Saturday Predictions: Week 9

The Ole Miss rebels are the only top-team expected to face a
test this weekend. Can the Rebel defense keep the Tigers at
bay? Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

You might find the lack of many titanic Top 25 match-ups this weekend a little disappointing. Don't worry, it won't be all bad and I expect the playoff-race to truly ignite this following week. And we do have #3 Mississippi and #24 LSU. Ole Miss is, perhaps surprisingly, only a slight favorite going into Death Valley. However, if they expect to win, the Tigers will need to find some way to score against possibly the best defense in college football. Or hope the Rebels make a lot of mistakes (which certainly is no given). The Rebels can drastically reduce LSU's chances if they manage to thwart the Tiger running game. Outside this game, nothing terribly interesting is going on in the SEC.

The only other game between two Top 25 teams features #19 Utah and #20 USC. Even in Salt Lake City, the Trojans are just the slightest of favorites. But this one's really a toss-up, as far as I see it (though for me, picking these Pac-12 games is usually the hardest). Both teams only have one loss in the Pac-12 South, so getting a win here could have tremendous implications.

Elsewhere in the Pac-12, the two Arizona schools are visiting the two Washington schools. Both the Wildcats and Sun Devils are ranked while the Huskies and Cougars are not. I'm picking both upsets but I'm certainly not confident. We'll see if at least one of the northern teams can get the win at home.

Could be tough sledding for those Florida teams that are actually playing this week (three are off on byes). And not just because Floridians aren't too familiar with sleds. It should be quite tough for South Florida to pull off their second consecutive (upset) road win against Cincinnati and impossible for Florida Atlantic to knock off Marshall. UCF could have a tougher-than-expected game against Temple and Miami will have to contend with the Hokies in Lane Stadium.

Look out for those "hidden gem"-type games and let's hope for an exciting Saturday of football!

State of Florida:

• Virginia Tech (4-3) over Miami (4-3), 30-27
• Cincinnati (3-3) over South Florida (3-4), 34-31
• #23 Marshall (7-0) over Florida Atlantic (3-4), 49-10
• UCF (4-2) over Temple (4-2), 23-17
• FIU (3-5), BYE
• Florida (3-3), BYE
• #2 Florida State (7-0), BYE

Southeastern Conference:

• Arkansas (3-4) over UAB (4-3), 38-17
• #1 Mississippi State (6-0) over Kentucky (5-2), 45-10
• Missouri (5-2) over Vanderbilt (2-5), 34-17
• #3 Mississippi (7-0) over #24 LSU (6-2), 27-17
• #5 Auburn (5-1) over South Carolina (4-3), 48-21
• #4 Alabama (6-1) over Tennessee (3-4), 42-10
• #9 Georgia (6-1), BYE
• Texas A&M (5-3), BYE

Top 25:

• #6 Oregon (6-1) over California (4-3), 38-14
• #8 Michigan State (6-1) over Michigan (3-4), 45-20
• #10 TCU (5-1) over Texas Tech (3-4), 45-10
• #11 Kansas State (5-1) over Texas (3-4), 38-16
• #13 Ohio State (5-1) over Penn State (4-2), 45-10
• Washington (5-2) over #14 Arizona State (5-1), 27-24
• Washington State (2-5) over #15 Arizona (5-1), 52-49
• #16 Nebraska (6-1) over Rutgers (5-2), 41-24
• #18 East Carolina (5-1) over Connecticut (1-5), 38-10
• #19 Utah (5-1) over #20 USC (5-2), 31-28
• #21 Clemson (5-2) over Syracuse (3-4), 42-20
• #22 West Virginia (5-2) over Oklahoma State (5-2), 38-37
• #25 UCLA (5-2) over Colorado (2-5), 45-21
• #7 Notre Dame (6-1), BYE
• #12 Baylor (6-1), BYE
• #17 Oklahoma (5-2), BYE