Frogs O’ War Staff Picks: College Football Week 9

Big 12

Kansas State Wildcats at Kansas Jayhawks – Sat. Oct. 25, 11:00 AM, TNT

Anthony: Even though this looks to be the most evenly matched Sunflower Showdown in ages, KSU has defeated KU 16 straight times and the Wildcats make it 17 in a row.
Austin: Both Kansas State and Kansas are coming off a bye week, but with very different recent performances. The Wildcats dominated the TCU Horned Frogs in a resounding victory, while the Jayhawks were thoroughly beaten by the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Kansas State continues its rebound and asserts its dominance over Kansas in their upcoming clash.

Caleb: Kansas has hit a bit of a mire in the middle of the season, but I have more confidence in Jalon Daniels than Avery Johnson. Give me the Jayhawks to defend home turf.
Drew: Kansas State has returned to being competent at the very least and Kansas struggled in their last game against Texas Tech but I still think the Jayhawks win this one at home.
Russ: This feels like a toss-up game to me. Kansas State is playing better recently and Kansas has been up and down over the last few weeks. The Jayhawks are at home, so I’ll take them over the Wildcats.

BYU Cougars at Iowa State Cyclones – Sat. Oct. 25, 2:30 PM

Anthony: Coming off an emotional rivalry win and headed into a bye week before the league’s biggest game of the season BYU is set up for a dangerous trap game in Ames. ISU gets its star RB Carson Hansen back from injury and the Cyclones create a massive shakeup to the conference pecking order.
Austin: After climbing as high as 14th in the AP Poll, Iowa State has stumbled with two straight losses. BYU, meanwhile, sits at 11th after a win over Utah. The Cougars may not be blowing teams out, but their knack for close victories shows they’re a great team. Another tight win seems likely. BYU wins.
Caleb: I was shocked to see ISU favored in this one, but then checked to see how the schedule lines up and it makes sense. ISU is coming off a bye and BYU is heading into one with a matchup against Tech on the other side of it. Does that make this a trap game? Yet to be seen, but I think the Cyclones defend home turf and hand BYU their first loss.
Drew: Iowa State desperately needs a win to right the ship and BYU is coming off of an emotional win over Utah last week. I think the Cyclones stay alive in the Big 12 and pull off the upset here.
Russ: This is a massive game for the Cyclones, who could be out of the Big 12 title picture with a third loss in conference play. Iowa State fans show up and the Cyclones upset the Cougars in Ames.

Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Tech Red Raiders – Sat. Oct. 25, 3:00 PM,

ESPNU

Anthony: Hide your kids, it’s gonna get ugly out in Lubbock y’all. One of the most lopsided matchups you’ll ever get in the Big 12. No tortillas, no problem. Te h by a billion
Austin: A nearly 40-point spread in a Big 12 game? Hard to believe, but Texas Tech backs it up with a commanding win.
Caleb: Tech wins! OSU is in a scary place and Tech is in a get-right spot after their first loss. Expect them to play angry.
Drew: Texas Tech will have plenty of motivation after a disappointing loss to Arizona State last week and Oklahoma State is the worst team in the conference. Red Raiders by a bunch.
Russ: One of the best teams in the conference against maybe the worst? I’ll take Texas Tech in a blowout.

Baylor Bears at Cincinnati Bearcats – Sat. Oct. 25, 3:00 PM, ESPN2

Anthony: If Sawyer Robertson was like 5% better last week, Baylor likely gets the win in Fort Worth. Bears are back on the road facing another QB slighted by all the love Robertson got all offseason and again the Baylor QB falls short. Brendan Sorsby puts on a show in Nippert as suddenly scary Cinci continues undefeated in league play.
Austin: Cincinnati being ranked and sitting at 6-1 is one of the bigger surprises in the Big 12. The Bearcats continue their impressive season with a home victory over the Baylor Bears.
Caleb: The winner of Baylor-TCU typically goes on a run to end the season and the loser usually spirals. I think the Bears are in for another letdown after a wonky 6-hour rivalry game. Cincinnati and Sorsby continue their solid campaign with another victory at home.
Drew: Baylor struggled to stop the run against the Frogs last week and Cincinnati has one of the better rushing attacks in the conference with Brendan Sorsby and Evan Pryor. I think the Bearcats control the line of scrimmage and the game and take down the Bears.
Russ: A huge game for the Bears that could place Dave Aranda on the hot seat (if he isn’t already) with a third conference loss. Cincinnati is playing with so much momentum, though. Bearcats win at home.

