As expected, Week 8 of the college football season delivered across the board — from standout performances to thrilling finishes and everything in between. Week 9 might not boast the same marquee appeal, but it still offers plenty of intrigue with three top-25 matchups, all coming from the SEC. The best part? Each matchup fills a different time slot. At noon ET, we’ll see Ole Miss take on Oklahoma; at 3:30 PM ET, Missouri travels to Vanderbilt; and to close out the night at 7:30 PM ET, Texas A&M faces LSU. Each of these games carries its own storylines, and the quarterbacks involved will play major roles in determining how things unfold. Let’s dive into the QB matchups, explore available props, and identify where potential value may lie in the projections.

(8) Ole Miss vs. (13) Oklahoma

Trinidad Chambliss:

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  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 248.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over +134; under -180)
    • Rushing Yards: 30.5 (over -114; under -114)

Ole Miss and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss are coming off a hard-fought battle in Athens, Georgia, where they were ultimately outdueled late. Chambliss put together another strong showing and now averages 298 passing yards per game in his starts this season, along with one passing touchdown per game. This week, he’ll face one of the nation’s premier defenses in Norman, Oklahoma — a unit allowing just 149 passing yards per game (4th in FBS) and 74.3 rushing yards per game (3rd in FBS). While not every Oklahoma opponent has been a Power Four program, the Sooners have held their own against several quality SEC teams.  This matchup will present the toughest offensive test Oklahoma has seen so far, and it’ll be fascinating to see how they respond. From a betting perspective, 248.5 passing yards feels slightly inflated given the Sooners’ defensive strength, though Chambliss might find some success on the ground. I’d lean toward the under on his passing touchdowns prop, but with odds at -180, the value just isn’t there.

John Mateer:

  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 235.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over -125; under -106)
    • Rushing Yards: 39.5 (over -114; under -114)

John Mateer hasn’t quite looked the same since returning from the hand/thumb injury he sustained against Auburn. In his two games back, he threw for 202 yards and three interceptions against Texas, followed by 150 yards and one touchdown versus South Carolina last week. Now, with a couple of games to shake off the rust, I expect him to take a step forward at home this week against Ole Miss.  While the Rebels’ defense is certainly not one to take lightly, they allow 195.6 passing yards per game (33rd in FBS) and 167.4 rushing yards per game (88th in FBS). The game plan would ideally feature a steady rushing attack, but we’ve seen teams — including Georgia — find success through the air against this unit. With that in mind, I like Mateer to go over his passing yards prop, though I’m not convinced on his passing touchdowns or rushing yards lines this week.

(15) Missouri vs. (10) Vanderbilt

Beau Pribula:

  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 209.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over +154; under -210)
    • Rushing Yards: 28.5 (over -114; under -114)

Missouri narrowly escaped last week’s matchup in Auburn, pulling out a 23-17 double-overtime win. Beau Pribula put together a decent performance overall, though turnovers continued to be an issue. Through seven games, he’s averaged 231 passing yards, 30 rushing yards, and 1.57 passing touchdowns per game.  Vanderbilt’s defense hasn’t been particularly strong against the pass, allowing 245.5 yards per game (91st in FBS), though they’ve been much tougher against the run, giving up just 99.5 rushing yards per game (16th in FBS). That puts extra pressure on Pribula to deliver through the air if Missouri wants to avoid another close call. Given how vulnerable the Commodores have been against opposing quarterbacks, I like the over on Pribula’s passing yards and see solid value in the over for passing touchdowns. However, I’d be cautious with his rushing yards prop, as Vandy’s front has been one of the better units against mobile quarterbacks.

Diego Pavia:

  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 207.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over +108; under -122)
    • Rushing Yards: 53.5 (over -114; under -114)

Over the past couple of weeks, Diego Pavia has leaned heavily on his legs to move the offense. Just last week against LSU, he recorded 17 carries for 86 yards — a clear sign that designed runs and scrambles have become a key part of his game plan. Through this season, however, Pavia has yet to eclipse 200 passing yards against a Power Four opponent, which doesn’t bode well heading into this matchup.  Missouri’s defense has been excellent on both fronts, allowing just 173.5 passing yards per game (15th in FBS) and an impressive 72.5 rushing yards per game (2nd in FBS). They’ve consistently shown up in big games, especially against Power Four competition, so I’d feel confident taking the under on Pavia’s passing yards. That said, given his recent usage and willingness to run, I do like him to exceed his rushing yards projection. As for his passing touchdowns, I’d stay away — Missouri’s secondary has been too disciplined to feel good about that prop.

(3) Texas A&M vs. (20) LSU

Marcel Reed:

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  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 219.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over +124; under -166)
    • Rushing Yards: 31.5 (over -114; under -114)

Marcel Reed and the Texas A&M Aggies enter the second of three straight road games, this time traveling to one of the toughest environments in college football—“Death Valley.” On the season, Reed is averaging 252.8 passing yards per game, 34.4 rushing yards per game, and 2.1 passing touchdowns per game. LSU’s defense hasn’t quite lived up to expectations from earlier in the year, allowing 201.8 passing yards per game (40th in FBS) and 128.3 rushing yards per game (37th in FBS). With the mounting pressure and recent defensive struggles in Baton Rouge, Reed has a good opportunity to shine. I like his chances to surpass both his passing yards and passing touchdowns projections, though his rushing yards prop feels a bit risky given his limited rushing volume each week.

Garrett Nussmeier:

  • Props
    • Passing Yards: 231.5 (over -114; under -114)
    • Passing TD’s: 1.5 (over -102; under -130)

Coming off a somewhat stagnant performance against the Vanderbilt Commodores last week, Garrett Nussmeier has a chance to play spoiler to the Aggies’ perfect season. So far this year, Nussmeier has averaged 234 passing yards per game and 1.57 passing touchdowns. Texas A&M has a respectable pass defense, allowing 200.9 yards per game through the air (39th in FBS). I don’t have a strong lean on Nussmeier’s passing yards line, but I do see some value in taking the over on his passing touchdowns for tomorrow’s matchup.