College Football Rankings Week 9: B/R's Official Top 25
And then there were three. And we don't just mean undefeated teams from the power conferences, but also schools fighting for the top spot in the Bleacher Report rankings after another great weekend of action.
Week 8 saw two more perfect teams go down, including Notre Dame after falling 31-27 at defending national champion Florida State in a thrilling game in Tallahassee. Great results across the country led to yet another week of movement in our rankings, with three new teams moving into the Top 25.
The Top 25 is voted on by 19 members of Bleacher Report's college football team: writers Keith Arnold, Ben Axelrod, Phil Callihan, Michael Felder, Justin Ferguson, Andrew Hall, Kyle Kensing, David Kenyon, Ben Kercheval, Brian Leigh, Brian Pedersen, Barrett Sallee, Brad Shepard, Erin Sorensen, Marc Torrence and Greg Wallace, as well as editors Eric Bowman, Sean McManus and Max Rausch.
Each voter submits his or her ballot based on observations made during the just-completed week's games. Teams receive 25 points for a first-place vote, all the way down to one point for being ranked 25th. And then the top 25 vote-getters are ranked in order of their point totals.
Check out Bleacher Report's Week 9 poll, then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Others Receiving Votes
1 of 26
Minnesota is all alone in the Big Ten's West Division at 3-0 following a 39-38 win over visiting Purdue, but the Golden Gophers weren't able to crack the rankings despite a 6-1 record. Minnesota won on a 52-yard field goal by Ryan Santoso with 4:59 left.
Also just missing the Top 25 was LSU, which destroyed Kentucky 41-3 at home for its second straight win after starting 0-2 in SEC play.
- LSU (37)
- Oklahoma State (33)
- Minnesota (21)
- Stanford (15)
- Texas A&M (15)
- South Carolina (13)
- Louisville (11)
- Maryland (7)
- Kentucky (6)
- Missouri (6)
- Wisconsin (6)
- Boise State (1)
25. Duke Blue Devils
2 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 20-13 vs. Virginia
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 38
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Duke (6-1, 2-1 ACC) got a three-yard touchdown pass from Thomas Sirk to David Reeves with 7:23 left to give the Blue Devils the home victory and move into a tie with Virginia and Pittsburgh for first place in the ACC's Coastal Division.
Sirk, Duke's backup quarterback who normally comes in to run the ball, faked the run and threw a jump pass for the winning TD. Duke's other TD came on a pass from Anthony Boone to Erich Schneider in the first quarter.
Boone threw for 176 yards and ran for 48 yards, and the Blue Devils won despite getting outgained 465-334.
24. UCLA Bruins
3 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 36-34 at California
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at Colorado
Poll points: 48
Last week's ranking: 23rd
UCLA (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12) avoided a third straight loss thanks to an interception by Marcus Rios at the 2-yard line with 51 seconds left.
The Bruins got 424 yards of total offense and three touchdowns from Brett Hundley, who also committed two of his team's three turnovers. Hundley's 15-yard TD run in the final minute of the third quarter gave UCLA a 33-28 lead, then Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 26-yard field goal with 3:40 left in the fourth for the winning margin.
It was UCLA's first win in Berkeley since 1998, and it came after home losses to Utah and Oregon.
23. West Virginia Mountaineers
4 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 41-27 vs. Baylor
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at Oklahoma State
Poll points: 60
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Facing its third Top Five team this season, West Virginia (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) finally broke through and took one down. As a result, the Mountaineers are right in the thick of the conference race after knocking off previously unbeaten Baylor.
"We've been in this situation before and have been unable to finish," West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen told The Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "I told them at halftime, we're not in this thing to finish close again. Let's go out there and win this thing."
Trailing 20-14 midway through the second quarter and having committed three turnovers already, West Virginia outscored the Bears 27-7 from that point behind Clint Trickett's passing and a defense that kept Baylor from lighting up the scoreboard like usual.
Trickett threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns, including fourth-quarter TD passes to Kevin White (eight receptions, 132 yards, two TDs) and Mario Alford to break a 27-27 tie. West Virginia was tied at 24 at halftime with Oklahoma last month but fell 45-33 at home. The Mountaineers were down 20-17 to Alabama in their season opener, only to lose 33-23.
