Week 9 of the college football season is here, which means it's time to find some value on a few of Saturday's biggest games.
For Week 9, I broke down 3 games and dished out a pick (or 2) for each.
We'll start out with a top-15 game in Nashville, as the No. 10 Vanderbilt Commodores look to pick up another big win when they host the No. 15 Missouri Tigers.
At that same time, a colossal Big 12 clash will be taking place in Ames, Iowa, where the Iowa State Cyclones will take on the No. 11 BYU Cougars.
Then, to round it all out, we'll turn our attention to Baton Rouge for a top-20 SEC showdown between the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies and the No. 20 LSU Tigers.
Let's take a look at my Week 9 college football picks and NCAAF predictions for Saturday, October 25.
College Football Picks, Predictions
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson is targeting from Saturday's slate of 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 |
|---|---|---|
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 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. | ||
Missouri vs Vanderbilt Pick
The Missouri Tigers take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville, Tennessee. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Vanderbilt is favored by -2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -140. Missouri, meanwhile, enters as a +2.5 underdog and is +120 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 52.5 points.
Here’s my Missouri vs. Vanderbilt prediction and college football picks for Saturday, October 25.
Missouri Tigers
Missouri will hit the road for a second consecutive week after two physical affairs against Alabama and Auburn.
The Tigers have remained healthy throughout the SEC schedule, maintaining an offensive line that's top-20 in Line Yards and Rushing Success Rate.
Tackles Cayden Green and Keagen Trost have been essential to the potent ground attack that features one of the best running backs in the nation in ULM transfer Ahmad Hardy.
Outside zone has been the go-to run concept for Missouri, producing a 58% Success Rate and an explosive on one of every five attempts.
Hardy remains one of the more elusive ball-carriers in the nation, averaging 4.8 yards after first contact.
Those numbers must continue for Missouri to be successful in staying ahead of the chains, as quarterback Beau Pribula has failed to find explosives, ranking outside the top 10o of all passing offenses.
Defensive coordinator Corey Batoon has fielded one of his best squads throughout his career, as Missouri ranks sixth nationally in Defensive Havoc.
The Tigers find themselves in the top 20 nationally in a number of analytics, from opponent quality drives to tackle grading. The 4-2-5 defense has been excellent against man run concepts, producing a negative EPA on opponent attempts.
The Tigers also field one of the best pass-rushing fronts in FBS, as Damon Wilson II and Zion Young have combined for 56 pressures from the edge.
Vanderbilt Commodores
Vanderbilt is riding high after a victory over LSU at home, staking its claim as a true contender for the SEC Championship.
Quarterback Diego Pavia leads one of the most efficient offenses in college football, integrating a heavy dose of ground attack with multiple run concepts.
The Commodores have run at least 30 rushing attempts of zone read, counter, pull lead, man and power run concepts with Pavia and running back Sedrick Alexander.
When Vanderbilt isn't running the ball, Pavia has a platform to contend for the Heisman Trophy.
Vandy shifted defensive play-calling responsibilities from head coach Clark Lea to defensive coordinator Steve Gregory, but it has seen a dip in the numbers.
Vanderbilt sits outside the top 100 in Passing Success Rate allowed and EPA allowed.
The Commodores rank 70th or worse in allowing opponent quality drives and converting scoring opportunities. The 3-3-5 personnel has been excellent in producing Havoc thanks to a top-20 number in tackles for loss and forced fumbles.
Missouri vs Vanderbilt Prediction
This heavyweight matchup of former SEC East members can be considered a College Football Playoff elimination game.
Missouri will have advantages with Hardy in outside zone usage, as Vanderbilt has been tepid against the run concept.
The Commodores have been most vulnerable against the pass, an area in which the Tigers may have an advantage. Pribula leads an offense that ranks second nationally in passing downs Success Rate, ranking sixth in third-down conversions.
The biggest handicap in this game is the ability to stop Pavia in scripted ground attacks and improvised passing downs. Batoon's 2024 defense struggled to contain Pavia on the ground but hammered the quarterback in passing downs.
There's an argument that this Missouri defense is better suited for Vanderbilt's ground game, as the Tigers are excellent against man run concepts. Counter has been the explosive concept for Vanderbilt, but Missouri allows an explosive on just one of 10 attempts.
With a PFF tackling grade of 19th, don't expect Pavia and Alexander to gain many yards after first contact.
Action Network's betting power ratings make this game a pick'em, giving value to Missouri in the market.
Considering Vanderbilt's struggles in defensive passing downs, the Tigers' ability to stop Vandy's most-used rush concepts will be the difference in this game.
Pick: Missouri +2.5 or Better
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BYU vs Iowa State Pick
The BYU Cougars take on the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday, Oct. 25. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
Iowa State is favored by 2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -150. BYU, meanwhile, comes in as a +2.5 underdog and is +130 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 49 total points.
Here’s my BYU vs. Iowa State prediction and college football picks for Saturday, October 25.
BYU Cougars
BYU will visit Ames, Iowa, for the first time since 1974 on Saturday.
The Cougars have been one of the more surprising teams of the 2025 season, supporting a perfect record with four conference wins in the tank.
Head coach Kalani Sitake has one of his best offensive rosters in his tenure, fielding a top-five rank in quality drives. BYU's success can be attributed to freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who has posted 17 all-purpose touchdowns on the season.
Defensive coordinator Jay Hill has called an effective 3-3-5 against the pass all season, ranking top-20 in Success Rate allowed and coverage grading, per PFF.
A trio of cornerbacks in Therrian Alexander III, Mory Bamba and Evan Johnson have combined for 10 passes defensed.
The rush defense has been highly efficient against offenses running inside zone, posting a 56% Success Rate against opponents.
