College Football

College Football Week 9 Odds, 5 Sleeper Games To Watch

Published Oct. 29, 2026 9:58 a.m. ET

More upsets went down in Week 8, but the chaos is just beginning in college football, as we inch closer to the Playoff.

There's only two top 25 matchups this weekend, which only means more games flying under the radar.

Here are five sleeper games worth watching — and wagering on — in Week 9.

Also, see how much you could win with this week’s parlay slip at the end.

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No. 25 Wisconsin @ Iowa

Spread: Iowa -3.5

Why This Game Matters: One team has won 49 times and the other 48, and this year’s game will be the 100th meeting. Iowa has won the last four, averaging 29.5 points while allowing just 6.5.

The Outlook: Wisconsin made its top-25 debut this week after upsetting No. 16 USC, and the Badgers are now 3-1 in Big Ten play, with the lone loss coming against No. 7 UCLA. If they can win out, they will be right in the Playoff conversation. Meanwhile, last week, Iowa suffered its second conference loss, scoring a season-low 10 points and turning the ball over four times against Minnesota.

South Carolina @ Oklahoma

Spread: Oklahoma -5.5

Why This Game Matters: These two teams are 2-1 over the last three weeks, pulling off some of the biggest upsets of the season and turning their years around. Oklahoma knocked off then-No. 1 Texas, and South Carolina has back-to-back wins over ranked opponents.

LaNorris scored the game-tying touchdown with 1:17 left, his second rushing touchdown of the game. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

The Outlook: South Carolina last won consecutive games against ranked opponents in 2022, when it beat No. 5 Tennessee and No. 8 Clemson. Junior quarterback LaNorris Sellers has lifted the Gamecocks in recent weeks, totaling more than 600 yards with eight touchdowns and one interception over the last two games. Oklahoma has two conference losses, but so do almost all of its SEC counterparts.

Virginia @ No. 14 Wake Forest

Spread: Wake Forest -14

Why This Game Matters: Wake Forest owns its highest ranking since the 2022 season and is right in the middle of the ACC title race. In what seems to be a two-team race to meet Miami in the championship game, the Demon Deacons can't afford a slip-up against a Virginia team which has allowed over 25 points in only one conference game.

The Outlook: That 2022 season, where the Demon Deacons had the No. 10 ranking, was also the last time they started 6-1 in a season. So far this season, Wake Forest is averaging the third-most points (37.4) in the conference, scoring 30 or more points in every game except one. As for the Cavaliers, they have already lost more games than they did last season and have dropped three of their last four.

No. 6 Utah @ Cincinnati

Spread: Utah -6.5

Why This Game Matters: Cincinnati joined the list of unranked teams to upset a top-10 team this season, knocking off No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 last week. This week, the Bearcats get a chance to take down another unbeaten.

The Outlook: Utah earned a top-15 win over Houston last week to stay one of three undefeated teams in the FBS. The Utes rack up the ninth-most yards in the nation (478.4), second-most in the Big 12. Texas Tech’s 3-point lead lasted 8:10, stretching from the end of the first quarter to the middle of the second. Then Cincy quarterback JC French IV threw the first of his four touchdowns to retake the lead, and Cincinnati never gave it back.

Oregon State @ Fresno State Bulldogs

Spread: Oregon State -5.5

Why This Game Matters: New coach JaMarcus Shepard has turned this Oregon State program around and has the Beavers in position to possibly win the Pac-12 in his first season. However, the Bulldogs are one of three teams in the conference ranked in the top five in both total offense and total defense.

The Outlook: Who thought Oregon State would have the nation’s leading passer and receiver this season? That’s exactly what it has in Braden Atkinson and Jesse Lagree. Atkinson has connected with Legree 46 times, and Legree has made them count. The freshman phenom has topped 100 yards and found the end zone in every game this season.