Friday Night Football Week 9 Predictions | College Football Picks Today, Best Bets

Friday night lights are shining bright in Week 9, with two marquee matchups to look forward to. First, the Boston College Eagles host the Louisville Cardinals in a pivotal ACC showdown. Then, the Boise State Broncos and UNLV Rebels lock horns in what could decide the fate of the Mountain West Conference. Finally, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights travel to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a date with the USC Trojans. We’ve got you covered in all three games, highlighting our preferred Friday night betting picks.

Louisville Cardinals vs Boston College Eagles

Spread: Louisville -7.5 (-110) | Boston College +7.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Louisville -285 | Boston College +230
Total: OVER 53.5 (-110) | UNDER 53.5 (-110)

Have all the intel you need? Free actionable info is one click away! Sign up for our daily newsletter.

The Louisville Cardinals and Boston College Eagles enter Friday night’s tilt with two conference losses. It’s not inconceivable that two losses could be good enough to get into the ACC Championship game, but neither can afford a third. With that, we’re expecting both teams to be at their best at Alumni Stadium. 

As expected, the Cardinals are flying high offensively. Led by Tyler Shough, Louisville has put up more than 400 yards of offense in three straight games. But unfortunately, that still hasn’t been enough to offset their defensive shortcomings. The Cardinals have been substantially out-gained in all three of those contests while dropping two of three. 

Boston College doesn’t possess the offense to keep pace with Louisville, but its defense should be able to hold the Cardinals relatively flightless. Only the Missouri Tigers and Virginia Tech Hokies have mustered more than 368 yards against the Eagles, and both of those games came on the road. In their friendly confines, opponents are averaging 286.0 yards per game, but that includes the blowout win over the FCS Duquesne Dukes.

Louisville can’t afford to look past the Eagles, but sandwiched between Miami and Clemson that seems like an inevitability. We’re taking the points on the underdog home side, expecting Boston College to keep it within a touchdown.

Recommended Play: Boston College +7.5 -110

2024 Group of 5 Power Rankings | Week 9 of College Football Season

Boise State Broncos vs UNLV Rebels

Spread: Boise State -3.5 (-105) | UNLV +3.5 (-115)
Moneyline: Boise State -160 | UNLV +132
Total: OVER 64.5 (-108) | UNDER 64.5 (-112)

With two Power 4 games on the docket, it is easy to look past the Boise State Broncos and UNLV Rebels. However, this MWC clash will surely be the most entertaining game on Friday night. In a rematch of last year’s Mountain West Championship Game, the winners of this tilt move themselves to the front of the Group of 5 pack and give themselves the inside track for a playoff spot. 

The Rebels underwent a major change partway through the season. Upset about a failed NIL deal, Matt Sluka left the program and was replaced by Hajj-Malik Williams under center. The quarterback shuffle appeared to be a positive, with UNLV increasing its offensive production under Williams. Over their past four games, the 6-1 Rebels have averaged 45.8 points per game on 433.5 yards. They’ll need every inch of that to keep pace with the Broncos. 

Boise State enters Week 9’s contest with the fourth-ranked total offense in the country. The Broncos are up to 505.8 yards per game against FBS opponents this season, translating to 45.0 points. Moreover, they’re due for a slight increase in scoring efficiency. The Broncos put up 450 yards in Week 7’s win over the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors but squeezed out just 28 points, 15 of which came in the fourth quarter. 

Scoring reigns supreme in this Friday night battle of offensive heavyweights. Boise State can move the ball with ease, and the Rebels have positioned themselves on the elite end of the scoring spectrum. We’re betting this one finishes north of 64.5 points.

Recommended Play: Over 64.5 -108

Go Long with SportsGrid’s Free Weekly College Football Game Picks and College Football Player Prop Bets!

Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs USC Trojans

Spread: Rutgers +14 (-110) | USC -14 (-110)
Moneyline: Rutgers +425 | USC -575
Total: OVER 56.5 (-110) | UNDER 56.5 (-110)

Four straight wins to open the season have been overshadowed by three consecutive losses for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Still, they’re in a much better position than their Big Ten competitors on Friday night. The USC Trojans have struggled mightily in their new conference, going 1-4 in Big Ten, and are now fighting to stay bowl-eligible. Thankfully, the Trojans’ best asset is Rutgers’ biggest weakness, allowing them to crawl back to .500.

Virtually every opponent that has faced the Scarlet Knights has had an above-average passing performance. In a rush-heavy conference, Rutgers is giving up 231.7 passing yards per game. And that benchmark is on the rise over their most recent outings. Their previous four opponents have combined for 1,101 passing yards against the Scarlet Knights, or 275.3 yards per game.

That inefficiency plays into the Trojans’ strength. Miller Moss and the Trojans are averaging 288.6 passing yards per game, good enough for 22nd in the country. Not surprisingly, that benchmark moves higher at home. USC is averaging nearly 300 passing yards per game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, equaling 38.7 points. 

USC needs every win it can muster before the end of the season, and it’s primed to get there on Friday night. Rutgers is inferior on both sides of the ball, which should allow the Trojans to put their best foot forward. USC snaps out of its recent funk at home, winning and covering the number.

Recommended Play: USC -14 -110

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.