College football Week 9 buzz: Clemson's turnaround, the most disappointing teams and more

There are 10 undefeated teams in college football remaining, and surprise -- none of them are in the SEC.

After eight weeks, the SEC is arguably the most wide-open conference, with five schools having between a 30% and 50% chance to make it to Atlanta, according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor. Tennessee was the biggest playoff riser (22%) following its win against Alabama, while the Crimson Tide's chances of reaching the CFP sank by 25%.

And while no game in Week 9 will have a bigger effect on the CFP race than LSU at Texas A&M, the Friday night game between Boise State and UNLV will have monster implications on both the Mountain West Conference standings and the Group of 5 playoff positioning.

That's what the 12-team CFP has done -- brought Boise State and UNLV into the conversation, along with Indiana, Kansas State and ... Army and Navy?! There have been surprise contenders -- and major disappointments.

College football insiders Heather Dinich and Adam Rittenberg hit them both this week, and have been talking to sources to get their reactions and the storylines to watch in Week 9.

Jump to a section:
Which team has had the most disappointing season?
How did Clemson turn things around?
Best defensive player
What's an under-the-radar CFP contender?
Emptying the notebook

Which team has been the biggest disappointment this season?

Dinich: If we're handing out grades, you can't spell FSU without the F. The dropoff has been a plummet -- from the top of the ACC to an afterthought not just in the conference race, but in its own state, where rival Miami is now king.

It's one thing to swing and miss a few times in the transfer portal, but the issues in Tallahassee clearly run deeper. There were 82 players who returned from last season's ACC championship team -- many of whom coach Mike Norvell recruited.

What were supposed to be strengths are weaknesses. Florida State returned the most experienced offensive line in the ACC with 190 starts, and the Seminoles are averaging 2.5 yards per rush and 4.5 yards per play. They're averaging 13.7 offensive points.

Where is the leadership on the field? It left with the 10 NFL draft picks.

And to add to it all, this is the school that has banged its fist on the table the most about deserving more money from the ACC. This is the school that is suing its own conference. And now it's the school that has won one game.

Rittenberg: FSU is undeniably the answer here. As a Power 4 coach recently wondered, "How do you go from being in the ACC championship game to this bad?" But Oklahoma is definitely in the most disappointing team picture. When I did my future power rankings for teams in June and put Oklahoma at No. 16, I heard more from Sooners fans than any other base. My forecast wasn't really that dire and Oklahoma has made some real strides on defense this fall, but the problems on offense run deep -- far beyond the coordinator change Brent Venables made this week. Even Venables called the unit "an abomination" so far.

Injuries certainly have been a factor, especially at wide receiver, but the struggles along the offensive line, a traditional strength under longtime assistant Bill Bedenbaugh, jump out as especially concerning. The line had significant turnover from 2023, both to the NFL and to the transfer portal, and Oklahoma's personnel return hasn't really panned out. OU has used six starting line combinations in seven games with only two players -- North Texas transfer Febechi Nwaiwu and holdover Jacob Sexton -- starting every game. The Sooners rank 132nd out of 133 teams in sacks allowed (29) and 124th in yards per rush (3.07).

Dinich: You know what else is an "abomination?" USC losing at Maryland. Not just losing, but blowing a 14-point lead along the way. Someone needs to tape the word "finish" to each USC helmet because the Trojans have now lost their four games by a combined 14 points -- all with a lead in the second half. For all of the early season hype about the defensive improvement under first-year coordinator D'Anton Lynn, the defense gave up two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter in College Park. For this to happen at Maryland -- in front of one of the country's most apathetic fan bases, much of which left before their Terrapins won -- was embarrassing. Coach Lincoln Riley still gets a bit of a pass here only because of what he inherited and knowing that this was not supposed to be their year. Next season, the pressure is on to come out on the right side of these games.

