College football is back in full swing. There are always things to watch every week of the season. Here are 5 things to watch in college football week 9.
Ole Miss dropped their first game of the season last week against Georgia and will have to quickly rebound to get ready to go on the road and play Oklahoma. The Rebels pass for 304.1 yards per game and score 37.4 points per game, which makes them one of the best offenses in the country. Their defense has been inconsistent at best and bad at worst. They will need to step up to help them win on the road.
Oklahoma lost two weeks ago to Texas in their rivalry game, but rebounded to beat South Carolina on the road. John Mateer seemed to be more comfortable with his injury, albeit not 100 percent. The offense got the running game going against South Carolina and will have to hope they can do it again to help out Mateer. The defense gives them a great chance to win, as they allow just 9.4 points per game this season. If they can slow down Ole Miss, they can win the game and stay in the heat of a CFP race.
Texas A&M has started the season off at 7-0. Their biggest win is on the road over Notre Dame, which now looks better as the Fighting Irish continue to win. Their offense has been great with Marcel Reed taking a step forward and utilizing his playmakers at wide receiver. The defense is a concern, as they allowed over 40 points twice this season. They’ll need both sides of the ball to step up on the road against LSU.
LSU lost to Vanderbilt in week 8 for their second loss of the season. Brian Kelly is on the hot seat and needs to get a win to get things back on track. The offense has been struggling with the offensive line not playing well and quarterback Garrett Nussmeier playing through injury. Defensively, they have played well for the most part, but allowed 31 points last week. A loss in this game could really put some wheels in motion for the Tigers to get a new head coach.
Missouri has just one loss this season, which came to Alabama by three. They don’t have a marquee win, but will now get that chance against Vanderbilt. The offense has slowed after a good start to the season, but their defense is still playing solidly. Zion Young leads the way with five sacks. If they can score a bit to keep up, Missouri can win a big game.
Vanderbilt is coming off their big win over LSU in week 8. Their lone loss is also to Alabama. Diego Pavia is leading an offense that is producing in every week, other than their game against Alabama. They average 41.4 points per game. The defense is much improved over last season. While the schedule is tough down the stretch, Vandy can win this game and really become a threat to make the CFP.
USF started off the season hot with their wins over Boise State and Florida. They still have just one loss, which was to Miami. Currently, the Bulls are the frontrunners to be the group of five representative in the CFP. Byrum Brown is playing great at quarterback, leading the offense to 41.7 points per game. Their defense gives up some points, but in most games, their offense can make up for it.
Memphis lost their first game of the season to UAB last week. They are still bolstered by a win over Arkansas, but now have some work to do if they want to make the CFP. The Tigers have been good on both sides of the ball, scoring 38.1 points per game and only allowing 18.3. A win will help get them back on the right track and could create some tiebreaker scenarios down the stretch in the American Conference.
UCLA fired Deshaun Foster after an 0-4 start to the season. They then named Tim Skipper interim coach and Jerry Neuheisel offensive coordinator. Since that point, they are undefeated. The Bruins have beaten Penn State, Michigan State and Maryland. Their offense has really gotten things going, as they average 33.3 points per game under the new regime. Defensively, they have been good over the last two weeks, specifically, as they have given up 15 points per game over the stretch.
This week UCLA matches up with Indiana. The Hoosiers are undefeated with wins over Oregon and Illinois. The Hoosiers are scoring 43.9 points per game, as quarterback Fernando Mendoza continues to play well. Their defense is really stepping up, as they are giving up 11.6 points per game. The Hoosiers are projected to win, but it won’t be as easy of a game as people thought less than a month ago.
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