College Football Power Rankings: Week 9 (2024)

Conference play in college football has been electric this season, giving us upsets virtually every weekend. During Week 8, it was No. 1 Texas who fell to No. 5 Georgia at home, 30-15, going into the half-time locker room down 23-0.

Other notable finishes included No. 6 Miami out-dueling Louisville on the road in a 52-45 win to remain unbeaten, No. 11 Tennessee rallied in the second half to beat No. 7 Alabama 24-17, and a pair of undefeated Big 12 teams, No. 9 Iowa State and No. 13 BYU, scored late to preserve their perfect records.

Here are my updated Week 9 college football power rankings. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more college football free bets and weekly analysis.

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College Football Power Rankings: Week 9

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1. Oregon

Oregon was in command on the road against a one-win Purdue team right from the opening kickoff on Friday night. The Ducks’ QB1, Dillon Gabriel, built off of his impressive win over Ohio State by going 21-25 for 290 yards and two touchdowns, while Oregon’s defense didn’t surrender a single point in a 35-0 road win over the Boilermakers under the lights.

2. Georgia

QB Carson Beck deserves a lot of credit for how he’s bounced back from bad starts against Alabama and Texas. This time, Beck and the Bulldogs’ offense took advantage of a stout Georgia defense that forced multiple turnovers, building a 23-0 lead by halftime that was too much for the Longhorns to erase.

3. Penn State

Penn State was on bye in Week 8 after a big road win over USC, mounting a comeback late to win 33-30 in overtime. The Nittany Lions are undefeated and stay on the road against Wisconsin in Week 9, before hosting No. 4 Ohio State in Week 10.

4. Ohio State

The Buckeyes went on bye after a 32-31 road loss to Oregon in Week 7, so expect Ohio State to be fired up early against Nebraska at home in Week 9. The Cornhuskers just got routed 56-7 by Indiana, so expect the Buckeyes’ offense to be aggressive and put up another flurry of points with one of the country’s best and most expensive offensive rosters.

5. Miami (FL)

Despite shaky play from Miami’s defense, QB Cam Ward has found a way to win every football game for the Hurricanes in 2024. Their latest 52-45 road win over Louisville moves them up a spot in my power rankings, as Miami ends its two-game road stretch in Week 9 with a home game against a one-win Florida State team.

6. Texas

It was a bad loss for Texas at home against Georgia in Week 8 but the Longhorns have to regroup and focus on No. 25 Vanderbilt on the road in Week 9. Texas QB Quinn Ewers struggled with turnovers against Georgia, and the Commodores’ high-octane offense, which already beat Alabama a few weeks ago, will be another big test for Texas’ defense to contain.

7. LSU

LSU has improved on both sides of the line of scrimmage since a 27-24 Week 1 loss to USC. QB Garrett Nussmeier has thrown for 280 or more yards in six of seven games, while the Tigers’ defense has bottled up most of the opposing offenses faced during conference play. A comeback win over Ole Miss, followed by a dominant road win against a good Arkansas team, gives LSU plenty of momentum ahead of a big matchup against No. 14 Texas A&M in Week 9.

8. Tennessee

Tennessee was once again held without a single point in the first half for the third straight game, yet the Volunteers found a way to overcome a slow start against Alabama, scoring 24 points in the second-half to win outright as home underdogs. Tennessee’s QB Nico Iamaleava made some great throws and the defense recorded two interceptions, while holding the Crimson Tide to 2.2 YPC. A Week 9 bye gives the Volunteers rest before hosting a scrappy Kentucky team in Week 10.

9. Indiana

Indiana is my biggest mover in Week 9, stomping a good Nebraska defense 56-7. The Hoosiers, led by head coach Curt Cignetti and QB Kurtis Rourke, have now scored 41 or more points in six straight games, all with Rourke under center, while the defense held the Cornhuskers to 2.4 YPC and forced five turnovers. Indiana is undefeated and is set to host Washington in Week 9.

10. Clemson

Clemson continues to dominate ACC opponents with its offense, scoring 40 or more points in five of its last six games played. The Tigers, led by QB Cade Klubnik and RB Phil Mafah, beat a good Virginia team 48-31 in Week 8, despite falling down early 10-3 in the second quarter. Klubnik and the passing attack went for 345 yards and three touchdowns, while the ground game scored three more times with 194 rushing yards.