Picking week 9 college football betting lines: Can LSU keep rolling at Texas A&M; Will Navy sink Notre Dame?

While this week doesn’t include a game on the level of Ohio State-Oregon or Georgia-Texas, it’s loaded with intriguing games and some even more intriguing lines.

LSU at Texas A&M (-3.5) Total: 53.5

Andy: I’m done doubting LSU. I picked against the Tigers against Ole Miss and Arkansas, and they made me look silly. The Aggies have been fantastic since the Notre Dame loss, but I’m not letting LSU get me again.
The pick: LSU MONEY LINE

Ari: This game could go a long way in determining which one of these teams has a shot to make the College Football Playoff. Both teams have overcoming losses in their season-openers to put together a bunch of wins and put themselves back on the bubble. This has become the game of the week. I just cannot ignore how LSU seems to be ascending at the right time.
The pick: LSU MONEY LINE

Notre Dame vs. Navy (+12.5) Total: 51.5

Andy: This feels like a big spread for a game that features a team (Navy) that ranks No. 132 in the nation in plays run and No. 7 in the nation in yards per play. The Midshipmen will try to suck possessions out of this game, so the only way Notre Dame can build a big lead is through turnovers or simply out-athleteing Navy. The former is possible. I’m not sure the latter is.
The pick: NAVY TO COVER

Ari: We have gotten to the point in the season where Notre Dame’s best shot at a quality win to impress the College Football Playoff Committee is beating Navy? Yes, we have. This spread seems like too many points given Navy’s offense has been so effective this year. The Irish have a chance to out-athlete the Midshipmen, but the spread is larger than I anticipated. I think Notre Dame will win, but it’s not going to be an easy blowout. 
The pick: NAVY TO COVER

Florida State at Miami (-21.5) Total: 54.5

Andy: The last time these two teams met at Hard Rock Stadium, Florida State crushed Miami 45-3. The game was a message in Mario Cristobal’s that Miami had a ton of work to do. Cristobal and company did that work, and now they get the worst version of the Seminoles since before the Bobby Bowden era. Expect the Hurricanes to send the message this time.
The pick: MIAMI TO COVER

Ari: I have picked Florida State so often this year and have lost every single time. At a certain point, a person just has nothing left to give. Though I do think Miami’s defense could end up costing the Hurricanes a game this season, they have one of the best offenses in college football and the Seminoles just won’t be able to keep up.
The pick: MIAMI TO COVER

Nebraska at Ohio State (-25.5) Total: 48.5

Andy: The Dylan Raiola love fest ended in Bloomington as Indiana terrorized the Nebraska freshman, limiting him to 5.1 yards per attempt and intercepting him three times. Ohio State has an even more disruptive defense, and the Buckeyes have better players on offense than Indiana. Plus, this is Ohio State’s first chance to play since losing at Oregon, so the Buckeyes will want to show they’re still an elite team. This is a huge number, but unless Nebraska can cut down on the turnovers, Ohio State will hit it. This has to feel like Groundhog Day for the Cornhuskers, who are once again stuck at five wins.
The pick: OHIO STATE TO COVER

Ari: Ohio State theoretically has one of the best defensive lines in college football, though Buckeyes fans will be the first to complain about how they struggle to get home and sack the quarterback. The recipe for a blowout here is getting in Dylan Raiola’s face and making him uncomfortable. With a week off to regroup after the Oregon loss, Ohio State gets back to blowing overmatched opponents out.
The pick: OHIO STATE TO COVER

Oklahoma at Ole Miss (-20.5) Total: 42.5

Andy: Oklahoma fired offensive coordinator Seth Littrell on Sunday, but that probably won’t suddenly make the Sooners capable of blocking above-average SEC defensive fronts. Ole Miss is way above-average. The Rebels lead the nation in per-carry rush defense (2.0 yards) and rank seventh in the nation in sacks per game (3.4). This feels like a re-run of last week’s Oklahoma loss to South Carolina, except Ole Miss has a better offense than the Gamecocks.
The pick: OLE MISS TO COVER

Ari: Oklahoma fired offensive coordinator Seth Littrell after another terrible offensive performance. The Sooners are playing musical quarterbacks right now, all while the offensive line is completely incapable of blocking the opponent. Mississippi’s defensive line is nasty and giving that offense a ton of possessions is the recipe for a blowout. 
The pick: OLE MISS TO COVER

Boise State at UNLV (+2.5) Total: 66.5

Andy: UNLV has allowed only 3.5 yards a carry on the ground this season. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty averages 9.9 yards a carry. Whichever party performs closer to its average will lead its team to a win. Here’s guessing it’s Jeanty, who is putting together possibly the best season we’ve ever seen from a tailback.
The Pick: BOISE STATE TO COVER

Ari: This spread feels like it should be higher, right? The entire country is locked in on Ashton Jeanty mania and many of us just assume the Broncos, who pushed Oregon to its limit earlier in the year, is going to represent the Group of 5 in the Playoff. But UNLV is a really good football team and receiver Ricky White III is one of the best players in the sport nobody is talking about. I’m going to fade the public here and go with the Rebels at home. 
The pick: UNLV TO COVER

Rutgers at USC (-13.5) Total: 54.5

Andy: This is a tough one because while USC is 1-4 in Big Ten play, those four losses have come by a combined 14 points. The last time we saw the Trojans in the Coliseum, they led Penn State by two touchdowns and then fell in overtime. Rutgers is coming off a loss to UCLA, so this should be a cover for USC. But something is off, and a Friday game starting at 8 p.m. pacific time (11 p.m. Piscataway time) following a World Series game only adds to the weirdness.
The Pick: RUTGERS TO COVER

