2023-24 NCAA Football (Week 9)

Games I watched (some of):

(6) Oklahoma 33-38 Kansas

Good win for the Jayhawks, just kept waiting for the Sooners to establish some kind of dominance, but it just never came. KU hung tough, made plays, got the big TD down the stretch to get it done. I assume Kansas will be returning to the top 25. As for OU, well, they've had some ups and some downs, never quite thought this was a top 10 team (they are basically still a rebuilding team), so a road loss to a tough conference foe is not a shock, not sure what the rest of the season holds for Oklahoma. 

Tennessee 33-27 Kentucky

UK had moments but for the most part the Vols controlled this game throughout, never felt like they were going to lose (though covering the spread was up in the air down to the end). I've yet to feel much about the Vols, though for half of that Alabama game they looked pretty good (not so much the other half), but then they got tooled by Florida, who isn't even particularly good this year. Well, they still have UGA ahead, so if they've got one last five-finger punch in them, they need to save it up. As for the Wildcats, the Missouri L a coupla weeks ago took it out of them, they were expecting a good W and instead got a tough L, and now they're on a 3-game skid with Louisville still looming. They'll make a bowl game, so-so season for the Cats is still pretty good for this program. 

Top 25

Handled their business

(1) Georgia, (3) Ohio State, (4) Florida State, (5) Washington, (7) Texas, (8) Oregon, (12) Mississippi, (14) Notre Dame, (18) Louisville, (19) Air Force, (21) Tennessee, (23) UCLA

Won but did not impress

(10) Penn State

I was expecting a bust out offensive show against Indiana after a slog against Ohio State before. But that offense never really got going and they were surprisingly playing catch-up all game long because the Penn State defense didn't really do much. They survived their hangover, perhaps that's a good sign, but I thought they needed a big W and they struggled. 

(22) Tulane

I dunno, I just figured they were primed to lay a beatdown on Rice but they needed 4th quarter heroics to pull this out. To Rice?!?!?  I expected more from a varsity letterman, if you know what I mean. 

(24) Southern Cal

Well, the offense did pile up enough points to steal the W but, man, that defense is still awful. Awful! Cal isn't even any good this year, how on earth could the Trojans need to drop a 50-burger just to get lucky? The rebuild in SoCal is still ongoing. 

(25) James Madison 

I dunno, if you're in the top 25 I'm expecting a little more from a home game with a mediocre Old Dominion. Won but did not impress. 

Bad beat

(20) Duke

I think injuries are really piling up on this plucky squad that has probably overachieved already. Going on the road in conference against a pretty good Louisville side is not a gimme by any means and with their banged-up QB (I like that guy), they just couldn't get anything going. 

Not so good

(6) Oklahoma

Gotta win at Kansas. Even if the Jayhawks are pretty good, Sooner nation demands a victory in Lawrence and the Sooners didn't get it done. Not out of the top 20 but I'd say they're out of the top 10. 

(11) Oregon State

The Pac is good this year and the Beavers thought they were gonna stay top of the table, they gotta win at Arizona, who is quietly racking up some nice results. Sorry, Oregon State, you needed this and you didn't get it. 

(13) Utah 

This could've been a bad beat, losing to a higher-ranked conference foe is typically not an unforgivable result. But the Utes were playing pretty good and they really had a chance to cement themselves in the conference and they got routed by the Ducks. Again, normally I'd give a pass but Utah did so little with their opportunity here that I gotta call it a disappointment. 

(17) North Carolina 

Two bad losses in a row is probably the end of their season. Even getting a big W at Clemson won't change their fate. So long, Tarheels, the basketball powers had their moments this year (feels like Kansas might still have some left in them) but you knew the clock was gonna run out eventually. 

Next week's intriguing matches

(25) Kansas State @ (7) Texas (feels like the Longhorns have this one but conference games are always wacky)

Texas A&M @ (11) Mississippi (I kinda think Ole Miss will pound the Aggies but....they might not)

(14) Missouri @ (1) Georgia (keep an eye on this one; I think UGA has 3 games circled on their schedule and Missouri ain't one of them, so they might be in for a surprise; I know UGA feels unbeatable but Missouri is better than you think they are and they could shock the world here)

(9) Penn State @ Maryland (the Nittany Lions could use an easy W and while Maryland hasn't been great this year, they're not a pushover, either; Penn State should handle their business but this could go sideways)

(10) Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State (the Sooners need an easy W and the cross-state rivals are guaranteed to not let that happen; this'll be a struggle match)

(5) Washington @ (24) Southern Cal (we know the Trojans can score and we know that can't stop anyone, so feels like a shootout is coming; if Washington is for real, they'll take this one)

(13) Louisiana State @ (8) Alabama (this'll be a fun one, both of these traditional powers have had moments but have also looked sluggish, they both need this game, this'll be a good one)

(16) Oregon State @ Colorado (do we still care about Colorado? This could be a fun one--hey, the Buffaloes have hit that place where they're fun to watch no matter what happens)