Week 9 is already teasing the final College Football Playoff picture. But like most other football weekends, it’s chaos once again. South Carolina fans had to swallow their pride after their field storming preparation against Alabama. LSU nearly handed Texas A&M their first defeat of the season. Texas had to beat Mississippi State in overtime with its backup QB. Missouri lost the game, their QB, and maybe their season. Chaos!

Predicting AP Top 25 after Week 9

Let’s dive into how the AP Top 25 should shake out after a weekend where survival mattered more than style.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0)

Result: BYE

Ryan Day‘s Buckeyes took a week off to polish the armor, and frankly, they’ve earned it. Their lone scare this year came way back in Week 1 against Texas, a 14–7 slugfest. Penn State awaits next, and the only real hurdle beyond that is Michigan. 

For now, Ohio State is sitting pretty and scarily consistent. The Buckeyes didn’t play, but everyone else’s chaos just made them look stronger.

2. Indiana Hoosiers (8-0)

Result: 56-6 win vs. UCLA

Raise your hand if you thought Indiana would be a top-two team in late October. Anyone? Didn’t think so. The Hoosiers dismantled UCLA without breaking much of a sweat, despite a couple of ugly interceptions by Fernando Mendoza. 

With Penn State collapsing and the back half of the schedule looking like a scenic road trip, Indiana could waltz into December undefeated. No ranked teams left on their slate and no excuses either.

3. Texas A&M Aggies (8-0)

Result: 49-25 win at LSU

At halftime, things looked grim for Texas A&M. Mike Elko bore his frustration on the defense for all to see. Then the Aggies flipped a switch and LSU never recovered. Marcel Reed threw two first-half picks, then responded by leading an avalanche of points after the break. 

The Aggies defense fed off that energy, sacking QB Garrett Nussmeier like it was a scrimmage drill. This was their most complete performance of the year. Perhaps a lesson well learned?

4. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1)

Result: 29-22 win at South Carolina

Against South Carolina, Kalen DeBoer’s team flirted with disaster, then crushed hearts. Gamecocks fans were seen ready to storm the field late in the fourth. But down eight in the fourth, the Tide ripped the game away with two late Germie Bernard touchdowns. 

It wasn’t pretty, but it was very Alabama. Ruthless under pressure and never truly dead. You don’t survive in the SEC with style points. You survive by breaking souls. And the Tide did that.

5. Georgia Bulldogs (6-1)

Result: BYE

The Bulldogs took a breather after their statement win over Ole Miss. With Florida and Texas still looming, the schedule isn’t getting easier. But that Ole Miss win aged beautifully after the Rebels took down Oklahoma. Kirby Smart’s boys might not have the flash, but they have the pedigree. Don’t count them out yet.

6. Oregon Ducks (7-1)

Result: 21-7 win vs. Wisconsin

In a week full of fireworks, Oregon brought sparklers. It counts, but barely. Wisconsin hung around far too long, and Oregon’s offense looked allergic to rhythm. Dante Moore’s bloody nose symbolized the Ducks’ night, messy, but not disastrous. They’ll need to find their swagger fast if they want to keep playoff dreams alive.

7. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-0)

Result: 41-16 win vs. Syracuse

Eight games in, and the Yellow Jackets are flying straight toward the playoff picture. Haynes King is playing football like a pro. Five total touchdowns, nearly 400 yards, and one more reminder that this Tech team is no fluke. Syracuse never stood a chance, but the bigger story is how composed Brent Key’s team looks week after week.

8. Ole Miss Rebels (7-1)

Result: 34-26 win at Oklahoma

Lane Kiffin finally got his signature road win over a ranked SEC opponent. Trinidad Chambliss lit up OU’s secondary for 300 yards while the defense harassed John Mateer into his worst home game of the year. No more ranked foes. Ole Miss has a real shot at the playoff.

9. Miami Hurricanes (6-1)

Result: 42-7 win vs. Stanford

A week after a gut-punch loss, Miami bounced back in dominant fashion. Mark Fletcher bulldozed Stanford’s front for 106 yards and three touchdowns as the defense reminded everyone they can still bully people. Carson Beck’s composure and Mario Cristobal’s toughness finally seem to be meshing. 

10. Vanderbilt Commodores (7-1)

Result: 17-10 win vs. Missouri

Vanderbilt’s a legit playoff contender. That’s a sentence you never thought you’d read, right? The Commodores have wins over three top-15 teams and just notched their best start since WWII. It wasn’t flashy, but when you win games with 265 yards of offense and still come out on top, that’s a program built on grit.

