Week 9 Big 12, Top 25 College Football Predictions

A big weekend of college football is ahead, and for the first time in a long, long while on these websites, we've decided to break out the proverbial crystal ball.

Friday, October 27th 2023, 5:10 pm

By: News 9, News On 6

A big weekend of college football is ahead, and for the first time in a long, long while on these websites, we've decided to break out the proverbial crystal ball.

How will the Oklahoma Sooners fare in the land of waving wheat? Will the Oklahoma State Cowboys stay red hot against the Cincinnati Bearcats?

Will anybody on the News 9 or News On 6 staff get every pick right? Let's go!

Oklahoma City Thunder reporter Steve McGehee:

Steve's selections are being made 35,000 in the air as he flies back to Oklahoma after the Thunder's opening night win over Chicago. Please don’t take his selections to heart; they're just his gut feelings. He says he tends to look at the matchup first, and then predict a score and then look at the spread.

Steve's Big 12 Picks

No. 6 Oklahoma @ Kansas / OU -10.0

I think OU will win by 14 points. Coach Venables is a K-State grad, so he will have his team's full attention after a so-so game against UCF.

Cincinnati @ Oklahoma State / OKST -7.5

OSU should win by at least ten points. Scary game though. Cincinnati has yet to win a Big 12 game. I worry about the due theory.

BYU @ 7 Texas / TEX -17.5

17 1/2 points is a lot in the Texas-BYU game. I'll go with the Cougars to cover, but Texas wins.

Houston @ Kansas State / KSU -17.5

Weather looks to be awful in Manhattan. Slippery game. Houston played well against Texas. KSU wins but I would take Houston and the points.

West Virginia @ UCF / UCF -7.0

UCF is the best 3-4 team possibly. I'm going with the Knights to pick up their first league victory.

Iowa State @ Baylor / ISU -2.5

I thought Baylor would be better than what they have shown so far. I'm going with Iowa State to win and cover in Waco.

Steve's Top 25 Picks

1 Georgia vs. Florida (at Jacksonville) / UGA -14.5

Grab a cocktail. I'll take Florida to cover.

3 Ohio State @ Wisconsin / OSU -14.5

Ohio State faces their old coach. Buckeyes will stay unbeaten.

4 Florida St. @ Wake Forest / FSU -20.5

Give me the Deacons.

5 Washington @ Stanford / WASH -26.5

26.5 is too much. Give me the Cardinal.

8 Oregon @ 13 Utah / ORE -6.5

Oregon is good, home or away. I'm going with the Ducks.

Indiana @ 10 Penn State / PSU -32.0

Penn State rolls at home.

11 Oregon State @ Arizona / ORST -3.5

Arizona upsets Oregon State

Vanderbilt @ 12 Ole Miss / MISS -24.5

I'll take Vandy and the points.

Pitt @ 14 Notre Dame / ND -20.5

ND wins but Pittsburgh should cover. Check mark for the Panthers.

17 North Carolina @ Georgia Tech / UNC -11.5

North Carolina.

20 Duke @ 18 Louisville / LOU -4.0

Louisville.

19 Air Force @ Colorado State / AFA -12.5

Air Force keeps on winning.

22 Tulane @ Rice / TULN -10.5

Tulane.

24 USC @ California / USC -11.0

USC wins but Cal covers. Who's coaching Southern Cal?

21 Tennessee @ Kentucky / TENN -4.0

Tennessee.

Colorado @ No. 23 UCLA / UCLA -17.0

UCLA.

Old Dominion @ 25 James Madison / JMU -20.0

ODU.

Sports producer Scott Pfeil

You might be familiar with Scott's work on The Blitz 1170AM in Tulsa. Those of us who work with him know his love for all-things Milwaukee, and he's especially happy this week that Giannis signed an extension with the Bucks!

