A chaotic slate of Week 9 college football matchups has sent shockwaves through the national rankings, highlighted by USC’s rain-soaked upset victory over Ohio State in Los Angeles. The Trojans entered the contest unranked after a 17-7 defeat to Wisconsin, facing mounting pressure over an underperforming offense. Instead, Lincoln Riley’s squad answered immediately, racing to an early lead and securing a signature win that marks Riley’s first-ever victory against a top-five opponent as USC’s head coach and propels the program back into the top 25.
While the Trojans celebrate their resurgence into the Big Ten title race, Ohio State faces a significant drop. Beyond suffering their second loss of the season, the Buckeyes played their first full game without injured quarterback Julian Sayin, exposing offensive limitations that will complicate how voters evaluate them alongside other national contenders.
The top of the projected poll remains largely stable despite the weekend turbulence. Miami maintains the No. 1 spot after overcoming a second-half deficit, fueled by Heisman Trophy contender Malachi Toney, who caught seven passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-35 victory. Georgia claims the No. 2 position following a sixth straight win in the Cocktail Party rivalry against Florida, capitalizing on early defensive stops and opponent mistakes. Notre Dame holds at No. 3 after a 35-13 win over Navy, setting up a high-stakes showdown with Miami.
Utah climbs to No. 4 after dominating Cincinnati 42-6 by halftime, advancing to an 8-0 record ahead of a meeting with BYU. UCLA also sits at 8-0 at No. 5 following a 27-0 shutout of Nevada featuring four defensive takeaways. Meanwhile, Indiana slips to No. 6 after another narrow overtime scare, with voters scrutinizing a resume bolstered mostly by quality-loss arguments and victories over Nebraska and Northwestern.
BYU checks in at No. 7 after surviving a second-half charge from Arizona State in a 27-20 win, staying ahead of idle SEC programs Kentucky and Alabama, both of whom were on bye weeks before upcoming matchups against Tennessee and LSU, respectively. Texas occupies the No. 10 spot after defeating a Mississippi State team playing without Kamario Taylor 31-3.
Outside the top ten, Ole Miss handled business with a 45-17 victory over Auburn ahead of a clash with Georgia. Texas Tech held steady at No. 13 after a one-score home win over Arizona powered by a Thomas Castellanos-led offense. Wake Forest improved to 7-1 with a 51-7 rout of Virginia, featuring a 136-yard, one-touchdown performance from wide receiver Carlos Hernandez.
Boise State advanced to 7-1 with a 46-45 thriller against Texas State, though victory came with concern as quarterback Maddux Madsen exited on crutches, leaving backup Max Cutforth to finish the game. Missouri rebounded from a three-week winless stretch with a 34-10 rivalry win at Arkansas, welcoming back Ahmad Hardy as the Tigers prepare to host Texas. Iowa and South Carolina both project to enter the rankings following decisive wins over Wisconsin and Oklahoma, respectively, alongside New Mexico and a three-loss Oregon team that bounced back by defeating Northwestern.
Conversely, teams projected to drop out of the top 25 following Week 9 losses include SMU, Northwestern, Arizona, Oklahoma State, and Wisconsin.
