College Football Rankings 2016: Week 9 Polls and Top 25 Standings Predictions

Several teams established themselves as contenders over the weekend, but arguably the season's biggest upset also went down, shaking up the Week 9 Associated Press and Amway Coaches polls as a result. 

The Ohio State Buckeyes' impressive road winning streak came to a screeching halt in a surprising 24-21 loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions that sent the Buckeyes on a bit of a slide in both major polls.

On the other hand, the Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers and LSU Tigers put on noteworthy performances, and it appears as though the SEC West could be a tight race, with the Texas A&M Aggies also still in the mix. 

Let's take a look at the two polls as well as some predictions for notable teams in the rankings moving forward:

Auburn Is for Real

A month ago, it seemed like Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn was destined to lose his job. Now, the Tigers are SEC West contenders.

Auburn made the biggest jump of any team in the coaches poll, moving up seven spots to No. 17. It did so thanks to a 56-3 trouncing of the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Tigers, who were without then-leading rusher Kerryon Johnson, racked up an astounding 543 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground while holding All-SEC candidate Rawleigh Williams III to 22 yards on 13 carries.

Malzahn was satisfied with Auburn's play, per USA Today's George Schroeder.

"That may have been the most complete game during my time at Auburn," Malzahn said. "We’re starting to settle into kind of who we are and our personnel."

Auburn is led by a phenomenal defense that boasts a dominant line, featuring Montravius Adams and Carl Lawson, to go with a hard-hitting secondary with one of the country's best young cornerbacks, Carlton Davis. The unit ranks third nationally in scoring defense, allowing 14.1 points per game, and ESPN.com's Chris Low noted new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has made a huge impact:

Auburn now sits at 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the SEC. Its two blemishes were close losses to Top 10 teams, Clemson and Texas A&M, but the rest of the schedule looks manageable enough for the Tigers to make a run at the division title.

Road games at Alabama and Mississippi will be Auburn's toughest challenges.

The Tigers should have the edge against the Rebels, though. Kamryn Pettway and Johnson have both averaged more than five yards per carry with six touchdowns each. Considering Mississippi ranks 113th nationally in run defense and LSU ran for 311 yards on just 36 attempts Saturday, there is not much reason to believe the Rebels can stop Auburn.

Alabama is a different story. The Crimson Tide are looking stronger each week with a loaded defense and emerging freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Alabama has also been scoring on defense and special teams at an incredible rate, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Auburn quarterback Sean White takes care of the ball, with two interceptions this season and only one since the team's Week 1 loss to Clemson. If he can maintain that efficiency against the Crimson Tide, the Tigers will have a chance to knock off their archrival.

Regardless of the outcome of the Iron Bowl, Auburn is a complete team that should push for 10 wins this season.

Ohio State Will Be Fine

The Buckeyes' loss was an eye-opener, as they fell to a Penn State team that was at a severe disadvantage personnel-wise. However, Ohio State did not drop much in the polls, and the team still has the makings of a College Football Playoff contender.

Ohio State controlled the game in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, outgaining the home team in total yards, 413-276.

Yet a special teams blunder did the Buckeyes in:

Despite the loss, Ohio State's playoff picture did not change much.

The requirement all along was for the Buckeyes to beat the Michigan Wolverines. If Ohio State wins out, the odds of the Big Ten champion being left out are slim. Plus, the Buckeyes have some chances to bolster their resume before their Nov. 26 showdown at Ohio Stadium.

The emergence of Nebraska as a Top 10 team gives Ohio State another potential statement win, as the Cornhuskers will visit the Buckeyes on Nov. 5.

Head coach Urban Meyer's squad should feel confident, too.

Nebraska has not done much to justify its lofty ranking. The Cornhuskers have yet to beat a quality opponent, and they have failed to thoroughly stomp on numerous inferior teams, mustering only a 31-16 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini and a 27-14 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers, both of which were at home.

The Wisconsin Badgers will test the Cornhuskers on Saturday, and until Nebraska proves itself, there is no reason to believe it will knock off Ohio State on the road.

Michigan has looked dominant, but the Wolverines are also unproven because of their lack of road experience. The Wolverines have played just one game away from the Big House, and that was against the lowly Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Ohio State will get Michigan at home, which should give it an edge in the rivalry game. The Wolverines also had some trouble against a Colorado Buffaloes offense that utilized its athletes in space, which the Buckeyes can replicate.

The Nov. 26 showdown will define Ohio State's season, and it's almost sure to be a close one. Thus, the outlook for Ohio State remains unchanged, as it is still a threat to win the national championship.

Statistics are courtesy of NCAA.com unless noted otherwise.