Week 9 Predictions – 2025

Cory Steger:  Both teams have one loss, and for both teams that loss was to Alabama. Welcome to the “Just How Good Are They?” Bowl featuring Missouri and Vanderbilt. The Tigers rebounded from their close loss to the Crimson Tide with an overtime win over Auburn last week, whereas Vanderbilt is coming off an impressive win over LSU. Both teams are legitimate, but I’ve got to pick one and I think Vanderbilt is a little better right now. I love how balanced the Commodore offense is – they put 239 rushing yards on LSU. For Missouri, I like their offense, as well, but quarterback Beau Pribula takes too many negative plays. He’s been sacked 17 times, and thrown seven interceptions. Of those seven interceptions, six came in conference play.   Vanderbilt 35, Missouri 31 

Dave Culver:  Vandy 31  Missouri 28 

Gregg Watson:  After Indiana, Vanderbilt has been one of the most fun stories of the 2025 season.  It is great to see teams do well and generate excitement for their fan base, especially if it is not one of the traditional powers in college football.  TV networks don’t like it because all they want to do is get their ratings.  It will be interesting to see how the evolution of the portal and the NIL money will change who can put a successful product on the field.  Vanderbilt just put 130 million dollars into their football stadium and more millions into their basketball, baseball and water sports facilities.  Something is working this year, will see how long they can sustain it.  Both of these teams have done well this season, and seem to be evenly matched.  I am giving the edge to the home team in a close one, with the loser being removed from the playoff conversation. (let’s get real, the SEC is NOT going to get seven teams in the playoffs like they are trying to push.   Vanderbilt 31  Missouri 25    

Jason Harris:  Surprisingly, Missouri and Vanderbilt battle for what may be the most important game in the SEC and CFP race this week. Vanderbilt has been one of the league’s biggest surprises, led by quarterback Diego Pavia and an offense that just rolled through LSU and nearly knocked off Alabama in Tuscaloosa. A win here would set up a huge game at Texas next week. Missouri, meanwhile, sits at 6-1 after a solid win over Auburn but still hasn’t beaten anyone of note and a win at a top 10 Vanderbilt team would change that. Missouri’s success comes from discipline and defense. They rarely turn the ball over, excel on third downs, and have the speed to contain Pavia’s dual-threat ability.

Vanderbilt has been led by the gritty Pavia’s playmaking and a defense that gets after the quarterback and gets off the field and shortens drives. The Commodores do a great job of controlling tempo when needed.

This will be a highly physical game and Missouri will hang in on defense, limiting Pavia’s big plays for awhile but eventually he will wear on them and Vandy pulls out a tight win.   Vanderbilt 34 Missouri 28

Joe Hylton:  Vandy

John Seibert:  Missouri 

Josh Watson: Vanderbilt has shown flashes of competitiveness early in games, but once opponents adjust and force them off-script, the offense sputters. Missouri isn’t elite at any one phase defensively — but they’re extremely sound, and that’s enough to choke off a Vandy offense that struggles to create explosives on its own. Expect Missouri to play a “body blow” style: steady early, separation in the second quarter, and control late through ground game efficiency. Vanderbilt’s best-case scenario is hanging around for a quarter and a half — but Mizzou’s depth wins out comfortably.   Missouri 31 – Vanderbilt 13

Steven Smith:  Vandy keeps it rolling 33-24. 

Stefan Armintrout:  I am picking the Commodores to win this game. Although I believe there’s a ceiling to Vandy’s success, I think they are riding high on momentum. I also am not a believer in Missouri. They are fine, but nothing to write home about. I do think it’s going to be a good game. Both teams do have talented players, and I think they’ll challenge each other for almost the entire game. However, Pavia pulls off some last minute heroics and get’s Vandy the lead. The Commodores win the hard-fought game and remain in the hunt for the SEC championship and the CFP.   (Vanderbilt, 27-23)

Final Score:  Vanderbilt 17   Missouri 10 

Cory:  Unstoppable force meets immovable object. This week in Norman, we’ll get to find out if Ole Miss’ offense can be better than Oklahoma’s defense. The Rebels are coming off a 43-35 loss to Georgia in Athens last week, and honestly if their defense was any better that probably would’ve been a win. Oklahoma bounced back from its loss in the Red River Rivalry with a dominant 26-7 win over South Carolina. The Sooners have a terrific run defense, as evidenced by limiting the Gamecocks to 54 yards on 34 carries last week, but I’m not confident it will be enough to slow down Trinidad Chambliss.   Ole Miss 31, Oklahoma 24

Dave:  Oklahoma 42  Mississippi 28

Gregg:  Both of these schools have big wins on their resume, and both just lost their first games of the season.  But both are very much still in the thick of the SEC title race and both are still being considered as playoff contenders.  I am not sure who is going to be starting for the Sooners a play caller but I think Oklahoma has the defense to carry the team against Mississippi.   Oklahoma 20  Ole Miss 13

Jason:  Another huge SEC battle for teams hoping to keep their CFP hopes alive. The Sooners bounced back from its lackluster loss to Texas with a dominant win over South Carolina, but the road ahead is brutal with Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU still to come so this a must-win to stay alive in the SEC race. Ole Miss, coming off a tight loss to Georgia, faces a much easier remaining schedule and could coast to 11-1 with a road win in Norman.