11. BYU Cougars (8-0)

Result: 41-27 win at Iowa State

BYU trailed at half before flipping the script behind Bear Bachmeier’s second-half heroics. The Cougars outscored Iowa State 24-3 after halftime and kept their playoff hopes very much alive. A bye week awaits before their Big 12 title shot against Texas Tech.

12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-2)

Result: BYE

Coming off their demolition of USC, the Irish are quietly lurking. Both their losses came to top-10 teams by a combined four points. That resume might age better than anyone’s in December. If chaos keeps snowballing, Notre Dame could backdoor their way into the playoff talk yet again.

13. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7-1)

Result: 42-0 win vs. Oklahoma State

A bounce-back blowout, just as Joey McGuire ordered. Texas Tech looked mean again, balancing confidence with caution ahead of back-to-back showdowns with Kansas State and BYU. They’re peaking at the right time, something you can’t say for most of the Big 12.

14. Virginia Cavaliers (7-1)

Result: 17-16 (OT) win at North Carolina

Survive and advance. That’s all Virginia did. It was ugly, it was close, and it exposed plenty of flaws. But it was still a win, and in the ACC this season, that’s all that matters. Keep playing with fire, though, and they’ll eventually get burned.

15. Tennessee Volunteers (6-2)

Result: 56-34 win at Kentucky

Tennessee’s offense is finally clicking again. Explosive plays, fast tempo, and a second-half defensive lockdown made for their most complete game since September. They’re not out of the SEC race yet just hiding in the weeds, waiting for a stumble above.

16. Louisville Cardinals (7-1)

Result: 38-24 win vs. Boston College

The trap game didn’t trap them. Jeff Brohm’s team leaned on Isaac Brown’s 200-yard rushing day to fend off Boston College and stay alive in the ACC race. This team isn’t flashy, but they’re steady. And that’s the kind that sneaks into New Year’s Six bowls while everyone looks elsewhere.

17. Oklahoma Sooners (6-2)

Result: 34-26 loss vs. No. 8 Ole Miss

John Mateer’s Heisman campaign just went up in smoke. Two straight SEC losses, a collapsing defense, and a brutal closing stretch could make Brent Venables’ seat uncomfortably warm. If OU limps to 6-6, things could get political in Norman real fast.

18. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-1)

Result: 41-20 win vs. Baylor

Cincinnati’s quietly racked up seven wins and looks eerily similar to their 2021 playoff team. The defense is nasty, but the schedule’s about to get real with Utah and BYU next. Keep your eyes on them. This could be the best team no one’s watching.

19. Missouri Tigers (6-2)

Result: 17-10 loss at No. 10 Vanderbilt

Disaster. Losing the game was brutal but losing QB Beau Pribula to an ankle injury was worse. The Tigers’ playoff hopes might have vanished with that wheelchair cart. Without their QB, Missouri’s ceiling just collapsed.

20. Texas Longhorns (6-2)

Result: 45-38 (OT) win at Mississippi State

Survive and move on. It took a miracle comeback and an overtime call to beat the Bulldogs, but Texas did it. Backup QB Matthew Caldwell’s 10-yard TD pass to Emmett Mosley V sealed their close victory that might put Steve Sarkisian right where he is now. Whether they can survive Georgia and A&M remains a mystery.

21. Houston Cougars (7-1)

Result: 24-16 win at No. 24 Arizona State

Willie Fritz finally got his national moment. The Cougars’ defense suffocated ASU’s offense to seal a top-25 breakthrough.

22. Michigan Wolverines (6-2)

Result: 31-20 win at Michigan State

Michigan stayed disciplined and patient, waiting for their rival to implode. They’re not the juggernaut of years past, but they’re solid enough to hang around the top 25.

23. USC Trojans (5-2)

Result: BYE

Even with two losses, USC’s resume is stronger than several teams above them. Caleb Williams isn’t walking through that door but talent-wise, this team still belongs.

24. Utah Utes (6-2)

Result: 53-7 win vs. Colorado

Kyle Whittingham’s team just refuses to fade. Freshman Byrd Ficklin needed 37 seconds to silence the critics. That’s how long it took him to sprint for a 63-yard touchdown. Utah ran for 422 yards and looked like a steamroller again.

25. Tulane Green Wave (6-1)

Result: BYE

Last week’s comeback against Army reminded everyone. Tulane’s heart beats strong. Jake Retzlaff continues to carry this offense with a calm, veteran edge. The Group of Five playoff ticket might still run through New Orleans.

Week 9 threw half the cards into the air. Some teams survived by an inch, others by a miracle, and a few by sheer luck. But that’s college football. Chaos, character, and controversy, all rolled into one glorious Saturday. And with November around the corner, the real madness hasn’t even started.