22. Clemson Tigers
5 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 17-13 at Boston College
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 vs. Syracuse
Poll points: 69
Last week's ranking: 21st
Clemson (5-2, 4-1 ACC) got its fourth straight win in a defensive struggle, taking the lead midway through the fourth quarter on C.J. Davidson's 32-yard touchdown run.
Cole Stoudt, making his first start since the Tigers' overtime loss at Florida State, threw for 285 yards on 29-of-45 passing. He was in there in place of Deshaun Watson, who had hand surgery and is expected to miss at least a month of action.
The Tigers held Boston College to 263 yards, limiting an Eagles team that was averaging 315.7 rushing yards to just 120 on the ground.
21. Marshall Thundering Herd
6 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 45-13 at Florida International
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 vs. Florida Atlantic
Poll points: 72
Last week's ranking: 25th
Marshall (7-0, 3-0 Conference USA) fell behind early but then romped on the road against the Golden Panthers, topping 40 points for the seventh time in as many games this season.
Quarterback Rakeem Cato set an FBS record by throwing a touchdown pass for the 39th straight game, finishing with four TDs and 214 yards on 15-of-27 passing. In doing so, he moved past Byron Leftwich for second on the school's career passing list. He's just 1,055 yards behind Chad Pennington.
The Thundering Herd also got 117 rushing yards from Devon Johnson, while Steward Butler had a 61-yard TD run.
20. Utah Utes
7 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 29-23 at Oregon State (in 2 OT)
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 vs. USC
Poll points: 109
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Utah (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) rode the hard running of Devontae Booker to survive a game that didn't have a touchdown scored until the fourth quarter and then needed two extra periods to determine a winner.
Booker ran for 229 yards on 32 carries with three touchdowns, the last a 19-yard score in the second overtime after Oregon State missed a field goal on its possession. Booker also scored on a 15-yard run in the first OT and on a one-yard rush that gave Utah a 16-13 lead with 4:06 left.
Booker helped make up for a complete lack of a pass offense for the Utes, as quarterbacks Travis Wilson and Kendal Thompson combined to go 9-of-18 for 62 yards and an interception.
19. USC Trojans
8 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 56-28 vs. Colorado
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at Utah
Poll points: 114
Last week's ranking: 24th
USC (5-2, 4-1 Pac-12) got a school-record seven touchdown passes from Cody Kessler, four of them in the first quarter, as the Trojans cruised past Colorado.
Kessler completed 19 of 26 passes for 319 yards, connecting with four different receivers for TDs. Nelson Agholor had three of the TD receptions, part of his six catches for 128 yards. Bryce Dixon caught two passing scores, and Juju Smith had four receptions for 104 yards and a TD.
Javorius Allen added 128 rushing yards and a TD on 15 carries, and USC tallied 532 total yards.
18. Oklahoma Sooners
9 of 26
Week 8 result: Lost 31-30 vs. Kansas State
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 126
Last week's ranking: 10th
Oklahoma (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) saw its normally reliable kicking game fall apart in key moments, with Michael Hunnicutt missing two field goals and having a game-tying extra point blocked in a devastating home loss to Kansas State.
The Sooners got a nine-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Knight to Durron Neal with 10:35 left in the fourth quarter, but Hunnicutt's PAT was batted down. He then pushed a 19-yard field goal with 3:53 left, his second miss of the game after tying the Big 12 career field-goal record late in the second quarter.
Knight had his best game of the season, completing 26 of 32 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns, but he was also intercepted once and had the pick returned for a TD by the Wildcats. Oklahoma outgained K-State 533-385 but didn't force any turnovers.
17. Nebraska Cornhuskers
10 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 38-17 at Northwestern
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 vs. Rutgers
Poll points: 160
Last week's ranking: 19th
Nebraska (6-1, 2-1 Big Ten) outscored host Northwestern 24-0 in the second half to bounce back from its loss at Michigan State two weeks ago, getting four rushing touchdowns from Ameer Abdullah to pace the victory.
Abdullah ran for 146 yards on 23 carries, while quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw for 221 yards and added 55 rushing yards as well as a 16-yard TD catch thrown by De'Mornay Pierson-El.
The Cornhuskers held Northwestern to 290 yards, with Trevor Siemian only completing 18 of 39 passes for 173 yards with an interception.
16. East Carolina Pirates
11 of 26
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 23 vs. Connecticut
Poll points: 167
Last week's ranking: 15th (tied)
East Carolina (5-1, 2-0 American) has only two games remaining against teams with winning records as it works to gain the Group of Five berth in the New Year's Six.
