Week 9 has all the ingredients for a messy Saturday, and the calendar only makes it feel more fitting. Halloween is here, the 2026 college football season is in full swing, and a few ranked teams are walking straight into danger.
The biggest warning sign of the week is Georgia. After a stunning loss to Auburn in Athens, the Bulldogs got a BYE week to regroup, and Kirby Smart will almost certainly have them pointed in the right direction. Still, there’s always a chance a team comes out of a break a little flat, and that’s enough to keep this one on upset watch.
Florida is in a similar spot in terms of timing, but the Gators come in with a little momentum of their own. Aaron Philo is back in the lineup, and their last game was a road win over top-10 Texas, 27-24. Jon Sumrall has enough in place to make this a competitive game, and rivalry matchups have a way of turning unpredictable fast.
Utah also has to be careful not to let a strong run get interrupted. The Utes are 7-0 after knocking off No.
14 Houston, but Saturday’s trip to Cincinnati has trap-game potential written all over it. The Bearcats are coming off their own upset, taking down No.
8 Texas, and they were facing an undefeated team in the Red Raiders. This one sets up as a classic strength-on-strength battle: Cincinnati is top-10 nationally in rushing offense, while Utah sits among the country’s leaders in rushing defense.
Texas Tech is in a different kind of pressure spot. After losing to an unranked opponent, the Red Raiders return home to face No.
22 Arizona, and another slip could knock them out of the College Football Playoff race entirely. Arizona has been rolling lately, winning three straight by at least 21 points, including a 34-7 win over Cincinnati.
It’s the Wildcats’ first game against a top-25 opponent, and they have to do it on the road, but they’re very much in the mix to pull it off.
Wisconsin rounds out the list after climbing back into the top 25 with a win over USC. Luke Fickell has steadied things enough to move the Badgers well beyond preseason expectations, but now they head to Iowa for a tough road test.
The Hawkeyes have lost two of their last three, though one came against Ohio State and the other against Minnesota after a brutal stretch that included three road games in five weeks. Iowa’s defense can hold up its end, but the quarterbacks need to be better if the Hawkeyes are going to handle this one.
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In Other News...
Utah Just Sent A Clear Message Before The BYU Showdown
Utah went on the road and made a statement in a 49-25 win over Cincinnati, looking every bit like a team eager to carry momentum into the BYU showdown. The Utes piled up four offensive touchdowns and got a major lift from Devon Dampier, Daniel Bray, Wayshawn Parker and Hunter Andrews, while the defense set the tone by keeping Cincinnati out of the end zone in the first half.
The most telling part was how complete it all looked before the break, with Utah turning defense into points and never letting the Bearcats settle in. The Utes also continued a remarkable run of takeaways that has become part of the program's identity, and the timing could not be better with the rivalry game looming next. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Looks More Dangerous Than Ever With BYU Up Next
Utah kept rolling on the road Saturday, knocking off Cincinnati 49-25 to move to 8-0 and further strengthen the case that this team is built for more than just a strong start. Devon Dampier kept the offense humming with 260 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Hunter Andrews turned in another big day at tight end with five catches for 112 yards and two scores. It was the kind of balanced, high-end performance that has made the Utes look increasingly difficult to handle on either side of the ball.
The defense added to the statement win by scoring twice, including another pick-six to keep Utahs unusual run of defensive touchdowns going. Elijah Davis was the one who brought one back, and the Utes also got a return score on a Cincinnati turnover as the game tilted hard in their favor early. With BYU next, Utah is carrying both momentum and a growing sense that this team has more ways to beat you than most opponents can account for. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs Unbeaten Run Just Got Even More Encouraging
Utahs unbeaten start kept rolling Saturday in a way that should leave the rest of the Big 12 paying attention. The Utes handled Cincinnati 49-25 to move to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play, and they did it with a performance that looked complete from the opening series. Devon Dampier helped set the tone, Wayshawn Parker added to the push, and Utah piled up 534 total yards while never letting the Bearcats settle in.
What stood out most was how quickly the game got away from Cincinnati, with Utah scoring early and often before the defense joined the party. Daniel Bray and Hunter Andrews were part of an offense that kept finding answers, and the Utes had built a commanding halftime cushion long before the final whistle. For a team still unbeaten deep into the season, this was the kind of win that suggests Utah is not just surviving the Big 12 race, but controlling it. [Read more 🡒]