The 2026 college football season reaches Week 9 with a packed Saturday slate on October 31, offering bettors more than $3,000 in combined sign-up bonuses across major sportsbooks. The schedule features several high-profile games, including No. 1 Miami visiting North Carolina, No. 2 Ohio State at USC, and No. 11 Texas hosting Mississippi State. Online sports betting is legal in over 30 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, with operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, bet365, and Hard Rock Bet running promotions for new and existing users.
Key Matchups and Odds
Miami (FL) remains No. 1 in the AP Top 25 after beating Pitt and is a 14.5-point favorite at North Carolina with an over/under of 52.5. The game pits Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah, who leads the nation in completion percentage, against Bill Belichick's Tar Heels. No. 2 Ohio State is a 7-point road favorite at USC (over/under 51.5), but starting quarterback Julian Sayin is out with a shoulder injury; freshman Luke Fahey is expected to start. No. 11 Texas is favored by 20.5 points over Mississippi State (over/under 50.5), with Arch Manning averaging 335.5 passing yards in two career meetings against the Bulldogs. Other notable lines include No. 5 Notre Dame -30.5 vs. Navy (53.5), No. 17 Florida vs. No. 3 Georgia (Georgia -11.5, 55.5), and No. 20 Boise State -11.5 vs. Texas State (63.5).
Betting Promotions
Sportsbooks are offering a variety of welcome bonuses: DraftKings gives $200 in bonus bets plus three months of NBA League Pass after a $5 wager; FanDuel offers $150 in bonus bets for a $5 bet; Caesars provides up to $250 in bet reset tokens (code CBSSPORTSBR250); BetMGM refunds up to $1,500 in bonus bets if the first bet loses (code CBSSPORTS); Fanatics awards $350 in FanCash after a $20 bet (code CBSFAN350); bet365 grants $200 in bonus bets on a $10 wager (code CBSBET365); and Hard Rock Bet issues up to $500 in No Sweat Bets over 10 days after a $5 bet.
Week 9 Betting Trends
Selected trends from the guide: the Over is 5-1 in NC State's last six games; the Under is 9-0 in Wisconsin's last nine October games; the favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last seven Navy-Notre Dame meetings; BYU is 6-0 ATS in its last six games as a home favorite; Utah is 6-0 ATS against teams with winning records; and the Over is 8-0 in USC's last eight games as a home underdog. Additional trends cover games such as Arizona vs. Texas Tech, Iowa vs. Wisconsin, Florida vs. Georgia, and Clemson vs. Florida State.
Heisman Trophy Odds
Week 9 Heisman odds at DraftKings list Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith at +122, Miami's Darian Mensah at +270, and Miami's Malachi Toney at +360. Other contenders include Notre Dame's CJ Carr (+2000), Ole Miss's Trinidad Chambliss (+2400), and Georgia's Gunner Stockton (+5000).
Common Wager Types
The guide defines standard betting markets: money line (pick the winner), spread (points the favorite must win by), over/under (total points scored), team total (individual team points), race to X points, first-half lines, parlays, season win totals, conference winner, College Football Playoff winner, Heisman Trophy winner, and make/miss College Football Playoff. Payouts use American odds; standard spreads are -110, meaning a $110 bet wins $100.
