going against a terrible defense, especially if I am getting more than a field goal. Look for Russo to have another huge game.

College Football Week 9 Picks and Prediction: Temple 33, Tulane 27

Breaking down Saturday night’s ACC matchup

North Carolina (7) at Virginia
Time and Channel: 8:00 PM ET, ACC Network

The 15th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels are on the road as they travel up the East Coast to face the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday night. These two teams are heading in completely different directions, with North Carolina sitting at 4-1 on the season, while Virginia is 1-4.

North Carolina is one of the more balanced offenses in the country. The Tar Heels enter this contest 22nd in the nation in passing offense with an average of 282.2 yards through the air. They also have an effective ground game as they stand 12th in the nation with 249 yards per contest this year. Underrated QB Sam Howell has looked good, completing 95 of 148 passes for 1,403 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Virginia, while moving the ball effectively, is only 75th in the FBS in scoring offense with 23.8 points per game. They simply struggle to finish off drives. QB Brennen Armstrong hasn’t helped with his turnovers. He is 70 of 127 for 777 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions on the year.

Virginia simply makes too many mistakes. North Carolina is not the team you want to make mistakes against because they can score a lot and score quickly. The Cavaliers are at home, but they don’t have the weapons to hang in with the Tar Heels. This is one of my favorite college football Week 9 betting lines.

College Football Week 9 Picks and Prediction: North Carolina 34, Virginia 17