Week 9 didn't bring many surprises, but the drama was no less exciting, and for the fourth straight week, we saw yet another team in the top-two fall. Ohio State's 30-18 loss to unranked USC was the week's biggest upset, and unsurprisingly, the Buckeyes tumbled in the Coaches Poll Sunday. The two-loss Buckeyes, who still aren't out of the College Football Playoff race, fell eight spots from No. 2 to No. 10 in the latest poll.
While everyone focuses on Ohio State's offense with backup quarterback Luke Fahey, the real story is the defense giving up so many points. USC jumped eight spots to No. 17 and strengthened its playoff hopes. Miami stayed atop the poll after its 38-35 victory at North Carolina, its first road win as the No. 1 team since 2002.
A monster showdown at No. 6 Notre Dame awaits the Hurricanes Saturday night. Georgia dominated Florida in Atlanta and jumped from third to No. 2 in the coaches' poll after the 27-8 victory. The Gators fell out of the poll after standing at No. 20.
The week's most dramatic finish didn't change the poll. Minnesota and Indiana traded 60-yard field goals near the end of regulation — the first time in FBS history two 60-yard field goals were converted — and the Hoosiers won in overtime, with backup quarterback Grant Wilson throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Becker. The Hoosiers' offense struggled most of October, averaging only 17.8 points in the last four games, but the wins kept coming (sans the loss to Ohio State), and they moved up one spot to No. 3 in the poll this week.
Indiana gets an open date before hosting Lincoln Riley's USC in a game that may very well determine who advances to the CFP. A week after falling nine spots, Texas Tech moved up one slot to No. 13 with a 34-26 win at home against Arizona. Elsewhere, the ACC took a hit as SMU likely fell out of the playoff race, tumbling from No. 16 to No. 24 this week after its loss at Syracuse.
New Mexico appeared in the poll, jumping four spots from the "others receiving votes" category to debut at No. 25. Others receiving votes: South Carolina 91; Florida 81; UTSA 76; Duke 76; Virginia Tech 53; Oregon 41; Minnesota 10; Oklahoma State 9; Liberty 6; North Texas 4; Wisconsin 3; Memphis 2; North Dakota State 1; Nebraska 1; Cincinnati 1;
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