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CFB Week 9 best bets: The 'Saturday 7'

Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The goal each week is to win money and have more in the accounts come December than we had in August. By any means necessary.

After a 7-0 sweep in Week 7, all we could ask for last week was to keep what we'd made. So, a 4-3 week here offset an unlucky 2-3 in the big-game bets, and a 5-5 week overall moves us to 57-41-1 (58.2%) for +11.9 units on the season as we head into the last Saturday of October.

Notre Dame @ No. 16 Syracuse (-2.5, 48)

Syracuse had its bubble burst last week at Clemson. The physically overmatched Orange only stayed in the game thanks to a 14-point swing on a fumble return.

Notre Dame can push a bruised Syracuse team around. While we don't like laying big points with the Irish, playing them as an underdog in a game where they might be able to get by offensively with handoffs is more palatable. The line has come off of +3 from earlier in the week, but Notre Dame won't need the points as things start to snowball in upstate New York.

Pick: Notre Dame +2.5

Boston College @ UConn (+7.5, 44.5)

Although UConn should face a step up in weight class after three covers in a row against some of the FBS' worst teams, Boston College can only create offense through Phil Jurkovec's connection to Zay Flowers. The Eagles, who are dead last in the country in rushing, don't have ACC-level power in the trenches.

Jim Mora Jr. can focus UConn's game plan on blanketing Flowers in a regional game that means more to the rebuilding program. With points at a premium, the Huskies keep it close.

Pick: UConn +7.5

Rutgers @ Minnesota (-14, 40.5)

Even if you assume Tanner Morgan will be back behind center for Minnesota, this line is too high. Rutgers' run defense has given up the sixth-fewest yards per game. The Scarlet Knights shut down Indiana last week after the Hoosiers returned the opening kick for a touchdown.

Rutgers has suffered blowout losses to Ohio State and Iowa thanks to C.J. Stroud and two defensive first-half touchdowns, respectively. But the Gophers don't have Stroud, while Greg Schiano dismissed his offensive coordinator last week and has turned to freshman tailback Samuel Brown V to lead a conservative offense.

Pick: Rutgers +14

Old Dominion @ Georgia State (-3.5, 54)

Sometimes finding season-long success means riding a team or two that the market can't catch up to. That's a rare occurrence in Power 5 conference squads, but in the Group of 5, you can ride under-the-radar teams. That's what Old Dominion has been for us.

Georgia State's best result is a win over Georgia Southern after being handed five turnovers. While ODU lost to Georgia Southern last week, Hayden Wolff has thrown just two interceptions, and the Monarchs have a +6 turnover margin on the season. ODU showed it can win on the road at Coastal Carolina, and the team will have another chance late.

Pick: Old Dominion +3.5

No. 8 Oregon @ California (+17, 58.5)

A good, old-fashioned letdown spot here for Oregon. The Ducks went up and down the field on their former head coach and UCLA last week. Now they go on the road to face California and its effective defense. Oregon's shoddy defense will give up just enough points that it'll be content with a two-score victory.

Pick: California +17

Michigan State @ No. 4 Michigan (-23, 55)

Michigan State started slowly this year, but its Big Ten schedule didn't do the team any favors. The Spartans finally broke through with a comeback overtime win over Wisconsin before a bye week leading into their biggest game of the season.

Michigan doesn't have the type of pass-centric offense that Michigan State is vulnerable to. Having won this game last year, and getting three touchdowns, the Spartans will take Michigan's punches and maybe land a few of their own to linger long enough to cover.

Pick: Michigan State +23

Wyoming @ Hawaii (+10.5, 51)

After a horrific start to the Timmy Chang era, Hawaii's run defense has held up nicely. As a result, the Warriors have quietly covered three straight, including two on the road. Now they're back home, facing a Wyoming team with a very hollow 3-1 Mountain West record. They say weird things happen on The Island late, but it wouldn't be strange to see Hawaii take down the Cowboys.

Pick: Hawaii +10.5

Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there’s a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.

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