NCAA Football 2018 Week 9 picks

We're getting more Thursday and Friday games as we approach the Thanksgiving finale weekend.

Thurs Oct 25
Baylor Bears at #14 West Virginia Mountaineers:  Baylor is having a tough time in the conference this season.  Was it just two years ago that Baylor was a playoff contender?  Wow, what a difference.  WEST VIRGINIA

Toledo Rockets at Western Michigan Broncos:  Toledo is another team who frequently challenges for their conference title, and is struggling this season.  Western Michigan did not start the season well, but they have come on in recent weeks.  WESTERN MICHIGAN

Appalachian State Mountaineers at Georgia Southern Eagles:  The Mountaineers are nationally ranked for the first time in their FBS history.  The Mountaineers have challenged (and even beaten) Power Five conference heavyweights.  This is a fierce team.  The Eagles are doing well in the conference, and co-lead the division with Appalachian State, but they don't operate on the same level.  The Mountaineers will take the division lead with this win.  APPALACHIAN STATE

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Virginia Tech Hokies:  Georgia Tech is having trouble holding onto the ball.  Virginia Tech makes the most of turnovers.  This is a game that plays into that strength.  VIRGINIA TECH

Fri Oct 26
#21 Miami Hurricanes at Boston College Eagles:  These two teams are fairly evenly matched.  Miami has the defense, while BC has the offense.  Normally I pick the defense in situations like that, but some chaos in the starting ranks of Miami, and shifting people around, makes them vulnerable in a high-energy environment like Boston.  I smell an upset here.  BOSTON COLLEGE

Indiana Hoosiers at Minnesota Golden Gophers:  Minnesota cannot seem to get their footing in Big Ten conference play.  Indiana has some strong players, and can move the ball well.  While I think Minnesota will eventually get it together, and this game might be the opportunity to do that, I think Indiana has the edge.  INDIANA

Utah Utes at UCLA Bruins:  UCLA won their second game of the season last week, but I don't think we have seen the beginning of their revitalization.  UTAH

Sat Oct 27
Top 25
#2 Clemson Tigers at Florida State Seminoles:  Clemson has both the top offense and top defense in the ACC.  That's a potent combination, more than Florida State can handle.  CLEMSON

#3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Navy Midshipmen:  Navy has had a tough time this season.  They've played some tough opponents close, and then fell badly against others.  Their ground game still works, but their runners aren't hitting the holes as quickly as they should.  Notre Dame's defense will seal those holes quickly.  NOTRE DAME

Kansas State Wildcats at #6 Oklahoma Sooners:  Kansas State has floundered in conference play, while the Sooners have bounced back well from the close loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry.  The Sooners want a chance to face Texas again in the conference championship game, and each victory is a step closer.  One step...  OKLAHOMA

#11 Florida Gators at #7 Georgia Bulldogs:  Florida was not expected to do so well this season, and they have wildly exceeded expectations.  They are no longer a surprise, though, and a forewarned Bulldogs team has the strength to stop them.  This game could be an upset, though, if Florida still has some surprises up their sleeves.  GEORGIA

#9 Iowa Hawkeyes at #12 Penn State Nittany Lions:  Penn State is favored in this game, but the Nittany Lions have not seemed to fully recover from their loss to Ohio State.  With Purdue's upset of them, will that even make them question their ability further?  Nobody seems to give Iowa credit for their achievements, and underestimated them may lead to Penn State's loss.  IOWA

#13 Texas Longhorns at Oklahoma State Cowboys:  The Cowboys have been a bit of a disappointment this season, while the Longhorns have bounced back strongly from their opening week loss.  They see a chance to win the conference for the first time in a long time, and that goal motivates them.  TEXAS

#15 Washington State Cougars at Stanford Cardinal:  This is a crucial game for the Cougars.  If they want any shot at the playoffs, they must not only win all of their remaining games, they need to impress against strong teams like Stanford.  Unfortunately, I don't think Stanford will comply.  I think the Cougars will win, but it will a late fourth quarter comeback and may reduce their stock.  WASHINGTON STATE

