Week 9 was another elimination Saturday for the College Football Playoff as several teams saw their stars finally fall off. Missouri ranks chief among them as the Tigers should tumble all the way out of the rankings after getting wiped off the field 34-0 against what had been a struggling Alabama team.
Ohio State and Texas won, but won’t win too many fans after pedestrian performances against Nebraska and Vandebilt, respectively. On Friday night, Boise State and UNLV played a close battle, but a second loss likely pushes the Rebels out of contention.
Tonight, LSU and Texas A&M lock up with a chance to take over sole possession of first place in the SEC. Michigan and Michigan State meet with the inside track to bowl eligibility on the line. Penn State travels to Wisconsin in a trap game spot, while SMU hopes to outlast Duke in a matchup of 6-1 teams.
Heading into the evening slate, here are the biggest winners and losers of college football’s Week 9, including a death knell for some CFP hopefuls.
Loser: Ohio State
The Buckeyes survived a late challenge from Nebraska in a 21-17 win, but the script of the game should provide little confidence about the most talented roster in the country. Seven of Ohio State’s 10 full drives ended in four plays or fewer as the program rushed for only 64 yards on 31 carries in the first game without left tackle Josh Simmons.
Ohio State was a popular pick to win the national championship to start the year, but the performance was wildly concerning coming off the Buckeyes’ first loss of the season. Without Simmons, one of the season’s breakout players, Ohio State’s run blocking is lackluster. Nebraska was only able to convert one touchdown drive, but games ahead against No. 3 Penn State and No. 13 Indiana suddenly look far more complicated. With a loss on their record, Ohio State doesn’t have much leeway down the stretch.
More: Buckeyes can’t just rely on talent in Penn State showdown
Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi made some concessions when he decided to bring in fast-paced offensive coordinator Kade Bell. Against Syracuse, Narduzzi finally got a game built in his image. Pitt recorded three pick sixes off Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord and used their defense to suffocate the Orange on a day where the Panthers offense wasn’t at its best.
Suddenly, the Panthers are 7-0 heading into a major matchup against SMU that could have major ACC implications. This team was left for dead after a miserable 3-9 campaign in 2023, but Narduzzi is putting together another special season.
Loser: Missouri
Brady Cook managed to postpone the funeral for one week but it was an inevitability. The Tigers’ SEC and CFP chances are officially over after getting run out of the building 34-0 against Alabama. With Cook sidelined by injury after 12 pass attempts, backup Drew Pyne went into the game and threw three interceptions in a miserable performance.
The loss is wildly underwhelming for a Tigers program that came into the season with dreams of contending for a national championship. Missouri invested heavily in key transfers and retentions to stay in the mix. Whether because of inconsistent quarterback play, offensive line turnover or anything else, Missouri is a shell of its 2023 self. The 34-point loss only revealed what was always there.
Winner: Boise State
Ashton Jeanty is No. 3 in the Heisman betting odds at +320, according to DrafKings Sportsbook, but he was merely excellent instead of his usual otherworldly self against UNLV. Fortunately the rest of the Broncos team was up for the challenge. In one of the best Group of Five regular season games in years, the Broncos outlasted UNLV 29-24 to take control of the Mountain West championship race and stay alive in the hunt for the College Football Playoff.
Jeanty rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown, but was held to only 3.9 yards per carry against a physical UNLV defense. With him bottled up, it was quarterback Maddux Madsen who stepped up to the challenge. He responded by ripping off a 49-yard run and scoring two touchdowns in the win. Boise State has games against San Jose State and Oregon State remaining, but will be betting favorites for the rest of its regular season schedule.
More: Broncos pass tough UNLV test
Loser: Texas
The Longhorns survived a brutal test from Vanderbilt, escaping 27-24 after some chaos at the end. Desipte the victory, the game revealed some serious holes for the Longhorns. Quarterback Quinn Ewers threw multiple interceptions and the Longhorns averaged just 3.1 yards per carry. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is a unique force to deal with, but he was able to cause some real issues for a usually salty Texas defense.
Most concerning, the Texas offensive line — billed as perhaps the best in the country — struggled for the second straight week. The Longhorns allowed nine tackles for loss and four sacks, nearly doubling Vanderbilt’s season marks in both categories. Everyone was hoping to see Texas rebound from its loss to Georgia with a decisive victory. Instead, the Longhorns are backsliding.
Saying Baylor needed a win over Oklahoma State was an understatement. Heading into the game, the Bears had not won a home Big 12 game since Oct. 22, 2022 — more than two calendar years ago. The last time Baylor won consecutive games was Nov. 5, 2022. Dave Aranda’s squad exorcised both of those demons by pulling away from Oklahoma State in a 38-28 victory in Waco. The Bears rushed for 343 yards and quarterback Sawyer Robertson scored four total touchdowns. There are more important games ahead, but the schedule opens up after beating Texas Tech and Oklahoma State in consecutive weeks. The Bears’ upcoming Big 12 opponents are a combined 6-10 in conference play right now. Baylor only needs to win two to mercifully return to bowl eligibility.