Rittenberg: Michigan shouldn't get a pass in the disappointment category, seeing how it so rarely completes them (see what I did there, HD?). The Wolverines lost a notable group of players and coaches to the NFL, but the whole idea in promoting offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore to head coach -- and Moore promoting quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell to offensive coordinator -- was designed for minimal disruption. Michigan has had three starting quarterbacks in seven games, and ranks 109th nationally in total QBR. Even though Jack Tuttle posted a team season high for passing yards (208) against Illinois, he regularly missed open targets for big gains. Moore didn't publicly name a starter for this week's game against Michigan State, although Tuttle, who sources told me was always seen as the team's top option once he recovered from an elbow injury, should get another chance.

The defense is also a bit of a head-scratcher, given top-end talent at all three levels. Michigan is 96th in pass yards allowed and 57th in pass efficiency defense. It's fair to wonder if first-year coordinator Wink Martindale, who has been in the NFL for the past 20 seasons, is getting the most from the personnel.

"He's a great defensive playcaller, but college is a little different," a Big Ten coordinator said. "The NFL is such a pass-happy league, there are some things you don't have to worry about."

How did Clemson turn things around so much from Week 1?

Rittenberg: Clemson coach Dabo Swinney left Atlanta with more optimism than most, despite a 34-3 loss to Georgia. The Tigers missed opportunities from their very first offensive play, which Swinney called "a layup" for a 20- to 30-yard gain but Cade Klubnik threw low to Phil Mafah. "They were pissed," Swinney said of his players, "because physically, we matched up. The scoreboard is one thing, but the scoreboard doesn't tell the whole story. They came away from the game with frustration in themselves but also confident."

Clemson has since delivered with 40 or more points in five of its past six games, which Swinney attributes to continuity both with personnel and coordinator Garrett Riley, the emergence of Antonio Williams and a deep and reliable receiver group, Mafah's bruising consistency and an offensive line that has become "very connected" under Matt Luke. Swinney described Klubnik as "a completely different guy," both physically as he has added necessary mass, but also with his decision-making and overall mental approach.

"He hadn't really had a lot of football adversity in his life," Swinney said of Klubnik, referring to last season. "Three state championships, winner of the Elite 11 and then the first time you come in, you're the MVP of the [ACC] championship game. You look at quarterbacks last year, Jayden Daniels was a fifth-year guy, [Michael] Penix was a sixth-year guy, Bo Nix was a fifth-year guy and they couldn't fire him quick enough at Auburn. Kade is a really, really talented player. Not everybody's going to be a Heisman candidate as a true freshman or a first-year starter."

Another key development is Williams, whom Swinney called "an absolute beast of a receiver." Clemson used to count on having one or two of those per season but endured a drought until now.

"Antonio can play any [wide receiver] position," Swinney said. "We've got a few guys that are dynamic like that, and they give us a lot of different skill sets across the board."

Dinich: Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson watched a lot of Clemson film to prepare for the Oct. 12 game against the Tigers, a 49-14 loss, and he said the biggest difference in Clemson this season is the improvement on the offensive line, where he credited Luke with having a huge impact on the success.

Clawson also said Klubnik was playing better, and it's clear Clemson was more comfortable in the second season under Riley.

"Part of the reason Clemson is better is their offensive line to me this year is playing at a whole different level," Clawson said. "Matt Luke is doing a phenomenal job with that group. Klubnik got bigger, faster, stronger. He just looks more athletic. I think they're more skilled at the receiver position."

Clawson said Clemson has reverted to being a team that is tough to defend in both the run and the pass.

"When Clemson was good and winning national championships, it was pick your poison -- try to double some of their receivers and they hand the ball to Travis Etienne," he said. "Or try to outnumber the run and Trevor Lawrence and the group is going to carve you up. So they're back to being able to do both."

Who has been the nation's best defensive player?

Dinich: South Carolina edge rusher Kyle Kennard is not someone you want coming after you if you're a quarterback. The 6-foot-5, 254-pound senior from Atlanta is fourth in the country in sacks (8.5) and second in tackles for loss (13.5). He's also fourth in the nation with two forced fumbles.

The Georgia Tech transfer was also recently added to both the Chuck Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award watch lists, and was ranked No. 15 in ESPN's midseason ranking of the top 25 players. He had three tackles for loss against Alabama.