#16 Wisconsin Badgers at Northwestern Wildcats:  The Wildcats have been a force within the conference, but their play has been too inconsistent for me to confidently believe they will win here.  They could cause an upset, as they are prone to do a couple of times a year, but I have to favor the pace and power of Wisconsin.  WISCONSIN

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at #17 Fresno State Bulldogs:  Hawaii is another team that started the year strong, but have had trouble retaining that.  Fresno State has been bullish (excuse the pun) on defense, allowing a TOTAL of 13 points in THREE Mountain West contests.  It's the type of performance rare in the offensive-happy Mountain West, but a formula that works for the Bulldogs.  FRESNO STATE

New Mexico Lobos at #18 Utah State Aggies:  We go from the best defense in the conference to the best offense in the conference, located in Utah.  The Aggies are lighting up the scoreboard and leaving trails of dust behind beleaguered defenders.  The Lobos will simply be their next victims.  UTAH STATE

#19 Cincinnati Bearcats at SMU Mustangs:  The Bearcats suffered their first defeat of the season last week, but that might actually help them.  They probably would not have gotten past UCF, and they had little hope at the playoffs, so now the pressure of perfection is off their backs and they can focus on playing outstanding football, something the Mustangs haven't really been able to do most of the season.  CINCINNATI

#20 Washington Huskies at Cal Golden Bears:  You always have to watch out playing Cal at home, but this season they haven't been too much of a threat.  Should be a pretty easy victory.  WASHINGTON

#22 Kentucky Wildcats at Missouri Tigers:  Kentucky had a bit of a struggle last week, but they should have it easier against Mizzou, who haven't won a conference game yet.  A win here will put Kentucky in a tie for the division lead with the winner of the Florida-Georgia contest, and Kentucky already beat Florida.  I know who the Wildcats are rooting for in that game!  KENTUCKY

NC State Wolf Pack at #23 Syracuse Orange:  NC State wants a nice win to wash out the stink of the debacle against Clemson, but I don't think they'll get it.  Clemson exposed the holes on the Wolf Pack team, and I'm sure Syracuse was watching.  SYRACUSE

South Florida Bulls at #24 Houston Cougars:  This game is likely to be really close!  The Bulls have a good defense, but is it strong enough to hold back the offensive onslaught of the Cougars?  I don't think so.  HOUSTON

#25 Oregon Ducks at Arizona Wildcats:  Oregon needs to have a bounce back game.  Arizona may seem ripe, but truthfully these two teams are fairly evenly matched.  Oregon may have some trouble here, but they simply have enough offensive tools to prevail in the fourth quarter.  OREGON

Big Ten
Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan State Spartans:  Purdue's upset over Ohio State extended their winning streak to four games, the second longest in the conference behind Michigan.  However, I think that streak will end.  The Spartans are not winning big, but they find ways to win.  MICHIGAN STATE

Illinois Fighting Illini at Maryland Terrapins:  Illinois has collapsed, allowing Maryland a chance to get their first winning record against conference opponents this late in the season.  MARYLAND

Other Games of Interest
North Carolina Tar Heels at Virginia Cavaliers:  North Carolina and Virginia have taken different tracks this season.  North Carolina is at the bottom of the Coastal division, and have won only one game this season.  Virginia is in second place in the division, having lost only one conference game.  This game will be a reflection of those two disparage experiences.  VIRGINIA

Texas A&M Aggies at Mississippi State Bulldogs:  Mississippi State has struggled in the conference after a great non-conference start.  The Aggies have done well, but when they lose, they lose big.  That doesn't seem too likely in this game.  This one should be close, and close games seem to be the Aggies' comfort zone this season.  TEXAS A&M

UAB Blazers at UTEP Miners:  UTEP has yet to win a game this season.  Playing the top team in the conference?  Not the place to get that first win.  UAB