Houston Cougars at Arizona State Sun Devils – Sat. Oct. 25, 7:00 PM, ESPN2

Anthony: Sun Devils got its mojo back after a temporary slip up with QB Sam Leavitt injured and ASU keeps it rolling with the Cougars visiting Tempe.
Austin: Like Cincinnati, Houston’s 6-1 record is a major surprise. The Cougars have looked strong, but so have the Arizona State Sun Devils, who recovered well after a rocky start. Arizona State’s ability to win close games gives them the edge in this matchup.
Caleb: ASU seems to have their groove back and Houston has looked like a pretender for most of the season, despite their 6-1 record. That takes a blow this week as we all know that night games in Tempe can be treacherous. Sun Devils win under the moon.
Drew: Houston is looking to add a signature win to the resume after a 6-1 start to 2025. Arizona State losing Jordyn Tyson to injury takes a lot of shine off of the Sun Devil offense and I think the Cougars pick up a big road win in this one.
Russ: The Sun Devils have shaken off a rough start and are climbing the Big 12 ladder. A win over the Cougars in Tempe brings Arizona State back into conference title contention.

Colorado Buffaloes at Utah Utes – Sat. Oct. 25, 9:15 PM, ESPN

Anthony: Deion has a chance to send Whittingham directly into retirement, if he’s not there mentally already after getting outdueled by BYU again. Maybe we get some after dark shenanigans, but all signs point to the Utes bouncing back in a big way. Utah wins by a bunch.
Austin: Colorado is on the rise after a win against the Cyclones, but the Buffaloes’ good fortune ends as they travel to Salt Lake City to face the Utes. Utah wins in a surprisingly high-scoring affair.
Caleb: The Buffs took a huge step toward bowl-eligibility by defeating ISU at home before their bye but Utah on the road is a much taller task. The Utes should come out angry after coming close to toppling BYU’s reign in the Holy War and I expect them to win a close one.
Drew: I expect Utah to take some frustration out on Colorado in this one. Utah by multiple scores.
Russ: Colorado will have a tough time against the Utah defense. Utes win in Salt Lake City.

Top National Games

Ole Miss Rebels at Oklahoma Sooners – Sat. Oct 25, 11:00 AM, ABC

Anthony: Lane Kiffin accusing Brent Venables of sign stealing reeks of pre-emptive excuse-making, knowing his team is up against it in this one. The Rebels may still win, but OU is the better team. Boomer.
Austin: Oklahoma is returning to form following John Mateer’s quick recovery from injury. The Sooners defeat the Ole Miss Rebels in Norman behind their conference-best defense.
Caleb: OU had their blip of the season against the hated Longhorns of Texas and they seemed to be back in form last week against Sakerlina. The Lane train is looking to get back on track, but Kirby has given Skeletor Venables the recipe for solving their passing game. Sooners win at home and Mateer’s heisman campaign is reignited.
Drew: John Mateer has not looked great since coming back from injury and Ole Miss has no trouble scoring points in bunches. I think the Rebels rebound after a tough loss last week with a win over the Sooners.
Russ: After struggling against Texas, John Mateer looked better last week for the Sooners. Will it be enough? My gut tells me Ole Miss responds from the Georgia loss with a narrow win in Norman.

South Florida Bulls at Memphis Tigers – Sat. Oct. 25, 11:00 AM, ESPN2

Anthony: The actual most important game of the week for the CFP picture. Tigers with one of the most baffling losses of the year, falling to UAB last week while obviously looking ahead to this one. Memphis finds its way back into the win column, besting the Bulls in the Liberty Bowl.
Austin: One of these American Conference foes will likely earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, making this game hugely important. I have USF edging out a win in a back-and-forth clash between two high-powered offenses.
Caleb: I can’t doubt USF any longer, I’ve picked against them twice and been burned both times. No analysis here, I just think USF wins.
Drew: Memphis had been quietly putting together an excellent season before falling to UAB last week, but I think USF is the more battle tested team and the Bulls will pick up another impressive win in this one.
Russ: Brendon Lewis suffered an injury last week and his status is day-to-day for the South Florida game. The Bulls feature a potent offense and with Lewis banged up, I’ll take USF to handle business on the road.

