College football winners, losers in Week 9: Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson shines, Clemson going in reverse

The first really College Football Playoff-shaking dissatisfied befell in Week 9 as No. 6 Oklahoma went at the street and misplaced a shootout with Kansas, the Sooners’ first loss in opposition to KU since 1997. The Big 12 name race is now extensive open and promises that the Big 12 champion could have a blemish on its file. 

Elsewhere, different playoff contenders solidified their spots earlier than the preliminary scores. No. 8 Oregon shellacked a bodily Utah crew to go into the nationwide name dialog. Ohio State escaped a decent sport with Wisconsin to stay unscathed. Georgia handed its first take a look at with out megastar tight finish Brock Bowers with flying colours. 

As the mud settles, there are most effective 8 closing undefeated groups in school football. Only 5 stay in the Power Five with the Big Ten status by myself with the one pairing. All of the motion units up a pivotal College Football Playoff Rankings unlock on Tuesday. 

Here are the largest winners and losers of Week 9. 

Winner: Oregon

The Ducks seemed each and every bit the a part of a countrywide championship-caliber program all through a 35-6 decimation of an overmatched Utah crew. Quarterback Bo Nix finished 14 of his first 15 passes with 3 first-half touchdowns to assist put the sport out of achieve virtually straight away, a stunning outcome in opposition to a Utes crew that captured every of the previous two Pac-12 titles. It used to be the primary house loss with a complete capability stadium for Utah since 2018. 

Oregon has a forged case as probably the most whole crew in school football heading into the house stretch. The Ducks rushed for five.3 yards in step with lift in opposition to a top-five nationwide speeding protection. The 6-2 Utes have been held and not using a landing and mustered simply 3.7 yards in step with lift. Now, Oregon ranks as one in every of 4 groups closing in the Pac-12 race with one or fewer losses. A College Football Playoff shot is at the desk. 

Loser: Oklahoma

Oklahoma got here into Saturday because the No. 6 crew in the country and in regulate of a go back and forth to the College Football Playoff. With the perfect agenda in the Big 12 closing, the entire Sooners needed to do used to be now not go back and forth over their toes. Instead, Oklahoma misplaced to Kansas for the primary time since 1997. 

After surviving a scare in opposition to UCF, the Sooners let Kansas run all over the place them to the track of 225 yards and 4 touchdowns in opposition to a protection that entered the day protecting fighters to 119 yards in step with sport at the flooring. Oklahoma has surrendered 32.3 issues in step with sport in the ultimate 3 video games after protecting fighters to simply 10.8 issues in step with sport in the primary 5. Kansas is not “Kansas” anymore, however leaving the Big 12 with a loss in opposition to the historical cellar dweller would possibly not ever really feel rather proper. 

Oklahoma does not have any nationwide contenders left at the agenda, however there are masses extra difficult fighters in tricky locales. Next week, Oklahoma travels to Oklahoma State for the general Bedlam contention for the foreseeable long run. On Nov. 18, it is a go back and forth to the mountains and BYU at altitude. West Virginia and TCU provide difficult demanding situations of their very own. Can Oklahoma keep away from sliding like ultimate season? 

Ohio State has lived and died by the hands of extensive receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. for lots of the season. But in his first sport again from harm, working again TreVeyon Henderson gave the Buckeyes an actual risk in the bottom sport. The former Freshman All-American exploded for 162 yards speeding and 45 yards receiving in opposition to a stout Wisconsin protection. His 33-yard breakaway run put the sport away overdue.

The Buckeyes have some regarding problems on offense after scoring a blended 61 issues in opposition to Penn State, Wisconsin and Notre Dame. After averaging greater than 44 issues in step with sport ultimate season, Ohio State is all the way down to 32.5 issues in step with sport this 12 months, together with 27 issues in step with sport in opposition to Power Five pageant. However, Henderson returning to shape a minimum of diversifies the offense and provides Ohio State a couple of much-needed avenues to win.

The ultimate time Clemson had 4 regular-season losses, trainer Dabo Swinney had 0 nationwide championships beneath his belt. The Tigers had by no means even received the ACC. It used to be 2010, earlier than Clemson used to be Clemson. Now, Swinney is again the place he began as Clemson fell to 4-4 and used to be eradicated from the ACC name chase after a 24-17 loss to NC State. 

Swinney used to be competitive over the offseason, making his first voluntary coordinator alternate in greater than a decade through bringing in offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. But even the 2022 Broyles Award winner has been not able to resurrect a Clemson offense that turns out to leave out the type of dynamic extensive receiver group of workers that characterised its previous name groups. This crew is not underachieving – it is flat-out now not excellent sufficient anymore. 