Teams that get behind the chains against BYU often have failed possessions, as the Cougars are top-15 in passing downs Success Rate allowed and third-down defense.
Iowa State Cyclones
With two consecutive road losses in Big 12 play, head coach Matt Campbell enjoyed a much-needed bye with the Cyclones last week.
Colorado took to the friendly skies, averaging more than 10 yards per play in 25 attempts against Iowa State. The Cyclones' previous loss to Cincinnati can be attributed to the defense in passing downs, surrendering 11.4 yards per play to the Bearcats in 22 attempts.
The overall season numbers point to a horrific bottom-10 ranking in two areas: pass rush and tackle grading, per PFF.
The Iowa State offense has been heavy in personnel, electing to rush on 57% of attempts while using plenty of zone read option.
Quarterback Rocco Becht is on a fast track to break a career high in rushing touchdowns, as the lack of explosive playmakers has been the big difference from the 2024 Cyclone offense.
Iowa State ranks in the bottom half of FBS teams in overall EPA while also falling to 70th or worse in Line Yards and Finishing Drives.
BYU vs Iowa State Prediction
The situational spot favors Iowa State, coming off a bye week and hosting a BYU team off a Holy War victory.
However, the Action Network betting power ratings project this game as a pick'em, as the market has adjusted for the spot with Iowa State as a field-goal favorite.
The Cyclones will have issues running inside and outside zone read against the Cougars' stingy defense. Iowa State's Success Rate dips outside the top 60 in passing downs, an area the BYU defense dominates.
Standard downs have been the forte of the BYU offense, running inside zone with a variation of personnel on the field. Iowa State has struggled to defend inside zone, posting a low 45% Success Rate or less depending on the number of players in the box.
In their two previous losses, the Cyclones defense gave up at least 50 rushing yards to the quarterback and now has to find a way to contain Bachmeier.
Pick: BYU +2.5 or Better
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Texas A&M vs LSU Pick
The Texas A&M Aggies take on the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Saturday, Oct. 25. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Texas A&M is favored by 2.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -140. LSU, meanwhile, comes in as a +2.5 underdog and is +120 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 47.5 total points.
Here’s my Texas A&M vs. LSU prediction and college football picks for Saturday, October 25.
Texas A&M Aggies
The Aggies will hit the road for a second consecutive week after a win over Arkansas in Fayetteville, now taking a pit stop in Baton Rouge in an effort to stay undefeated.
Texas A&M struggled to put Arkansas away, failing to cover a touchdown spread in a three-point win. The Razorbacks averaged 11.2 yards per play on 28 rushing attempts and another 13.1 yards per play in 21 passing downs.
After a stint of games with minimal missed tackles, poor fundamentals have redeveloped on this Aggies defense. Texas A&M ranks 115th in tackle grading thanks to 25 combined missed tackles against Arkansas and Florida.
Any opposing offense that has a pulse on the ground has given the Aggies defensive issues, as Mike Elko's defense ranks 134th in rush explosives allowed.
The great news for a defense that has gaps is an offense that ranks second nationally in Havoc allowed.
Quarterback Marcel Reed continues to excel with 15 passing touchdowns and four interceptions, pitching in an additional 195 yards from scrambles.
The zone read concept has been carried by running back Rueben Owens II, but the tandem of wide receivers Mario Craver and KC Concepcion can produce College Football Playoff victories.
Craver runs primarily from the slot, averaging a supernova explosive mark of 4.3 yards per route run.
LSU Tigers
LSU continues to struggle with mobile quarterbacks after a recent defeat at the hands of Vanderbilt and Diego Pavia.
Ole Miss signal-caller Trinidad Chambliss produced over 300 yards of passing and 71 yards on the ground in the Tigers' first loss of the season on Sept. 27.
For the struggles against the run, LSU has been fantastic against the pass with a mix of man and Cover 1. The Tigers rank top-25 in limiting pass explosives and defensive quality drives.
Defensive coordinator Blake Baker's 2-5-4 comes in one of the highest-graded coverage defenses, producing a higher level of success in passing downs.
The biggest callout is Virginia Tech transfer cornerback Mansoor Delane, who has posted seven pass breakups and an interception on the season.
Meanwhile, head coach Brian Kelly has chosen to deflect post-game questions about a rush offense that ranks 112th in Success Rate.
The Tigers have been lousy with outside zone and man blocking concepts, leading to one of the highest marks of passing downs in FBS.
Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier continues to carry the offense through his arm, more than doubling his touchdown and big-time throw numbers compared to interceptions and turnover-worthy plays.
The difference between this LSU team and the 2024 squad is the mistakes, as pass-catchers hold a 9.4% drop rate — up from 6.4% a season ago.
Texas A&M vs LSU Prediction
LSU has struggled with mobile quarterbacks, but Reed has accumulated 71% of his rushing yards on scrambles. The Tigers rank 90th in producing a pass rush, which may lead to better efficiency with a secondary going against Craver and Concepcion.
The LSU defense has shut down opponents using wide receiver screens and slants. The bulk of Craver's catches come from those routes, so Reed may have to hit Concepcion on crossing routes for explosive plays and red-zone attempts.
LSU has struggled mightily against crossing routes, allowing a big play on every other attempt.
Beyond a prop wager on Concepcion, there's data that shows each team can score 24 points.
The Texas A&M defense has regressed in tackling and explosives allowed, while ranking 135th in Finishing Drives allowed. Opponents that cross the Aggies' 40-yard line are averaging 4.9 points per trip.
LSU has had similar struggles, ranking 96th in Finishing Drives allowed.
Pick: Over 47.5 or Better · KC Concepcion Anytime TD (+140)
