By Ethan Jones
This past weekend across the country, college football fans were treated to several thrilling games and surprising upsets.
Our first upset takes us to Memphis, Tennessee, where the unranked Memphis Tigers took down the #18 USF Bulls in a 34–31 thriller. The Tigers’ offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 450 total yards, 30 first downs, and committing no turnovers. Quarterback Brendon Lewis was instrumental in the victory, completing 27 of 44 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 35 rushing yards. Heading into the matchup, USF had a 57% chance to win, but Memphis proved otherwise with a statement performance.
Next, in Seattle, the unranked Washington Huskies pulled off another upset, comfortably defeating the #23 Illinois Fighting Illini 42–25. Sophomore quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was nearly flawless, completing 26 of 33 passes for four touchdowns. Washington’s offense amassed 449 total yards, earned 27 first downs, and again had zero turnovers—an impressive display of efficiency and discipline.
Our final upset of the weekend took place in Tempe, Arizona, where the Houston Cougars shocked the #24 Arizona State Sun Devils, 24–16. Junior quarterback Conner Weigman led the charge, going 17 of 22 for 201 passing yards, adding 111 rushing yards, and accounting for three total touchdowns (one passing, two rushing). Pre-game models gave Houston just a 29% chance to win, but Weigman’s dual-threat performance lifted the Cougars to victory.
Now we turn our attention to the ranked head-to-head matchups. First, we head to Norman, Oklahoma, where the #13 Oklahoma Sooners took on the #8 Ole Miss Rebels. This was a close game between two heavyweights of the Southeastern Conference, with Ole Miss coming out on top 34–26. The Rebels were led by senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who went 24 of 44 for 315 yards and one touchdown. Ole Miss continues its dominant season, now standing at 7–1 with hopes of not only winning the SEC Championship but also making a push for the College Football Playoff and a potential national title.
Our next ranked head-to-head matchup took place in Nashville, Tennessee, between two more SEC teams as the #10 Vanderbilt Commodores faced off against the #15 Missouri Tigers. The Commodores defended their home turf, winning a close one 17–10. Senior quarterback Diego Pavia led the way for Vanderbilt, completing 14 of 23 passes for 129 yards and throwing one interception. After this victory, the Commodores improved to 7–1, marking one of their best seasons in program history.
The final ranked matchup of the weekend took place in Baton Rouge, where the #3 Texas A&M Aggies dominated the #20 LSU Tigers, 49–25. The loss proved costly for LSU, as head coach Brian Kelly became the 10th coach fired midseason. During Kelly’s tenure, he posted a 34–14 overall record and a 19–10 mark in SEC play. His dismissal came after a 5–3 start to the season and a 2–3 record in conference play. Texas A&M, meanwhile, continues to look every bit like a playoff contender.
Heading into Week 10, here’s how the rankings stand:
- Ohio State
- Indiana
- Texas A&M
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Oregon
- Ole Miss
- Georgia Tech
- Vanderbilt
- BYU
- Miami
- Notre Dame
- Texas Tech
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Louisville
- Cincinnati
- Oklahoma
- Missouri
- Texas
- Michigan
- Houston
- USC
- Utah
- Memphis
These rankings are sure to change as the season progresses. Only time will tell which teams rise and which fall as we head toward the conclusion of another exciting college football season.
