It’s a compelling slate of video games this weekend, together with 5 ranked matchups, 4 of which characteristic double-digit spreads. (Any probability the favorites cowl — and even win — all of these?) Plus a Friday night time bout that might decide the Group of 5 workforce within the Faculty Soccer Playoff, in addition to an undefeated workforce with out its star quarterback and one other undefeated workforce that could be a highway underdog to an unranked opponent. And Coach Prime in #Big12AfterDark. Spooky season, certainly.
Let’s rank the highest 10 video games of Week 9, beginning with honorable mentions and counting down.
Honorable Point out: Louisville at Boston Faculty (Fri.), Nebraska at No. 4 Ohio State, Oklahoma at No. 18 Ole Miss, Tulane at North Texas, Texas Tech at TCU, Oregon State at Cal, Michigan State at Michigan, Kansas at Kansas State, No. 22 SMU at Duke.
(All level spreads come from BetMGM; click on right here for stay odds. Stream school soccer on fubo. All kickoff occasions are Japanese and on Saturday except in any other case famous.)
Hoosier Hysteria has taken maintain of school soccer. Per week after getting the “Huge Midday” remedy from Fox, ESPN’s “Faculty GameDay” heads to Bloomington. Indiana is likely one of the finest tales of the season, however this recreation cracks the checklist largely as a result of the Hoosiers are beginning Tayven Jackson rather than star quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who’s out with a thumb harm. Rourke has been spectacular — first within the FBS in QB ranking, second in yards per try, high 15 in yards and touchdowns — although Indiana has seemed adequate to outlive with out him in opposition to Washington, which bought smoked by Iowa previous to its bye.
Line: Indiana -6.5
9. No. 17 Boise State (5-1) at UNLV (6-1), Fri., 10:30 p.m., Fubo, CBS Sports activities Community
Working again Ashton Jeanty has turn out to be a phenom in Boise and past because the Broncos try to experience these 9.9-yards-per-carry coattails to the Mountain West title and a Playoff spot. However the Rebels, with an offense that can be placing up gaudy numbers, have the identical aspirations and predict a file dwelling crowd at Allegiant Stadium.
Line: Boise State -3.5
8. No. 20 Illinois (6-1) at No. 1 Oregon (7-0), 3:30 p.m., Fubo, CBS
Illinois has crushed three opponents that have been ranked on the time the Illini confronted them (Kansas, Nebraska, Michigan) with a sound method on offense and protection. The one time it faltered was a 21-7 loss at Penn State, which is one motive why the unfold at Oregon is so excessive. One other is the Geese following up their large win over Ohio State with a 35-0 highway shutout in opposition to Purdue on a brief week. Oregon will attempt to keep away from turning into the fourth workforce this season to drop from the No. 1 spot within the AP Prime 25.
Line: Oregon -21.5
7. Cincinnati (5-2) at Colorado (5-2), 10:15 p.m., Fubo, ESPN
This ought to be a enjoyable quarterback matchup between a pair of unlikely Huge 12 contenders. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is a recognized commodity on all of the commercials and NFL Draft boards, and Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby is likely one of the extra impactful, under-the-radar transfers of the season. Each gamers rank high 15 within the FBS in passing yards and are averaging higher than 8 yards per move try. The Bearcats are improved in coach Scott Satterfield’s second season, and that is the perfect stretch the Buffs have had below Deion Sanders.
Line: Colorado -6.5
6. No. 21 Missouri (6-1) at No. 15 Alabama (5-2), 3:30 p.m., Fubo, ABC
Fairly the script for Missouri final week, with quarterback Brady Prepare dinner leaving the sport in opposition to Auburn, getting taken to a close-by hospital for an MRI after which returning to the sport within the second half to guide a double-digit comeback. Prepare dinner is uncertain to play Saturday, which knocks this one down just a few pegs, however the primary storylines are nonetheless all about Alabama. Finebaum callers are circling after the 24-17 highway loss to Tennessee, Bama’s second defeat in three video games. The Tide haven’t misplaced three regular-season video games since 2010, and haven’t misplaced back-to-back regular-season video games since 2007, Nick Saban’s first 12 months on the helm. This 12 months’s model of Alabama nonetheless has SEC and CFP hopes to play for, however one other loss will change that.
