As No. 1 teams continue to drop like flies, the college football landscape — specifically at the top — continues to shift.
And while there's no such marquee matchup this week, many of those top squads will look to bolster their resumes with quality wins. I break down the biggest matchups in my Week 9 ATS college football picks below.
College football Week 9 picks against the spread
| Matchup | Pick |
|---|---|
 Boise State vs  UNLV |
+3.5 |
 Nebraska vs  Ohio State |
+25.5 |
 Illinois vs  Oregon |
-21.5 |
 Missouri vs  Alabama |
+13.5 |
 Texas vs  Vanderbilt |
+18.5 |
 Penn State vs  Wisconsin |
-6.5 |
 LSU vs  Texas A&M |
+2.5 |
 Michigan State vs  Michigan |
-5.5 |
 Cincinnati vs  Colorado |
-5.5 |
Lines courtesy of DraftKings as of 10-22.
CFB Week 9 ATS picks
Boise State (-3.5) vs. UNLV: UNLV +3.5
I'm happy to snag this on the right side of the key number after opening at 2.5. We know how good the Broncos (Ashton Jeanty) have been, but this UNLV offense is more than capable of going score-for-score with them.
Nebraska vs. Ohio State (-25.5): Nebraska +25.5
Less of a fade of Ohio State and more a bet on the Buckeyes immediately turning their attention to Penn State once creating enough of a margin to sit their key contributors.
Illinois vs. Oregon (-21.5): Oregon -21.5
Oregon has very clearly found its groove, and an Illinois team that barely held off Purdue two weeks ago (albeit taking down Michigan last week) won't be able to change that.
Missouri vs. Alabama (-13.5): Missouri +13.5
I would much prefer the full two touchdowns offered earlier in the week, but this number is still too wide to be looking Bama's way.
Texas (-18.5) vs. Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt +18.5
I'm prepared for just about anything in this game, so taking the 18.5 points with the home side is the only move I can justify.
Penn State (-6.5) vs. Wisconsin: Penn State -6.5
If Penn State was a much bigger favorite against a much worse team, I'd worry about them looking ahead to Ohio State next week. However, this game should have its full attention.
LSU vs. Texas A&M (-2.5): LSU +2.5
While still skeptical of LSU in the larger college football picture, this will be the better team Saturday night. Trusting LSU's quarterback and defense more than A&M's is more than enough reason to doubt the Aggies as favorites.
Michigan State vs. Michigan (-5.5): Michigan -5.5
There's nothing to suggest Michigan is an above-average football team, but almost everything suggests Michigan State is a bad one.
Cincinnati vs. Colorado (-5.5): Colorado -5.5
It's clear the Buffs are making real strides, especially on defense, and I expect Travis Hunter to suit up after missing the second half against Arizona. Lay the number.
Not intended for use in MA.
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