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After a couple of great appetizers on Thursday and Friday, the main course has arrived. We have a full Week 9 college football slate on Saturday.
Plenty of solid matchups will grace our television screens this week, and our college football staff came through with picks for five of them on Saturday's noon slate.
With so much action to get to, let's dive into our college football picks and NCAAF predictions for the Week 9 games on Saturday, Oct. 31.
College Football Picks, Predictions
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college football betting staff is targeting from Saturday's slate of noon games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 12 p.m. | |
  | 12 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAF Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Wisconsin vs. Iowa Pick
There are a number of blockers for each offense when Wisconsin travels to Iowa.
The Badgers' pass defense is one of the best in the nation, with high success in Cover 3 and Cover 2 while generating the fourth-best coverage grade, per PFF.
Iowa has had no luck against Cover 2, generating a negative EPA and a 43% Success Rate.
Cover 3 has been a more successful look for both Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown, but Wisconsin defensive coordinator Tressel may implement a heavier rate of man coverage thanks to the film from Minnesota.
Ultimately, this game could come down to each team's rushing attack.
Wisconsin uses a heavy amount of man assignment blocking in 12 personnel and inside zone in 11 personnel.
The Badgers own an average FBS Success Rate with both concepts, but the Iowa defense has been excellent against offenses using two tight ends with man blocking assignments.
Conversely, the Hawkeyes' rushing attack utilizes heavy outside zone with 12 personnel. Iowa ranks 11th nationally in Rush EPA thanks to the run concept that produces a big play on one of every five attempts.
Wisconsin has been average against outside zone, but teams using a two-tight-end set have crushed the Badgers from a Success Rate perspective.
There are small advantages throughout the statistics for Iowa, from run concept usage to special teams.
Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell has had severe struggles against Iowa since taking the position in 2022. The Hawkeyes have won three straight against Fickell by a combined 78 points, scoring 42 and 37 against the Badgers over the past two years.
As the total falls in the market, a better team total number will present itself for an Iowa offense that should rebound from a poor road performance in Week 8.
Check out Wilson's full Week 9 betting card below:
Pick: Iowa Team Total Over 20.5 or Better
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Illinois vs. Maryland Pick
By Stuckey
Head coach Mike Locksley has finally been let go in College Park. That has been long overdue.
If you want to gauge just how disappointing his tenure went, look no further than how he performed compared to market expectations in Big Ten play.
Since he took over the job in 2019, Maryland has gone an FBS-worst 22-41 (34.9%) ATS in league games, failing to cover by an asinine 6.5 points per game. No other team has even come close to that despicable a margin over that span.
That move can only lead to positive results on the field — at least for one week following the bye.
Giving Clint Trickett full control of the offense should lead to positive results for quarterback Malik Washington, and the defense should show some new wrinkles that Illinois won't have film on.
Not only am I buying low on the Terps (who have played Virginia Tech, Ohio State, UCLA and Nebraska in four of their past five games) following the coaching change, I'm selling high on the Illini following their upset win over Oregon.
In my humble opinion, that result had more to do with the state of the Ducks, who still outgained Illinois, 426-314, in that defeat.
Illinois still has major issues on defense, where it ranks in the bottom 10 nationally in Success Rate allowed.
The Illini actually have the second-worst Passing Success Rate, allowed which should be music to Maryland's ears since the Terps have no semblance of a rushing attack. They need to move the ball with predominantly quick passes, which is exactly how you move the ball on this Illini defense.
Additionally, Illinois starting quarterback Kaitin Houser remains out with an injury. Freshman Michael Clayton II will make his second career start after throwing for just 84 yards last week on 18 attempts.
The offense is the clear strength of the team, but it clearly just doesn't have the same juice without Houser. Plus, opponents now have tape on Clayton.
Following their upset win over Oregon, I could see the Illini coming out flat with Nebraska on deck next Friday, followed by games against UCLA, Northwestern and Iowa.
Meanwhile, I expect a rejuvenated Maryland effort for at least one game following Locksley's dismissal.
For what it's worth, in the past, teams have benefited from a one-week bump following a midseason coaching change. Teams in this spot last season went 8-4 ATS with one of the non-covers coming from Auburn, which lost by seven in overtime as a 6.5-point underdog.