The Rebels’ high-flying offense dictates tempo and if they can continue to convert on third down at a high rate, they can wear down the Sooner D and keep the offense off the field. If they struggle to control the clock and the temp is too fast, it can backfire as it did against Georgia, when the Rebel defense spent too much time on the field and wore down as the game progressed. Oklahoma’s defense has been their strength, especially defending the pass, so if it can contain the Ole Miss explosion offensively, the Sooners’ balance and physicality could tilt the game their way. With Rebel QB Trinidad Chambliss struggling to find consistency, expect Oklahoma to capitalize on a couple mistakes and knock off Ole Miss at home to keep their CFP hopes alive and all but eliminating the Rebels.   Oklahoma 31 Ole Miss 28

Joe-S-U:  Oklahoma

John:  Oklahoma 

Josh: This is the type of matchup Kiffin typically weaponizes — wide formations, tempo, forcing linebackers to chase horizontally before striking vertically. Oklahoma’s defense is much improved, but it still hesitates against layered passing concepts and struggles when offenses can isolate safeties in space. Ole Miss should dictate structure more than pace here — not a track meet, but a manufactured stress test on OU’s coverage rules. Oklahoma will stay within reach thanks to chunk gains and shot plays, but down the stretch, red zone execution favors the Rebels. Expect a fourth-quarter drive to seal it. Ole Miss 34 – Oklahoma 28

Steven:  There’s a good argument to be made that Oklahoma QB John Mateer came back too early leading to a loss against Texas. He seems to have righted the ship a bit with a bounce back game last week against South Carolina. Rankings-wise this might look like an upset, but the line favors OU and I tend to agree. OU holds serve at home 24-21.

Trout:  I think the Rebels take this game. Much like with Vandy, I am not sure this team will go realistically. I think Kiffin has done a good job there, but Ole Miss has never been a real threat in the SEC. The reason I am picking the Rebels is because I don’t know which Sooners team we are going to get this week. With Mateer’s hand injury still in question, I don’t know if we’re going to get the good football team like we saw in the early weeks of the season or are we going to get whatever that was against Texas. I still think the game will be close going into the fourth quarter. And somehow Ole Miss is able to pull ahead and maintain the slight lead until time runs out. Ole Miss wins the game and hands Oklahoma their second loss of the season.   (Mississippi, 31-24)

Final Score:  Mississippi 34   Oklahoma 26 

Cory:  Texas A&M is undefeated, but at this point it kind of feels like we’ve been here before and we’re all just waiting to see when the collapse will come, and how hard the fall will be. Is it fair to lump this Aggies team in with previous ones that were paper tigers? Probably not. As for LSU, those Tigers might just be actual paper tigers. LSU can’t run the ball, and their best win this season was over Florida. I am still not certain how good Texas A&M actually is, but I am certain that LSU is overrated.   Texas A&M 38, LSU 31

Dave:  Texas A&M 32  LSU 28

Gregg:  A Tiger victory would REALLY throw a wrench in the works for the SEC media that are pushing to make it an all SEC playoff.  As much as I would love to see that, I don’t think Coach Kelly has the horses to win this one.  Aggies continue unbeaten and playing for a first round bye in the playoffs.   Texas A&M 35  LSU 17

Jason:  The Aggies are unbeaten, ranked #3, and carry one of the season’s best wins, knocking off Notre Dame in South Bend, yet still flying a bit under the radar. After wins over Auburn, Mississippi State, Florida, and Arkansas, the competition now ramps up with a critical stretch that starting at LSU and also includes trips to Missouri, and Texas. 

LSU, meanwhile, is struggling. After losing to Vanderbilt, the Tigers have now lost two of three, and their SEC and College Football Playoff hopes are fading fast. Brian Kelly’s team has struggled offensively, failing to score more than 24 points against any FBS opponent this year and while the defense has been generally good, they are coming off their worst performance of the season at Vandy.