The Pirates are averaging 564.7 yards per game this season, which is fifth best in FBS. Quarterback Shane Carden has thrown for 2,129 yards and 16 touchdowns, while running back Breon Allen is averaging 8.3 yards per carry.
ECU's resume this season has impressive wins over North Carolina and Virginia Tech, while its only loss was a 10-point setback at South Carolina.
15. Arizona Wildcats
12 of 26
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at Washington State
Poll points: 188
Last week's ranking: 18th
Arizona (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) is coming off its first loss of the season, one where it missed a field goal in the final minute after rallying from a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats are sixth in the country in total offense thanks to a balanced attack led by quarterback Anu Solomon (2,136 passing yards, 15 touchdowns) and a trio of running backs that have combined for 11 rushing TDs.
Arizona's last five games have been decided by seven points or fewer, and for the year it has only outscored opponents by 64 points mostly because of a 45-point win in the season opener against UNLV.
14. Arizona State Sun Devils
13 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 26-10 vs. Stanford
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at Washington
Poll points: 211
Last week's ranking: 17th
Arizona State (5-1, 3-1 Pac-12) jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter, which was more than enough offense to hold off struggling Stanford at home.
The Sun Devils got 245 passing yards and a touchdown from Mike Bercovici, who was making his third start in place of Taylor Kelly. D.J. Foster had 59 yards and a rushing TD, and kicker Zane Gonzalez made four field goals.
ASU held Stanford to 288 yards and recovered two fumbles to avenge a pair of losses to the Cardinal last season, including at home in the Pac-12 title game.
13. Baylor Bears
14 of 26
Week 8 result: Lost 41-27 at West Virginia
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 265
Last week's ranking: 4th
Baylor (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) didn't have its usual explosive offense, and that combined with a record-setting penalty performance knocked it from the ranks of the unbeatens and likely out of the playoff race.
The Bears committed 18 penalties that accounted for 215 yards, which stifled their offense and prevented their defense from making big stops. As a result, what had been a 20-14 lead midway through the second quarter became a game where they were playing from behind nearly the rest of the way.
Bryce Petty threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns, completing only 16 of 36 passes. Baylor only ran for 95 yards on 42 attempts, gaining just over half of its season average of 622.5 yards per game. The Bears failed to capitalize on three early West Virginia turnovers.
12. Ohio State Buckeyes
15 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 56-17 vs. Rutgers
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at Penn State
Poll points: 267
Last week's ranking: 13th
Ohio State (5-1, 2-0 Big Ten) gave Rutgers a rude welcome in its first conference road game, jumping out to a 35-7 lead behind the continued strong play of quarterback J.T. Barrett.
Barrett threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns and added 107 rushing yards (on seven carries) and two scores. Since getting intercepted three times in the Buckeyes' loss to Virginia Tech in September, the redshirt freshman has thrown 17 TD passes with just one pick.
"Have to believe after today's performance, J.T. Barrett has officially put his name in the Heisman Trophy running," tweeted Sean Merriman of the Big Ten Network.
Ohio State ran for 324 yards, and its defense held Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova to just 192 yards. The Buckeyes also forced three turnovers, with Eli Apple scoring on a fumble return.
11. Kansas State Wildcats
16 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 31-30 at Oklahoma
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 vs. Texas
Poll points: 275
Last week's ranking: 14th
Kansas State (5-1, 3-0 Big 12) finds itself alone atop the conference after going into Norman and pulling off the road upset, getting another big game from quarterback Jake Waters and some defensive stops down the stretch.
Waters threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns, but it was his four-yard TD run midway through the third quarter that proved to be the difference. That made it 31-24, and after Oklahoma scored a TD in the fourth quarter the Wildcats blocked the extra point.
K-State then made a goal-line stand with four minutes left, forcing a short field goal that Oklahoma kicker Michael Hunnicutt surprisingly missed.
All but forgotten after squandering chances in a 20-14 home loss to Auburn last month, K-State will now be considered a College Football Playoff threat, wrote Kevin McGuire of NBC Sports.
"Kansas State could sneak into the top 10 of the polls on Sunday, but regardless of what happens it looks as though the Wildcats will start to receive some playoff contender recognition," McGuire wrote.
The Wildcats were outgained 533-385, but two turnovers (including an interception return for a score by Danzel McDaniel) helped balance the scoresheet.
