HYPE INDEX: Your guide (and predictions) for Week 9 in Texas college football

This is the Texas College Football Hype Index, where Dave Campbell’s Texas Football managing editor Greg Tepper ranks the FBS college football games in Texas from least-watchable to most-watchable.10: Texas State at Coastal Carolina, 5 p.m. Saturday in Conway, SC Two teams that are a combined 2-12 will go at it, and the excitement is palpable. The Chanticleers’ running game should be the difference in this one, though this would be an opportune time for a breakout game from Texas State QB Willie Jones. Watchability Rating: 1 out of 10 Tepper’s Prediction: Coastal Carolina 31, Texas State 149: Louisiana Tech at Rice, 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Houston Rice showed some signs of life last week against UTSA; can they keep it going in their return home? Louisiana Tech is nothing special, but they can hit some big plays in the passing game — something Rice has a problem containing. If the Owls can take advantage of a bad Bulldogs’ rushing defense, they’ve got a shot. But they haven’t been able to run the ball all year, so why should we expect them to start now? Watchability Rating: 1 out of 10 Tepper’s Prediction: Louisiana Tech 36, Rice 178: Old Dominion at North Texas, 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Denton After a thud on the road at Florida Atlantic, the Mean Green return home against a team that’s kind of a poor man’s FAU — Old Dominion has to run the ball (and they’re OK at it) because they have no passing game. If the Mean Green can jump on them early, taking advantage of a bad ODU pass defense, they should be able to cruise. But after last week, all bets are off. Watchability Rating: 3 out of 10 Tepper’s Prediction: North Texas 38, Old Dominion 277: UTSA at UTEP, 7 p.m. Saturday in El Paso What, exactly, are the Roadrunners? The offense scuffled last week against woeful Rice, and now they take on a winless UTEP squad that — while it won’t challenge them offensively — has some defensive feathers in their cap (specifically the Western Kentucky game). UTSA wins this game, but style points matter. Watchability Rating: 3 out of 10 Tepper’s Prediction: UTSA 27, UTEP 76: Tulsa at SMU, 8 p.m. Friday in Dallas It’s the Friday night lights in Dallas (though I’m sure former Texas high school football coach Chad Morris is less-than-pleased to lose a prime recruiting night). Tulsa is a truly baffling team — they trounce Houston, then lose to Connecticut — but the same can kind of be said for SMU, though to a lesser extent. That said, the Ponies’ passing game should feast against a woeful Tulsa secondary. Watchablity Rating: 4 out of 10 Tepper’s Prediction: SMU 45, Tulsa 315: Texas Tech at No. 10 Oklahoma, 7 p.m. Saturday in Norman, OK Can the Red Raiders right the ship? The warm-and-fuzzy feelings around Tech are fading fast after back-to-back losses, and now they must travel to Norman to take on a Big 12 co-frontrunner in Oklahoma. Tech’s defense might get sliced and diced by Baker Mayfield, but the Raider attack should be able to put up some points thanks to a pretty lackluster Oklahoma secondary. This could get fun. Watchability Rating: 6 out of 10 Tepper’s Prediction: Oklahoma 48, Texas Tech 344: Texas at Baylor, 11 a.m. Saturday in Waco For a game that doesn’t feature a team with a winning record — in fact, the two competitors are a combined 3-11 on the year — this sure is full of intrigue. Texas is banged up offensively, but its defense should still provide a huge challenge to Baylor’s still-developing attack. Meanwhile, can the Bears harness that fourth quarter magic it found in its near-miss against West Virginia? For Texas, it’s a must-win for bowl hopes; for Baylor, it’s a chance to give the program a much-needed shot in the arm. Watchability Rating: 6 out of 10 Tepper’s Pick: Texas 27, Baylor 243: Houston at No. 17 South Florida, 2:45 p.m. Saturday in Tampa, FL If I told you before the season that one of these two teams would be in the Top 20, bet you would’ve had it reverse, right? South Florida has been outstanding under first-year coach Charlie Strong (remember him?) and it’s thanks to the running game, which is among the best in the nation. But Houston should be able to counter that with their outstanding front seven, meaning the game will likely be decided — as it tends to be — on whether the Coogs can find anything offensively against a terrific USF defense. Tantalizing. Watchability Rating: 7 out of 10 Tepper’s Pick: South Florida 28, Houston 242: Mississippi State at Texas A&M, 6:15 p.m. Saturday in College Station Here you go, Aggies. For years, A&M has been known as a team that starts hot and fades fast, a team that is eminently beatable in the second half of the season. Well, check your watch — it’s the second half of the season, and a quality opponent is rolling into Kyle Field. Mississippi State features a grinding running game, a star QB in Nick Fitzgerald and a solid defense. If Texas A&M has really shaken the ghosts of the past, they can prove it in 60 minutes on Saturday night. Watchability Rating: 8 out of 10 Tepper’s Pick: Texas A&M 27, Mississippi State 251: No. 4 TCU at No. 25 Iowa State, 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Ames, IA Just like we all expected, it’s a Top 25 matchup between TCU and Iowa State. The Cyclones have been one of the nation’s great stories, blending a ferocious defense and a good-enough offense into Matt Campbell’s masterpiece. Jack Trice Stadium will be rocking for this one, but TCU may be a nightmare matchup for the ‘Clones — Kenny Hill is (so far) taking care of the ball, and the defense should be able to give the efficiency-based passing attack fits. Who would’ve thought that TCU’s College Football Playoff hopes would go through Ames? Watchability Rating: 9 out of 10 Tepper’s Pick: TCU 30, Iowa State 21