B/R's 2025 College Football Experts Top 25 Rankings After Week 9
Excellent football in the SEC and a shakeup in the Group of Five playoff chase headlined the Week 9 college football weekend.
Ole Miss bested Oklahoma by a 34-26 margin, Vanderbilt gutted out a 17-10 win over Missouri, and Alabama survived a scare from South Carolina with two late touchdowns.
Meanwhile, South Florida lost its hold on the top Group of Five spot with a loss to Memphis, who was just upset by UAB a week ago. Get ready for a wild finish in the push for the playoff field's fifth automatic bid, and next week's North Texas vs. Navy game will reshape that picture once again.
Now it's time for Bleacher Report's updated top 25 ranking after all the Week 9 action, with the college football writing staff of David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Joel Reuter and Brad Shepard making up our voting panel.
Let the debate begin!
Nos. 25-21
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25. Navy (7-0, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Florida Atlantic (42-32)
Next Week: at North Texas
The Midshipmen pounded out 397 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, led by quarterback Blake Horvath who finished with 174 yards on 21 carries and four scores, and Coleman Cauley recorded an interception and a fumble recovery on the defensive side. Navy built a 42-19 lead with 21 points in the fourth quarter, and managed to hold on over the final 5:29 of regulation to emerge with the win and remain undefeated.
24. Utah (5-2, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Colorado (53-7)
Next Week: vs. Cincinnati
The Utes put points on the board in seven of their 10 first-half drives en route to building an insurmountable 43-0 lead going into the break. True freshman and 3-star recruit Byrd Ficklin started in place of the injured Devon Dampier at quarterback, and the offense didn't miss a beat, as he finished with 140 passing yards, 151 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns in his first career start.
23. Memphis (7-1, Previous Rank: NR)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. South Florida (34-31)
Next Week: at Rice
The Tigers suffered a surprise loss to UAB in Week 8, due in part to an injury to quarterback Brendon Lewis that put him on the sidelines for most of the second half. Lewis returned to action on Saturday with 307 yards and two touchdowns, helping to lead a comeback from down 31-17 entering the fourth quarter. He capped off an 11-play, 70-yard touchdown drive with a 10-yard strike to Cortez Braham Jr. with 1:07 remaining, and South Florida missed a 52-yard field goal at the end of regulation.
22. USC (5-2, Previous Rank: 25)
Week 9 Result: BYE
Next Week: at Nebraska
The Trojans faced three straight ranked opponents in Illinois, Michigan and Notre Dame prior to their bye week, and settled for a 1-2 record in those games. Quarterback Jayden Maiava leads the Big Ten in passing yards (2,180) and yards per attempt (10.2), developing good chemistry with star wideout Makai Lemon who is tops in the conference in receiving yards (758). Road games against Nebraska and Oregon make for a tough road ahead to close out the season.
21. Missouri (6-2, Previous Rank: 14)
Week 9 Result: Loss at Vanderbilt (10-17)
Next Week: BYE
The TIgers lost quarterback Beau Pribula to an ankle injury midway through the third quarter, then lost the game when a fumble set up Vanderbilt for the game-winning touchdown drive. Freshman Matt Zollers completed 14-of-23 pass attempts for 138 yards and a touchdown in relief of Pribula, though star running back Ahmad Hardy was limited to 97 yards on 20 carries while failing to find the end zone for just the second time this year.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Oklahoma (6-2, Previous Rank: 13)
Week 9 Result: Loss vs. Ole Miss (26-34)
Next Week: at Tennessee
After a 5-0 start, the Sooners have dropped two of their last three games, and things don't get any easier going forward with Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri and LSU to wrap up the regular-season slate. Quarterback John Mateer has yet to fully return to his pre-injury form after missing two weeks recovering from hand surgery, and while he completed 17-of-31 pass attempts for 223 yards and one touchdown, he was limited to just 17 yards on 13 carries. Can this team rally to avoid a disappointing finish?
