Though the Week 9 schedule did not set up a handful of ranked-on-ranked games, the results of another chaotic week in college football have led to more than a handful of top 25 teams taking losses. The shake-ups will prompt some big changes in the college football rankings, none more impactful than USC's win over Ohio State in Los Angeles. USC was previously unranked after falling from the AP Top 25 poll after a 17-7 loss to Wisconsin.
The Trojans endured immense pressure all week after the defeat, feeling the weight of an offense that was underperforming and the threat of an opponent in Ohio State that was arriving with a top-two ranking. USC answered its offensive questions immediately and raced out to an early lead, riding that momentum to a rain-soaked signature win for Lincoln Riley. It marked his first-ever win against a top-five opponent as USC's coach, and it will launch the Trojans back into the top 25.
As for Ohio State, it is predicted to be among the lucky ones who lost in Week 9 but won't fall too far, thanks to wins against the likes of Indiana and Iowa in conference play. But with teams like SMU, Northwestern, Arizona, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin all taking losses on Saturday, the door is open for plenty of new arrivals in the rankings. Here's how we expect the new AP Top 25 to look on Sunday after Week 9: 1.
Miami (Last week — 1): Even though the No. 1 team in the country was trailing in the second half, the upset alert always seemed a little premature as long as Malachi Toney was on the field. Miami's Heisman Trophy-contending wide receiver was absolutely electric in the Hurricanes' 38-35 win, finishing with seven catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns. 2. Georgia (3): The Bulldogs cashed in on Florida's early mistakes for easy points and rode another strong performance from the defense to a sixth straight win in the Cocktail Party rivalry.
At 7-1 overall with a convincing win against a quality team, Georgia may pick up a couple first-place votes, but the overall rating will be left unchanged for most voters. 3. Notre Dame (5): It took a minute for Notre Dame to hit its stride, but the voters are not going to be quick to overreact one way or another to a 35-13 win against Navy. All eyes are on next week's showdown with Miami, where a firmer judgment of the Fighting Irish as a top-five team can be made. 4.
Utah (6): On a week where a couple of top teams got off to slow starts, credit Utah for sending a message early against Cincinnati. The Utes raced out to a 42-6 halftime lead and then cruised in the second half as attention turns to next Saturday's showdown with BYU. The fact that the Bearcats just upset Texas Tech set up for a potential letdown spot but also allowed for Utah's dominance to validate an 8-0 record that's going to get more respect from the voters. 5.
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