College Football Week 9: USC Upset Ohio State, Texas Tech Finds Quarterback Solution, Notre Dame’s CFP Prospects Falter

USC rallied to a 30–18 victory over No. 2 Ohio State, giving head coach Lincoln Riley a crucial win after a recent loss to Wisconsin. Ohio State was without starting quarterback Julian Sayin, and freshman Luke Fahey struggled to generate offense, resulting in a 33% red-zone success rate, according to game analytics. Riley’s Trojans remain in contention for a College Football Playoff spot but must win their remaining games against Indiana and UCLA.

Texas Tech addressed its quarterback uncertainty by starting veteran Thomas Castellanos against Arizona. Castellanos completed 11 of 24 passes for 144 yards with two passing touchdowns and added 117 rushing yards, including a 64-yard touchdown run that sealed a 31–24 win. Coach Joey McGuire indicated that Castellanos is expected to start the upcoming game against West Virginia.

Notre Dame’s résumé for the College Football Playoff weakened after a series of mixed results. While the team secured a win over Wisconsin early in the season, subsequent losses by opponents such as BYU and SMU have reduced the perceived strength of those victories. The Fighting Irish face a challenging schedule that includes a matchup with No. 1 Miami.

Indiana’s special teams contributed to a 23–16 overtime win over Minnesota after kicker Nico Radicic tied the game with a 34-yard field goal and Paddy McAteer converted a 60-yard attempt in overtime. The Hoosiers’ defense then secured the victory.

Mississippi State’s backup quarterbacks struggled against Texas, with Parker Puckett completing three of ten passes for 22 yards and the team being sacked seven times.

Sacramento State recorded its first FBS win, defeating Kent State 31–10 after a season of heavy losses in the MAC.

Wisconsin suffered a 30–0 shutout loss to Iowa, extending Iowa’s recent dominance in the rivalry.