19. Houston (7-1, Previous Rank: 23)
Week 9 Result: Win at Arizona State (24-16)
Next Week: vs. West Virginia
With 201 passing yards, 111 rushing yards and three touchdowns, Conner Weigman helped lead Houston to its third straight win and first victory over a ranked opponent. The lone loss on their resume came to Texas Tech, and there is a relatively clear path ahead West Virginia, UCF, TCU and Baylor, making this team a sleeper to continue climbing the national landscape in the coming weeks.
18. Michigan (6-2, Previous Rank: 21)
Week 9 Result: Win at Michigan State (31-20)
Next Week: vs. Purdue
Justice Haynes (26 carries, 152 yards, 2 TD) and Jordan Marshall (15 carries, 110 yards, TD) both had big games on the ground for the Wolverines in the annual Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The Spartans didn't help their cause with 12 penalties for 105 yards, but Michigan was in control most of the game regardless, building a 24-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
17. Tennessee (5-2, Previous Rank: 20)
Week 9 Result: Win at Kentucky (56-34)
Next Week: vs. Oklahoma
Joey Aguilar threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns, three different receivers tallied 100 yards and DeSean Bishop had two rushing touchdowns as the Volunteers racked up 504 total yards of offense. The defense also allowed 476 yards, marking the third time this year they have surrendered at least 450, but the high-powered offense continues to cover up some of their shortcomings on that side of the football. Oklahoma is up next in a battle of two-loss teams.
16. Cincinnati (7-1, Previous Rank: 19)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Baylor (41-20)
Next Week: at Utah
The Bearcats won a battle of high-powered offenses behind a strong game from quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who had 111 passing yards, 85 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The running game piled up 265 yards and three scores, with Tawee Walker (19 carries, 84 yards, TD) and Evan Pryor (13 carries, 66 yards, TD) both making an impact, and the defense recorded two takeaways with a pair of fumble recoveries.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Notre Dame (5-2, Previous Rank: 17)
Week 9 Result: BYE
Next Week: at Boston College
The Fighting Irish have rattled off five straight wins since their 0-2 start, and last weekend's 34-24 win over USC gave them a victory over a ranked opponent. Will that be enough to get them into the playoff field as a two-loss team? They certainly can't afford to pick up a third loss, and a home game against Navy (Nov. 8) and road game against Pitt (Nov. 15) in back-to-back weeks will be tough tests. Can Jeremiyah Love make a late Heisman push on the heels of his 228-yard performance against the Trojans?
14. Virginia (7-1, Previous Rank: 15)
Week 9 Result: Win at North Carolina (17-16, OT)
Next Week: at California
An overtime victory against a two-win North Carolina team does little to boost Virginia's stock on a national level, but a win is a win, especially on the road in conference play. The Cavaliers have now won their last three games by six total points, and they have reached seven wins for the first time since 2019, which was also the last time they played in a bowl game. A road matchup against a better-than-expected California team next weekend will be a test.
13. Louisville (6-1, Previous Rank: 16)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Boston College (38-24)
Next Week: at Virginia Tech
A staggering 317 rushing yards on 31 carries as a team, including a 205-yard performance from Isaac Brown, helped the Cardinals seize control of what ended up being a two-score victory. Louisville trailed 10-7 early in the second quarter, but scored two touchdowns in 40 seconds thanks to a Miller Moss scramble, a three-and-out on defense and a 62-yard touchdown run from Brown on the first play of the ensuing drive.
12. Vanderbilt (7-1, Previous Rank: 12)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Missouri (17-10)
Next Week: at Texas
Despite being held to a season-low 265 yards of offense, the Commodores still found a way to win, and they are off to their best start since 1941 when they were 8-1 to open the year. Quarterback Diego Pavia didn't have a great game statistically, finishing with 129 passing yards and 20 rushing yards while throwing his fifth interception of the season, but he punched in the game-winning touchdown from one yard out with 1:52 remaining.
