NCAA Football Predictions: Best Big Ten Bets for Week 9

Indiana made quite a statement by steamrolling Nebraska in Week 8 while Illinois limited Michigan to one touchdown. After three of the Big Ten games last week were decided by three points or less, will there be more fantastic finishes or even some bad beats mixed in there?

Penn State is the only Big Ten team listed by NCAA football spreads as a road favorite this week when the Nittany Lions play at Wisconsin.

Three of the top five teams in our odds to win the NCAAF national championship are Big Ten programs. Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State come in at No. 1, 3, and 4 in the Associated Press poll and in the American Football Coaches Association poll.

Before we take a look at some of the best Big Ten bets in Week 9, make sure to check the latest college football news.

Top 3 CFB Betting Picks for the Big Ten in Week 9

1. Bet on Early Score in Illinois vs Oregon

The Big Ten schedule makers provided no favors for Illinois. After snapping a six-game losing streak to Michigan, the Fighting Illini now head to face top-ranked Oregon.

Illinois is only ahead of Minnesota, Purdue, and UCLA among Big Ten teams in third-down defense and that could spell trouble against an Oregon offense averaging more than 450 yards of total offense per game.

Oregon has gone over 30 points in each of its last six games with a touchdown being scored in three of the last four games played by the Ducks.

Talking with @_dillongabriel_, @KenyonSadiq and @young_concrete following today’s practice. #GoDucks x #QuackMinute pic.twitter.com/L0q6h9IWz5

— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) October 22, 2024

Look for the first score to come in the first six minutes when looking at Illinois vs Oregon betting lines.

Bet This Pick: First score in the Illinois vs Oregon game to come in the first six minutes (-182)

2. Michigan State vs Michigan Point Spread: Bet on the Home Side

The sequel is certainly not better than the original in Ann Arbor. After capping an undefeated season with a national championship, Michigan came into the 2024 season with a new head coach and some holes to fill on both sides of the ball.

When Michigan lost at home to Texas early in the season, a few eyebrows might have been raised. The issues in that game have not gone away as back-to-back losses to Washington and Illinois dropped Michigan’s record to 4-3. It could be even worse as the Wolverines topped USC and Minnesota by identical 27-24 scores.

Rivalry Week#GoBlue pic.twitter.com/f8JuK3FsJK

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) October 21, 2024

Michigan has outscored Michigan State 78-7 over the last two seasons so this could be a week for the Wolverines to get their frustrations out even if Michigan is just 1-6 against the sports betting odds this season.

The Wolverines are the best college football pick against the spread here.

Bet This Pick: Michigan -4 vs Michigan State

3. Bet on Rutgers vs USC to Land Under the Total

The Week 9 schedule begins on Friday night when Rutgers plays at USC. Both the Scarlet Knights and the Trojans have lost three games in a row so somebody will pick up a much-needed win.

USC has been outscored 41-14 in the fourth quarter in its last three games. However, Rutgers was limited to seven points in back-to-back conference games before scoring 32 against a defensively-challenged UCLA team.

BetUS Sportsbook has set the total at 56, which seems a bit on the high side so go with the game to land under.

Bet This Pick: Rutgers vs USC Game Under 56

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.

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