Ari: USC is the weirdest team in America. It’s really hard to put your finger on what’s wrong with the Trojans, though it’s clear Lincoln Riley has lost the plot somewhere. If you go back and look, though, USC could realistically still be alive in the Playoff race had it been able to close out some games. I think the Trojans are probably 14 points better and Rutgers isn’t built to play from behind. 
The pick: USC TO COVER

Washington at Indiana (-6.5) Total: 52.5

Andy: The linebackers have yet to put their faith in Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers, but are we really to believe that Washington — which allowed 40 points to Iowa in its last game — is going to slow Indiana’s offense? Against Nebraska, Tayven Jackson filled in more than capably for starting QB Kurtis Rourke, who is out indefinitely with a thumb injury. I’m probably riding with Indiana to cover through the Michigan game.
The pick: INDIANA TO COVER

Ari: Indiana has become America’s Sweetheart, and it’s not just because they are a lovable underdog that has come out of nowhere. The Hoosiers are legitimately a really good football team. But are they immune to having a close game? Washington seems to be in the position to give Indiana the type of game we expected from Nebraska over the weekend. The Huskies can move the football? Is this the week we are sweating an Indiana close game? I have a feeling it is. 
The pick: WASHINGTON TO COVER  

Texas at Vanderbilt (-17.5) Total: 53.5

Andy: Vandy QB Diego Pavia might statistically have the biggest dog in him (https://x.com/ESPN_BillC/status/1846972429819867616) of any player on the field in this game, but the Commodores probably watched Georgia-Texas last week hoping the Longhorns would win and come to Nashville hung over. Instead, Vandy will have to play a Texas team trying to erase that feeling.
The pick: TEXAS TO COVER

Ari: The Longhorns are coming off an embarrassing loss at home to Georgia. They inserted Arch Manning into the game in the second quarter and sent longtime starter Quinn Ewers to the bench. Ewers will remain the start this week and into the future, so Texas goes to Nashville angry with a point to prove. Texas is still much better than Alabama, so Vanderbilt’s designs at yet another upset at home may just be coming at the wrong time.
The pick: TEXAS TO COVER

Missouri at Alabama (-13.5) Total: 56.5

Andy: The Nick Saban era conditioned linemakers to expect Alabama to be reliably great. One of Saban’s superpowers was getting 18- to 22-year-olds to perform in a relatively consistent fashion from week to week. That simply isn’t the case with this Alabama team, so why are we still getting lines that we’d expect when Saban was coaching? This is too many points for the Alabama team we’ve seen the past three weeks. Plus, Missouri gutting out a win against Auburn that seemed impossible for most of the game is going to give the Tigers even more confidence.
The pick: MISSOURI TO COVER

Ari: Everyone is down on Alabama right now. That’s fair because the Crimson Tide have had a pretty miserable month. But this team is still technically alive in the Playoff race and has some really impressive athletes who can be dangerous if they finger something out. This is a huge spot for Alabama at home and Missouri’s defense is not nearly as good as Tennessee’s. Many have punted on Alabama. I think this week they ride after everyone jumped ship.
The pick: ALABAMA TO COVER 

BYU at UCF (+1.5) Total: 55.5

Andy: UCF’s offense has improved with Jacurri Brown at quarterback, but two touchdowns in the Iowa State game were either scored or placed on a tee by the defense. Don’t expect BYU to hand the ball over that frequently, and don’t expect UCF to be able to stop Jake Retzlaff and company that often.
The pick: BYU TO COVER

Ari: UCF was in position to beat Iowa State this past weekend and didn’t get it done. BYU was in position to lose its first game on Friday and overcame it. But this game seems like the classic weird Big 12 spot where we get a shocking result. The entire country is riding with BYU, but this small spread promises a weird football game. Give me the Knights at home. 
The pick: UCF TO COVER

Illinois at Oregon (-21.5) Total: 54.5

Andy: I don’t think Illinois is going to take my suggestion to wear the Red Grange uniforms from the Michigan game in Eugene, and for that transgression I believe the football gods will punish the Illini.
The pick: OREGON TO COVER

Ari: Oregon is firing off on all cylinders right now, and it’s hard to envision a world where the Ducks don’t keep rolling. Illinois is coming off a win over Michigan and it is feeling good, but the Wolverines actually outgained the Illini. Oregon keeps rolling.
The pick: OREGON TO COVER

Northwestern at Iowa (-13.5) Total: 37.5

Andy: This is one of those weeks when we only pick the Iowa total, and the combination of a better Hawkeyes offense and a (much?) worse Iowa defense makes that easy.
The pick: OVER 37.5

Ari: This is an Iowa over podcast. Nothing else needs to be said.
The pick: OVER 37.5

Penn State at Wisconsin (+6.5) Total: 48.5

Andy: This spread seems awfully low, and it’s probably because Wisconsin has beaten its past three opponents by at least 20 points. The Badgers’ last three opponents weren’t very good, and Penn State has found its offensive X-factor in Tyler Warren.
The pick: PENN STATE TO COVER

Ari: Penn State has ascended to the top five in the polls because the Nittany Lions are one of the rare teams who haven’t lost yet. Though Penn State still has a ton to prove about whether it is a team that can win a national title, it has unequivocally proven it is seven points better than Wisconsin. We’re all looking ahead to Penn State’s game against Ohio State on Nov. 2, but Penn State needs to stay locked in on the Badgers. I think they will.
The pick: PENN STATE TO COVER