College Football Week 9 Underdog Picks: Kelly in Vegas’ 3 Best Bets & Parlay

I’ve got three underdogs to check out for Week 9 of college football.

If we get lucky and all three dogs spring the upset, it’s going to pay 66-1 at Hard Rock Bet.

We’ve done so well with double-digit underdogs this season, and this week I’ve got two of them.

But first, let’s start with the smallest underdog, a team I’m still kicking myself for leaving off my card last week.

Cincinnati +6.5 vs. Utah

Some might argue that this is not the time to back Cincinnati, which just beat No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24 in the program’s highest-ranked home win since 2006.

But I’d argue that Cincinnati is peaking at the perfect time.

Cole Tabb ran for a career-high 173 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown run. The Bearcats collectively rushed for 255 yards, while JC French threw four touchdown passes.

Remember, the week before, Cincinnati was in a shootout with West Virginia. Despite leading by a touchdown six different times, the Bearcats ended up losing 45-42.

I think maybe there was a little bit of a look-ahead spot to Texas Tech there.

And if you guys recall, we bet against Utah last week in the parlay, but Houston stumbled. The Cougars were down one in the fourth quarter with two minutes left, and that was all she wrote. No cover, no outright underdog winner.

I’ve got to give it to the Utes. Their defense is legit, allowing just 14.6 points per game.

But Devon Dampier is not good, guys. Four interceptions in his last two games.

Utah had to escape Boulder with a 27-24 victory as 15.5-point favorites before beating Houston 21-13 last week.

This is also Utah’s third true road game. The first two were a 31-17 win at Iowa State and that three-point game at Colorado.

And if this isn’t the look-ahead spot of all look-ahead spots, BYU is coming to Salt Lake City next week for the Holy War.

Let’s hope we catch Utah looking ahead.

Give me Cincinnati +6.5 and Cincinnati +250 on the moneyline.

Syracuse +10.5 vs. SMU

I’ve been on Syracuse for the last four weeks. I gave the Orange out as a free play last week, but left them off the moneyline underdog card.

So you know why they won the game outright.

That’s right. Syracuse finally won its first ACC game in over a year, beating North Carolina 31-30 in Chapel Hill.

Now the Orange are back at home catching 10.5 points, with Steve Angeli back under center after missing two games.

Angeli went 20-of-34 for 256 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Tar Heels.

And gosh, that was a painful one. I’m still kicking myself for not having a single solitary dollar on the moneyline.

But this team has now covered the spread in three straight.

Syracuse lost by three at Virginia as a 14-point underdog, covered against Louisville as a 14.5-point underdog, and then won outright last week in Chapel Hill.

The Orange ran the ball 49 times for 200 yards against North Carolina and outgained the Tar Heels by almost 100 yards.

That’s now four straight games Syracuse has outgained its opponent, including 430-288 at Virginia and 462-425 against Louisville.

Yeah, I know. SMU is No. 19 in the country at 6-1, and Kevin Jennings has had a damn near perfect season.

He’s thrown 19 touchdown passes and no interceptions in his last three games.

But who have the Mustangs played?

And when’s the last time they went on the road? Oh, that’s right. Louisville, way back in September, when they lost 41-31.

SMU is not blowing teams out.

Boston College outgained the Mustangs by more than 100 yards. Yes, SMU won that game, but didn’t cover as a 21.5-point favorite.

They also beat Virginia, but that game was a push depending on when you bet it.

Remember, these teams met in Dallas last year. SMU won 38-18, but Syracuse covered easily as a double-digit underdog.

Now the Orange are back home in the Dome for a noon kickoff.

I think you guys know what to do.

Give me Syracuse +10.5, and they’re definitely worth a moneyline sprinkle at +300.

Virginia +12 at Wake Forest

Last but not least, this number has come down, so make sure you double-check it.

It was hanging at 12.5 this morning, and I’ve started seeing 12 pop up.

At first, I said, “Whoa, Wake Forest has covered five straight. Why on planet Earth would anybody want to step in front of that freight train?”

Well, let’s look at it.

The Demon Deacons are now 6-1 on the season. Gio Lopez has thrown 17 touchdown passes and just one interception.

Their last three wins came by a combined score of 136-24 against Stanford, NC State and Cal.

And I think that’s why this line is double digits.

I know we’ve been betting against Virginia all season long, but that was in a completely different spot. The Cavaliers were double-digit favorites.

Now they’ve dropped two straight, but neither one was a blowout.

Virginia lost 23-13 at SMU as a 10-point underdog, then outgained Duke 353-327 last week, rushing for almost 200 yards.

That was a coin-flip loss if you watched the game. Duke won 19-16.

But Beau Pribula is serviceable. The guy isn’t going to win the Heisman for us, but he’s thrown 13 touchdown passes and just two interceptions this season.

I think Virginia can run the ball against Wake Forest.

This team wants to shorten the game, and those are the kinds of teams I want to bet getting points.

This is also a revenge spot, guys.

Wake Forest went into Charlottesville last November and beat the 12th-ranked Cavaliers 16-9. I think a lot of these guys are going to remember that.

Virginia is also 9-0-1 against the spread as a conference road underdog of eight or more points, and 4-1-1 against the spread in its last six ACC revenge games.

Virginia +450 is a wild moneyline.

That price doesn’t correlate with +12. That number is closer to a 15- or 16-point underdog. That’s a steep moneyline price.

I think this team can keep it within one score, and I hope they can actually get the outright win for us.

Give me Virginia +12 and Virginia +450 on the moneyline.

College Football Week 9 Underdog Parlay

• 3-Team Parlay Odds: 66-1 (+6600)
  • Cincinnati +250
  • Syracuse +300
  • Virginia +450