11. Texas Tech (7-1, Previous Rank: 11)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Oklahoma State (42-0)
Next Week: at Kansas State
The Red Raiders completely dominated an Oklahoma State team still searching for its first Big 12 victory of the season, limiting the Cowboys to 182 total yards and nine first downs while recording their first shutout of the year. Third-string quarterback Mitch Griffis completed 9-of-13 passes for 172 yards with a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown after backup Will Hammond was injured, while starter Behren Morton is still recovering from a leg injury.
Nos. 10-6
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10. Miami (6-1, Previous Rank: 10)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Stanford (42-7)
Next Week: at SMU
The Hurricanes had an extra week to unpack their 24-21 loss to Louisville in Week 8, which included an ugly four-interception performance from Carson Beck, and they responded with a convincing win over Stanford. After starting the game with three empty drives, they found the end zone on six of their final seven possessions to cruise to victory. Beck completed 21-of-28 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown, while Mark Fletcher Jr. had 23 carries for 106 yards and three scores to pace the running game.
9. Ole Miss (7-1, Previous Rank: 8)
Week 9 Result: Win at Oklahoma (34-26)
Next Week: vs. South Carolina
The Rebels trailed 26-25 through three quarters, but scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth to pick up a major road win in SEC play. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss continues to be one of college football's biggest breakout stars, throwing for 315 yards and a touchdown, and that helped offset a running game that averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. There are no remaining ranked opponents on the Ole Miss schedule, with South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida and Mississippi State on the horizon.
8. BYU (8-0, Previous Rank: 9)
Week 9 Result: Win at Iowa State (41-27)
Next Week: BYE
The BYU defense picked off Rocco Becht three times, with the third returned 40 yards for a touchdown by Faletau Satuala to make it a two possession game early in the fourth quarter. Those turnovers helped the Cougars battle back after they fell behind 24-10 in the first half, while quarterback Bear Bachmeier continued his ascent to stardom with 307 passing yards, 49 rushing yards and three touchdowns. BYU has started the season 8-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history.
7. Georgia Tech (8-0, Previous Rank: 7)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Syracuse (41-16)
Next Week: at NC State
Haynes King had his best game of the season to help the Yellow Jackets improve to 8-0 for the first time since 1966. The dual-threat star threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns while chipping in another 91 yards and two scores on the ground, and Georgia Tech hung 543 yards of total offense on Syracuse. The defense also deserves credit for holding the opposition under 21 points for the fifth time this season and third game in a row.
6. Oregon (7-1, Previous Rank: 6)
Week 9 Result: Win vs. Wisconsin (21-7)
Next Week: BYE
The Ducks were 31.5-point favorites against a Badgers team that had been shutout in back-to-back games, so they were not quite as dominant as expected, but the end result was still a win for a Ducks team chasing a spot in the Big Ten championship game. The Oregon defense held Wisconsin to 194 total yards and forced the game's only turnover with an interception, while Jordan Davidson paced the offense with 16 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
5. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1, Previous Rank: 5)
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Week 9 Result: BYE
Next Week: at Florida
A three-point loss to Alabama in Week 5 is the only blemish for the Bulldogs, and they have since added a road win against Auburn and a home victory over No. 5 Ole Miss last weekend to their resume.
Quarterback Gunner Stockton had the best game of his career against the Rebels, completing 26-of-31 pass attempts for 289 yards and four touchdowns, and he could be a major factor down the stretch coming out of their bye week.
The regular-season finale against Georgia Tech on Nov. 28 could end up being one of the biggest games of the year.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1, Previous Rank: 4)
6 of 11
Week 9 Result: Win at South Carolina (29-22)
Next Week: BYE
The Crimson Tide trailed 22-14 with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, but tied things up with a 14-play, 79-yard touchdown drive and two-point conversion, recovered a fumble on their ensuing defensive possession, and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 34 seconds on the clock.