Scott's Big 12 picks:

No. 6 Oklahoma @ Kansas / OU -10.0 -- Kansas

Cincinnati @ Oklahoma State / OKST -7.5 -- OSU

BYU @ 7 Texas / TEX -17.5 -- BYU

Houston @ Kansas State / KSU -17.5 -- KSU

West Virginia @ UCF / UCF -7.0 -- UCF

Iowa State @ Baylor / ISU -2.5 -- Iowa State

Scott's Top 25 Picks

1 Georgia vs. Florida (at Jacksonville) / UGA -14.5 -- Georgia

3 Ohio State @ Wisconsin / OSU -14.5 -- Wisconsin

4 Florida St. @ Wake Forest / FSU -20.5 -- FSU

5 Washington @ Stanford / WASH -26.5 -- Washington

8 Oregon @ 13 Utah / ORE -6.5 -- Utah

Indiana @ 10 Penn State / PSU -32.0 -- Penn State

11 Oregon State @ Arizona / ORST -3.5 -- Oregon State

Vanderbilt @ 12 Ole Miss / MISS -24.5 -- Ole Miss

Pitt @ 14 Notre Dame / ND -20.5 -- Notre Dame

17 North Carolina @ Georgia Tech / UNC -11.5 -- UNC

20 Duke @ 18 Louisville / LOU -4.0 -- Louisville

19 Air Force @ Colorado State / AFA -12.5 -- Air Force

22 Tulane @ Rice / TULN -10.5 -- Tulane

24 USC @ California / USC -11.0 -- USC

21 Tennessee @ Kentucky / TENN -4.0 -- Tennessee

Colorado @ No. 23 UCLA / UCLA -17.0 -- Colorado

Old Dominion @ 25 James Madison / JMU -20.0 -- James Madison

Digital content director Ryan Welton

Ryan is a University of Oklahoma graduate who is presently much more focused on the World Series and his Texas Rangers. His picking philosophy is to go with his gut hunch even when the possibility of embarrassment looms.

Ryan's Big 12 picks:

No. 6 Oklahoma @ Kansas / OU -10.0

It's going to be a chilly day on Mass Street in Lawrence with a chance of rain. Might be a lower-scoring game than what folks think. The Jayhawks will prove to be a formidable foe and cover, but the Sooners win another close one. Oklahoma 33, Kansas 27

Cincinnati @ Oklahoma State / OKST -7.5

The Cowboys are getting hot at the right time. And it helps to have Ollie Gordon. I like Oklahoma State to win and cover. Oklahoma State 41, Cincinnati 23

BYU @ 7 Texas / TEX -17.5

No Quinn Ewers? Big problem for the Longhorns, right? However, Texas coaches are high on backup Maalik Murphy, who will make his first career start against the Cougars. Brigham Young has been fairly unpredictable on the road, beating Arkansas but losing to Kansas and getting drilled by TCU. I like Texas to win and cover. Texas 35, BYU 17

Houston @ Kansas State / KSU -17.5

Coming off a 41-3 win over TCU, the Wildcats look to keep it going against Houston, who lost to TCU by 23 on Sept. 16. The weather is not supposed to be great on Saturday. Kansas State realizes they're in the thick of a heated Big 12 race. They'll win and cover. Kansas State 34, Houston 14

West Virginia @ UCF / UCF -7.0

I agree with Steve when he says Central Florida might be the best 3-4 team int he country. John Rhys Plumlee leads his Knights past the Mountaineers by more than 7. Central Florida 51, West Virginia 35

Iowa State @ Baylor / ISU -2.5

But I disagree with Steve on this one. Give me Baylor to cover and win outright. Baylor 29, Iowa State 24

Ryan's Top 25 picks:

1 Georgia vs. Florida (at Jacksonville) / UGA -14.5

Bulldogs win and cover. Georgia 48, Florida 24

3 Ohio State @ Wisconsin / OSU -14.5

The Buckeyes often have a game like this midseason that gives them fits. The Badgers are coached by former Ohio State player and coach Luke Fickell, who also led the Cincinnati Bearcats to the playoffs a couple of years ago. Call me crazy, but I like the Badgers in an upset outright. Wisconsin 31, Ohio State 26

4 Florida St. @ Wake Forest / FSU -20.5

The Demon Deacons lost to Georgia Tech by two scores at home. I like Florida State to win and cover. Florida State 48, Wake Forest 20