The Aggies look the part thus far, with balanced offense, strong in the trenches and a defense that could exploit LSU’s inconsistency. The Tigers hope a night game in Tiger Stadium brings the energy and life they need in a must win ballgame.

This one is shaping up to be a tight, low-scoring before both offenses find a rhythm in the second half late. Look for LSU’s defense to respond at home and make enough plays to pull out a tight win, sending the Aggies down for their first loss of the season.   LSU 24 Texas A&M 21 

Joe-S-U:  Texas A&M

John:  LSU 

Josh: This feels like a hinge-point game — not just for rankings, but for program trajectory. LSU has the potential on offense, but A&M has the better matchup tools for this particular opponent: a physical defensive front that can disrupt timing, corners that can press and reroute receivers, and an offense that’s finally leaning into ball-control efficiency rather than fireworks. If A&M keeps LSU’s receivers from living in free space early, the Tigers are forced into longer drives and 3rd-and-mediums — a recipe that gives A&M’s pass rush the green light. Expect the Aggies to steal a possession with pressure-induced turnover and lean on a balanced attack to shorten the game. LSU will surge late, as they always do in Tiger Stadium, but A&M’s ability to trade field position, hit intermediate shots, and win situational downs gives them the late edge. Upset — but not fluky. Texas A&M 30 – LSU 27

Steven:  Could this be the game that sends Brian Kelly packing? Probably not, but the Tiger schedule just gets tougher down the stretch and Kelly may be out by the end of the season because LSU just doesn’t have it this year. QB Garrett Nussmier has been hurt and inconsistent this season and it LSU has followed suit. The Aggies conversely, seem to be clicking on all cylinders. A&M big 38-14.

Trout:  The Aggies win this game. Much like Texas and Clemson, the LSU Tigers were overhyped this season. They are not a good team. And I can say with a lot of certainty, that Biran Kelly has woefully under-achieved during his tenure as head coach. I do think the Tigers put up a fight and keep it close. Nussmeier is serviceable as quarterback and will make some plays to at least keep the game competitive. However, Texas A&M will begin to pull away late into the game, and LSU will not be able to counter with anything. Texas A&M wins the game to remain unbeaten while simultaneously knocking LSU out of the playoff talk by giving them their third loss of the season.   (Texas A&M, 31-17)

Final Score:  Texas A&M 49   LSU 25  

Cory:  Left for dead after losses to Mississippi State and Utah, Arizona State may just have revived its season with an upset over previously undefeated Texas Tech. The Sun Devils were in control the entire, and honestly the score would’ve been much worse if they didn’t settle for four field goals.   Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt has not taken the jump this year that some thought, but he has picked it up in recent weeks to lead a pair of ranked wins. I’m calling for the upset.   

Dave:  Arizona State 32  Houston 31

Gregg:  If either of these teams were in the SEC, they would be ranked in the top 15.  Because they chose to join the Big 12 as teams were rushing to move to a major conference a few years ago, they have to work harder for the recognition.  Houston only has one loss but has not played a big name yet.  This is their chance to really push themselves into the Big 12 and playoff conversation.  I think this will be a good game, but the Sun Devils will prevail in the end.  Arizona State 27  Houston 24 

Jason:  Both Houston and Arizona State enter this matchup with Big 12 title hopes still alive. Houston is riding momentum from a 31–28 win over Arizona that made the Cougars bowl-eligible, while Arizona State is coming off a gritty 26–22 victory over Texas Tech but will be without star receiver Jordyn Tyson.

The game shapes up as a battle between two of the Big 12’s top rushing offenses and defenses. Houston’s Dean Connors ranks fifth in the conference in rushing, while Arizona State’s Raleek Brown sits second. Whichever team controls the ground game likely wins the ballgame.

Houston’s offense, led by quarterback Connor Weigman and receiver Amari Thomas, could test an injury-depleted ASU secondary while the Sun Devils’ loss of Tyson may push them to lean heavier on Brown and the running attack, which plays into Houston’s defensive strength. If Houston can shut down the run game, they can pull the upset, but at home and with a more balanced offense, expect the Sun Devils to come away with a close win.   Arizona State 27 Houston 24

Joe-S-U:  Arizona State

John:  Arizona State 

Josh: Houston has the better home-run play capability — but Arizona State is built for winning the middle of the game, where time of possession, attrition, and leverage downs matter most. The Sun Devils’ defense isn’t dominant, but it’s disciplined enough to force Houston into long drives, which is where their execution tends to break down. Offensively, ASU doesn’t need fireworks — they need stability. Their run game + controlled passing rhythm is the exact formula that frustrates teams built on streak scoring. Expect a tight contest deep into the fourth quarter, with ASU closing the door via ground-based clock bleed rather than a hero play. Arizona State 27 – Houston 23

