Tom Fornelli is one of the people who spent years following the chaos of college football. And after another Saturday packed with action, including the Ohio State-USC showdown, he offered a pointed assessment of where the season might be heading. He took to social media with a prediction that captured the sport’s week-to-week unpredictability: “The only sure thing about college football this year is that any team that looks like a– one week will look great the next and vice versa. Acceptable mediocrity will win the national title.”

And Saturday’s results may have given his take some weight. Several ranked teams suffered defeats, including No. 2 Ohio State, No. 17 Florida, and No. 19 SMU. A few other teams also fell short. Here’s a look at some of the notable incidents from those games.

A player was carted off after a brutal collision

During Clemson’s game against Florida State, junior offensive lineman Elyjah Thurmon suffered a serious injury after a frightening head-to-head collision.

The incident occurred during a running play in the second quarter. As several players converged around the ball, Thurmon took a heavy hit to the head while attempting to block. He went down immediately and remained motionless on the field for close to ten minutes as medical personnel from both schools and emergency staff carefully attended to him.

Thurmon was secured to a backboard, placed on a stretcher, and carted off the field. As he was being wheeled away, he reassured the crowd by raising his hand and giving a thumbs-up/fist pump.

He was transported by ambulance to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, accompanied by his mother. After the game, head coach Dabo Swinney shared a positive update, saying Thurmon had good movement and strength. The injury was primarily evaluated as a concussion and neck-area concern, and he was kept overnight for observation.

“The signs are all positive right now,” Swinney said. “I think it’s more just maybe a concussion-type thing, just that whole neck area. We’re hopeful that they’ll let him go tomorrow and he’ll be able to get home.”

Officiating errors created controversy in the BYU-ASU game  

A major officiating error during the first quarter of the BYU-Arizona State game later drew an acknowledgment from the Big 12 Conference.

A routine snap quickly turned into a moment of controversy for BYU. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier fumbled a snap in the first quarter, prompting the officials to stop the play. That appeared to settle the matter. However, the Big 12 replay booth got involved, and things took a very different turn.

The replay booth first reviewed the footage and moved the ball to a different spot. But a second look produced an even bigger ruling: BYU running back Sione Moa had recovered the fumble and crossed the goal line for a touchdown. For a moment, it seemed the Cougars had been handed a remarkable score. There was just one problem, however. In the rush to make the call, the booth appeared to have overlooked the very rules governing the play.

Here’s the thing: According to NCAA rules, “If the replay official rules that the ball was not dead, it belongs to the recovering team at the spot of the recovery, and any advance is nullified.”

By the logic of that rule, Moa’s touchdown shouldn’t have been counted.

The incorrect call gave BYU an early 7-0 lead. The team eventually won the close game 27-20, meaning those seven points matched the final margin of victory. That led to heavy scrutiny and frustration from Arizona State’s camp, including head coach Kenny Dillingham, before the Big 12 eventually admitted the mistake.

Ohio State suffered an unexpected loss against the Trojans

In Week 9 of the college football season, No. 2 Ohio State suffered a stunning 30-18 upset loss to unranked USC on a rainy night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. After the game, head coach Ryan Day discussed the factors behind the defeat, emphasizing that the team failed to provide enough support for first-time starting quarterback Luke Fahey.

Day pointed to several costly plays that shifted momentum in USC’s favor. They included a 69-yard catch-and-run on just the second play of the game and another major breakdown in coverage against the tight end. He noted that the defense struggled to bring down players in open space, allowing the Trojans to gain significant yardage despite running a relatively low number of plays.

Despite recording more than 460 yards of total offense, the Buckeyes managed just 18 points. They repeatedly stalled deep in USC territory, with penalties, false starts, and an inability to finish drives in the red zone proving costly.

A crucial fumble by running back Isaiah West deep in USC territory ended a promising second-half scoring opportunity. Special teams mistakes also hurt the Buckeyes, including a botched punt coverage sequence that gave USC valuable field position.

Fahey completed 21 of 38 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown despite the difficult road conditions. Day defended his young quarterback, pointing to dropped passes, penalties, and the offense’s overall inability to provide him with enough support as reasons the team failed to capitalize on its opportunities.

However, by the time the game ended, the tense environment was clearly visible. USC head coach Lincoln Riley seemed to exchange some heated words with the Ohio State coaching staff. Some clips claimed Riley said “F— you” and “That’s bulls–t!”

Deion Sanders Jr. expressed disappointment after the Buffalo-Kansas State game

Colorado’s narrow 27-24 overtime victory over Kansas State snapped a five-game losing streak. However, Deion Sanders Jr. quickly shifted the focus away from the postgame celebrations with a blunt and frustrated reaction.

While players, staff, and fans celebrated on the field, with students even storming Folsom Field, Deion Jr. recorded himself refusing to join in. He described the team’s performance as “terrible”.

“I ain’t even trying to be a part of it, but she was terrible. It’s a terrible showing, guys. There ain’t no reason to celebrate. I’m not trying to be a part of it, but that s–t was terrible. S–t was unacceptable, guys,” he mentioned.

As the head of Well Off Media and a constant presence around the program, his reaction reflected the frustration surrounding how the game unfolded. Although Colorado secured its first Big 12 win, the team nearly let the game slip away after allowing Kansas State to score a tying touchdown with just two seconds left in regulation, forcing overtime.

Head coach Deion Sanders also expressed dissatisfaction after the game. He said the sloppy finish meant the contest “should have never gone to overtime” and pointed out that the team’s continued undisciplined mistakes nearly cost it a much-needed victory.

Nebraska’s loss led to unexpected scenes after the game against Washington

Frustration among Nebraska fans boiled over during the team’s 17-10 loss to Washington, with some throwing trash onto the field. The incident highlighted the growing pressure on head coach Matt Rhule.

The defeat continued a troubling pattern for the Cornhuskers. For the third consecutive game, they held a lead heading into the fourth quarter but failed to close it out.

With just seconds remaining and the score tied, Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea threw a costly interception. Washington returned it 48 yards for a game-winning pick-six, sealing the 17-10 victory.

Frustrated by the late collapse and another missed opportunity, fans in the stands began throwing trash onto the field, forcing a brief delay. Multiple turnovers and a missed field goal had also contributed to Nebraska’s struggles.

The loss dropped Nebraska to 5-3 on the season and increased the scrutiny on Matt Rhule. Supporters have grown increasingly frustrated with the team’s late-game struggles, which continue to turn promising situations into defeats.

Officiating decisions in the Miami-North Carolina game came under scrutiny

During Saturday’s game at Kenan Stadium, Miami narrowly avoided a major upset against Bill Belichick’s North Carolina team, securing a 38-35 victory after a chaotic series of late-game officiating decisions.

Trailing by three points late in the fourth quarter after a North Carolina touchdown, UNC needed to recover an onside kick with less than two minutes remaining to keep its upset hopes alive.

North Carolina recovered the next onside kick attempt. However, officials flagged the team again, this time for a controversial illegal blindside block. Replays and analysts questioned the call, arguing that the Miami defender had initiated the contact. The penalty nevertheless nullified the recovery.

After back-to-back flags wiped out North Carolina’s recovery attempts, the Tar Heels lost their momentum. Miami secured the third onside kick attempt and ran out the clock, leaving Chapel Hill with its undefeated record intact.

With another Saturday of college football ahead, fans can expect more action and, as this weekend showed, plenty of surprises.