Best bets for Week 9 of the CFB season - ESPN

My Week 9 card starts with asking what the scoring averages aren't telling us. New Mexico's biggest wins inflate expectations for its offense, while Northern Illinois' struggling defense gives UNLV a chance to look better than it has.

Then there's Miami, laying more than two touchdowns on the road before a trip to Notre Dame next week. I'm playing two totals and backing an underdog.

After a combined 8-2 between Mark Zinno and I last week, here's what we've got for Week 9.

Odds by DraftKings and subject to change.

New Mexico averages 37 points per game, but I'm not expecting that offense to show up here. The Lobos scored 70 points against Mercyhurst and 61 against UTEP. They've scored 21 points in each of their last two games, with their preferred approach pretty clear: run the ball, play defense and make you work for everything.

Lobos running backs Scottre Humphrey and Kiefer Sibley should find room against San Jose State's run defense. That also means a moving clock, especially with New Mexico taking 32.5 seconds between snaps when leading after halftime, top-ten slowest pace in the FBS.

Spartans QB Luke Weaver has a tougher assignment. San Jose converts just 31% of third downs, bottom-ten, while New Mexico allows successful runs on fewer than 30% of attempts, which ranks in the top five in the country. I expect plenty of stalled drives.

New Mexico has allowed just 11 red-zone trips in seven games, and opponents have turned only five of those into touchdowns. The Lobos should have similar dominance here.

Northern Illinois just allowed Wyoming to gain 510 yards and score 41 points without needing a single turnover, and that's why I'm looking for points here. UNLV has been inconsistent offensively, but Rebels QB Jackson