Week 9 of the college football season produced a series of overreactions that reshaped the national conversation. The Big Ten, which had claimed three consecutive national championships, now appears closer to the ACC and Big 12 than to the dominant SEC. Meanwhile, Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith's Heisman Trophy chances took a hit after a loss to USC, Big 12 officiating drew sharp criticism for a third straight week, Notre Dame's playoff path grew perilous, and NC State appears poised to hire former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers as head coach.
Big Ten Falls Behind SEC
The Big Ten will not win a fourth straight national title this season. Its top teams are either deeply flawed or untested. Ohio State is not the same without star quarterback Julian Sayin, who may miss the rest of the year, and the Buckeyes showed additional weaknesses in a loss to USC. Indiana has not looked like a top-10 team all season, and UCLA's marquee win came against an Oregon team missing Dante Moore, with the Bruins owning the No. 75 strength of schedule. The rest of the conference includes a USC team blown out by Wisconsin and two-loss teams like Iowa and Northwestern. Collectively, the Big Ten is the most disappointing conference in the country. In contrast, the SEC holds the entire top five and nine of the top 10 toughest schedules per ESPN's metric, boasts seven viable playoff contenders, and its bottom tier is not weak. Arkansas and Vanderbilt struggle, but Texas A&M, Mississippi State, and Auburn could all beat Big Ten teams. Mississippi State already defeated Minnesota 38-13 earlier this year, and that same Minnesota team has beaten Iowa, Michigan, Washington, and pushed Indiana to overtime.
Smith's Heisman Case Damaged
Jeremiah Smith made Big Ten history with his 40th career touchdown catch, but the milestone came in a 30-18 loss to unranked USC. The defeat not only hurt Ohio State's playoff hopes but also dropped Smith behind Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney in Heisman odds. Backup quarterback Luke Fahey's struggles — especially on big throws and in the red zone — could limit Smith's opportunities for the "wow" plays needed to win the award. While Smith deserves a Heisman, the current trajectory suggests he will not be giving an acceptance speech in New York.
Big 12 Officiating Under Fire
Big 12 officiating has been embarrassing for three consecutive weeks, with multiple high-profile errors involving BYU. FOX Sports analyst Robert Griffin III said officials are "making up rules as they go." Two weeks ago, officials botched the end of BYU-Notre Dame, missing a clear pass interference and failing to review time properly. Last weekend featured a controversial roughing-the-kicker penalty and an incorrect 10-second runoff after a UCF player's helmet came off. On Saturday, a fumble by BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier was initially ruled dead, then reversed to a touchdown for running back Sione Pioha. Rules analyst Mike Pereira called the reversal inexplicable. The Big 12 admitted the mistake after BYU's 27-20 win over Arizona State. Commissioner Brett Yormark must prioritize fixing the officiating before his departure, as the credibility of the conference and the College Football Playoff race are at stake.
Notre Dame's Playoff Resume at Risk
Notre Dame is 7-1 and ranked No. 5 after a 35-13 win over Navy, but two results elsewhere damaged its resume. Syracuse's upset of No. 19 SMU and Iowa's 30-0 blowout of No. 25 Wisconsin eliminated the Fighting Irish's lone top-25 win (Wisconsin) and one of two remaining chances for a quality victory. Assuming SMU drops out of the rankings, Notre Dame's only remaining top-25 opportunity is next week against No. 1 Miami. A win would likely secure a top-four seed and a first-round bye. A loss could leave Notre Dame at 10-2 with zero top-25 wins and a strength of schedule ranked No. 57 nationally. That could be enough to be left out of an expanded 24-team playoff, especially if several 9-3 SEC teams are deemed more deserving.
Philip Rivers Targeted for NC State Job
CBS Sports reported that Philip Rivers has been the focus of NC State's coaching search since the firing of Dave Doeren. Multiple industry sources expect the hire to happen, with the school not seriously considering other candidates. Hiring a first-time college head coach from the high school ranks is a massive risk; the last such move was Trent Dilfer, who went 9-21 at UAB. However, Rivers was a cerebral quarterback whose coaching at St. Michael Catholic in Alabama has shown strong motivation and recruiting acumen. Success will depend on assembling a quality staff, including a general manager for NIL and personnel, and a defensive coordinator to handle that side of the ball. South Carolina defensive coordinator Clayton White, an NC State alum, is mentioned as a fit. NC State was consistently solid but rarely great under Doeren; Rivers represents a high-risk, high-reward attempt to elevate the program.
