**Editor’s Note: Time to take the 6-0 Challenge and make your Week 9 picks against “Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero.” Joseph Goodman’s popular college football picks feature, “Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero,” is adding readers to the action this season. Pick your Week 9 games here, and sign up for Joe’s newsletter to see how your picks compare to the experts (and Joe) as well as other readers.

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Celebrated from coast to coast by sports fans, bag men, bartenders, mafia kings and mathematicians, Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero is the greatest resource for college football shenanigans on the internet. This is the 14th season for Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero in its various forms.

This season, for the first time ever, readers are getting in on the action. Sign up for Joe’s newsletter, “Joe Goodman’s Sports Happy Hour,” to submit your picks each week and compare your wits against the experts (and Joe). The newsletter comes out every Thursday afternoon during the football season, so don’t procrastinate with your prognostications.

Joe subscribes to ol’ Billy Shakespeare’s philosophy of picking football games. “Jesters do oft prove prophets,” mused the Great Bard. What is Joe vs. the Pro and the Hero? Consider it a gift to society.

THE GRAND EXPERIMENT

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for AL.com. What happens when a sportswriter picks some of the toughest games of the week and goes head-to-head against a sharp and a football expert with a Harvard education? It’s a gift for college football fans every week in the state where college football is like a religion.

The Pro is Lee Sterling, a noted numbers man of national success. Sterling features his best picks on his website, ParamountSports.com, but The Pro fearlessly picks the most difficult college games of the week against Joe and the Hero. Joe is just a hack and a slacker who everyone loves to hate.

No one works harder than Hero Ben Abercrombie. Nobody. Ben played football at Hoover High School and Harvard, and he’s working every day to regain his ability to walk. He’s a student at Harvard, and an inspiration to all. To thank him, we want everyone to stand up for Ben and show him some love.

Show Joe no love at all. Besmirch his name at small dinner parties, and troll him on Twitter.

6-0 CHALLENGE

College football reigns in Alabama and the Deep South, and the readers showed why last week. We had six pickers win the 6-0 Challenge for Week 8. Y’all are putting Joe to shame. How does he even have a job?

The six college football geniuses for Week 8 were Elijiah Creel (whereabouts unknown), Stephen Dickinson of Fayetteville, Ala., Chuck Chandler of Vestavia Hills, Ala. (a former sports editor), David Goldman of Hoover, Ala., (Joe’s uncle), Rant Gibson (whereabouts unknown) and Randy Lawrence (whereabouts unknown).

We’ve now had eight winners of the 6-0 Challenge this season. Josh Williams of Chatom, Ala., went 6-0 in Week 6 and Danny Moye of Brewton, Ala., went 6-0 in Week 7.

Masterful work. Costco is going to be packed with all these winners eating free samples.

Last week’s quiz question asked readers to give a nickname for the Space Force Academy football team. We had some hilarious responses, and we’ll pick out a Top 10 in Thursday afternoon edition of the weekly newsletter, “Joe Goodman’s Sports Happy Hour.” Sign up for the newsletter here.

Click the link here to make your picks for Week 9 of the 6-0 Challenge. The new quiz question leaves little room for riding the fence on one of football’s hottest topics.

LAST WEEK

Joe: 4-2 straight up, 3-3 against the spread

Pro: 3-3 straight up, 2-4 against the spread

Hero: 5-1 straight up, 3-3 against the spread

Notes: Everyone picked Memphis’ blowout of UAB, but everyone missed on FSU’s destruction of Duke. The victory goes to Hero, who has been on a roll straight up for three consecutive weeks. It pays to be a certifiable Harvard genius sometimes (OK, all the time).

THIS SEASON

Joe: 28-20 straight up, 19-27-2 against the spread

Pro: 30-18 straight up, 19-27-2 against the spread

Hero: 35-13 straight up, 25-21-2 against the spread

Notes: Hero is more than a week ahead of Joe in the straight-up wins column. Man, it’s beautiful to see Joe lose so hard. On to the picks!

