This week’s college football picks highlight a pair of teams that have far exceeded expectations in 2024.
The pregame narrative: The No. 13 Indiana Hoosiers look to stay unbeaten with a backup quarterback in the huddle, and I like them to cover against a Washington Huskies squad that has to travel an awfully long way. Later on, look for the No. 25 Vanderbilt Commodores to dodge a blowout against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns.
Check out the best college football Week 9 picks for the action on Oct. 26.
College football Week 9 picks
Click linked odds to add selection to betslip. Note: Lines have changed/market no longer available if grey.
| NCAAF Week 9 picks | Odds | Bet now ⬇️ |
| Indiana -6.5 | -110 | Add to betslip |
| Burden under 54.5 rec. yards | -121 | Add to betslip |
| Vanderbilt +18.5 | -112 | Add to betslip |
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Best Bet: Indiana -6.5 (-110)
Kurtis Rourke underwent thumb surgery on Monday, meaning the Hoosiers won’t have their star quarterback under centre for Saturday’s matchup.
But even without the Ohio transfer at the helm, Indiana is in a great spot to cover this number on home turf against a Washington team that looks nothing like the national championship runner-up from a season ago.
The Huskies had one of the best offences in the country last year, but they returned zero starters from that group. This year’s Huskies rank 92nd in scoring (24.1 PPG).
Indiana has the No. 1 scoring offence (48.7 PPG), and obviously that has a lot to do with the exploits of Rourke. But the Hoosiers also have a superb running game, averaging 5.3 yards per tote.
And last week, backup QB Tayven Jackson showed a nice glimpse of what he can do in place of Rourke. Jackson, a redshirt sophomore, completed 7-of-8 passes for 91 yards and two TDs while rushing for 21 yards on two attempts.
Indiana isn’t at full strength with Rourke on the shelf, ut Jackson will have a full week to prepare as the starter, and he has plenty of talent around him to help keep the Hoosiers rolling.
Key stat: Washington is 0-2 ATS on the road this season, while Indiana has covered the spread in six straight games.
Quick picks
Luther Burden III under 54.5 receiving yards (-121): This is a fade on Missouri’s quarterback situation, not on Burden himself.
Burden, a five-star WR in the 2022 class, is a strong candidate to be selected in the first round of next year’s NFL draft. But he’ll likely have to play on Saturday without starting quarterback Brady Cook on the field.
Cook (ankle) is considered doubtful to play, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Backup QB Drew Pyne was awful in relief of Cook last week (10-of-21 for 78 yards).
The No. 15 Alabama Crimson Tide rank 20th in the country in pass yards allowed per attempt (6.2). If Pyne is in the game instead of Cook, Burden’s opportunities should be minimized.
Vanderbilt +18.5 (-112): When, if ever, are we going to put some respect on Vanderbilt’s name?
It’s a strange sentence to type in defence of the SEC’s perennial doormat, but things are different this year. The Commodores beat then-No. 1 Alabama and have relished the leadership capabilities of senior transfer QB Diego Pavia.
Pavia, last season’s Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, has an 11:1 TD-to-INT ratio. He also has 40-plus rushing yards in every game so far.
This is the fifth time already in 2024 that Vandy has been a double-digit underdog, and I think the squad can cover the spread again as it has in the previous four games.
Texas is a formidable squad that had an off-game at home last week against No. 2 Georgia. The Longhorns should absolutely win, but this number is too big for a Vandy team that refuses to roll over.
Picks made at 1:20 p.m. on 10/23/2024.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.