Steven:  This one should be tighter than the line might suggest. I still like ASU at home, but just under the 8.5 Houston is getting.   ASU 28-21 

Trout:  I feel like this game is a toss up. I could see both teams winning. However, since I have to pick one, I will go with the Sun Devils. They proved me wrong last week. I didn’t think they had the same magic that led them to the playoffs last year. And they were able to rally after that embarrassing loss to Utah, to beat a good Texas Tech team. I haven’t watched much of Houston football this season, but judging by their record, they seem to be a good team, but they don’t really have any dominant performances. I can see the game being a very low scoring affair with neither team cracking 20 points. After a hard fought game, I see the Sun Devils doing just enough to outlast the Cougars to remain in the Big 12 and CFP races.   (Arizona State, 17-14)

Final Score:  Houston 24   Arizona State 16 

Cory:  Michigan is such a hard team to figure out. The Wolverines got absolutely dominated by USC two weeks ago, then come back and dominate a surging Washington team last week. Bryce Underwood was terrific as he had a pair of touchdowns to go along with his 77.8 completion percentage. He’s had some moments so far, but that might have been his best full game yet. On the other side is Michigan State, who is absolutely reeling right now with four consecutive losses after a 3-0 start. What’s gone wrong for the Spartans? It’s their offense. They can’t run the ball at all, and quarterback Aidan Chiles is really struggling with his consistency. He’s got just one passing touchdown in his last three games. Of course rivalry games can be close, but it feels like this one is Michigan’s to lose.   Michigan 28, Michigan State 14 

Dave:  Michigan 32  Michigan State 14 

Gregg:  Michigan starting to get it going on now, should have no problem with a struggling Sparty team.  Only chance MSU is if they can sell themselves on the rivalry card.  Wolverines win big.  But as any time I pick the Maize and Blue, I have no problem missing this pick!   Michigan 38  Michigan State 17  

Jason:  The rivalry may not be an even matchup this year, but it still carries huge stakes. Michigan, clinging to their CFP lives, begins a stretch of three road games in four weeks. Michigan State, meanwhile, is reeling. The Spartans have lost four straight, remain winless in Big Ten play, and are struggling defensively, giving up over 38 points in each of their last three games and their offensive line is beat up and giving up a lot of QB pressures. For Michigan, to win this ballgame, they need to dominate the line of scrimmage. The Wolverines’ pass rush should dominate, while Bryce Underwood and the offense exploit carve up a MSU D that that can’t stop the run. Still, it’s a rivalry game and the Spartan offense, led by QB Aidan Chiles and a talented receiving corps, has some explosive potential. If they can start fast, and build a lead, it will force the Wolverines to do something they aren’t built to do, come from behind. The Spartans can force some bad decisions and grab a couple turnovers if they force Michigan to press, however, having said all of that, Michigan is just too good in the trenches for the Spartans to put up much of a fight. It will be tight for awhile, but eventually Michigan will pull away and come away with the win.   Michigan  42 Michigan State 24

Joe-S-U:  Michigan

John:  Michigan 

Josh: Rivalry dynamics override talent gaps here. Michigan State plays with far more controlled aggression in rivalry games, and they’ve built a defensive front that can muddy run lanes and live in the phone booth — exactly what gives Michigan trouble when they can’t dictate terms physically. This won’t be pretty — it’ll be eating glass for four quarters. Limited explosives, lots of punts, and a heavy emphasis on field position. Michigan wins because its defense is better on 3rd down and late-clock execution, but Michigan State absolutely lands punches and keeps the Wolverines in a four-quarter fistfight. Expect a late field goal to be the difference. Michigan 23 – Michigan State 20

Steven:  UM and QB Bryce Underwood are quickly maturing, so much so that they have an outside shot at making the playoff. I think that glimmer of hope lasts until November 29th when the Buckeyes come to town. If Michigan running back Justice Haynes returns from injury this weekend the game should not be in doubt. If he doesn’t, the Wolverines have a capable substitute in Jordan Marshall. Pick your poison, Sparty. UM wins 28-17.

Trout:  I wish Sparty would pull the upset. But I don’t see that happening. Michigan State is a bad football team. And although I am skeptical of Michigan’s talents this year, they are heads and shoulders above the Spartans. I don’t see the game being that close. It wont be a complete blowout, but Michigan will not be in any danger of losing this game. They will maintain a lead of a few scores and coast to their next opponent. Sparty loses this game in convincing fashion and Jonathan Smith’s seat begins to heat up.   (Michigan 31-6)

Final Score:  Michigan 31   Michigan State 20