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It’s the last chance for teams to make an impression on the College Football Playoff selection committee ahead of the first Top 25 rankings reveal on Tuesday. Style points and big wins will be key for a number of programs this weekend as the national title chase gets kicked into overdrive on the way to Las Vegas. This Saturday doesn’t quite have the blockbuster matchups that are on tap for next week, but that typically doesn’t stop chaos from striking in this sport and consequently allow for plenty of teams to play themselves into (and out of) the field.
With that in mind, here’s how the bracket looks going into Week 9 before it’s set to shift significantly throughout a busy Saturday in the sport.
Kellen Moore returns to the blue turf for the unveiling of his statue at the school and he’ll need some of his magic to rub off on the current team as it faces a very tough test against new Pac-12 foe Texas State. The Hoosiers likewise have what looks like the most difficult game left on their Big Ten schedule against a pesky Minnesota that will look to derail the reigning conference champions’ chances of returning to the conference title game.
It’s the World’s Largest Domed Cocktail Party in Atlanta as we see if the Gators are truly a CFP contender in Year 1 under Jon Sumrall or if the big win over Texas was more of the high-water mark for the team. The Wildcats are off this weekend but will have plenty of interest in Tuesday’s committee rankings to see just where they might end up ranked amid this incredible year in Lexington, Ky.
You never want to distill a season down to one game, but it sure seems like that is what the campaign will come down to for the Crimson Tide next Saturday as they head to LSU following their off week. The Cougars can’t get looking ahead to next week’s Holy War with a brunch-time kickoff as they return home and face an Arizona State team more than capable of putting up a strong fight.
Perhaps Cincinnati’s upset of Texas Tech means the Utes are less likely to overlook the Bearcats going into Saturday, but it nevertheless is a game that is circled as a potential let-down, look-ahead spot with BYU looming the following weekend. As for the Fighting Irish, the rivalry game against Navy offers up a great opportunity to tune up for the mega-matchup against Miami that looms as make or break for their CFP hopes.
A home game at the Rose Bowl against Nevada offers up the chance for the Bruins to work on a few things and get ready for a stretch run that is both equally difficult as it is winnable. Few expected Bob Chesney to have a team capable of contending for the CFP during his first season but that will hit home on Tuesday when the Bruins are high in the committee’s rankings.
Few off weeks were more conveniently timed than the one the Buckeyes had as they prepared to face life without QB Julian Sayin. The trip to Los Angeles and a sold-out Coliseum will tell us plenty about just what caliber of team this really is.
Don’t be shocked if the Bulldogs get off to a quick start against Florida as they had extra time to stew over that Auburn loss and hear all about their issues from a coaching staff that knows every SEC game will be a fight.
Syracuse’s late win against North Carolina took some of the shine off this weekend’s trip to Chapel Hill, N.C., but it nevertheless will be a great spot to garner an efficient win before the trip to South Bend to play Notre Dame. If Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney can put up their season averages against a Bill Belichick defense, it also should lock up a trip to New York for the Heisman.
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