Week 8 saw three undefeated teams take their first loss, with Clemson topping Syracuse 27-21, putting a stranglehold on the ACC Atlantic division. Oregon handed UCLA their first loss, 45-30, and the Ducks sit as the only Pac-12 team unbeaten in conference play. They avoid USC in the regular season and will be favored heavily in every game except hosting Utah in the penultimate week of the regular season. Lastly, LSU dominated Ole Miss 45-20. LSU controls its destiny in the SEC West with a bye week and a matchup looming against Alabama.
The conclusion of Week 9 will debut the first College Football Playoff rankings. Schedules mean four teams at most could finish undefeated, but these teams face a weekend of divisional rivalry games. Six undefeated teams remain Ohio St, Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan, Clemson, and TCU, while Alabama lurks. Our staff comes together to prepare you for all the week's action.
What Game Are You Watching?
#9 Oklahoma St at #22 Kansas St.
Jason Wood - There are no matchups of titans this week. Those kinds of weeks may seem less compelling at first blush, but they often lead to upsets and rankings shuffling. We're at the point of the season where we'll see contenders exposed as pretenders with just one more loss. I'm most intrigued by Oklahoma State (6-1) taking on Kansas State (5-2) because it's an evenly-matched game that most college fans probably see as another sure win for Oklahoma State. To my detriment, I've discounted the Cowboys all season, but I still think they're good for another misstep or two, which takes them out of the national playoff picture.
#20 Cincinnati at UCF
Kevin Coleman - This week of college football is the perfect week to get some much-needed family time in, but if you are staying in, the most underrated game of the weekend is #20 Cincinnati taking on UCF. This is a premier battle of two top teams in the American conference, and we should be points galore in this contest. The UCF offense averages over 500 yards of total offense, and each team is scoring 35 points per game. Cincinnati is led by fifth-year senior Ben Bryant, who has 1,761 yards and completed 63.6% of his passes for 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. UCF is led by dual-threat quarterback John Rhys Plumlee who has thrown for 1,812 yards and has also rushed for over 500 yards. If there's a fun game to pay attention to this weekend, this is it.
Pitt at #21 North Carolina
Christian Williams - While the slate lacks the juice recent weeks have provided, the matchup between Pittsburgh and #21 North Carolina is the most intriguing game. The Tar Heels come into this game at 6-1 and 3-0 in ACC play, while Pittsburgh is coming off two perplexing losses in their last three games. Pittsburgh's defensive strength up front can limit quarterbacks, as they rank in the top half of college football in passing defense. North Carolina often relies on their breakout star quarterback, Drake Maye, to lead scoring drives. Pittsburgh should have extra motivation following their loss to Louisville, but the most intrigue comes from North Carolina's opportunity to keep it rolling in the ACC.
#2 Ohio St at #13 Penn St
Dan Hindery - Ohio State at Penn State is going to be interesting. By most advanced metrics and Vegas power rankings, Penn State is a Top 10 team. The Nittany Lions have consistently played the Buckeyes tough, especially at home in recent years. The matchup worth watching is the Ohio State run game against the Penn State run defense. While the Nittany Lions have been fine against the run most of the year, they got destroyed on the ground by Michigan. Ohio State has shown flashes of a strong rushing attack, but it has not been consistent at all. If Ohio State can't run the ball, this one will likely come down to the wire.
Jonathan Morris - It's a down week as far as big games are concerned, but I'll be watching Ohio State at Penn State this week. Ohio State is favored by two touchdowns and should roll here, but in their first seven games, they have only played one road contest. Penn State presents one of the toughest environments, and while I think that the Ohio State offensive attack won't be stopped, I'm at least interested to see how C.J. Stroud and company handle the crowd in their first true road test.
Kyle Bellefeuil - I'll be watching the noon kickoff between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 13 Penn State. Penn State got run over by Michigan two weeks ago but followed it up with a convincing win against Minnesota last week. Ohio State had no issues in their last game either, routing Iowa 54-10 at home. To no surprise, Ohio State is currently a 15.5-point favorite in this contest. Taking on this Buckeye offense is a tall task, and I do think they win this game comfortably. However, playing on the road at Penn State can present its challenges. I'll be tuning in to see if the Nittany Lions can make this a game.
What Player Are You Watching?
WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
Jason Wood - I want to get eyes on Quentin Johnston, the star receiver at TCU. While not a household name like Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Jordan Addison, Johnston has an excellent chance of being the first receiver off the board in the 2023 April NFL draft. He has perfect size (6-foot-4, 201 pounds) and is dominant at the point of attack. He's missed 40 tackles in his career -- far more than comparable high-volume pass catchers. The Kansas State defense is one of the better units left on TCU's schedule, and it's also the kind of trap game that could derail what's been an amazing season for the Horned Frogs, so far. If Johnston can dominate this weekend, he'll check off all the "big game" intangibles scouts look to when choosing between elite athletes at the top of the draft board.
WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
Kevin Coleman - The 2023 class is a lot of fun this year, but one player that has risen up draft boards is Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers. Flowers is healthy this season and has been the best player on the Golden Eagles. The young Boston College receiver has 52 receptions this season for 691 yards and six touchdowns and has demonstrated his versatility on the field this season for the Eagles. This year, he has lined up in the slot and on the outside, showing an ability to stretch the field better than he has the past three seasons. He has had four touchdown receptions of over forty-nine yards. He is among the best YAC receivers in college football, and his profile fits NFL offenses. Expect a big game this weekend against UConn that will only help push his draft stock higher.
