Week 9 of the College Football season is in the books, as we're truly in the final stretch of the regular season. This weekend didn't have nearly as much excitement as we saw in Week 8, but there were several games that impacted the race for the College Football Playoff. As we get deeper into league play, we're going to start seeing "elimination games" down the stretch of the season.
This weekend saw one of the top Preseason contenders in LSU end its bid for the College Football Playoff, further making the race clearer. The first elimination game we'll see this weekend comes as Tennessee and Oklahoma face off, with both teams having two losses.
These 12 teams have the best chance to make the College Football Playoff
The only team falling out of our Top 12 this week is the USF Bulls, who lost their first game in AAC play to Memphis.
The last two weekends in the American have played out perfectly for Jon Sumrall's Tulane Green Wave. Memphis lost to an unranked UAB team before they bounced back, handing the USF Bulls their first loss in league play. Tulane is one of just two unbeaten teams left in the AAC, and with an easy schedule aside from its pivotal matchup against Memphis.
After suffering their first loss of the season, Texas Tech had the easiest bounce-back spot a Big 12 team could get, facing Oklahoma State. The team suffered a massive blow this weekend as they lost backup quarterback Will Hammond for the season. This talent has all the talent to win the Big 12 and push some teams in the College Football Playoff, but Behren Morton needs to return to the lineup and stay healthy.
Iowa State tested BYU early before the Cougars flexed their muscles picking up an impressive 41-27 win. The Cougars have cruised to an 8-0 start, but the real test of the season still lies ahead, especially as the Big 12 may be a 1-bid Conference. BYU has games remaining against Texas Tech and Cincinnati, which will determine the Big 12 Championship.
This weekend wasn't the best showing for Oregon, as the Ducks struggled before Dante Moore left with an injury, and after it was pure survival mode. Dan Lanning's team should win every game left on the schedule, but they'll get tested against Iowa, USC, and Washington. The Ducks can take one more loss and still make the College Football Playoff, but you don't want to end up in a debate with a few 2 loss teams.
After their first loss of the season, the Miami Hurricanes bounced back by dominating the Stanford Cardinal. Miami leaned on the Cardinal like they should in every game they play, using their massive advantage in the trenches. Based on the rise of Pitt and SMU's talented group, Miami has two interesting games in the final 5 games, which becomes scary, making the loss to Louisville more of a concern.
Lane Kiffin's team was able to bounce right back a week after losing to Georgia as they faced a vulnerable Oklahoma team. Knocking off the Sooners sets the Rebels up nicely as their final 4 games come against South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida, and Mississippi State, where they should go undefeated, but they could even survive losing one game.
This weekend, Georgia Tech handled the Syracuse Orange, and it no longer looks like this team is capable of being upset in league play. Haynes King is the best quarterback in the ACC, which gives this team the upper hand in every game they play. Barring a truly shocking loss, Georgia Tech will make the ACC Championship, while getting to the season finale unbeaten would likely send the Yellow Jackets to the College Football Playoff.
Kirby Smart's team spent the weekend on the bye, but their resume only got better as Ole Miss knocked off Oklahoma. Big games against Texas and Georgia Tech still linger, but this team has all the talent to run the table and return to the College Football Playoff, while they still could lose a game.
For most of Saturday's game, it looked like Kalen DeBoer's team could once again get tripped up by an unranked team. Late in the game, the Crimson Tide elevated scoring a touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie the game before the defense forced a LaNorris Sellers fumble to set up the game-winning touchdown. Only 1 of the Crimson Tide's final 4 games comes against a ranked opponent, and if they can go 3-1, Kalen DeBoer will make the College Football Playoff.
The Texas A&M Aggies went into Death Valley and won in such a dominant fashion that it got Brian Kelly fired. Mike Elko's team has all the talent you could ask for on offense, while the defense is continuing to gel as the season progresses. The Aggies have just 4 games remaining, and even if they went 2-2, they'd more likely than not make the College Football Playoff.
Coming into the weekend, everyone expected the UCLA Bruins to test Indiana as they rattled off 3 straight wins after elevating Rick Neuheisel to Offensive Coordinator. Curt Cignetti's team looked like a group that took the storyline personally, dominating the Bruins. Indiana has arguably the best resume in the Country, and they won't be tested again until a potential meeting with Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship.
The Ohio State Buckeyes spent the weekend on the bye before their final stretch in conference play. Realistically, Ohio State shouldn't get tested until their matchup against Michigan, unless they sleepwalk into a game. We saw last season that Ohio State can lose the Michigan game and still make the Playoff, meaning they should easily make the Playoff.