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...
Arch Manning Added One More Twist To Ole Miss Loss
Texas win over Ole Miss came with a little postgame theater, thanks to Arch Manning and a sideline conversation that added another layer to an already notable night. The game was carried by ABCs top broadcast crew, with Holly Rowe on the sideline, and Manning used the moment after the final whistle to make a lighthearted pitch that she ought to be around more often when Texas takes the field.
It was a playful line, but it also carried a bit of history behind it, since Rowe, Manning and coach Steve Sarkisian were all part of a previous dustup that had already been smoothed over. Against Ole Miss, the whole exchange served as a reminder that even after the game ends, there can still be a little extra edge and a little extra entertainment attached to Texas football. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Showed Fight At Texas But One Problem Just Got Bigger
Ole Miss left Austin with a loss, but not without evidence that the seasons bigger questions are still alive. After trailing 24-3 at halftime, the Rebels regrouped and turned a rough afternoon into a game that mattered deep into the second half, even if Texas eventually escaped with a 34-27 win. The first half was the problem area, with the offense stuck in neutral and quarterback Chambliss throwing an interception as the Rebels struggled to get anything going.
The second-half response was the encouraging part, because Ole Miss showed the kind of fight that can keep a season from slipping away after an early deficit. Still, the loss comes with real weight, especially with important games ahead that could shape the Rebels playoff position. The comeback effort bought some credibility, but it also left one lingering concern: the margin for error is getting smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Herbstreit Had The Perfect Reaction To Ole Miss Wild Finish
Ole Miss made one of the most dramatic pushes of Week 8 against Texas, storming back to tie the game before the Longhorns answered with a late touchdown to finish it off. The Rebels rally included a recovered onside kick that instantly became one of the nights biggest moments, and Kirk Herbstreit was right there to capture the chaos from his seat.
Herbstreit later shared a video of his reaction, making clear he was rooting for the spectacle more than for either sideline. It was the kind of candid, live-on-the-spot moment that college football fans love from him, and it came with Herbstreit set to be back on College GameDay in Bloomington for Minnesota-Indiana in Week 9. [Read more 🡒]