Remember, Clemson continues to be stacked with elite ability. The Tigers get started 3 former five-stars in the entrance six, together with a former No. 1 quarterback and No. 2 working again prospect. Several of those avid gamers might be long gone in 2024. Swinney has to reevaluate the whole lot as he tries to take care of a related program. In the age of NIL and the switch portal, is it too overdue? 

Winner: Georgia

Bowers has been arguably crucial offensive participant all through Georgia’s run to 2 nationwide championships. With Bowers sidelined, quarterback Carson Beck were given a much-needed exhibit alternative in opposition to Florida. Beck torched a hapless Gators squad to the track of 315 yards passing and two touchdowns. Backup tight finish Oscar Delp performed a powerful sport, nevertheless it used to be receivers Ladd McConkey and Dominic Lovett who blended for greater than 200 yards in the win. Georgia knew it used to be transferring in opposition to extra of a drop-back passing sport after changing the dual-threat Stetson Bennett IV with Beck, and there were rising pains every now and then. However, the offense that posted just about 500 yards in opposition to Florida is championship-level. 

Loser: USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch

How for much longer is that this circus going to head on? One week after blowing a sport in opposition to an undermanned Utah offense, Grinch’s protection gave up 49 issues and a possible game-winning rating in opposition to California. The Golden Bears had their very best level overall vs. a Pac-12 opponent since 2018. Cal used to be an additional level clear of hitting 50 in opposition to a convention foe for the primary time since 2016. 

At a definite level, sufficient is sufficient. Against Power Five pageant, Grinch’s protection has allowed 41.8 issues in step with sport. There are professional excuses about group of workers and the trouble of protecting along a high-powered Lincoln Riley offense. USC wishes to transport on from Grinch. Everyone merits a contemporary get started. 

Winner: Big 12 contenders

When Texas and Oklahoma left the sector after the Red River Showdown, it felt inevitable {that a} rematch used to be at the horizon in the Big 12 Championship Game. After the Sooners’ devastating loss in opposition to Kansas, the Big 12 race is again to the unpredictable milieu many projected in the preseason. Five Big 12 groups are tied at 4-1 in the convention standings: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Iowa State and Oklahoma State. The Sooners play Oklahoma State down the stretch whilst Texas nonetheless has Kansas State and Iowa State at the agenda. And, through the best way, Kansas choosing up a shocking dissatisfied over Oklahoma manner the 3-2 Jayhawks have a tiebreaker if the Sooners lose every other one. Every unmarried sport closing may shake up the name race as the easier a part of 14 groups jockey for 2 slots. 

Is one thing fallacious with famous person quarterback Michael Penix Jr.? Since his emotional game-winning throw in opposition to Oregon, Penix has been somewhat in the back of his explosive tempo. Penix threw for 369 yards and 4 touchdowns however attached on simply 55% of his passes because the Huskies struggled to position away Stanford in a 42-33 victory. Three first-half drives ended in three-and-outs. In a 15-7 win over Arizona State ultimate week, Penix threw two interceptions and averaged simply 6.5 yards in step with go try. Washington continues to be in nice form, however Penix ranks a few of the maximum vital avid gamers in the rustic because the Huskies hope to make their technique to the College Football Playoff. With Utah and Oregon State nonetheless at the agenda, the trail is most effective going to get extra bodily. 

Winner: SMU

The Mustangs got here into their matchup in opposition to Tulsa as heavy favorites, however leaping out to a 52-3 lead in opposition to the Golden Hurricane on the half of used to be a wonder. SMU were given 371 yards and 3 touchdowns from beginning quarterback Preston Stone … earlier than he used to be pulled with 4 mins closing in the primary half of. 

Hopes have been excessive for SMU coming into the season after a middling 7-6 marketing campaign in 2023. After dropping in opposition to a couple of Big 12 fighters, the Ponies have reeled off 4 directly dominant victories to open AAC play. In 4 video games, SMU is outscoring convention foes through a blended 189-36. This is precisely how trainer Rhett Lashlee was hoping he may maneuver his squad into the AAC.

Since Virginia Tech passed the ball to quarterback Kyron Drones, the Hokies had been reworked. The Houston, Texas, local adopted up a 300-yard passing sport in opposition to Wake Forest with 194 yards passing, 56 yards speeding and a landing in a 38-10 win over Syracuse. More importantly, Drones helped open the offense for working backs Bhayshul Tuten and Malachi Thomas to mix for greater than 200 yards at the flooring. 

At one level, Virginia Tech gave the impression of possibly the worst Power Five crew in the country. The Hokies picked up horrible losses in opposition to Purdue and Rutgers. Losing to Marshall perceived to backside out this system. Instead, Virginia Tech could have a major puncher’s probability to earn a bowl go back and forth in Brent Pray’s 2nd season if it could win a couple of manageable street journeys to Boston College and Virginia. The Hokies are right here.