Germie Bernard scored both of the fourth quarter touchdowns, one receiving and one rushing, while Ty Simpson finished with 252 passing yards and two touchdowns.
The Crimson Tide's three road conference wins over Georgia, Missouri and South Carolina have come by a combined 13 points.
3. Texas A&M Aggies (8-0, Previous Rank: 3)
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Week 9 Result: Win at LSU (49-25)
Next Week: BYE
The Aggies outscored LSU by a 35-7 margin after halftime, led by a running game that finished with 224 yards on 40 carries and four touchdowns.
Marcel Reed had 202 passing yards, 108 rushing yards and four total touchdowns, though he also threw two interceptions. The LSU offense managed just 278 total yards, averaged 2.2 yards per carry and finished 2-of-13 on third down conversions.
After a bye in Week 10, the Aggies will have a road matchup against Missouri in what might be their toughest remaining test.
2. Indiana Hoosiers (8-0, Previous Rank: 2)
8 of 11
Week 9 Result: Win vs. UCLA (56-6)
Next Week: at Maryland
The Hoosiers built a 28-0 lead midway through the second quarter, and they saw that swell to a 49-3 advantage late in the third quarter when Fernando Mendoza threw his third touchdown pass of the game, halting a three-game winning streak by UCLA.
Mendoza completed 15-of-22 pass attempts for 168 yards while adding another 45 yards and one touchdown with his legs.
Maryland, Penn State, Wisconsin and Purdue are all that stand in the way of an undefeated regular season, though all but the Badgers game are on the road.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0, Previous Rank: 1)
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Week 9 Result: BYE
Next Week: vs. Penn State
The Buckeyes have rolled to a 7-0 start, with a high-powered offense led by first-year starter Julian Sayin (1,872 yards, 19 TD, 3 INT) and wideout tandem Jeremiah Smith (49 receptions, 602 yards, 7 TD) and Carnell Tate (34 catches, 587 yards, 6 TD).
However, it's their stout defense that has been their biggest strength, and they allow just 5.9 points per game with two shutouts already on the books.
With Penn State, Purdue, UCLA and Rutgers up next, there is a good chance they will roll into the annual Michigan matchup with an 11-0 record.
B/R Top 25 Ranking After Week 9
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B/R Top 25
1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Oregon
7. Georgia Tech
8. BYU
9. Ole Miss
10. Miami
11. Texas Tech
12. Vanderbilt
13. Louisville
14. Virginia
15. Notre Dame
16. Cincinnati
17. Tennessee
18. Michigan
19. Houston
20. Oklahoma
21. Missouri
22. USC
23. Memphis
24. Utah
25. Navy
Others Receiving Votes: Pitt, Washington
What's Next
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How are we already talking about Week 10 of the college football season?
With Alabama, Texas A&M, Missouri and LSU all on a bye week, the SEC slate is not quite as stacked as we've seen in recent weeks, but Oklahoma at Tennessee and Vanderbilt at Texas should both be good games, while Ole Miss hosts a South Carolina team that nearly upset the Crimson Tide in Week 9.
The ACC contenders will be put to the test on the road, with Georgia Tech (at NC State), Miami (at SMU), Virginia (at California) and Louisville (at Virginia Tech) all traveling for their Week 10 matchups. Georgia Tech and Virginia are the last two undefeated teams standing in conference play, with a long list of one-loss teams behind them.
In the Big 12, Texas Tech (at Kansas State), Cincinnati (at Utah) and Arizona State (at Iowa State) also face tough road tests, while BYU is on a bye week after improving to 8-0 on Saturday.
When the season started, Penn State at Ohio State looked like the game to circle on the Week 10 slate, but the Nittany Lions disappointing season has made that a far less compelling game. Fellow undefeated Indiana will be on the road against Maryland as they try to navigate another week of lofty expectations.
Finally, the Navy at North Texas game in the AAC has Group of Five playoff spot implications, and will be the toughest test that the undefeated Midshipmen have faced so far this year.
See you all next Saturday!
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