College Football Rankings: Bleacher Report's Week 9 Top 25
The eighth week of the 2015 college football season isn't going to go down as an all-timer, and it's not going to rank anywhere near the top for this year. But even the least impressive slates give us enough interesting outcomes to lead to some shakeup in the Bleacher Report Top 25, and thanks to road losses by a pair of unbeaten teams (and three that were in last week's rankings), we've got some decent shuffling.
Twenty-one members of our college football staff voted in this week's Top 25: writers Ben Axelrod, Greg Couch, Ed Feng, Justin Ferguson, Bryan Fischer, David Kenyon, Ben Kercheval, Adam Kramer, Brian Leigh, Mike Monaco, Brian Pedersen, David Regimbal, Barrett Sallee, Brad Shepard, Greg Wallace and Christopher Walsh; video experts Michael Felder and Sean McManus; and editors Eric Bowman, Hunter Mandel and Eric Yates.
First-place votes were worth 25 points, with each subsequent rank worth one fewer point, all the way down to one for 25th place. The 25 highest vote-getters made our list, with the rest falling into the "others receiving votes" category.
See where everyone falls after Week 8, then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Others Receiving Votes
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Thanks to 586 yards of total offense and six total touchdowns, Mississippi State reached bowl eligibility with a 42-16 home win Saturday over Kentucky. However, the Bulldogs will need to do more to get back into the Top 25, as they finished a few votes shy.
Here's the list of teams that received votes but didn't make the cut for the Top 25.
- Mississippi State (20)
- Georgia (15)
- North Carolina (11)
- California (4)
- Boise State (3)
- Northwestern (3)
- BYU (2)
- Appalachian State (1)
No. 25 Texas A&M Aggies
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Voting points: 23
Last week's ranking: 16th
Week 8 result: Lost 23-3 at Ole Miss
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. South Carolina
Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2 SEC) is at risk of having its season go into a mid-year tailspin like in 2014, losing for the second week in a row after a 5-0 start.
A week after throwing three interceptions and having two returned for touchdowns, A&M quarterback Kyle Allen was just 12-of-34 for 88 yards and an interception before being benched. He was replaced by Jake Hubenak instead of Kyler Murray, though.
The Aggies managed only 192 yards, its lowest output since last October's 59-0 loss at Alabama that was part of a three-game losing streak (including a loss to Ole Miss) after opening 5-0.
No. 25 UCLA Bruins
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Voting points: 24
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Week 8 result: Won 40-24 vs. California
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Colorado
UCLA (5-2, 2-2 Pac-12) scored on its first seven possessions and got a career-high 399 passing yards from freshman quarterback Josh Rosen to beat California for the fourth time in five years.
Rosen also set the school record for completions in a game with 34, tossing three touchdown passes. Thomas Duarte had 10 catches for 141 yards and a TD, and Devin Fuller scored twice on receptions, though he was also injured during the game. So was leading rushing Paul Perkins, who suffered a knee injury during the first half.
Asked after the game about those injuries, UCLA coach Jim Mora referred to them as "not good," per Joey Kaufman of the Orange County Register.
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No. 23 Pittsburgh Panthers
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Voting points: 61
Last week's ranking: 25th
Week 8 result: Won 23-20 at Syracuse
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 29 vs. North Carolina
Pittsburgh (6-1, 4-0 ACC) won on a late field goal in the final moments for the second week in a row, with Chris Blewitt's 25-yard kick coming as time expired.
The Panthers trailed 17-13 entering the fourth quarter, making this their first comeback win in the final period since 2009, according to Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Qadree Ollison ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns, including a one-yard run early in the fourth quarter that gave Pitt its first lead at 20-17. Nathan Peterman added 189 yards on 19-of-25 passing.
No. 22 Temple Owls
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Voting points: 90
Last week's ranking: 24th
Week 8 result: Won 24-14 at East Carolina
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Notre Dame
Temple (7-0, 4-0 American) scored twice in a 73-second span in the fourth quarter to remain unbeaten and establish its best start in school history.