10. TCU Horned Frogs
17 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 42-9 vs. Oklahoma State
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 vs. Texas Tech
Poll points: 277
Last week's ranking: 12th
TCU (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) bounced back from its last-second loss and late collapse at Baylor by dominating Oklahoma State at home, getting 451 yards of total offense from quarterback Trevone Boykin.
Boykin threw for a career-high 410 yards and three touchdowns on 26-of-39 passing, including first-quarter TD passes of 77 and 84 yards to Josh Doctson. Doctson finished with 225 yards on seven receptions.
The Horned Frogs ran for 261 yards, led by B.J. Catalon's 102 yards and two TDs on 10 carries. Their defense intercepted Oklahoma State quarterback Daxx Garman twice and limited the Cowboys to just 258 yards.
9. Georgia Bulldogs
18 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 45-32 vs. Arkansas (in Little Rock, Arkansas)
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 321
Last week's ranking: 11th
Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) put together another impressive road performance without its star running back, as freshman Nick Chubb ran for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.
Chubb, starting in place of Todd Gurley while he is suspended for alleged NCAA violations, has rushed 68 times for 345 yards and three TDs the past two weeks. He scored twice in less than four minutes during the second quarter, when the Bulldogs went from up 7-6 to taking a 38-6 lead into halftime.
Hutson Mason added 179 passing yards and two TDs, while Chris Conley had five catches for 128 yards and a TD.
Georgia's defense allowed four second-half touchdowns but otherwise looked solid. It forced four turnovers, with Dominick Sanders returning a fumble 54 yards for a TD.
8. Oregon Ducks
19 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 45-20 vs. Washington
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 24 at California
Poll points: 348
Last week's ranking: 9th
Oregon (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) scored 28 points over a 19-minute stretch wrapped around halftime to run past visiting Washington, gaining 554 yards over the course of the game.
Marcus Mariota threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-33 passing, while Royce Freeman ran for 169 yards and four TDs.
The Ducks did not turn the ball over and forced two takeaways, beating the Huskies for the 11th straight time.
7. Michigan State Spartans
20 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 56-17 at Indiana
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 vs. Michigan
Poll points: 360
Last week's ranking: 7th
Michigan State (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) racked up 662 yards of total offense, nearly getting the same amount of production through the air as on the ground in a second straight conference road victory.
Connor Cook threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns on 24-of-32 passing. Nick Hill ran for 178 yards and a TD, and Jeremy Langford had 109 yards and three TDs. The Spartans ran for 330 yards on 51 carries.
MSU limited Indiana to just 11 passing yards, while it scored the final 42 points of the game after falling behind 17-14 with 5:25 left in the second quarter. The Spartans had been outscored 47-7 in the fourth quarter by power-conference opponents this year, but this time they won the period 21-0.
6. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
21 of 26
Week 8 result: Lost 31-27 at Florida State
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 376
Last week's ranking: 5th
Notre Dame (6-1) found itself on the losing end of a controversial penalty call in the final seconds, a flag that ended up keeping it from knocking off the defending champions on the road. Instead, the Fighting Irish lost for the first time yet might have gained more believers than they had beforehand.
"Notre Dame proved it belongs among college football's elite," wrote Jon Solomon of CBS Sports.
Everett Golson appeared to have given Notre Dame the lead with 13 seconds left, when he threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Corey Robinson. However, the Irish were called for offensive pass interference on the play, and on the next snap Golson was intercepted in the end zone.
It was one of two picks for Golson in the game, giving him 11 turnovers in the past four contests, but he played a very good game despite those giveaways. Golson finished with 313 passing yards and three touchdowns, and he kept Notre Dame's final drive alive by scrambling to find Robinson for a 20-yard pass on 4th-and-18 from his own 43-yard line.
Notre Dame outgained FSU 470-326, with Tarean Folston rushing for 120 yards and Robinson leading the receivers with eight receptions for 99 yards and two TDs.
5. Auburn Tigers
22 of 26
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 vs. South Carolina
Poll points: 392
Last week's ranking: 6th
Auburn (5-1, 2-1 SEC) got a break before heading into the stretch run of its rigorous schedule, which looks slightly less ominous with the struggles of next opponent South Carolina as well as future foe Texas A&M. Still, every FBS team remaining on the Tigers' slate is currently, or at some point has been, ranked this season.