No.1 Georgia (7-0, 4-0 SEC) vs. Florida (5-2, 3-1 SEC)

When: 2:30 p.m., Sat.

Where: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Fla.

TV: CBS

Series: Georgia leads 54-44-2.

Spread: Georgia by 14.5

Trendy: Georgia is 2-5 against the spread this season.

SUPER STAT OF THE WEEK: From the Gators’ game notes: Florida has scored in 443-consecutive games dating back to 1988 – an NCAA record and 53 games longer than any other college football team in the history of the sport.

Joe says: The Gators have never beaten a No.1-ranked team while being unranked. No one expects that streak to end against Georgia, but the Bulldogs are without superstar tight end Brock Bowers. Bowers is kinda like Georgia’s Tim Tebow, so losing him will definitely affect the Bulldogs’ offense. Florida is coming around behind quarterback Graham Mertz, who has just as many touchdown passes this season as UGA’s Carson Beck (12). Georgia still feels like an overrated No.1.

Joe’s pick: Georgia 28, Florida 24

Pro says: The first-, second- and third-most important question leading up to this game is how important is the loss of All-American tight end Brock Bowers to the No.1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs. I personally would bet them as a 20-point favorite if he were playing. Without him, his 41 catches for 567 yards might be too much to overcome. Their second-leading receiver, Dominic Lovett, only has 18 catches. This is a huge rivalry game and I feel Georgia is quite a few steps down from where they were last year.

Pro’s pick: Georgia 30, Florida 24

Hero says: After an off week, Georgia is heading into the more challenging part of their schedule without their best player, tight end Brock Bowers. Florida has shown improvement under second-year coach Billy Napier, but lost two games on the road by large margins. Gators quarterback Graham Mertz became a playmaker in their come-from-behind win at South Carolina. However, the Bulldogs’ defense is much better and should slow down the Gators’ offensive momentum. The UGA offense will need to find several playmakers to replace the impact of missing Brock Bowers, but they have plenty of talented options for quarterback Carson Beck to throw to in Jacksonville. This game should be closer than in previous seasons.

Hero’s pick: Georgia 31, Florida 20

No.8 Oregon (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) at No.13 Utah (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12)

When: 2:30 p.m., Sat.

Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City

TV: Fox

Series: Oregon leads 24-12.

Spread: Oregon by 7

Trendy: Oregon’s 6-0 cover streak for the season ended last week against Washington State.

SUPER STAT OF THE WEEK: Oregon has the second highest scoring offense in the country (47.0) behind LSU (47.4).

Joe says: The Pac-12 might be the best league in the country this season, and no one is better at home than Utah. Utah has won 18 games in a row at home and 29 of the last 30. This is the Utes’ fourth game out of the last five against a ranked opponent, but this is a tough team with tons of heart. I’m taking Bo Nix and the Ducks here after that impressive victory against Washington State last week, but seven points seems like a lot. Should be a classic.

Joe’s pick: Oregon 33, Utah 31

Pro says: The Utes finally came forward and finally admitted their two stars, quarterback Cam Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe, won’t play this season. Most teams wouldn’t be able to overcome the loss of their two best players but not Utah. They’ve already beaten Florida, UCLA and Cal at home so winning outright and getting a touchdown isn’t out of the question. Ducks quarterback Bo Nix has lost all three games on the road against rush-first opponents since he moved to Eugene. I’ll take Utah plus the points to the bank.

Pro’s pick: Utah 27, Oregon 24

Hero says: Utah upset USC in the Coliseum last week but faces an even bigger challenge at home this week in the Ducks. Oregon coach Dan Lanning probably cost his team the game against Washington by being too aggressive with his offense on fourth down. This week he can afford to be more conservative knowing that the Utes’ offense is not good enough to get into an offensive shootout with Oregon. Even though they will face a tough environment in Salt Lake City, I like the balance of the Ducks’ offense led by experienced quarterback Bo Nix to led Oregon to victory on the road.