5 Washington @ Stanford / WASH -26.5

The point spread keeps climbing on this one. I love the Huskies to win, but give me the Cardinal to cover. Washington 34, Stanford 21

8 Oregon @ 13 Utah / ORE -6.5

Another upset special for me. Give me Utah and their pig farmer quarterback to cover and win outright. Also, I'll die on this hill: Kyle Winningham is the most underrated coach in college football. Utah 48, Oregon 45 OT

Indiana @ 10 Penn State / PSU -32.0

Because it's the Big Ten, I'm not comfortable with a 32-point spread. Penn State will win, but I don't assume either team will even score 32. Penn State 24, Indiana 7

11 Oregon State @ Arizona / ORST -3.5

Agree with Steve on this one. Arizona is on the come-up. Wildcats win outright. Arizona 42, Oregon State 28

Vanderbilt @ 12 Ole Miss / MISS -24.5

If the Commodores lost by 25, it would be their most lopsided loss of the season. Won't happen. Ole Miss for the win, but Vandy and the points. Ole Miss 41, Vandy 20

Pitt @ 14 Notre Dame / ND -20.5

The Panthers are always tough. I think this will be a good game. Notre Dame wins, but Pitt covers. I am tempted here though to call for the upset. Notre Dame 21, Pitt 20

17 North Carolina @ Georgia Tech / UNC -11.5

Georgia Tech to cover. North Carolina 36, Georgia Tech 30

20 Duke @ 18 Louisville / LOU -4.0

Louisville to win and cover. This is a team that beat Notre Dame by 13 just three weeks ago. Louisville 31, Duke 17

19 Air Force @ Colorado State / AFA -12.5

Falcons to win, but give me the Rams to cover. Air Force 27, Colorado State 23

22 Tulane @ Rice / TULN -10.5

Tulane to win, but J.T. Daniels and the Fightin' Owls to cover. Tulane 42, Rice 38

24 USC @ California / USC -11.0

Trojans to win and cover, and probably also to give up at least another 30-35 points. Always the over with the men of Troy. USC 41, Cal 35

21 Tennessee @ Kentucky / TENN -4.0

It's tough to beat a Stoops at home. Give me Kentucky to win outright. Kentucky 16, Tennessee 13

Colorado @ No. 23 UCLA / UCLA -17.0

Bruins to win and cover. UCLA 45, Colorado 17

Old Dominion @ 25 James Madison / JMU -20.0

Hard for one president to beat an entire university, but I like the 'Father of the Constitution' to win. He won't cover though. James Madison 27, Old Dominion 24

Digital content producer Drake Johnson

Drake bleeds crimson and cream, but he follows the Oklahoma State Cowboys closely for us in our weekly Cowboys Takeaways column after OSU games.

Drake's Big 12 picks:

No. 6 Oklahoma @ Kansas / OU -10.0

If this spread were 16.5 or 17, I'd be more hesitant taking the Sooners but I believe the absence of Andrel Anthony and Tawee Walker last week played a role in OU's offensive struggles. The UCF game, coming off a bye week, is a wake-up call for Venables and the Sooners. I expect a statement win from OU. 41-23.

Cincinnati @ Oklahoma State / OKST -7.5

The Cowboys keep the winning streak alive with a win, and cover, against Cincinnati in Stillwater. OSU is clicking on all cylinders and until I see some improvement from Emoni Bates and the Cincinnati offense, I'm not picking them. OSU 28-17. Cincinnati has a solid defense it'll be a good test for Bowman, Gordon and the OSU offense ahead of Bedlam.

BYU @ 7 Texas / TEX -17.5

Gimme the Cougars, laying 17.5 against the Longhorns' backup quarterback in Austin. 34-20 Texas wins.

West Virginia @ UCF / UCF -7.0

The Golden Knights were a few plays away from upsetting the Sooners in Norman last week. The return of UCF's starting quarterback has UCF a little underrated in this spot and West Virginia is close to an all-out free fall after losses to Houston and OSU. UCF 44-28.

Iowa State @ Baylor / ISU -2.5

This game should be played on ESPN the Ocho. Catch me checking the final score and not watching this matchup. ISU 28-17.