College football betting odds & picks for KU, K-State, Mizzou and more in Week 9
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Week 9 college football picks from an expert source
- Key matchups carry SEC and playoff implications; Vanderbilt and Missouri noted.
- Bettor guidance favors targeted plays: anytime TDs, underdogs, and team totals.
Now that’s more like it.
After an extended cold streak, we are back to our winning ways and fresh off a profitable week of college football bets. Thanks go out to SMU for pulling off an upset at Clemson that was worth four units.
Let’s stay hot and find some more winners.
Missouri (+2.5) at Vanderbilt
This game could end up having implications in both the SEC championship race and the playoff chase. Both teams are 6-1. Both teams have favorable schedules remaining. The winner of this matchup will be set up nicely to make noise the rest of the way.
With a small spread, there isn’t much value on either side. But Vanderbilt might be worth a look at under a field goal. Quarterback Diego Pavia seems to live for big games like this. Missouri playing in back-to-back road games could also put the Tigers at a disadvantage.
K-State (+3) at Kansas
It is strange to see the Jayhawks favored in a football game against the Wildcats.
K-State hasn’t been an underdog in the Sunflower Showdown since 2009, the year it began its current 16-game winning streak against KU. That means the favorite has won 15 straight in this series. Perhaps that is a good omen for Lance Leipold’s team. Then again, K-State has covered the spread in both of its games as an underdog this season. Maybe that role suits the Wildcats.
The past two games in this series have come down to the wire, and this matchup figures to be no different. So I’m hesitant to recommend either side.
But an anytime touchdown from Avery Johnson at even odds might be worth a look. This game will mean a lot to the K-State quarterback, and he won’t hesitate to fight for yards around the end zone.
My favorite college football bets for Week 9
1. UCLA (+25.5) at Indiana: The Bruins have looked like a different team since they fired their coach in September. Since then, they have scored 100 points and won three straight games against Penn State, Michigan State and Maryland. Do I expect them to continue their hot streak and win at Indiana? No. But the Hoosiers may have a hard time beating a rapidly improving team by a huge number. Pick: UCLA.
2. BYU (+2.5) at Iowa State: This spot is too good to ignore for the Cyclones. They are coming off a bye week and playing at home against an opponent that is fresh off an emotional victory over its rival. Last season, BYU capped a 9-0 start with a road win against Utah. The following week, it lost at home to Kansas. Iowa State hasn’t looked great since it lost key defensive starters to injury. But here’s guessing Matt Campbell will have a better game plan ready for this game with the Cyclones on extended rest. Pick: Iowa State.
3. Auburn (+1.5) at Arkansas: The Auburn Tigers have lost four straight SEC games in the most excruciating way possible. They don’t strike me as a team that is ready to bounce back in a difficult road game. Arkansas has been playing better under interim coach Bobby Petrino. The Razorbacks will find a way to win close this week. Pick: Arkansas.
4. Cal (+4.5) at Virginia Tech: I took it as a bad sign that Cal was the first team from a power conference to have trouble with North Carolina. Yes, the Golden Bears managed to beat the Tar Heels 21-18. But it was an ugly performance. Things might not get any prettier with a challenging road game on deck against Virginia Tech. The Hokies are fresh off a bye and should have success running the ball in this matchup. Pick: Virginia Tech.
5. Texas (-7.5) at Mississippi State: The Longhorns are only averaging 16.75 points against power-conference opponents this season. They only managed 16 points (in overtime) against Kentucky last week. I don’t trust their offense to win by margin right now. Mississippi State has been feisty at home this season with a win over Arizona State and an overtime loss to Tennessee. Lean: Mississippi State.
Last week: 3-2.
Season record: 16-24 (-10.2 units).
Other bets worth considering
6. Ole Miss (+5.5) at Oklahoma: Are we sure Oklahoma is a great football team? Other than a home win over Michigan, the Sooners don’t have much to brag about this season. They got blown out by Texas and their win over Auburn hasn’t aged well. Ole Miss is more than capable of pulling off an upset. Pick: Ole Miss.
7. Houston (+6.5) at Arizona State: Willie Fritz deserves consideration for Big 12 Coach of the Year with Houston off to a 6-1 start. But the Cougars have benefited from an easy schedule. It may be hard for them to handle a step up in competition against the Sun Devils. Lean: Arizona State.
8. TCU (-15.5) at West Virginia: Josh Hoover should be able to put up big numbers against a West Virginia defense that can’t stop a nose bleed. The Mountaineers have given up at least 38 points in all four of their Big 12 games. Lean: TCU team total over 34.5.
9. Minnesota (+8.5) at Iowa: The Gophers have won three of their past four games and shouldn’t need many points to stay competitive with the Hawkeyes. Lean: Minnesota.
10. Oklahoma State (+35.5) at Texas Tech: This is an insane point spread for a Big 12 game. Texas Tech wasn’t favored by much more than this when the Red Raiders played host to Kent State in a non-conference game. Still, I’m willing to lay points with Tech. The Cowboys are an atrocious road team. They lost at Oregon 69-3 and at Arizona 41-13 earlier this season. Lean: Texas Tech.
Last week: 1-4.
Season record: 22-18 (+2.6 units).
Upset pick of the week
11. Ole Miss (+200) at Oklahoma: I think the Sooners are a bit overrated, especially with quarterback John Mateer still working his way back from a hand injury. It may be difficult for Oklahoma to keep up with Ole Miss and its high-octane offense. Pick: Ole Miss.
Last week: 1-0.
Season record: 3-5 (+0.8 units).
This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM with the headline "College football betting odds & picks for KU, K-State, Mizzou and more in Week 9."