WR A. T. Perry, Wake Forest
Christian Williams - A.T. Perry, the fourth-year wideout from Wake Forest, has quietly turned in an impressive season for the Demon Deacons. He entered the season high on prospect lists and has done nothing to make evaluators think otherwise. He has a touchdown in each of the last four games and gets a mediocre Louisville passing defense in Week 9. With the uncertain future of the 2023 receiver class, Perry can continue to vault up draft boards with a standout, dominant performance in Week 9.
QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Dan Hindery - I am going to cheat and go with two. Will Levis and Kentucky travel to Tennessee to face Hendon Hooker on Saturday night. With Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud both widely expected to go very early in the draft, the bigger question is whether a third quarterback joins them in the Top 10 overall. Levis and Hooker are the two best candidates to do so. It will be fun to see them both on the same field competing against each other. They will likely find themselves competing in the future at events like the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.
WR Josh Downs, North Carolina
Jonathan Morris - North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs has quietly been producing in the five games he has been active in. The Tar Heels had a slow start to the year, surviving some scares but are now sitting at 6-1 and in a prime position to be in the ACC Championship game. Downs is small but has elite speed and works great in space. He should be one of the first five receivers off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft, and on a weak college football slate, I'm excited to see how he performs against Pittsburgh.
CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn St
I'm eager to watch Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The name might sound familiar as his dad, Joey Porter, terrorized quarterbacks off the edge in the NFL for 13 seasons. Porter Jr. plays a different position than his dad, but he still makes life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. At 6-foot-2 and 194 pounds, Porter Jr. is a physical corner with alluring size and length. His 11 passes defended are currently tied for second in the nation. If Penn State's defense is going to slow down Ohio State's potent passing attack, it'll need its star corner at his best. This upcoming battle on the outside should be an entertaining one.
What is a landmine game for one of the remaining unbeaten teams?
2 Ohio St at #13 Penn St
Jason Wood - Only six unbeaten teams are remaining: Georgia (7-0), Ohio State (7-0), Tennessee (7-0), Michigan (7-0), Clemson (8-0), and TCU (7-0). Clemson has the week off, and while the other teams are mainly playing rivals, they're all heavily favored. It's hard for teams of this caliber to get caught flat at home, so let's turn our attention to the unbeaten teams headed on the road this week. Ohio State heads to Penn State, and TCU heads to West Virginia. Between the two, the Buckeyes are the one to watch because Penn State is also a very good team (ranked 13th), with an excellent defense.
Kevin Coleman - As Jason pointed out, only six unbeaten teams are left in college football. Looking ahead at each one of those teams' schedules, there is a game that should worry TCU fans. This week the Horned Frogs go on the road to take on West Virginia at Morgantown. While TCU comes in as the favorite, this could be a classic look-ahead game, with TCU playing Texas in week ten. West Virginia surprisingly has a talented offense that includes quarterback JT Daniels and three great receivers in Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Sam James, and Kaden Prather. Their rushing attack is also among the best in the Big 12 with Tony Mathis Jr and CJ Donaldson. The Mountaineers have an offense that can match TCU's high-powered attack. The key to the game will be turnovers, but TCU could fall into the classic look-ahead trap this weekend.
Kyle Bellefeuil - I'm going to stick with highlighting the Ohio State/Penn State matchup. While I do think Ohio State wins this game, it could end up closer than anticipated. The Penn State defense is solid and could make things tight with some early stops. Also, it never hurts when you're playing at home. I'm not sure the Nittany Lions can pull it off, but there is always a chance.
#19 Kentucky at #3 Tennessee
Christian Williams - The most glaring landmine game is this weekend when #19 Kentucky travels to #3 Tennessee to take on the undefeated Volunteers. The 'lookahead' game often gets the best of inexperienced winners, and with Georgia on the horizon for Tennessee in Week 10, the opportunity is there for Kentucky to surprise them. Kentucky's offense hasn't necessarily shown the ability to maintain pace with a team like Tennessee, but quarterback Will Levis has the arm for it. If Tennessee rides its win over Tennessee-Martin and overlooks the Wildcats, the College Football Playoff Committee will have a difficult time when the first rankings drop next week.
Dan Hindery - Tennessee benefits from playing at home, but this matchup against Kentucky could be tougher than many expect. I've been high on Tennessee all year, but this will be the first game where things have shifted from them being the hunter to being hunted. We have seen over the years as we get later in the season that pressure builds on the teams in playoff position. Sometimes we see them play tighter than early in the year when it felt like they didn't have as much to lose. Kentucky is also a sneaky difficult opponent. The defense is solid, and the offense has a lot of skill position talent when everyone is available.
#7 TCU at West Virginia
Jonathan Morris - All of the unbeaten teams should survive this weekend, but if I had to pick one, it would be TCU traveling to Morgantown to take on West Virginia. TCU is coming off back-to-back wins at home. Both were against top talent in the Big 12, and it feels like this is a bad scheduling spot now having to go on the road into a hostile environment. The Horned Frogs' offense is still one of the best in the country, but I do wonder how much these last two weeks took out of them physically and mentally. The Mountaineers, on the other hand, have been far from good this year and are coming off a bad loss. But a noon game with an undefeated team coming to town may be the perfect recipe for them to catch TCU off guard and pull off an upset.
