Vanderbilt Favored Again in Week 9 College Football Showdown
This week in college football looks like it’s going to be wild. There are some high-stakes matchups on the schedule that could really shake up the College Football Playoff race.
Vanderbilt, a team that’s been surprising folks lately, is favored again—this time against No. 15 Missouri. Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M are also about to get tested in big ways.
With so many Top 25 teams either playing crucial games or taking a breather for a bye, the results could have some ripple effects. There’s just a lot hanging in the balance.
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Vanderbilt vs. Missouri: A Clash of the Underdogs
It’s been a weird season. Vanderbilt, of all teams, has turned into a real contender.
The Commodores were favored in an SEC game for the first time in nearly seven years last week. Now they’ve cracked the top 10.
This week, they’re favored by a field goal against No. 15 Missouri. ESPN’s College Gameday is even setting up at Vanderbilt, which says a lot about how big this game feels.
Vanderbilt’s rise has been pretty wild. Last week, they were 2.5-point favorites against LSU and actually pulled off the win.
That win shoved them into the national spotlight. Their game against Missouri is suddenly one of the biggest of the week.
Missouri, for their part, is trying to firm up their standing and maybe sneak into the playoff conversation themselves.
Betting Odds and Predictions
BetMGM has Vanderbilt favored by a field goal over Missouri. That’s a big shift from where they started this year.
Missouri, sitting at No. 15, is looking to flip the script and prove they belong. The stakes are high for both teams as they try to stay in the playoff hunt.
Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma: A Defensive Showdown
No. 8 Ole Miss is coming off a rough loss at Georgia. Now they’ve got to face No. 13 Oklahoma.
This one’s expected to be a defensive slugfest. Oklahoma’s defense is allowing just 9.4 points per game—second only to Ohio State.
The sportsbooks have put the point total at 52.5. Doesn’t look like anyone expects a shootout here.
Both teams are 6-1, so this game really matters. A win could launch one of them into the playoff picture, but a loss? That’s a tough hill to climb.
Key Players to Watch
- Ole Miss: Keep an eye on their quarterback and those wide receivers. They’ve been making big plays all season.
- Oklahoma: Their defense has been rock solid. The key guys on that side of the ball will need to step up again to slow down Ole Miss.
Other Notable SEC Matchups
It’s not just Vanderbilt-Missouri and Ole Miss-Oklahoma grabbing attention. There are other SEC games worth watching.
Brian Kelly’s LSU is teetering after a loss to Vanderbilt. Now they face undefeated No. 3 Texas A&M, who are 2.5-point favorites.
And then you’ve got two more Top 25 teams as underdogs: No. 11 BYU at Iowa State, and No. 23 Illinois at Washington.
The Cyclones are 5-2 and favored by 2.5 over the undefeated Cougars. Washington’s a 4.5-point favorite over Illinois in a battle of 5-2 teams.
Illinois has to make that dreaded West Coast trip. They’ll be hoping to pull off an upset.
The Impact of Travel
Traveling across time zones is usually seen as a disadvantage, but maybe not this year. In Big Ten play, road teams going at least two time zones have gone 8-8, both straight up and against the spread.
So, is travel still a big deal? Maybe not as much as we all thought.
Bye Weeks for Top Teams
This week, three AP Top 25 teams are on bye: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 5 Georgia, and No. 12 Notre Dame.
They’ll get a chance to rest up and regroup for the stretch run. With them out, there’s room for other teams to make some noise in the rankings.
Looking Ahead
With the season rolling on, every game feels heavier. Teams are scrambling for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
One loss now? That could shake things up for weeks. This weekend’s matchups might finally show us who’s got it together—and who’s still scrambling.
Curious about the odds or just want a deeper dive? Check out the original article for more details.