The Owls took a 17-14 lead with 3:31 left on a 23-yard touchdown pass from P.J. Walker to Robby Anderson. After a blocked punt, Jahad Thomas scored his second TD of the game on a 14-yard run.
Thomas ran for 66 yards with his two scores, while Walker threw for 250 yards in Temple's eighth straight victory.
No. 21 Duke Blue Devils
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Voting points: 120
Last week's ranking: 22nd
Week 8 result: Won 45-43 (in 4 OT) at Virginia Tech
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Miami (Florida)
Duke (6-1, 3-0 ACC) got a 25-yard touchdown pass from Thomas Sirk to Erich Schneider, then Sirk scored on a two-point conversion to win the longest game in ACC history.
The Blue Devils didn't trail until the second overtime, when Bucky Hodges' 11-yard TD catch from Michael Brewer put them down 34-27. Anthony Nash forced a third OT with a four-yard TD, then after the teams traded field goals to send the game into another extra session, Duke stopped the Hokies on a two-point try before Sirk's winning plays.
Sirk threw for 270 yards and four TDs and added 109 rushing yards, while Max McCaffrey caught six passes for 94 yards and two TDs.
No. 20 Toledo Rockets
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Voting points: 132
Last week's ranking: 19th
Week 8 result: Won 51-35 at Massachusetts
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Toledo (7-0, 4-0 Mid-American) rallied from an 18-point halftime deficit by scoring 41 points in the second half for its 10th straight victory, maintaining its best start since 1997.
The Rockets scored on all seven second-half possessions other than when they went into the victory formation, with Phillip Ely throwing four of his five touchdown passes in the second half. Ely, a transfer from Alabama, finished with 355 yards, with Cody Thompson his top target at six catches for 116 yards and two TDs.
Terry Swanson ran for 118 yards and a TD for Toledo, which finished with 620 yards of offense.
No. 19 Ole Miss Rebels
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Voting points: 146
Last week's ranking: 23rd
Week 8 result: Won 23-3 vs. Texas A&M
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 at Auburn
Ole Miss (6-2, 3-1 SEC) rebounded from last week's nonconference loss at Memphis with a dominant defensive performance, holding a potent offense to 192 yards while forcing three turnovers.
The Rebels never trailed, taking a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter on Chad Kelly's seven-yard touchdown pass to Evan Engram. Kelly threw for 241 yards and two TDs on 26-of-41 passing, but he was also intercepted three times.
Ole Miss ran for 230 yards, its most against an SEC opponent since gaining 233 yards on the ground in the 2012 Egg Bowl win over rival Mississippi State.
No. 18 Houston Cougars
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Voting points: 149
Last week's ranking: 20th
Week 8 result: Won 59-10 at UCF
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Vanderbilt
Houston (7-0, 4-0 American) trailed 10-7 and then scored on seven consecutive possessions to avoid falling to winless UCF.
Kenneth Farrow ran for a career-high 167 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries, while Greg Ward threw for 210 yards and a TD and added a rushing score. The Cougars ran for 366 yards on 48 carries.
Houston gained 600 yards while it held the Knights to 280 yards and forced four turnovers, with Brandon Wilson returning a fumble 85 yards for a score.
No. 17 Florida State Seminoles
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Voting points: 192
Last week's ranking: 9th
Week 8 result: Lost 22-16 at Georgia Tech
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Syracuse
Florida State (6-1, 4-1 ACC) had its 28-game win streak against conference opponents end in dramatic fashion when a 56-yard field-goal attempt by Roberto Aguayo was blocked and returned for a touchdown as time expired.
The Seminoles hadn't lost to an ACC team since October 2012, and in that span they had twice beat Georgia Tech in the conference title game.
FSU managed only one TD and finished with 280 yards of total offense as quarterback Everett Golson threw his first interception of the season and Dalvin Cook was limited to 82 yards and a TD on 17 carries. Golson completed 20 of 30 passes, but his final throw was incomplete and forced the long field-goal try.
Aguayo had three other field goals in the game, all from 38 yards or closer, and the block was the first miss he's had in his career in the fourth quarter, per ESPN's Travis Haney.
