Week 9 College Football Odds: OSU opens as favorite against Penn State; beatdown expected in WLOCP

Alabama is off this week, but despite rumors to the contrary, a football-like substance is being played.

Flush off of smacking around Michigan at home, the Penn State Nittany Lions’ road gets significantly more difficult this week: A trip to face the Ohio State Buckeyes. For OSU, this is a playoff elimination game. It very well could be for Penn State, as well. Unlike other one-loss clubs (Oklahaoma, Ohio State, Notre Dame,) Penn State would not have a marquee out-of-conference game to buoy the resume. Worse, it would not even take its division if both teams win-out following this one. Accordingly, we’ve got a super-thin line in Columbus, -5 for the Bucks: It’s a motivated Urban Meyer at home with a game that’s been circled on the calendar for a year and with one the nation’s top run-stuffing and pass-rushing defenses. Give me the Buckeyes.

Here are the odds from Bookmaker.eu Among others of interest: No line on Jackets-Clemson, owing to Kelly’s concussion. Georgia is a huge favorite in the WLOCP (and, I think the ‘Dawgs cover that 14 BTW.) Besides the Bulldogs and Buckeyes, I like: SMU at home -10 over cratering Tulsa; Texas Tech as a huge ‘dog (+18) against the Sooners, the nation’s worst pass defense; Missouri to cover 11 on the road against UConn; Memphis by 10 against the Tulane Green Wave (take that over though.) Finally, in the Aggies-Mississippi State pick’em, I think A&M can play just enough defense, and run the ball just enough coming off a bye, to handle the SEC’s other Bulldogs. This is a huge game for both teams. If Kevin Sumlin wants to keep a job, he needs this one. I think he gets it. Like tOSU, this is a revenge game of the highest order in College Station.

Meanwhile, you couldn’t pay me to touch that Wazzu (-2.5) at Arizona line, UAB (+14) against So. Miss, or the Oklahoma State (-7) game in West Virginia.

College Football Week 9 Opening Odds

Top 25

Penn State at Ohio State (-5)

Georgia vs. Florida (+14)

TCU at Iowa State (+7)

Wisconsin at Illinois (+26)

Georgia Tech at Clemson (OFF)

Miami at North Carolina (+20)

N.C. State at Notre Dame (-8.5)

Texas Tech at Oklahoma (-18)

Oklahoma State at West Virginia (+7)

UCLA at Washington (-17)

Duke at Virginia Tech (-16.5)

Washington State at Arizona (+3)

Michigan State at Northwestern (PK)

Houston at South Florida (-10)

Austin Peay at UCF (OFF)

Stanford at Oregon State (+21.5)

USC at Arizona State (+3)

Tulane at Memphis (-10)

Full Schedule

Toledo at Ball State (-23)

South Alabama at Georgia State (+2)

Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois (-8)

Stanford at Oregon State (+21.5)

Florida State at Boston College (+3.5)

Tulane at Memphis (-10)

Tulsa at SMU (-10)

Nebraska at Purdue (-5.5)

Tennessee at Kentucky (-4.5)

Vanderbilt at South Carolina (-7.5)

Buffalo at Akron (OFF)

Louisville at Wake Forest (+2.5)

Miami at North Carolina (+20)

Rutgers at Michigan (-21.5)

Florida International at Marshall (-16.5)

Appalachian State at Massachusetts (+4)

Virginia at Pittsburgh (-3)

Georgia Tech at Clemson (OFF)

Missouri at Connecticut (+11)

Oklahoma State at West Virginia (+7)

Indiana at Maryland (+4.5)

Duke at Virginia Tech (-16.5)

Texas State at Coastal Carolina (-9)

Wisconsin at Illinois (+26)

Kansas State at Kansas (+22.5)

Minnesota at Iowa (-9)

New Mexico at Wyoming (-4)

Arkansas State at New Mexico State (+5.5)

San Jose State at BYU (-15.5)

UTSA at UTEP (+15)

UL Monroe at Idaho (-2.5)

Air Force at Colorado State (-11.5)

UAB at Southern Miss (-14)

California at Colorado (-4)

USC at Arizona State (+3)

Louisiana Tech at Rice (+11.5)

Utah at Oregon (+3)

N.C. State at Notre Dame (-8.5)

UCLA at Washington (-17)

Georgia Southern at Troy (-24)

Michigan State at Northwestern (PK)

Old Dominion at North Texas (-10)

Texas at Baylor (+10.5)

TCU at Iowa State (+7)

Georgia vs. Florida (+14)

Florida Atlantic at Western Kentucky (+2)

Washington State at Arizona (+3)

Texas Tech at Oklahoma (-18)

Arkansas at Ole Miss (OFF)

Penn State at Ohio State (-5)

Mississippi State at Texas A&M (PK)

Boise State at Utah State (+8)

UNLV at Fresno State (-15)

San Diego State at Hawaii (+9)

Houston at South Florida (-10)

Austin Peay at UCF (OFF)

Early Sharp Action:

- Toledo -23 to -26- Stanford -21.5 to -23

- Michigan -21.5 to -23.5- Florida Atlantic -2 to -6.5

- Fresno State -15 to -18

Notes:

- Arizona State is only team this season with three outright wins as double-digits underdog

- South Florida has scored 30 or more points in 24 straight games, a new FBS record

- Georgia Tech is the only perfect team against the spread at 6-0-0. Fresno State is 6-0-1 and UCF is 5-0-1

- Miami hasn't been favored by 20 or more in a road game since 2006