It's tradition around these parts once the Ohio State football season starts. Every year (and every week of the season), we have a little friendly competition among our writers for world domination in picking the Big Ten football games and some of the bigger college football contests now that conference play is in full swing.

Preseason favorites Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon have experienced at least one loss, with UCLA being the only overall unbeaten at this point, and with the Buckeyes the only other team undefeated in the Big Ten. There's still a long way to go, and many teams still have an opportunity to prove themselves to be taken seriously, like Northwestern, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. And then there's ... Michigan*.

So, just how will Week 9 look? Our writers take turns picking all the games in the League straight up and against the spread for your wagering and reading consumption — do with it as you wish. We also include five of the biggest non-Big Ten games in college football for a little added fun.

As a reminder, if there’s an asterisk next to the pick, that means the team will win, but not cover. If there is a tie, rather than have a cage match or old-fashioned duel, we’ll settle it with less violence and go with the tried-and-true coin flip, where George Washington has the say.

EXAMPLE: If Ohio State is favored -3.5 over Michigan:

If you think Ohio State will win outright and cover: OSU

If you think Ohio State will win, but NOT cover: OSU*

If you think Ohio State will lose: Michigan

Here are our expert picks for Week 8, focusing on the Big Ten games, but also throwing in the biggest non-Big Ten games across the country now that we are starting the conference season. Ohio State is off this week, so if you are a Buckeye fan, sit back and enjoy the games.

Big Ten and biggest national college football picks and predictions for Week 9

Results So Far

Follow Phil Harrison: 84-24 SU, 58-50 ATS

Follow MarkRussell: 80-28 SU, 54-54 ATS

Follow Sunny Verma: 78-30 SU, 51-57 ATS

Follow Alec Lasley: 80-29 SU, 53-55 ATS

Next ... Big Ten games

Wisconsin at Iowa

Saturday, Oct. 31

Noon ET | Fox (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Iowa

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Iowa

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Iowa

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Iowa

CONSENSUS PICK | Iowa

Illinois at Maryland

Saturday, Oct. 31

Noon ET | FS1 (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Illinois

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Illinois

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Illinois

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Illinois

CONSENSUS PICK: Illinois

Michigan at Rutgers

Saturday, Oct. 31

3:00 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Michigan*

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Michigan

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Michigan

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Michigan

CONSENSUS PICK | Michigan

Minnesota at Indiana

Saturday, Oct. 31

3:30 p.m. ET | CBS (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Indiana

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Indiana*

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Indiana

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Indiana*

CONSENSUS PICK | Indiana

Northwestern at Oregon

Saturday, Oct. 31

3:30 p.m. ET | Peacock

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Oregon

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Oregon

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Oregon

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Northwestern

CONSENSUS PICK | Oregon

Nevada at UCLA

Saturday, Oct. 31

4:15 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | UCLA

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | UCLA

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | UCLA

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | UCLA

CONSENSUS PICK | UCLA

Purdue at Penn State

Saturday, Oct. 31

4:15 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Penn State

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Penn State*

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Penn State

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Penn State

CONSENSUS PICK | Penn State

Ohio State at USC

Saturday, Oct. 31

7:30 p.m. ET | NBC (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Ohio State

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Ohio State

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Ohio State

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Ohio State*

CONSENSUS PICK | Ohio State

Washington at Nebraska

Saturday, Oct. 31

8:00 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Nebraska

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Nebraska

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Nebraska

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Nebraska

CONSENSUS PICK | Nebraska

Next ... Biggest non-Big Ten games

Notre Dame vs. Navy

Saturday, Oct. 31

Noon ET | ABC (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Notre Dame*

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Notre Dame*

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Notre Dame

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Notre Dame*

CONSENSUS PICK | Notre Dame*

Arizona at Texas Tech

Saturday, Oct. 31

Noon ET | ESPN (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Texas Tech

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Texas Tech

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Texas Tech

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Texas Tech

CONSENSUS PICK | Texas Tech

Florida at Georgia

Saturday, Oct. 31

3:30 p.m. ET | ABC (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Georgia*

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Georgia*

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Georgia

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Georgia

CONSENSUS PICK | Georgia

Miami (FL) at North Carolina

Saturday, Oct. 31

7:30 p.m. ET | ABC (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Miami

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Miami

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Miami

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Miami

CONSENSUS PICK | Miami

Mississippi State at Texas

Saturday, Oct. 31

7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN (Stream fuboTV (watch here))

Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Texas*

Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Texas*

Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Texas

Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Texas*

CONSENSUS PICK | Texas*