College football fans, fasten your seatbelts—the 2025 season has delivered another wild week, shaking up the national landscape and leaving plenty of questions as the playoff race heats up. After a string of upsets and dominant performances, the AP Top 25 and ESPN Power Rankings look almost unrecognizable compared to just a fortnight ago. With Ohio State and Indiana locking down the top two spots, and surprise surges from Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, the storylines are as unpredictable as ever.
Let’s start with the Buckeyes. Ohio State has been the standard-bearer all season, sitting atop both the AP Top 25 and the ESPN Power Rankings after a 34-0 dismantling of Wisconsin on October 18. That victory marked their sixth straight win by double digits, pushing their record to a pristine 7-0 and their cumulative scoring margin to a staggering 255-41. According to projections from The Athletic’s Austin Mock, the reigning national champions have a 50 percent chance to win the Big Ten, over 99 percent odds to make the College Football Playoff, and a 22 percent shot at repeating as national champions. Not too shabby for a team that lost 14 players to the NFL Draft last spring.
What’s driving Ohio State’s dominance? The defense, for starters, has been nothing short of suffocating. The Buckeyes boast the nation’s top red zone touchdown rate allowed—just 16.7 percent. Opponents have managed only two touchdowns and four field goals in 12 red zone trips, averaging a meager 2.08 points per visit. That’s more than a full point fewer than any other team in the country, and the best mark through seven games since the legendary 1993 Florida State squad. Much of that success comes from the sheer size and athleticism on the defensive front, as well as the versatility of linebacker Arvell Reese. Reese leads all Power 4 linebackers with 19 pressures and has racked up 5.5 sacks so far. His ability to blitz, spy, and cover makes him a unique weapon for defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, and his rapid rise up NFL Draft boards has not gone unnoticed.
On the offensive side, sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin is turning heads with his poise and precision. In his first year as a starter, Sayin leads the FBS in completion percentage (80 percent), is second in pass efficiency (189.7), fourth in touchdowns (19), and seventh in yards per attempt (9.6). His performance against Wisconsin—36 completions on 42 attempts for 393 yards and four touchdowns—was a career high and showcased his ability to handle pressure and deliver deep strikes. With a receiving corps featuring Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, Sayin is inching into the Heisman conversation in what’s shaping up to be a wide-open race.
Despite all the firepower, Ohio State isn’t without flaws. The running game has been inconsistent, particularly in recent weeks. The Buckeyes managed just 106 yards at 2.9 yards per carry against Illinois and 98 yards at 3.5 per carry versus Wisconsin. While freshman Bo Jackson has impressed with 433 yards and over six yards per carry, the team hasn’t found the right balance up front. The right side of the offensive line, especially guard Tegra Tshabola, has been problematic, with Tshabola allowing the most pressures among starters. Special teams have also been a concern, with a missed field goal against Wisconsin and shaky punt coverage leading to unnecessary drama. Head coach Ryan Day wasn’t pleased after a 20-yard fake punt conversion by Wisconsin, highlighting the need for improvement in the little things that can decide postseason games.
As the Buckeyes enter their bye week, all eyes turn to their upcoming clash with Penn State, which kicks off a daunting five-game stretch against Big Ten opponents. The pressure is mounting, but Ohio State has shown time and again that it thrives under the spotlight.
Meanwhile, Indiana has quietly climbed to No. 2 in both the AP and ESPN Power Rankings after a dominant third quarter propelled them past Michigan State. With Ohio State absent from their regular-season schedule, the Hoosiers have a clear path to the Big Ten Championship Game if they can keep their focus, starting with a test against a resurgent UCLA squad. Head coach Curt Cignetti has his team believing, and fans in Bloomington are dreaming of a title run that seemed improbable just a few seasons ago.
The chaos wasn’t limited to the Big Ten. Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt made headlines by cracking the AP Top 10 after a weekend that saw nine ranked teams fall. The Yellow Jackets, still unbeaten, edged out Duke in a nail-biter and now sit at No. 7 in the ESPN Power Rankings. Their quiet march through the season has made them a legitimate ACC and playoff contender, but they’ll need to stay sharp against an upset-minded Syracuse team this week. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, soared eight spots to No. 12 in the ESPN rankings, capitalizing on the missteps of others and making a case as one of the year’s most surprising stories.
Elsewhere, the SEC remains a battleground. Texas A&M survived a shootout with Arkansas to become the top-ranked SEC team at No. 3, while Alabama and Georgia both made significant climbs after statement wins over Tennessee and Ole Miss, respectively. Georgia’s offense exploded in a shootout victory, but their earlier loss to Alabama means they’ll need some help to reach the SEC Championship Game. The road ahead is treacherous, with rivalry games and ranked opponents still looming.
Week 9 promises more drama, with bold bettors eyeing upsets. Mississippi State, a 6.5-point underdog, will host No. 22 Texas at 4:15 p.m. ET on Saturday. The Bulldogs, under head coach Jeff Lebby, already knocked off a ranked Arizona State squad this season and are playing with nothing to lose. Texas, on the other hand, barely survived Kentucky in overtime last week and faces mounting pressure with Arch Manning under center. The SportsLine Projection Model favors Texas in 75 percent of simulations, but with the way this season’s gone, who’s counting out another upset?
Other notable matchups include Stanford (+30.5) trying to keep things close against No. 9 Miami, and Houston (+8) looking to build on a win over Arizona as they face No. 24 Arizona State. With the playoff picture still wide open and contenders emerging from every corner, the only safe bet is that more surprises are on the horizon.
As Week 9 approaches, the college football world is buzzing with anticipation. Will Ohio State maintain its iron grip on the top spot? Can Indiana, Georgia Tech, or Vanderbilt continue their improbable climbs? With so much left to play for, fans can expect more twists and turns before the dust settles on what’s shaping up to be one of the most memorable seasons in recent memory.
