College football picks for Week 9 games: Georgia, Ohio State in conference matchups

Making our predictions for college football's best Week 9 games

This weekend is the last on the schedule before the College Football Playoff selection committee releases its first top 25 rankings, and Saturday's action will give plenty of hopefuls a chance to make a good impression as we move into CFP season.

• To make Week 9 picks, we turn to the Football Power Index.
• FPI is a computer predictive tool whose rankings and analytic prediction models are a measure of team strength that predicts future performance.
• Devised by football analysts, its rankings and score predictions are based on 20,000 simulations of a team’s season, using a combination of analytics, including scores to date, quality of opponents, overall talent, and a team’s schedule.
• The index uses data points from both teams to simulate head-to-head matchups 20,000 times to pick straight-up game winners

South Carolina at Texas A&M

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Texas A&M to win: 84.6%

South Carolina to win: 15.4%

College Football HQ picks: Texas A&M. The Aggies are favored by two touchdowns here, a big number for an SEC West game, but it's hard to see how the Gamecocks are able to protect Spencer Rattler against A&M's expert front seven rushing combination. Plus, the Ags' attack should find some room against a Carolina defense that ranks 115th in yards allowed per play.

Clemson at NC State

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Clemson to win: 75.5%

NC State to win: 24.5%

College Football HQ picks: Clemson. Four of the last six in this series have been decided by 10 points or fewer, so this game's line being 10 points in Clemson's favor is surprising. The Wolfpack defend against the run relatively well, which is important given the Tigers' issues moving the ball in the air.

Oklahoma at Kansas

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Oklahoma to win: 87.4%

Kansas to win: 12.6%

College Football HQ picks: Oklahoma. The Jayhawks will put some points on the board although the passing game is not as effective with Jason Bean in at quarterback, but Kansas can run the ball well, averaging 212 yards on the ground and posting 5.6 yards per carry. OU needs to bring its best game on the defensive line.

Duke at Louisville

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Louisville to win: 53.4%

Duke to win: 46.6%

College Football HQ picks: Louisville. Duke's front line defense is a well-disciplined group with gap control who can put pressure on the ground game, while its defensive backs provide adequate run support, as well. But the Cardinals have more skill threats to throw at them plus home field advantage.

Oregon at Utah

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Oregon to win: 68.7%

Utah to win: 31.3%

College Football HQ picks: Oregon. Picking against Utah at home is usually a bad idea thanks to that 18-game win streak in Salt Lake, plus its winning 29 of the last 30 there. And while the Utes defense will frustrate the Ducks early, they don't have the skill threats to keep with Oregon for the full 60 minutes.

BYU at Texas

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Texas to win: 94.9%

BYU to win: 5.1%

College Football HQ picks: Texas. Each of the Cougars' losses came on the road against Big 12 foes and the Longhorns should find plenty of holes to open up running the ball against BYU's run stop that ranks 88th nationally. Maalik Murphy steps in for injured Quinn Ewers in an important first big test.

Tennessee at Kentucky

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Tennessee to win: 70.8%

Kentucky to win: 29.2%

College Football HQ picks: Tennessee. Stopping the Wildcats from running the ball is the path to victory here and that's something the Volunteers do surprisingly well, ranking top 15 nationally in that category behind a stronger front seven.

Colorado at UCLA

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UCLA to win: 83.8%

Colorado to win: 16.2%

College Football HQ picks: UCLA. Strength vs. weakness battle at the line of scrimmage in this one between UCLA's superb run stop against the Buffaloes' meager ground attack that averaged 86 yards per game. Colorado should find some throwing lanes on the Bruin back seven, but UCLA can hold the ball longer with the 9th ranked rushing offense in the nation.

Ohio State at Wisconsin

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Ohio State to win: 87.9%

Wisconsin to win: 12.1%

College Football HQ picks: Ohio State. The Buckeyes are playing some of their best defense in recent memory, and at just the right time as the offense is still finding its identity. But watch how the Badgers defense responds, ranking as it does 25th nationally in yards per play allowed. Wisconsin will hammer away on the ground enough to keep it close for a half.

Georgia vs. Florida

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Georgia to win: 85.2%

Florida to win: 14.8%

College Football HQ picks: Georgia. If the Gators can run the ball effectively against the Bulldogs' front seven early on, then they can stay within the 14.5 point line, and it helps quarterback Graham Mertz put together some mid-range passing gains in the process. The absence of Brock Bowers is important for Georgia, and should keep the game closer than many expect.

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