Hero’s pick: Oregon 34, Utah 23

No.21 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC) at Kentucky (5-2, 2-2 SEC)

When: 6 p.m., Sat.

Where: Kroger Field, Lexington, Ky.

TV: ESPN

Series: Tennessee leads 83-26-9.

Spread: Tennessee by 3.5

Trendy: Kentucky last covered the spread at home against Tennessee in 2011.

SUPER STAT OF THE WEEK: Tennessee still has the highest-ranked rushing offense in the SEC (217.29) even after playing Alabama.

Joe says: Joe Milton III is improving for Tennessee, but it wasn’t enough against Alabama. This is Tennessee’s third road rivalry game of the season and second in consecutive weeks. That’s tough. How will the Volunteers respond after collapsing against Alabama? I feel a battle coming because, well, I don’t have faith in either of these quarterbacks in a close game. Expect a wild one, but Tennessee’s defensive line should be the difference here.

Joe’s pick: Tennessee 38, Kentucky 35

Pro says: Vols coach Josh Heupel showed why he won’t be up for a raise after he made multiple coaching blunders against Alabama. Home dog Wildcats have revenge for last year’s 44-6 whipping. They also have a bye to rest up running back Ray Davis, so that he can carry the pigskin 30-plus times if needed. The Vols might be done mentally after last week. I also can’t put my money on Joe Milton two weeks in a row.

Pro’s pick: Kentucky 27, Tennessee 23

Hero says: This is a difficult game to call with the Cats coming off an open date and hosting the Vols after their tough loss at Alabama. Both teams have good rushing offenses and can stop the run on defense. Which team can make more explosive plays in the passing game and protect the football should determine who wins this game. I give the Vols with strong-armed quarterback Joe Milton the edge to generate explosive passing plays over Kentucky’s offense led by transfer quarterback Devin Leary. With a low level of confidence, I believe the Vols will win a close game in Lexington.

Hero’s pick: Tennessee 28, Kentucky 24

Colorado (4-3, 1-3 Pac-12) at No.23 UCLA (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12)

When: 6:30 p.m., Sat.

Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.

TV: ABC

Series: UCLA leads 13-5.

Spread: UCLA by 16.5

Trendy: Colorado is 0-2 straight up against California schools this season, allowing 48 points in a loss to USC and a staggering 46 points in an overtime loss to Stanford.

SUPER STAT OF THE WEEK: Bruins have won nine of the last 10 against Colorado when the game is played in Los Angeles. The streak is up to six in the Rose Bowl.

Joe says: UCLA is quietly putting together another quality season under coach Chip Kelly, who has been in Westwood since 2018. The Bruins are doing it with defense this season. UCLA is ranked first in the Pac-12 in total defense (282.6 yards per game) and turnovers gained (16). The big question going into this one is who plays at quarterback. Kelly is being coy, but how do you bench Ethan Garbers after his performance against Stanford last week? Coach Prime goes to 0-3 against the Cali schools. Buffs’ defense is just too unsound at this point in the season. Where are the improvements?

Joe’s pick: UCLA 45, Colorado 21

Pro says: The line is probably this high because UCLA blew out Stanford and Colorado choked a four-touchdown lead to the same Stanford team a week earlier. UCLA’s defense is ranked 11th and 10th in total- and scoring-defense, but I trust this defense against an explosive offense with Travis Hunter back for the Buffalos.

Pro’s pick: UCLA 44, Colorado 38

Hero says: The Bruins just dominated Stanford last week, the team that beat Colorado in their last game before a bye week. Coach Prime said the Buffs made tremendous improvement during the bye week, so maybe they will display a better running game and defense. UCLA is undefeated at home in the Rose Bowl, but lost two games on the road to good teams. The Bruin offense has been explosive at times, but is still trying to decide between three quarterbacks. Given the strength of their defense, which is limiting opponents to 283 yards per game, I give the Bruins the edge, but Colorado still has enough offensive firepower to keep it relatively close.