Line: Alabama -16.5
5. No. 11 BYU (7-0) at UCF (3-4), 3:30 p.m., Fubo, ESPN
BYU is unbeaten and on the doorstep of the highest 10, coming off an unimaginable last-second comeback over Oklahoma State. But UCF, which has dropped 4 in a row, is a slim favourite on this one. BYU does must journey two time zones, and the Knights seemingly had Iowa State cornered final Saturday, speeding for 354 yards behind operating again RJ Harvey and new beginning quarterback Jacurri Brown. However UCF has struggled to shut out video games, and BYU’s protection has been stellar below head coach Kalani Sitake and defensive coordinator Jay Hill. The components for the Cougars can be to maintain UCF’s floor recreation in test — simpler stated than executed — get a lead and drive the Knights to throw the ball.
Line: UCF -2.5
4. No. 5 Texas (6-1) at No. 25 Vanderbilt (5-2), 4:15 p.m., Fubo, SEC Community
Think about predicting this as a ranked matchup within the preseason. It not qualifies as a get-right recreation for the Longhorns, and after getting momentarily benched in opposition to Georgia, Quinn Ewers may have added scrutiny as he makes an attempt to quiet the quarterback controversy. Vandy tends to surrender yards on protection, however its plus-six turnover differential is tops within the SEC and it held Kentucky and Ball State below 15 factors a bit the previous two video games. Past the large win in opposition to Bama, Vanderbilt has additionally taken Missouri to double-OT and bested Virginia Tech and UK. Quarterback Diego Pavia has already confirmed he could cause issues in opposition to extra proficient competitors.
Line: Texas -18.5
3. No. 12 Notre Dame (6-1) vs No. 24 Navy (6-0), Midday, Fubo, ABC
This ought to be nearer than final 12 months’s season-opening 42-3 rout by Notre Dame in Eire. It’s one other neutral-site matchup, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, however it is a vastly improved Navy squad. The Midshipmen are seventh within the FBS at 7.3 yards per play and boast greater than an choice offense below head coach Brian Newberry. Navy has but to play an opponent pretty much as good as Notre Dame, however it did beat a strong Memphis workforce and hasn’t been challenged by anybody else. On the opposite aspect, this similar Irish workforce misplaced to Northern Illinois, which ought to give the Mids a shot of confidence to tug off the upset.
Line: Notre Dame -13.5
2. No. 3 Penn State (6-0) at Wisconsin (5-2), 7:30 p.m., Fubo, NBC
All of the Nittany Lions have executed is go unbeaten with a top-15 protection, top-10 offense, a Prime-25 win over Illinois and a giant comeback over USC on the highway. Quarterback Drew Allar is finishing greater than 70 p.c of his throws at higher than 10 yards per try below new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. Penn State is nice, perhaps actually good. But James Franklin’s struggles in large video games nonetheless hold over this program till confirmed in any other case. (And sadly, Penn State made information for different causes this week.) A win over Wisconsin on Saturday received’t be sufficient to appease all of the doubters, however the Badgers have quietly discovered a rhythm, profitable three straight by a mixed rating of 117-16. None of them got here in opposition to groups of Penn State’s caliber, and the Badgers bought smoked final month at dwelling by Alabama. However an improved Wisconsin is an intriguing take a look at for Penn State earlier than Ohio State visits subsequent week.
Line: Penn State -6.5
1. No. 8 LSU (6-1) at No. 14 Texas A&M (6-1), 7:30 p.m., Fubo, ABC
Two groups that misplaced high-profile matchups in Week 1 and have been steadily, stealthily climbing their approach again up the rankings. Texas A&M, which needed to cope with an harm to beginning quarterback Conner Weigman earlier within the season, just lately thumped Missouri. LSU had a dramatic extra time win in opposition to Ole Miss every week later, and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier leads the SEC in landing passes with 18. Either side have potential recreation wreckers on protection in Nic Scourton for the Aggies and Whit Weeks for LSU, and the latter may find yourself profitable the Bednarik Award.
Seen a play like that earlier than@WeeksWhit 🤝 @Mathieu_Era pic.twitter.com/7CcEQrOpTm
— LSU Soccer (@LSUfootball) October 21, 2024
There are zero undefeated groups within the SEC, and these are the one two which might be nonetheless unbeaten in convention play. Winner sits on their lonesome atop the league standings; loser joins the legion of one- and two-loss groups in tiebreaker hell.
Line: Texas A&M -1.5
(Photograph of LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier: Wesley Hitt / Getty Pictures)