Check out all of Stuckey's Week 9 situational spots below:
Pick: Maryland +2.5 (Play to +1.5)
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Notre Dame vs. Navy Pick
By Kyle Hunter
Notre Dame lost at BYU in its last game. That was a poor performance from the Fighting Irish, and they really can’t afford another subpar performance.
The margin for error isn’t very high. Notre Dame had a bye week to prepare for this Navy matchup, and I fully expect it to come out ready to roll.
The Irish rank first in the nation in first-half points per game at 25.0. Navy is sixth-worst in the nation in that area, allowing 21.8 points in the first half.
Navy’s pass defense is far worse this year than it was a year ago. The Midshipmen sit dead last nationally at 138th in QBR allowed and 133rd in passing explosiveness allowed. Notre Dame, meanwhile, ranks fifth in passing explosiveness.
Look for CJ Carr and company to connect on some big plays through the air here.
Notre Dame’s offense has gotten better at running the ball in recent contests. The Fighting Irish are up to 13th in the nation in Rushing Success Rate on offense. That should help them punch it in when they reach the red zone.
Navy’s pass defense doesn’t face anything in practice like it's going to see on Saturday. I think the Fighting Irish jump on the Mids early.
Check out all three of Hunter's Week 9 team total picks below:
Pick: Notre Dame 1H Team Total Over 23.5
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Arizona vs. Texas Tech Pick
By Doug Ziefel
Noah Fifita is on one of the most productive touchdown runs of any quarterback in the country.
He has 18 touchdown passes through seven games, a pace of more than 2.5 a week, and he has thrown at least two in six of those seven. The lone exception was the road loss at BYU, when he had one.
Since that loss, Arizona has averaged just over 40 points a game, and Fifita has gone for four, four, two, three and two touchdowns, with a 308-yard, two-score performance in the 39-3 win over Iowa State last week.
He’s completing 74.2% of his passes at 9.1 yards per attempt and has now made 42 straight starts.
The matchup is the best path to a multi-touchdown game he could ask for. Texas Tech ranks 126th nationally against the pass at 266 yards allowed a game and has already given up 16 touchdown passes in seven games.
Cincinnati’s quarterback threw four against the Red Raiders on just 172 yards, which shows how efficiently the secondary can be beaten.
Tech’s strength is its run defense, which ranks in the top 25, and Arizona’s offense is built around the pass anyway, ranking ninth nationally at 311 yards a game.
The Wildcats have eight different players with a touchdown catch and one of the deepest receiving rooms in the Big 12, so there’s no shortage of targets close to the end zone.
The game script should help, too.
Texas Tech is a field-goal favorite in a game with a total around 54.5, which means Arizona likely needs to score in the mid-20s to keep pace.
Arizona also ranks in the top five of the Big 12 in time of possession, while Tech is near the bottom, so the Wildcats should have plenty of snaps.
Tech’s defense does create turnovers, with 13 interceptions and five returned for scores, but Fifita has thrown just four picks all season. At plus-money, we only need him to do what he’s done in nearly every game.
Pick: Noah Fifita Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns (+110)Â
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Cal vs. NC State Pick
By Bet Labs
Saturday's Cal vs. NC State college football game fits a historically profitable betting system from our Bet Labs database.
Named "Home Fave Unders," this is a college football system built around the idea that strong home favorites often play in ways that reduce overall scoring.
In the regular season, when the home team is favored by between 2.5 and 19.5 points, these matchups frequently turn into controlled games where the favorite manages the pace and protects the lead rather than pushing for maximum points.
Weather conditions also support lower scoring, as humidity levels between 40 and 100 and wind speeds of eight MPH or more make passing and kicking less efficient.
When public betting on the total leans heavily toward one side, especially the over, lines can become inflated, yet the actual game script favors a more conservative outcome.
This combination of home team control, weather impact and public bias creates a consistent edge for the under.
This system boasts an all-time record of 672-479-12, good for a winning percentage of 58.4% and an ROI of 12.6%. In 2026 alone, it has gone 21-15 (58%).
Pick: Under 56.5