No. 16 Memphis Tigers
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Voting points: 228
Last week's ranking: 18th
Week 8 result: Won 66-42 at Tulsa
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Tulane
Memphis (7-0, 3-0 American) won its 14th consecutive game behind its highest point total in 46 years, racking up 704 yards along the way.
The Tigers got a career-high 447 passing yards from Paxton Lynch, who was 32-of-44 with four touchdowns along with a rushing TD. Two Memphis ball-carriers topped the 100-yard mark on the ground, with Doroland Dorceus running for 138 yards and two TDs on 32 carries and Jamarius Henderson going for 112 yards and two scores on 14 carries.
The 66 points were the most by Memphis since it scored a 69-19 win over Louisville in November 1969.
No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners
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Voting points: 235
Last week's ranking: 17th
Week 8 result: Won 63-27 vs. Texas Tech
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 at Kansas
Oklahoma (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) had its best rushing performance of the season, turning to the running tandem of Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon to roll past Texas Tech.
Perine—who last November set the FBS single-game rushing record with 427 yards but had only 420 in the Sooners' first six games of 2015—ran for 201 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries. Mixon added 154 yards and two scores as the Sooners gained 405 yards with seven TDs on 57 carries.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield added 212 yards and two TDs with an interception on 15-of-22 passing.
Oklahoma held Texas Tech to a season-low in points and intercepted four passes.
No. 14 Michigan Wolverines
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Voting points: 244
Last week's ranking: 15th
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 at Minnesota
Michigan (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten) needed a week off after the devastating way its 27-23 home loss to Michigan State ended. The Wolverines would have been very deserving of winning that game and remain way ahead of schedule for what was expected in Jim Harbaugh's first season.
Before allowing a second-quarter touchdown to MSU last week, the Wolverines had gone 13 straight periods without yielding any points. Michigan went into the break tied for first in FBS in scoring defense, at 9.3 points per game, and second in total defense by allowing 210.6 yards per game.
No. 13 Utah Utes
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Voting points: 274
Last week's ranking: 5th
Week 8 result: Lost 42-24 at USC
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Oregon State
Utah (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) made it so its conference is the first of the power leagues to have zero unbeaten teams, getting run over by the turmoil-filled Trojans on the road.
The Utes led 14-7 after the first quarter but then allowed 21 points in less than nine minutes and never got closer than the 28-17 deficit they faced at halftime. They were hindered by four interceptions thrown by quarterback Travis Wilson, who also had two TD passes and 254 yards.
Three of those interceptions were by USC linebacker Cameron Smith, who returned one 54 yards for a TD late in the first half.
Devontae Booker was held to a season-low 62 yards on 14 carries, his fewest attempts since September 2014.
No. 12 Florida Gators
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Voting points: 282
Last week's ranking: 13th
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Georgia (in Jacksonville, Florida)
Florida (6-1, 4-1 SEC) lost its first game of 2015 before the bye, falling 35-28 at LSU but looking pretty good despite not having its top offensive player. With quarterback Will Grier suspended for a year following a failed drug test, the Gators will rally behind Treon Harris, but defense will remain their calling card.
The Gators ranked 22nd in total defense overall entering Week 8, and in SEC games they have allowed only 16.8 points per game. A win against rival Georgia in the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party would move them closer to their first SEC East title since 2009.
No. 11 Oklahoma State Cowboys
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Voting points: 284
Last week's ranking: 14th
Week 8 result: Won 58-10 vs. Kansas
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 at Texas Tech
Oklahoma State (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) played through major tragedy to continue its great start to the season, leading 28-0 less than 20 minutes into its homecoming victory.
The game was played under the shadow of a tragic incident earlier in the day, when a vehicle barreled into the crowd at OK State's homecoming parade. Four people were killed and dozens were injured, per USA Today.
Quarterback J.W. Walsh, a senior, accounted for five touchdowns on only 11 touches, rushing for three scores on six carries and throwing two TD passes while going 5-of-5 for 68 yards. Mason Rudolph threw for 305 yards and a TD as the Cowboys gained 583 yards.
