College GameDay picks LSU-Texas A&M, Ole Miss-Oklahoma games

The guys on College GameDay present their final predictions for college football's most consequential games on an active Week 9 slate today.

College GameDay makes its predictions for the biggest games on the Week 9 college football schedule today. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

ESPN’s flagship college football program hit the road again this weekend, as College GameDay pitched its tent in SEC country once again, as Vanderbilt looks to continue its generational run against Missouri in a battle of insurgent conference contenders.

College GameDay was joined by celebrity guest picker, Nashville native and comedian Nate Bargatze, to get a preview of college football’s most consequential games this weekend.

Saturday brings us three head-to-head matchups involving ranked teams on the same field, including the one-loss Commodores hosting the Tigers in Music City.

Ole Miss hits the road for a second-straight week and hopes to avoid a second-straight loss in a fight against Oklahoma and its tough defense, which in turn will be tested by the Rebels’ potent offense led by quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.

USF visits Memphis in a battle in the American Conference that could go some distance in shaping the College Football Playoff, given it’s expected whatever team wins that league will be the favorite to take the Group of Five bid in the postseason field.

Brian Kelly may not be coaching for his job, but LSU is looking to avoid a third loss on the year against third-ranked Texas A&M, which is undefeated for the first time since 1994.

Let’s turn to the guys from ESPN’s College GameDay to get a look at their final predictions for college football’s most consequential games today.

College GameDay Week 9 game predictions

Joined by guest picker comedian Nate Bargatze, here is what Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, and Kirk Herbstreit are picking today...

UCLA at Indiana: Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit think the Bruins will cover the 27.5 point spread in a loss, while the others are taking the Hoosiers to cover.

USF at Memphis: Bargatze is riding with Memphis to avoid a second-straight loss, but the GameDay regulars took the Bulls to prevail in this critical American matchup.

Minnesota at Iowa: GameDay’s guest picker stuck with the Gophers, while the others expect the Hawkeyes to come out with a win in a battle of teams that are both 3-1 in Big Ten competition.

Texas at Mississippi State. Nick Saban likes the Longhorns to avoid the upset on the road, while Howard and Pat McAfee are taking the Bulldogs to win their first SEC game.

Texas A&M at LSU. A unanimous vote in favor of the Aggies to hand Brian Kelly’s team what would be its third-straight loss in primetime.

BYU at Iowa State: Likewise for the undefeated Cougars to stay that way in this Big 12 road test against the preseason title hopeful Cyclones.

Ole Miss at Oklahoma: Desmond Howard and Nate Bargatze like the Rebels to avoid what would be a second-straight loss, with the others taking the Sooners and that tough defense to ground Ole Miss’ top-ten air attack.

Missouri at Vanderbilt: Howard earned some boos from the crowd in Nashville as he took Mizzou to get the upset, but everyone else likes Vandy to stay perfect at home.

AP top 25 college football rankings for Week 9

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Ohio State (60)
2. Indiana (6)
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Oregon
7. Georgia Tech
8. Ole Miss
9. Miami
10. Vanderbilt
11. BYU
12. Notre Dame
13. Oklahoma
14. Texas Tech
15. Missouri
16. Virginia
17. Tennessee
18. USF
19. Louisville
20. LSU
21. Cincinnati
22. Texas
23. Illinois
24. Arizona State
25. Michigan