College football Week 9 reaction: Michigan State makes a big statement

Week 9 of the college football season gave us many notable moments. With a multiple top-10 teams losing, a big shakeup looms in the rankings. Adding to the drama is the upcoming release of the first College Football Playoff rankings of the year. With all that is going on, it’s worth taking some time to reflect on what we saw this weekend, and what it could mean moving forward.

Michigan State with a statement win

All eyes were focused on East Lansing today as No. 6 Michigan took on No. 8 Michigan State. The Wolverines (-4) were able to jump out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. They also led 30-14 late in the third quarter. However, it wasn’t enough to hold Kenneth Walker III and the Spartans. Walker scored all 5 Michigan State touchdowns, including a pair of fourth-quarter scores that propelled Michigan State (+170) to victory. In total, Walker ran for 197 yards on 23 carries, and he is now listed at +500 odds to win the Heisman. It was a signature win for Mel Tucker and the Spartans. They figure to move up from No. 8 in the rankings, and they are +4000 to win it all.

Upcoming College Football Playoff rankings

The initial College Football Playoff rankings for the 2021-22 season are set to be released this coming Tuesday, November 2 at 7pm ET.  Georgia figures to claim the top spot, as they are a perfect 8-0 and coming off a 34-7 beatdown of Florida. The Bulldogs are +115 to win it all. After that, things could get interesting. Teams 2-6 can go a number of ways.

No. 2 Cincinnati had some trouble with a one-win Tulane team, leading 14-12 at halftime before pulling away in the second half. Cincinnati is +2800 to win it all.  It will be interesting to see where the committee places the Bearcats after a less than stellar performance. No. 3 Alabama (+260 to win it all) was idle, while No. 4 Oklahoma (+1200 to win it all) took down Texas Tech thanks to 6 touchdown passes from Caleb Williams. Despite starting only 3 games this season, Williams is +800 to win the Heisman.

No. 5 Ohio State (+550 to win it all) defeated No. 20 Penn State, while 3 top-10 teams suffered losses. Along with No. 6 Michigan falling to arch rival No. 8 Michigan State, No. 9 Iowa lost on the road against Wisconsin, and No. 10 Ole Miss lost on the road against No. 18 Auburn. This means that not only will spots 2-6 be tough to figure out, but filling out the rest of the top 10 won’t be much easier. Aside from Georgia in the top spot, there is no telling how the rest of the rankings will shake up.

Bad beat(s) of the year?

As great as Week 9 was, one game in particular gave bettors 2 of the worst beats imaginable on the same play.  Trailing by 4 points, Florida State’s last hope at a victory against Clemson was to score a 67-yard touchdown on the final play of the game. Chaos ensued …

WHAT A BAD BEAT FOR ANYONE WITH UNDER 47.5 AND FLORIDA STATE +9.5 😱😱pic.twitter.com/sdaxTMYXoZ

— Pickswise (@Pickswise) October 30, 2021

Not only did this wild play cost Florida State from covering the 9.5-point spread, but the under of 47.5 died on it as well. It was a miracle win for Clemson and over bettors, but a gut-wrenching loss for Florida State and under bettors. That is the nature of the beast when it comes to college football betting. The only way to bounce back is to get ready for next week. If Week 10 is anything like Week 9, college football fans have a lot to look forward to.