October was wild in the College Football Playoff (CFP) race. Upsets and surprise endings kept fans guessing, but the month’s final weekend was oddly calm.
Ole Miss picked up a crucial win at Oklahoma. All 11 power-conference teams from last week’s CFP projection either won or took the week off.
This calm meant only small ranking shifts for those schools. South Florida’s loss to Memphis, though, really stirred up the Group of Five’s chase for an automatic bid.
These CFP projections use the latest B/R Top 25, weighing recent results and what’s ahead. For a closer look at the projections, click here.
Week 9 Highlights
Week 9 had some matchups that really mattered for the playoff picture. From Ole Miss’s bounce-back win to Memphis’s last-second drama, it was a lot to take in.
Memphis Edges South Florida
Memphis pulled out a 34-31 win over South Florida in a tense finish. South Florida’s Nico Gramatica missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired, sealing the Tigers’ win.
Brendon Lewis, Memphis’s quarterback, was questionable with a lower-body injury but still threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns. You’ve got to give him credit for gutting it out.
Ole Miss Shines in Oklahoma
After a rough defensive showing against Georgia, Ole Miss bounced back. They managed a 34-26 win at Oklahoma that kept their playoff dreams alive.
This win showed Ole Miss can handle adversity and pressure, at least for now.
Other Notable Games
- Vanderbilt 17, Missouri 10: Vanderbilt’s wild season kept rolling with a gritty win over Missouri.
- Texas A&M 49, LSU 25: Texas A&M ran away with it, and LSU’s Brian Kelly is probably feeling the heat.
- BYU 41, Iowa State 27: BYU rallied from behind and left Iowa State reeling.
- Houston 24, Arizona State 16: Houston’s win made Arizona State’s conference title defense even trickier.
B/R Top 25 Rankings
The newest B/R Top 25 reflects recent chaos and will keep shifting as the season barrels on. Here’s how things stand right now:
- Ohio State
- Indiana
- Texas A&M
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Oregon
- Georgia Tech
- BYU
- Ole Miss
- Miami
- Texas Tech
- Vanderbilt
- Louisville
- Virginia
- Notre Dame
- Cincinnati
- Tennessee
- Michigan
- Houston
- Oklahoma
- Missouri
- USC
- Memphis
- Utah
- Navy
CFP Bracket Projections
The CFP bracket includes automatic bids for the top teams in five conferences. The next seven highest-ranked teams grab at-large spots.
Automatic Bids
- Ohio State (Big Ten)
- Texas A&M (SEC)
- Georgia Tech (ACC)
- BYU (Big 12)
- Memphis (American)
At-Large Bids
- Indiana
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Oregon
- Ole Miss
- Miami
- Texas Tech
Team of Destiny: Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt sits 12th in the B/R Top 25, just outside the CFP’s inner circle. Their win over Missouri wasn’t pretty—outgained 376-265—but hey, a win’s a win.
They’re 7-1 overall and 3-1 in conference, which keeps them in the national conversation, even if folks are skeptical.
The road ahead looks rough, though. Vanderbilt plays Texas, Auburn, and Kentucky, gets a week off, then finishes at Tennessee.
Two losses wouldn’t be shocking here, but if they somehow end up 10-2, you’d have to at least consider them for an at-large bid.
Conference Races
As we get deeper into the season, there’s just not much room for mistakes anymore. Here’s where things stand in the big conference battles:
American Conference
Navy and North Texas are leading the pack. Navy is still undefeated at 7-0, while North Texas sits at 7-1.
Boise State’s perfect in conference but can’t afford another overall loss if they want to stay in the CFP mix.
ACC
Miami’s got a huge test coming up against SMU. If they lose, their ACC title hopes might be toast.
Big 12
Cincinnati, along with BYU, is unbeaten in Big 12 play. Their game against Utah feels like a make-or-break moment.
SEC
The SEC is still a gauntlet, isn’t it? Vanderbilt’s got Texas up next.
Oklahoma lines up against Tennessee. Both of these games could make or break CFP hopes for these teams.
Want the latest on the College Football Playoff race? Check out Bleacher Report’s article for projections and some sharp analysis right here: College Football Playoff Bracket Projections and Predictions After Week 9.
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