The Tigers are still running for 262 yards per game, but in the loss at Mississippi State and close win earlier this year at Kansas State it failed to score a rushing TD. Cameron Artis-Payne has 664 yards and five TDs, while quarterback Nick Marshall has scored four times on the ground to go with his 10 passing TDs.
Auburn's defense has been solid for most of the year, save for the loss to MSU, allowing 18.3 points per game.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide
23 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 59-0 vs. Texas A&M
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at Tennessee
Poll points: 394
Last week's ranking: 8th
Alabama (6-1, 3-1 SEC) obliterated Texas A&M, at the same time re-establishing itself as a playoff contender following a two-game road trip in which the Crimson Tide lost at Ole Miss and then squeaked by Arkansas.
A 35-point second quarter turned a 10-0 game into a blowout, with Alabama racking up 602 yards and handing A&M its first shutout loss since falling 77-0 to Oklahoma in 2003. It was the most points the Tide have scored since 2010 and the most in an SEC game since 1990.
"The star of the game was Alabama's offensive line as a whole," wrote Sam Cooper of Yahoo Sports, noting the rushing attack that ran for 298 yards while quarterback Blake Sims had plenty of time to throw for 268 yards and three touchdowns.
Sims also had a 43-yard TD run, while T.J. Yeldon ran for 114 yards and two TDs.
Alabama's defense held A&M, which came in averaging 564.9 points and 43.9 points, to 172 yards.
3. Ole Miss Rebels
24 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 34-3 vs. Tennessee
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at LSU
Poll points: 443 (one first-place vote)
Last week's ranking: 3rd
Ole Miss (7-0, 4-0 SEC) once again relied on a dominant defense, as the Landsharks forced four turnovers and held Tennessee to minus-two rushing yards.
Bo Wallace had an off night, completing just 13 of 28 passes for 199 yards, but he did throw two touchdowns, including a 39-yarder to Vince Sanders in the first quarter. Jaylen Walton and Mark Dodson added rushing TDs, as the Rebels topped 30 points for the fifth time this season.
Ole Miss intercepted Justin Worley three times and sacked him seven times. The Volunteers finished with 189 total yards.
2. Florida State Seminoles
25 of 26
Week 8 result: Won 31-27 vs. Notre Dame
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Poll points: 454 (five first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 2nd
Florida State (7-0) blinked at times with all of the extra spotlights shined on them, compliments of Notre Dame in town. But down the stretch the defending champions proved their mettle with a late touchdown and then benefited from a controversial pass interference call in the final seconds to win their 23rd straight game.
"It's what you play for...it's what you practice for...it's what we live for," FSU coach Jimbo Fisher told ESPN's Tom Rinaldi on the field immediately afterward.
Karlos Williams scored on a one-yard run with 7:39 remaining for the Seminoles' only lead of the game, and after Notre Dame got to the 2-yard line with less than 20 seconds left, an offensive pass interference penalty was called on the Fighting Irish on a play that had resulted in a touchdown pass. Everett Golson was intercepted by FSU's Jacob Pugh on the next play to ice the Florida State win.
Jameis Winston threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception, while Rashad Greene had eight catches for 108 yards and a TD. Williams had two TD runs in the game, the other tying the score at 24 with 3:38 left in the third quarter.
FSU trailed at halftime for the third time this season, down 17-10, but Winston threw a 10-yard TD pass to Greene to open the third quarter, and the teams traded scores the rest of the way.
1. Mississippi State Bulldogs
26 of 26
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 25 at Kentucky
Poll points: 469 (13 first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 1st
Mississippi State (6-0, 3-0 SEC) got to take a break after its three-game winning streak over teams ranked in the Top 10, a masterful run in which the Bulldogs averaged 40 points per game.
Dak Prescott now must lead his team on the road for a sneaky game at a much-improved Kentucky team, with a major target on his and every MSU player's back. Prescott hasn't struggled much under the spotlight, as he has 2,054 yards of total offense and has been responsible for 22 touchdowns, including eight on the ground.
Running back Josh Robinson is averaging seven yards per carry, part of why MSU is rushing for 264.3 yards per game.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
.jpg?w=600 "New Peter Schrager Mock Draft 📝")
.jpg?w=600 "Allen Wanted to Keep Bone 😅")
.jpg?w=600 "Coach Questions Beck's Personality 🤔")