With College Football Playoff hopes on the line across the country, who will remain in position to make the 12-team postseason?

For the likes of undefeated Indiana and Texas, each team has to take care of business at home, but what’s the best way to bet the game with tough opponents on the horizon? What about Saturday night’s game between LSU and Texas A&M, with each team trying to remain undefeated in SEC play?

Here are our three favorite bets for some of the biggest games in Week 9 college football action.

Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook

Washington vs Indiana Prediction and Pick

This is a fascinating matchup, with Rourke’s injury making it difficult to get an assessment of the state of the Hoosiers’ high-powered offense.

However, Washington is better than the states 4-3 record. The team was plagued by poor special teams play (133rd out of 134 FBS teams, per Bill Connelly) and a complicated schedule that featured a lot of early season travel.

With that in mind, Jedd Fisch’s group ranks 20th in both EPA/Play on offense and defense. The strength of the Huskies defense comes against the pass, tops in EPA/Pass this season, but the Hoosiers can implement a heavy game plan with a dual-threat Jackson at quarterback to try to stay ahead of the sticks.

While Indiana should find success there, the Huskies rank 97th in EPA/Rush, the team is stout in close, ranking in the top 20 in touchdown percentage allowed in the red zone.

Meanwhile, the Huskies offense is well-balanced, but we’ve seen the team struggle to create explosive plays and score from close range outside the top 100 in both explosive and passing rate while scoring a touchdown on just 50% of the red zone. odds.

I think we’re seeing a conservative game scenario and this game is underwhelming.

CHOOSE: UNDER 54.5

Vanderbilt vs. Prediction and Pick Texas

There’s clearly a talent gap in this one, but Vanderbilt has proven week in and week out that this year’s team is truly a competitive one.

With an intermediate passing game that emphasizes keeping the chains moving and an elite short-yardage offense, top 10 in third-down conversion percentage, the Vanderbilt offense has been able to gain time of possession and shorten games against opponents.

The team is undefeated against the spread this season, including covering as double-digit underdogs against ranked foes like Missouri and Alabama already this season.

While Texas has the firepower to knock Vanderbilt off the field and win by three scores, is it necessary? The Longhorns have already battled injuries to the likes of Quinn Ewers and have their second BYE week before this, the team might be more interested in getting on the right track with a win and putting the game away in a possession-limited affair ?

Vandy continues to exceed expectations and is about to do so again against a Texas team that has yet to see limited offenses that can move the ball like the Commodores have shown they can.

PICK: Vanderbilt (+18.5)

LSU vs Texas A&M Prediction and Pick

I think this is a great opportunity to sell LSU at the highest level.

While the Tigers are on a six-game winning streak, including two in a row in the BYE week, let’s take a deeper look at those games.

The Bayou Bengals beat an Ole Miss team in overtime that was playing its seventh straight game and an Arkansas team that was far from full strength on the road. Now, the team gets a healthy Texas A&M squad that will be its toughest test of the season on both the offensive and defensive lines.

Texas A&M is more vulnerable in the country’s bottom half of the secondary in coverage according to Pro Football Focus, but with LSU’s lack of a ground game, the Aggies could throw more defenders in coverage to slow down this LSU passing attack .

LSU is rolling at a top-10 rate, which makes the team easier to understand and tips the scales toward head coach Mike Elko in terms of devising a game plan to slow down LSU.

Meanwhile, the Tigers’ defense has improved, but is still 84th in EPA/Play. I think the team’s inability to get off the field on third down, 110th in third down success rate, will play a big part in determining this game. For what it’s worth, Texas A&M is tied for the 19th-best third-down success rate and can create more scoring chances.

PICK: Texas A&M ML (-125)

Game odds are periodically updated and subject to change.

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