Clay Travis' College Football Picks For Week 9: Backing The Gators, Vols And Nittany Lions

There's no other way to describe it, last week was a disaster. 

We went 2-6, dropping our season record back to dead even, 45-45. 

But just in time for Halloween, I'm ready to get rolling with 11 winners for all of you. 

Let's get rich, kids. 

Oklahoma at Kansas +10

Kansas has had two weeks to get ready for Oklahoma after a tough loss to Oklahoma State and I think the Jayhawks -- and I can't believe I'm saying this -- will perform well at home, potentially having a shot to beat Oklahoma down the stretch. 

And, yes, if I'm wrong, I'll immediately know that when I typed in "Kansas schedule" and got the basketball schedule, I should have known better than to take the Jayhawks here. 

Rock, chalk, cover. 

COLUMBUS, OHIO - OCTOBER 21: Drew Allar #15 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks to pass the ball during the fourth quarter of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

Indiana at Penn State -31.5

Pray for the Hoosiers. 

That's all I can say. 

Yes, Penn State is coming off a tough loss to Ohio State when their offense didn't show up, but all that tells me is that the Nittany Lions are going to pour points on Indiana. I mean just rain down points after points after points. 

I think Penn State goes for 45+. 

Meanwhile Indiana might not score. 

A hellacious day is in store for Indiana, look out, and grab the Nittany Lions to cover by a bundle. 

Virginia +18.5 at Miami

The Hurricanes got a huge win over Clemson and Virginia got a monster upset win over North Carolina. 

So what happens this week?

Another tight game for both teams. 

Miami hasn't beaten a power five conference team by more than 15 points all year. (And that was Texas A&M all the way back in early September.)

Meanwhile UVa has been slowly improving the past three ACC games: with two consecutive losses by three to NC State and Boston College before the breakthrough win at North Carolina. 

I think we get another single digit loss on Saturday at Miami, the 'Hoos cover. 

BYU +17.5 at Texas

This line stinks to the high heavens. 

BYU has played an incredibly tough schedule and Texas is breaking in a new quarterback thanks to the Quinn Ewers injury, meaning it will probably take less risks on the offensive side of the ball. 

I know, I know, BYU got blown out by TCU and lost by double digits to Kansas too, but this number just feels too steep given Texas's offensive lissues. Especially with BYU coming off a road win at Texas Tech. 

The Cougars don't just prowl Sixth Street, they cover too. 

KNOXVILLE, TN - OCTOBER 14: Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Walter Nolen (0) defends during the college football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas A&M Aggies on October 14, 2023, at Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, TN. (Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

South Carolina at Texas A&M -14

The Gamecocks, I think, will win three in a row before they take on Clemson the final week of the season. 

But first they have to play at Texas A&M where the Aggies have spent two weeks stewing over back-to-back losses to Alabama and Tennessee. 

The Aggies are strongest where the Gamecocks are weakest, the defensive line vs. the offensive line is not a good match up for South Carolina. 

A&M wins 35-14 and you get the cover. 

Duke at Louisville, the under -46.5

Neither team is explosive offensively and neither team has the ability to blow out the other. 

So what do we get?

A monster defensive struggle in Louisville. 

The final is 17-13 and if you take the under, who cares who wins?

Georgia at Florida +14.5 and the over 48.5

Okay, Gator fans, you've finally got it, I'm backing you in the Cocktail Party not to get blown out and to put some points on the board as well. 

This feels like a 35-24 style win for the Bulldogs, meaning I see both teams having some offensive success and the over going comfortably over. 

Get drunk for the cocktail party, as always, but not before you remember to get your bets in on the Gators and the over. 

When you win both bets, order jello shots in my honor. 

Oregon at Utah, the over 48.5

Kyle Whittingham managed to completely flip the identity of the Utes to get the win at USC. From a defensive first team with no ability to move the football, suddenly Utah has decided they have to be able to score to win and they've changed the way they play. 

Meanwhile Oregon hasn't been in a low scoring game against a quality team all season. 

The result?

Not a shootout, but a game where at least one team gets to thirty. 

It feels like 31-27 Ducks is the final, giving you ten points to play with here, the over's the right side.

Tennessee -3.5 at Kentucky

Yes, Kentucky is at home at night coming off a bye week and Tennessee is coming off a tough loss at Alabama, where it totally collapsed in the second half. 

But I just think the Vols are the better team at virtually every position group.   

Sometimes the better team loses, but rarely does the team that's better at every position group lose. 

Kentucky was exposed by Georgia and Missouri, the Vols make it three SEC teams in a row with double-digit wins over the Cats. 

I've got the Vols by 10.

Ohio State at Wisconsin +14.5

The Buckeyes got a big win at home against Penn State and now they travel to Wisconsin, where the Badgers have been up and down all season. 

In what figures to be a low scoring game, this feels like a pretty massive line. 

Give me Bucky the Badger for the cover. 

...

There you have it, boys and girls, I've got eleven wins for you just in time for Halloween. 

Get rich, kids, let's get back on the winning track just in time for Halloween.