College Football Picks Today: Best Bets & Week 9 Predictions (Oct. 31)
By Blair Johnson in College Football
Published:
- Week 9 brings real playoff stakes to a loaded Halloween Saturday slate
- I found value in a Big Ten defensive battle and a ranked Big 12 showdown
- Read below for my college football best bets and Week 9 predictions
Week 9 of the 2026 college football season delivers AP Top 25 matchups with serious postseason implications. My card features a heavy favorite at a neutral site, a ranked Big 12 clash and a Big Ten matchup built on defense.
No. 5 Notre Dame (6-1) meets Navy (2-5) at Gillette Stadium, with kickoff set for noon ET on ABC. The Fighting Irish are protecting their playoff positioning, and they arrive with two weeks to prepare.
Meanwhile, No. 13 Texas Tech hosts No. 22 Arizona in a meeting of 6-1 teams that are both 3-1 in Big 12 play. Texas Tech is the home favorite, but Arizona arrives having won five straight.
Rounding out my card, No. 25 Wisconsin heads to Iowa City. Below, I break down my college football picks today and where I see the best value in the college football odds.
College Football Picks Today
All three prices are decimal odds at BetMGM, so a 1.90 price returns $19 total on a $10 bet, stake included. Arizona at 1.93 is the best payout on the card, while the Under in Iowa City is my lead play because both teams win with ball control and defense. Lines can move before kickoff, so check the latest number on the top college football betting apps before you bet.
College Football Picks Today #1: Wisconsin vs. Iowa Under 36.5
- Pick: Wisconsin vs. Iowa Under 36.5 (1.90 at BetMGM)
My Wisconsin vs Iowa prediction is Under 36.5. Both offenses lean on ball control rather than explosive plays, and both defenses have been hard to move on. Iowa has forced 33 defensive three-and-outs this season, tied for the FBS lead.
Wisconsin has been just as stingy after halftime, allowing 44 second-half points all year and only 16 since Week 2. That kind of late-game resistance is exactly what I want when backing a total this low.
The Badgers’ offense has improved to 27.0 points per game, up from 12.8 in 2025. Quarterback Colton Joseph drives that jump with 179.4 passing yards and 52.1 rushing yards per game while accounting for 15 touchdowns. His legs give Wisconsin another way to extend drives, and long drives keep the clock moving.
Iowa has won the last four meetings and still leans on a ground and pound approach despite losing Kamari Moulton for the season. The Hawkeyes have three other 100-yard rushers on the active roster, and that depth lets them control the clock while their quarterback situation remains unresolved between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski. Expect a low-scoring grind in Iowa City.
College Football Picks Today #2: Notre Dame -30
- Pick: Notre Dame -30 (1.85 at BetMGM)
Notre Dame’s defense is the reason I’m comfortable laying a big number. According to Navy’s game notes, the Fighting Irish lead the nation at 235 yards allowed per game. They also rank third against the run at 67.3 rushing yards allowed, fourth at 13.4 points allowed and fifth with 16 takeaways.
That run defense lines up directly against Navy’s identity. The Midshipmen rank third nationally at 307.7 rushing yards per game, fourth at 53.9 rushing attempts and eighth at 5.72 yards per carry. If Notre Dame wins on early downs and forces Navy off schedule, the Midshipmen lose the clock control they need to keep the margin manageable.
Navy enters with a 2-5 record — including 19 of 22 first-time starters — while Notre Dame has had an extra week to prepare for that rushing attack. My Notre Dame vs. Navy prediction has the Irish pulling away and covering at the neutral site.
College Football Picks Today #3: Arizona +3.5
- Pick: Arizona +3.5 (1.93 at BetMGM)
Arizona holds real value as a road underdog in a game between two 6-1 teams. The Wildcats have won five straight, and their passing game is the engine. Per Arizona’s game notes, Noah Fifita ranks second nationally with a 74.2% completion rate, and Arizona sits ninth at 310.9 passing yards per game.
The Wildcats also stay on schedule, converting 54.7% of their third downs, third in the country. Sustaining drives is how a road underdog keeps a game tight.
The defense backs it up with 23 sacks, an average of 3.29 per game that ranks seventh nationally. In the red zone, Arizona’s defense has allowed touchdowns on just 9 of 18 opponent trips (50%) and points of any kind on 12 of 18 (66.7%). Forcing field goals matters when you’re catching 3.5, and I trust Arizona to keep this one inside the number.
BetMGM decimal odds checked October 30.
Sports Writer
Blair Johnson is a veteran journalist and seasoned sports content creator. He has been writing and producing content as long as he can remember, with such familiar names as CNN, NFL Media and Yahoo. Blair currently lives and works in the greater Los Angeles area.
