Texas made one of the clearest moves in the Week 9 Coaches Poll, climbing into the top 25 conversation at No. 11 as the latest rankings were released Sunday afternoon after another wild weekend in college football.
Miami kept hold of the No. 1 spot after blasting Pitt earlier in Saturday’s slate. The Hurricanes continue to look imposing, and the article’s snapshot of that attack centered on the QB-WR pairing of Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney.
The top of the poll also stayed crowded with familiar powers. Ohio State checked in at No.
2, Georgia at No. 3, Indiana at No.
4, Utah at No. 5, Notre Dame at No.
6, UCLA at No. 7, Kentucky at No.
8, BYU at No. 9 and Alabama at No. 10 before Texas landed just behind them.
The SEC put nine teams in the rankings this week, a list that stretches deep into the poll. Georgia leads the conference at No. 3, followed by Kentucky at No.
8, Alabama at No. 10, Texas at No.
11, Ole Miss at No. 12, LSU at No.
13, Tennessee at No. 17, Florida at No. 20 and Mizzou at No.
- Auburn and Oklahoma were among the teams that also picked up votes.
The rest of the top 25 features Texas Tech at No. 14, Wake Forest at No.
15, SMU at No. 16, Northwestern at No.
18, Houston at No. 19, Arizona at No.
21, Boise State at No. 22 and Iowa at No. 24, with USC rounding things out at No. 25.
Among the teams outside the rankings, Oklahoma State led the vote-getters with 120, followed by Wisconsin with 114. Cincinnati, New Mexico, Minnesota, UTSA, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, South Carolina, Duke, Oregon, Auburn, North Texas, Michigan, UCF, Oklahoma and James Madison also received votes.
Kalshi’s projections listed Miami (FL) at 93%, Georgia at 89%, Indiana at 85%, Ohio St. at 81%, Notre Dame at 81%, Alabama at 61%, UCLA at 59%, Ole Miss at 46%, BYU at 44% and Texas Tech at 21%.
In Other News...
Kentucky's Latest Win Delivered A Reward Few Wildcats Ever Get
Brennan Ward got a rare moment in the spotlight against Vanderbilt, going from fourth-string quarterback to live game action and into the end zone for a touchdown. For a program that lives on competition at every level, it was the kind of reward that can only come after weeks of work away from the cameras, and head coach Will Stein made it clear the opportunity was earned long before the snap.
Kentuckys staff has built a practice environment where scout team players are not just filling space, but pushing for real chances when they prove they belong. Wards appearance served as a reminder that the Wildcats will keep evaluating everyone in the building, and that even deep down the depth chart, there is still a path to playing time for players who keep showing up and doing the work. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Fans Just Got A Tough Otega Oweh Reality Check
Otega Owehs NBA path hit a jolt before it could really begin. The former Kentucky standout was taken by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 41st overall pick in the draft, and after flashing some promise in preseason, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon before the regular season began.
The injury alone would have been a tough break, but the bigger concern for Kentucky fans is how quickly the situation changed after that. Oklahoma City moved on by waiving him, leaving Oweh facing a major recovery and an uncertain next step just as he was trying to turn his draft-night opportunity into a foothold at the pro level. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Made A Real Impression On A Top DL Target
Jahyden Whites visit to Kentucky during a game day made a clear impression on one of the most sought-after defensive linemen in the country. The Florence, Alabama standout already has more than 20 scholarship offers, but he said the Wildcats are among his top choices after spending time on campus and seeing the program up close.
White is still in the middle of his season, so his recruiting process will take a little more time to unfold. He plans to release his top schools once the season ends, with a commitment targeted for April, which means Kentucky will have to keep making its case as the race tightens. [Read more 🡒]
