Friday Forecast: SDS Staff picks 5 Week 9 matchups against the spread
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Just 5 SEC matchups are on the schedule for Week 9, but there were still plenty of great matchups to choose from. This week, the SDS staff made picks for Georgia-Florida, South Carolina-Oklahoma and Ohio State-USC, to name a few.
Let’s jump right into the picks.
(All odds are via DraftKings, finalized on Thursday, October 29. Point spreads might not necessarily reflect current odds.)
Week 9 Picks ATS
Here’s how the SDS crew picked 5 college football games in Week 9 (against the spread).
Want to make some picks with the SDS crew? Think some of us are just flat out wrong? Take a look at our guide of the best sports betting apps to score a sign-up bonus ahead of Week 9.
2026 Season Records
- Spenser Davis: 19-24
- Andy Olson: 17-26
- Adam Spencer: 20-23
- Ethan Stone: 28-15
Arizona at Texas Tech (-3.5)
Spenser Davis: I think Arizona is legit and I’m pretty dubious that Will Hammond has what it takes to win a game like this. A fun subplot — Arizona offensive coordinator Seth Doege played QB for the Red Raiders under Mike Leach and Tommy Tuberville. PICK: Arizona +3.5
Andy Olson: I came back to this one last after picking the others. I might as well take one favorite this week. In SP+ (and Cody Campbell’s big bucks) I trust for a Texas Tech cover. PICK: Texas Tech -3.5
Adam Spencer: I’m with Spenser on this one (despite the incorrect spelling of “Spencer”). I think this year’s Arizona team is dangerous. The Wildcats can at least keep it within a field goal on the road. PICK: Arizona +3.5
Ethan Stone: I like Texas Tech in a bounce-back game. The Red Raiders are at home, and Arizona’s defense has struggled on the road so far this season. PICK: Texas Tech -3.5
Auburn at Ole Miss (-13.5)
Spenser Davis: I’m happy to buy low on Ole Miss after the Rebels lost to a beat-up Texas team on the road in Week 8. The Longhorns have a statistical case for being the best defense in the nation (No. 1 in adjusted EPA-per-play). Auburn’s defense isn’t bad, but they’re not elite. The Auburn offense is a bigger concern here on the road against an Ole Miss defense that has risen to the occasion a few times this season. PICK: Ole Miss -13.5
Andy Olson: I don’t think Ole Miss really has any trouble with Auburn, but 13.5 is a lot to lay when Trinidad Chambliss hasn’t had the best October and the Tigers have shown they can win on the road. PICK: Auburn +13.5
Adam Spencer: Auburn is not a bad football team. Ole Miss is very banged up. I don’t think the Tigers win this game outright against a desperate Rebels squad, but they’ll keep it close until the final whistle. PICK: Auburn +13.5
Ethan Stone: Have y’all seen Ole Miss’s injury report? It’s almost hard to believe. Even without all the injuries, Auburn’s good enough to keep it within 10 or so. PICK: Auburn +13.5
Florida vs. Georgia (-12.5)
Spenser Davis: This certainly could be a blowout, but I expect Florida to throw its best punch in this game. Florida OC Buster Faulkner consistently put up good numbers against this Georgia defense when he was at Georgia Tech (48% success rate over 3 games). What can he do when the talent is much closer to equal? I’ll take the points. PICK: Florida +12.5
Andy Olson: Buster Faulkner knows Kirby Smart as well as anyone, and had some success against Georgia while at Georgia Tech. He has more talent to work with at Florida and an extra week of scheming. I’m looking at this game through orange and blue glasses, but I think the Gators cover. PICK: Florida +12.5
Adam Spencer: Fine, I’ll do it. Give me the Bulldogs to win and cover. I can’t imagine it’s been much fun to be a Georgia football player these past 2 weeks after the Auburn loss. The bye week was probably anything but restful for the players. Kirby Smart knows what this team is capable of and he’ll have the Dawgs ready to show they’re championship contenders in Atlanta. PICK: Georgia -12.5
Ethan Stone: Georgia has dominated bad teams and played close against good teams. Florida needs this one, and as Andy pointed out above, Buster Faulkner knows Kirby Smart and Georgia. Rivalry game ups the intensity. I’ll take the Gators to cover. PICK: Florida +12.5
South Carolina at Oklahoma (-4.5)
Spenser Davis: I’m just not willing to back Oklahoma as a favorite in SEC play. John Mateer is too volatile and the OU running game has been inconsistent for years. Oklahoma’s offense had a good day last week in Starkville, but South Carolina’s defense is much better. I like the way the Gamecocks have been playing lately. Also, worth noting that South Carolina came into Norman 2 years ago and had a 21-0 lead with 9:45 left in the first quarter. The potential exists for a similar Sooners’ meltdown. PICK: South Carolina +4.5
Andy Olson: I’m not quite ready to call for the road upset, but I do like South Carolina with points because I think the Gamecocks can keep this one within a field goal. PICK: South Carolina +4.5
Adam Spencer: This is one where I’m not going to save the graphic. Give me the Gamecocks. I like them to win outright, too. PICK: South Carolina +4.5
Ethan Stone: South Carolina wins this one outright. The Gamecocks are playing really solid football right now, and it starts with LaNorris Sellers’ complete 180 he took before beating Florida a few weeks ago. If he can lead USC to a win over Tennessee, he can do it to an Oklahoma team with a worse offense. PICK: South Carolina +4.5
Ohio State (-6.5) at USC
Spenser Davis: I worry about USC in the trenches, but I do think the Trojans will play much better offensively at home than they did last week in Madison. Ohio State’s QB situation has some disaster potential, so I’m inclined to take the home team with the points. PICK: USC +6.5
Andy Olson: An outright upset would be a pretty big shock, but I’m not comfortable laying the points given OSU’s quarterback situation. I’ll take the Trojans to keep it close at home. PICK: USC +6.5
Adam Spencer: I’ll say Ohio State wins and covers, but not by much. One of these teams has Jeremiah Smith. The other doesn’t. Whoever plays QB for Ohio State should employ the “Jeremiah down there somewhere” strategy. PICK: Ohio State -6.5
Ethan Stone: Easiest pick I’ve made this year. USC is going to get blown out of the water, even with a backup quarterback on OSU’s side. Wisconsin QB Colton Joseph totaled 58 (!) passing yards and still beat USC 24-7. Luke Fahey doesn’t have to do anything exceptional. The Trojans severely lack the physicality needed to make this one interesting, even if Ohio State has to make the trek to southern California. PICK: Ohio State -6.5
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Ethan Stone is a Saturday Down South News Editor and an advocate for the return of the Seattle Supersonics.
