Another college football Saturday is here, and it feels like 2007 all over again with the pure chaos tearing through the Top 25 these last two weeks. We’re heading into Week 9 on Halloween weekend, and only three unbeatens are left standing in the Power Four. Get ready, because the first CFP rankings drop in less than a week, and this parity-rich party shows zero signs of slowing down.
SEC and Big 12 Set to Explode
Even with all that madness, only two matchups this weekend actually pit nationally ranked teams against each other. Up first, we’ve got the SEC showdown between Georgia and Florida, going down in Atlanta. Then out in the Big 12, it’s No. 22 Arizona battling No. 13 Texas Tech. Our expert picks guys, Brad Crawford and Chris Hummer, are back at it. Hummer’s been on a straight-up fire streak, pushing ahead of Crawford after Week 8. Hummer’s sitting at 51-20 straight up and 38-32-1 against the spread, while Crawford’s at 47-24 straight up and 35-35-1 ATS. Crawford’s multi-year reign at the top of the picks mountain is seriously in jeopardy, can you believe it?
Upset Alert: Wisconsin vs. Iowa
Okay, let’s talk about the No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers rolling into Iowa to face the Hawkeyes, who are favored by 3.5 points. Hummer is leaning Wisconsin +3.5, predicting an Iowa 20, Wisconsin 17 final. He thinks both teams crush it running and stopping the run. The Hawkeyes have a better rushing offense, but Wisconsin’s got Colton Joseph at quarterback, and that dude uses his legs a lot. For Hummer, it all comes down to turnovers. Iowa’s had them kill games this season, but he sees them avoiding that against the Badgers for a classic Big Ten slugfest win at home. Crawford, though? He’s got Wisconsin +3.5 too, and this is his upset special of Week 9! He saw the Badgers’ opener against Notre Dame and felt the operation just looked more fluid, way more competitive than the final score showed. Crawford thinks oddsmakers are giving way too much respect to the Hawkeyes at home. An outright win here could launch Wisconsin right into the Top 20 of the CFP rankings next week. His call? Wisconsin 23, Iowa 20.
Big 12 Battle: Wildcats vs. Red Raiders
Then we flip over to the Big 12 where No. 22 Arizona heads to No. 13 Texas Tech, with the Red Raiders favored by 5.5 points. Hummer is taking Texas Tech -5.5. This is a massive game in the Big 12 race, with the Red Raiders getting their toughest test since way back in Week 2 against Houston. Arizona’s offense has been absolutely pouring on the points this season. But here’s the kicker from Hummer: the one week the Wildcats stumbled was against BYU, when that stout BYU defensive front completely bottled up their run game. We’ll see if Texas Tech can replicate that, because if they can’t, Arizona could be a huge problem.
This weekend’s college football slate promises more wild finishes and upsets that could totally flip the script before those first CFP rankings drop. With so few unbeatens left and everyone fighting for position, every single play is going to matter. Get ready, because the road to the playoffs is getting insane, and this Halloween weekend could give us some serious treats, or some crushing tricks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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