The Cowboys held winless Kansas to 221 yards and forced two turnovers.
No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes
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Voting points: 328
Last week's ranking: 12th
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 vs. Maryland
Iowa (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) got a week off amid its best start since 2009, when it opened 9-0 but then lost two straight. This year's Hawkeyes team is getting it done with the run and on defense, succeeding even with injuries knocking out starters.
The Hawkeyes rush for 214.4 yards per game, and in their past two games they have had one player (Jordan Canzeri) set the school single-game record for carries with 43 and a week later had another (Akrum Wadley) tie the single-game touchdown mark with four scores.
Iowa's defense ranked 12th nationally in total defense entering Week 8, allowing 294.3 yards per game.
No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Voting points: 366
Last week's ranking: 10th
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 at Temple
Notre Dame (6-1) has topped 40 points in its past two games since losing at Clemson, and the production has come from all facets of its offense. The Fighting Irish average 498.9 yards per game, which ranked 16th entering Week 8.
Freshman quarterback DeShone Kizer has averaged 255.6 passing yards per game since taking over the starting job, with 11 total touchdowns in that span. C.J. Prosise is contributing 163 all-purpose yards per game, and receiver Will Fuller averages 21.9 yards per reception and scores a TD on 25 percent of his catches.
After playing five of seven in South Bend to this point, Notre Dame will play three road games and face Boston College at Fenway Park over the final five weeks.
No. 8 Stanford Cardinal
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Voting points: 374
Last week's ranking: 11th
Week 8 result: Won 31-14 vs. Washington
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 at Washington State
Stanford (6-1, 5-0 Pac-12) topped 30 points for the sixth time in as many games during its win streak, jumping out to a 17-0 lead and cruising the rest of the way.
The Cardinal got another big game from FBS all-purpose yardage leader Christian McCaffrey, who gained 300 yards on 31 touches that included 109 rushing yards with a touchdown and 112 on five receptions and a 50-yard score.
Kevin Hogan threw for 290 yards on 17-of-24 passing, and Stanford held Washington to 231 yards.
No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide
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Voting points: 403
Last week's ranking: 8th
Week 8 result: Won 19-14 vs. Tennessee
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Alabama (7-1, 4-1 SEC) needed a 14-yard touchdown run by Derrick Henry with 2:24 left and then a defensive stop in the final minute to avoid losing to Tennessee at home for the first time since 2003.
After Henry's TD, his second of the game to go with 143 rushing yards on 28 carries, the Crimson Tide cinched the win when Ryan Anderson recovered a fumble on a sack of Joshua Dobbs. It was the latest uninspiring home win for the Tide, compared to rousing road wins this year at Georgia and Texas A&M.
“Is it that the Tide just doesn't play well at home, or just that they're less focused because they're assuming victories will come easier when they are?” CBS Sports' Jerry Hinnen wrote.
Jake Coker threw for 247 yards with an interception on 21-of-27 passing. It was his second straight game without a TD pass after tossing 11 in Alabama's first six contests.
No. 6 Michigan State Spartans
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Voting points: 415
Last week's ranking: 7th
Week 8 result: Won 52-26 vs. Indiana
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Michigan State (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) got a career-high 398 passing yards and four touchdowns from quarterback Connor Cook in a game that was much closer until late in the fourth quarter, when the Spartans scored 21 points in the final five minutes.
Cook finished two yards shy of the school passing mark, set in 1999 by Bill Burke, per ESPN. His last TD pass, to R.J. Shelton, gave MSU a 38-26 lead with 4:57 left. LJ Scott and Gerald Holmes added rushing TDs after that to widen the final margin.
The Spartans gained 540 yards but only led 28-26 entering the fourth quarter. They have won 12 straight games and are off to their best start since 2010.
No. 5 LSU Tigers
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Voting points: 451
Last week's ranking: 6th
Week 8 result: Won 48-20 vs. Western Kentucky
Week 9 matchup: Bye
LSU (7-0) shook off a sluggish first half on a soggy field to roll past a challenging mid-major opponent that came in averaging 44 points per game and with a win over an SEC team.