Hero’s pick: UCLA 37, Colorado 27

Troy (5-2, 2-1 Sun Belt) at Texas State (5-1, 2-1 Sun Belt)

When: 6 p.m., Sat.

Where: Bobcat Stadium, San Marcos, Texas

TV: ESPN+

Series: Troy leads 12-1.

Spread: Troy by 5.5

Trendy: Troy has covered the spread three weeks in a row.

SUPER STAT OF THE WEEK: Texas State quarterback T.J. Finley (Auburn transfer) has thrown 14 touchdowns this season to just three interceptions.

Joe says: Troy wanted former Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley, but he chose Texas State and coach GJ Kinne. Wise decision. The average football fan in Alabama might be unfamiliar with Kinne, but he’s an offensive guru who comes from a proud football family with roots deep in the heart of Texas. I’m happy for Finley’s success. He had a tough time at Auburn with former coach Bryan Harsin. Troy’s defense is stout — it shut out Army and that hasn’t happened in West Point in 10 years. This looks like the game of the year in the Sun Belt West. I’ll ride with Finely in the upset.

Joe’s pick: Texas State 28, Troy 21

Pro says: Both teams are 5-2 heading into this important Sun Belt West game. The explosive Bobcat offense is led by former Auburn quarterback TJ Finley. The Trojans still lean on their strong defense to win games and have an experienced quarterback, Gunnar Watson, leading a balanced offense. I don’t know much about the home field environment at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Texas, but Troy has experience winning big games on the road the last several years under coach Jon Sumrall.

Pro’s pick: Troy 30, Texas State 23

Hero says: The Bobcats have come a long way behind first-year head coach GJ Kinne and Auburn transfer quarterback TJ Finley but nine turnovers the last four games has slowed down the offense. Now they face the best defense in the Sun Belt Conference, Troy, which is allowing just 4.6 yards per snap and only 288 yards per game.

Hero’s pick: Troy 31, Texas State 21

Mississippi State (4-3, 1-3 SEC) at Auburn (3-4, 0-4 SEC)

When: 2:30 p.m., Sat.

Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Ala.

TV: SEC Network

Series: Auburn leads 65-29-2.

Spread: Auburn by 7

Trendy: State dropped five in a row against the spread before the upset of Arkansas last week.

SUPER STAT OF THE WEEK: Mississippi State’s defensive line sacked Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson four times last week. State won 7-3.

Joe says: Arkansas coach Sam Pittman fired Hogs’ offensive coordinator Dan Enos after the embarrassing loss to Mississippi State. I can’t imagine Auburn coach Hugh Freeze will fire Tigers offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery if Auburn loses to State in Jordan-Hare, but at least we know the move wouldn’t be unprecedented. This could be another all-time snoozefest to rival Auburn’s infamous 3-2 victory against State in 2008. The sickos should love this one.

Joe’s pick: Auburn 14, Mississippi State 10

Pro says: The teams are pretty even talent-wise. Without Will Rogers last week the Bulldogs turned to Mike White and went anti-Mike Leach, running 36 out of 48 plays. If Mississippi State could only score seven points against Arkansas I don’t see them keeping up with Auburn.

Unless Will Rogers comes back, lay it!

Pro’s pick: Auburn 26, Mississippi State 17

Hero says: Auburn played much better last week at home in a loss to Ole Miss while the Bulldogs surprised many people by beating Arkansas on the road. Both teams are led by strong defenses while their offenses have been very inconsistent. Former Hoover High quarterback Robby Ashford has big play ability on the ground so I think the Tigers may turn to him to help end their four-game losing streak. The Bulldogs may keep the home crowd nervous for the entire game, but I think the Tigers will win a close game at Jordan-Hare.

Hero’s pick: Auburn 23, Mississippi State 17