Illinois Illini at Washington Huskies – Sat. Oct. 25, 2:30 PM, Big Ten Network

Anthony: Washington keeps sneaking away with wins when playing terribly vs the bottom of the B1G, but has looked solid in defeat vs. the league’s better squads. I see Illinois having a tough trip to Seattle and the Huskies again escaping with the win.
Austin: Washington wins in this Big 10 battle of 5-2 squads. The Huskies balanced attack is too much for the Illini’s so-so defense.
Caleb: Bret Bielema typically craps his pants in ranked matchups where he’s ranked higher. I’ll ride with that mindset and pick Washington to bounce back at home after dropping one to Michigan last week. Give me Demond Williams for the win!
Drew: I worry about an Illinois defense that let up 27 points to Purdue going up against Demond Williams and Denzel Boston. I think Washington outscores the Illini and picks up a win here.
Russ: I’m still getting used to these obscure Big Ten matchups. Per usual, I’ll roll with my home state and pick Illinois to overcome -4.5 odds against the Huskies.

Missouri Tigers at Vanderbilt Commodores – Sat. Oct. 25, 2:30 PM, ESPN

Anthony: I’m sorry, Top Ten Vanderbilt is simply impossible and the insane run ends now. Mizzou wins to very nearly secure its Playoff bid.
Austin: It’s Vanderbilt’s world, and we’re just living in it. The Commodores claim another marquee victory over the Missouri Tigers.
Caleb: Beau Pribula’s wheels are flying off as Mizzou trudges through their SEC slate and Mizzou is in the middle of their toughest stretch. Vandy is playing a non-Alabama team at home so I expect Diego Pavia to ball out and apply for his 10th year of eligibility. Commodores roll.
Drew: It took Missouri two overtimes to knock off Auburn last week and Vandy looked very good at home last week against LSU. However, I think Ahmad Hardy has a big day for Missouri and the Tigers take down the Commodores.
Russ: Vanderbilt has the juice right now. I’ll take the Commodores over the Tigers in Nashville.

NC State Wolfpack at Pitt Panthers – Sat. Oct. 25, 2:30 PM, ACC Network

Anthony: Pitt looks to be rolling again after a QB change and with RB Desmond Reid getting healthy, but NC State ends the Panthers’ ACC Title hopes. Wolfpack stars CJ Bailey and Hollywood Smothers run wild
Austin: The Pitt Panthers extend their winning streak to four games with a dominant performance against the NC State Wolfpack, who have struggled against quality opponents.
Caleb: I can’t believe this Pitt team lost to WVU, but I guess that shows the difference between the ACC and the Big 12. They roll again at home against a solid NC State squad.
Drew: Pitt has bounced back well after a disappointing loss earlier in the season to West Virginia. I have the Panthers picking up a win at home here.
Russ: Pitt claims another victory, handling the Wolfpack at home.

Texas A&M Aggies at LSU Tigers – Sat. Oct. 25, 6:30 PM, ABC

Anthony: I’ve maintained that A&M would have one or fewer losses headed into the season finale in Austin. This is the one. Aggies have looked like a juggernaut while the Tigers have looked sloppy and are coming off a loss to Vandy as LSU fans everywhere are crashing out. But there is just something about Tiger Stadium in a night game. They’ll be calling Baton Rouge and playing Neck. LSU gets the huge win it is so desperate to earn.
Austin: LSU just hasn’t impressed this season. The Tigers are averaging only 366.6 yards per game despite having an offense that should be much better with Garrett Nussmeier at the helm. Meanwhile, the well-rounded Texas A&M Aggies continue their march toward the College Football Playoff with another victory.
Caleb: A&M may have let Arkansas hang around a bit last week with their eyes on this trip to the swamp. Both teams have a bye coming up so we should get their best. It would be very LSU for them to show up for this contest, but I think this A&M team is different than years past. Aggies get it done in Death Valley.
Drew: LSU simply cannot move the football on offense right now and Texas A&M has the weapons at wide receiver to score against any defense. Despite my concerns about Marcel Reed protecting the football in Death Valley, I’ll take A&M here.
Russ: LSU reeks at the moment. There seems to be some sort of disconnect there. Give me Texas A&M.