College football betting: Week 9

The following article contains information that is not representative of the opinions of CommRadio. It solely expresses the opinions of Joseph Granton.

After a wild Week 8 that sent shockwaves through the college football rankings, Week 9 promises even more drama with a lineup of matchups ready to flip the Top 25 on its head.

No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 24 Navy

This historic rivalry between the Midshipmen and the Irish hasn’t meant this much in at least five years. As Navy comes in ranked No. 24 for the first season since 2019. Notre Dame enters Week 9 with a 6-1 record, and can’t afford another loss if they want to remain in the College Football Playoff conversation.

Navy’s transformation under Coach Brian Newberry has been nothing short of metamorphic. With Blake Horvath at quarterback, the Midshipmen have combined a dominant ground game with efficient passing, ranking fourth in the nation with 44.8 points per game.

Navy’s defense is no slouch either, forcing 14 turnovers through six games, while their special teams have provided a significant field-position advantage all season, consistently starting allowing their offense to begin drives in favorable territory.

Featuring two of the most prolific rushing offenses in the country, this game is set to be an absolute run-off. Both Navy and Notre Dame average over 200 yards a game on the ground.

The Irish and the Midshipmen are meeting for the 97th time in their storied rivalry, but this year’s game could be a defining moment for both teams. Notre Dame is a 13.5-point favorite, and the total is set at 50.5.

Both schools will rely on a run-heavy offense and focus on playing tough, physical defense. Before you know it, the clock will wind down with neither side scoring more than 20 points.

Pick: Under 50.5

Washington vs. No. 13 Indiana

College GameDay is going to Bloomington, Indiana, for the second time in the show's history.

Indiana has improved to 7-0 for just the second time in program history, led by the nation's top-scoring offense.

However, quarterback Kurtis Rourke is sidelined with a thumb injury from last week, giving Tayven Jackson the opportunity to take charge of this high-powered unit. Still, averaging over 500 yards and 48 points a game, it shouldn’t really matter who’s under center for the Hoosiers.

The Huskies do present a new opportunity for Indiana’s defensive backs, with two standout star wideouts in Giles Jackson and Denzel Boston, the Hoosier secondary will have their hands full.

Boston and Jackson have combined for 1,082 yards this season while also hauling in a combined 11 touchdowns.

Washington fell to 2-2 in Big Ten play after suffering an ugly 40-16 loss at Iowa two weekends ago. With Washington seemingly struggling to adjust to the level of play in the Big Ten, Indiana is the clear choice here. They can, and will drop 40 on any defense in the country, and that’s not gonna stop against the Huskies.

Pick: Indiana -5.5

No. 8 LSU vs. No. 14 Texas A&M

The Southeastern Conference is utterly wide open, with the winner of this one all but claiming the top spot. Both teams are undefeated in SEC play and riding six-game winning streaks.

Brian Kelly’s No. 8 LSU Tigers travel to College Station for a Saturday night matchup against No. 14 Texas A&M. This will be LSU's toughest challenge since facing USC in a week one loss. The Aggies, led by first-year head coach Mike Elko, have also rebounded from their Week 1 loss to Notre Dame and are on fire heading into this game.

Running back Le'veon Moss has been an absolute bellcow for the Aggies, surpassing 650 yards in just over 100 carries, to go along with eight touchdowns. This poses a real threat for the Tigers, who struggled to defend the run, allowing 180 rushing yards in their last SEC matchup against Ole Miss.

Quarterback Garrett Nussemeier has been lights out for the Bayou Bengals, currently sitting at seventh in the nation, and leading the SEC in passing touchdowns. He’s developed strong chemistry with his top target, Kyren Lacy, who has caught six of his 18 touchdown passes this season.

Both offenses should put on a show, and the over at 54.5 is worth the look. However, LSU still doesn’t look the part of a top-ten squad, and won’t be able to keep up with all of the talent A&M has to offer on both sides of the ball.

Pick: Texas A&M -1

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Joseph Granton is a fourth-year broadcast journalism major. To contact him, email jlg6619@psu.edu.