Six NCAA football teams remain undefeated through Week 9
The GIST: No tricks here: For the first time this season, no undefeated teams lost on Saturday, with the unbeaten six maintaining their perfect records through Week 9. All are hoping for a treat from the CFP selection committee, who drop their first rankings tomorrow.
- But Saturday wasn’t sweet for everyone — there were plenty of ghoulishly grim score lines haunting the rest of the Top 25.
Spell curses Stillwater’s squad: October clearly hexed Oklahoma’s football teams. Just three weeks after Texas pummeled the Sooners 49–0, the No. 18 Oklahoma State Cowboys fell 48–0 to the No. 13 Kansas State Wildcats, who solidified their second-seed in the Big 12 in the process.
- Even more impressive? The ’Cats did the damn thing with a backup quarterback. QB Will Howard threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns (TDs), proving Kansas State’s dominant depth.
No rank? No problem: Four ranked teams fell to unranked opponents on Saturday, including South Carolina and Cincinnati, who are out of the Top 25 as a result. Also dropping? No. 22 Syracuse, who lost 41–24 to ACC–dominator Notre Dame. So many chalk outlines, so little time.
- But the team who really brokered a deal with the devil? Louisville, who forced eight (!!!) turnovers to beat the No. 20 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 48–21. Diabolical.
Too close for comfort: No. 9 USC QB Caleb Williams continued his stellar season by passing for 411 yards and five TDs, but it was only just enough: The Trojans narrowly beat the lowly Arizona Wildcats 45–37.
- And in another slim win, Ole Miss bested Texas A&M 31–28, and were rewarded for it with a four-spot jump in the poll to No. 11 — a surprisingly high position for a team with just one ranked victory this season. Must be that clown behavior.
Expected hexes: No. 1 Georgia remains on top after juggling a 42–20 win over rival Florida, No. 2 Tennessee and their epic entrance made a 44–6 statement on Kentucky and the other No. 2 Ohio State turned No. 16 Penn State into Unhappy Valley thanks to J.T. Tuimoloau’s history-making defensive performance (and maybe Sean Hayes’ animated play-by-play).
- No. 4 Michigan also demolished Michigan State as expected. But what was not expected (or acceptable) was MSU players getting physical with Michigan athletes in the tunnel following the game.
