NCAAF betting: What to look for in CFB Week 9

An undefeated team to keep tabs on this week is ...

... Navy, as the No. 24 Midshipmen face the No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish because this could be a good opportunity to bet the Over.

As we discussed earlier this week, Navy is one of four undefeated teams left in college football that has covered the spread all but one game this season. However, the Midshipmen have been the favorite in all but one game this season and are 12.5-point underdogs at BetMGM against a Fighting Irish side that has covered in three straight, via Covers. 

On the other hand, Navy is one of two teams this season to hit the Over in every 2024 matchup. (The Miami Hurricanes are the other.) That is thanks in part to quarterback Blake Horvath, who has compiled 888 passing yards and 10 touchdowns plus an additional 7.9 yards per carry with 10 rushing TDs. 

And while Notre Dame has only hit the Over three times this season, they are averaging 41 points a game since a 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2. 

These are two tough teams with potent offenses. Over 52.5 points is very much within reach.

The other undefeated team you won't want to miss in action ...

... is No. 13 Indiana going up against Washington without starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke.

The line for this game has likely dropped since Rourke is out indefinitely following thumb surgery, although backup Tayven Jackson kept the Hoosiers going when he stepped in against Nebraska in Week 8. Sporting News also reminds us that Indiana's ground attack averages 202.4 yards per game thanks to Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawson, who will be going up against a Huskies rush defense that ranks 14th in the Big Ten.

To be fair, Washington quarterback Will Rogers has done well against tough defenses this season and has the Huskies averaging under 20 fewer passing yards per game than the Hoosiers. 

However, bettors appear to still like Indiana as the 6.5-point favorites in this matchup. According to Sports Illustrated, the Hoosiers are "getting 76% of bets to beat Washington while covering the spread, winning by at least a touchdown."

The general thought about No. 5 Texas is ...

... that the Longhorns will get back in the win column on Saturday, but fail to cover the 18-point spread against No. 25 Vanderbilt.

"Vandy has committed just two turnovers this season, and if they can avoid game-changing mistakes this one could be close," Sporting News said.

SI's Reed Wallach agrees: "With an intermediate passing game that stresses keeping the chains moving and an elite short yardage offense, top 10 in third down conversion percentage, the Vanderbilt offense has been able to win the time of possession battle and shorten games against opponents." 

Diego Pavia has the Commodores offense rolling with him under center. Meanwhile, Quinn Ewers caught up in a media speculation tornado ahead of what should hypothetically be a sure-fire bounce-back game -- but that's not guaranteed.

This should make for a heck of a game in Nashville on Saturday. 

A Heisman darkhorse with odds to watch is ...

... Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who has recently moved up the odds board at DraftKings to +1600.

"Coming off another impressive showing, Klubnik completed 23-of-35 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns. He now ranks second in the FBS with 20 passing TDs," the New York Post said.

"The further removed we are from the Week 1 beatdown by Georgia — Clemson’s lone defeat on the season — the more Klubnik looks like a real threat in this market."

The No. 9 Tigers are on their bye in Week 9, but Heisman favorites ahead of him — Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward and Dillon Gabriel — are all in action, as is +2000 underdog Travis Hunter. Check back in after Saturday to see where all of them land in the mix after Week 9.