The Tigers led only 14-7 at halftime but then scored 20 points in just over eight minutes in the third quarter to create some breathing room. Leonard Fournette's one-yard touchdown run followed by a 61-yard TD pass from Brandon Harris to Tyron Johnson gave the Tigers a 34-13 lead late in the third quarter.
Fournette ran for 150 yards and a TD on 26 carries, his ninth consecutive 100-yard game, while Harris threw for 286 yards and three TDs.
LSU allowed 325 passing yards and three TDs to Western Kentucky's Brandon Doughty, but he needed 61 attempts and was intercepted once.
No. 4 TCU Horned Frogs
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Voting points: 454 (two first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 4th
Week 8 result: Bye
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 29 vs. West Virginia
TCU (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) has won 15 consecutive games but has had some nervous moments this season when playing on the road. The Horned Frogs have trailed in their last three games away from Fort Worth, needing late scores to win at Texas Tech and Kansas State in high-scoring clashes.
Trevone Boykin has somehow topped his production from a year ago, ranking second in the country in total offense at 425.6 yards per game. He's accounted for 30 touchdowns this season, with receiver Josh Doctson on the other end of 12 of his 25 TD passes.
Doctson has already set the school record for TD catches, while his 1,067 yards has surpassed his total from the year before.
No. 3 Clemson Tigers
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Voting points: 483 (three first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 3rd
Week 8 result: Won 58-0 at Miami (Florida)
Week 9 matchup: Oct. 31 at North Carolina State
Clemson (7-0, 4-0 ACC) handed Miami its worst loss in school history, scoring on its first four possessions on a day when its starters got to spend a lot of time resting and taking in the sun.
The Tigers ran for 416 yards and six touchdowns, with Wayne Gallman going for 118 yards and a TD. Deshaun Watson had a TD run along with 98 yards and also threw for 143 yards and a TD on 15-of-19 passing. Kelly Bryant scored twice on the ground.
The Tigers held Miami to 146 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers, including an interception that Cordrea Tankersley returned 36 yards for a TD just before halftime.
No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Voting points: 489 (eight first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 2nd
Week 8 result: Won 49-7 at Rutgers
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Ohio State (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) has found its stride, and now for the past two games it has looked like the dominant team that steamrolled through last year's schedule to win the national title.
“This is the Ohio State offense we thought we'd see all season,” Nicole Auerbach of USA Today tweeted.
The Buckeyes' 21st consecutive victory started slowly, with no points until Ezekiel Elliott scored on a two-yard run late in the first quarter. But after that they never slowed down, finishing with 528 yards that included 324 yards of total offense and five total touchdowns from J.T. Barrett.
Making his first start of the season, Barrett threw for 223 yards and three TDs on 14-of-18 passing and ran for 101 yards with two scores. Elliott had 142 yards and two TDs, topping 100 yards for the 13th game in a row.
OSU nearly had its second shutout of the season but allowed a touchdown with 13 seconds left.
No. 1 Baylor Bears
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Voting points: 500 (eight first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 1st
Week 8 result: Won 45-27 vs. Iowa State
Week 9 matchup: Bye
Baylor (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) looked like it was playing at half-speed on a rain-soaked field yet still jumped out to a 35-0 lead en route to its 12th straight regular-season win.
But late in the easy victory, the Bears lost starting quarterback Seth Russell to a neck injury. After the game it was revealed the junior had fractured a bone in his neck, per Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News.
The Bears finished with season lows in points and yards (485), yet the usual suspects were still involved in the attack. Shock Linwood ran for 171 yards and a touchdown, his fifth 100-yard game of the season and 13th of his career. Baylor finished with 276 rushing yards and three scores. One of those TD runs was from Russell, who only threw for 197 yards with two TDs and an interception on 16-of-37 passing.
Both TD catches went to Corey Coleman, giving him 18 in seven games. The FBS single-season record is 27.
All slides written by Brian J. Pedersen. Follow the author on Twitter at @realBJP.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