"He's very driven," South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said. "He's an older guy who's played a lot of football at Georgia Tech and has been very purposeful about what he wanted out of his time here. He has been very committed since he got here in January. He attacked the weight room, took coaching, and is playing with a ton of confidence right now."

Rittenberg: Kennard has been excellent, as has another defensive end who transferred into the SEC: Texas A&M's Nic Scourton. Labeled one of the top portal pickups after leading the Big Ten in sacks at Purdue last season (10), Scourton has delivered in big ways for the Aggies and first-year coach Mike Elko. Scourton, who had 15 tackles for loss last season, already has 11 this fall, and has 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss in SEC play alone.

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound Scourton broke out against Arkansas for two sacks, four tackles for loss and a strip sack with less than two minutes to go and Arkansas down 21-17. Aggies coach Mike Elko said the team "had a hole" at defensive end and targeted Scourton, who grew up miles from Kyle Field in Bryan, Texas.

"He can do a lot of things, he can rush the quarterback, he has been extremely disruptive, he's a really intelligent player, he can drop into coverage sometimes, although we don't do that a lot," Elko told me. "He's got a diverse set of skills. He has developed quite a bit in our system and been put in situations to be successful and productive. As people leave him 1-on-1, he can really impact the game."

Elko said Scourton has received double-teams and chip blocks from opponents since the Arkansas game. He faces an LSU offensive line Saturday that features two top NFL draft prospects at tackle in Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr.

"It's a great matchup," Elko said. "We've got a lot of NFL D-linemen and they've got a lot of NFL offensive linemen. I expect the cream to rise to the top on both sides."

What team is an under-the-radar CFP contender no one is talking about?

Rittenberg: I'll give you two teams that I saw win big games in person the past two weeks: LSU and Illinois. LSU hasn't been to the CFP since winning a national title in 2019 and doesn't have a roster with its typical amount of high-end talent. During a recent conversation with an LSU source, I mentioned that I thought Ole Miss, a team the Tigers rallied to beat in overtime on Oct. 12, had more overall talent. The person replied, "I don't think it's close." Yet LSU is 3-0 in SEC play, riding a six-game win streak since a table-pounding loss to USC, and showing increased confidence and connectivity on defense. Despite losing top linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. to a knee injury, LSU has received big contributions from linebackers Whit Weeks and Greg Penn III, ends Bradyn Swinson and Sai'vion Jones, and others. In the past two games, Weeks has 27 tackles, two sacks and his first career interception.

"If you were to ever lose a player at a particular position, that's the only place that we could afford to and not take a major hit," Kelly told me, referring to Perkins. "You're losing a great player in Perkins, but having both Penn and Weeks on the field, it mitigates it the best we can."

Illinois isn't on the CFP radar for many, but the Illini have three wins against AP Top 25 opponents (none are currently ranked), and their only loss is a respectable road setback against Penn State. What struck me in watching the Illini last week against Michigan is that they looked more like coach Bret Bielema's Big Ten championship teams at Wisconsin -- sturdy along the line of scrimmage, able to run the ball with different options, exhibiting a true complementary style. Bielema won Big Ten titles at Wisconsin in 2010, 2011 and 2012 before surprisingly leaving for Arkansas, so he knows the formula for success in this league.

Bielema told me that he's using different schemes than he did at Wisconsin, especially on offense with more tempo and varied personnel groupings at Illinois, but added, "The results are starting to get close to being the same."

Dinich: There has been lots of sugar poured on Iowa State and BYU -- and deservedly so -- but K-State should be on equal footing in this conversation for how it has played since the loss to BYU. Remember, this is still a relatively new offensive line with a first-year starting quarterback in Avery Johnson, and you can see the progress as the players grow more comfortable with one another. The running game is also one of the best in the country with junior running back DJ Giddens a true playmaker defenses have to account for.

"Last week was a great example," K-State coach Chris Klieman said. "West Virginia was not going to let DJ Giddens run the football and beat them, so we had to say, 'OK, we're going to line up three and four wides and throw the heck out of it and not utilize Avery as a runner, but utilize him as a thrower,' and we had really good success. So I think the confidence that our offense is gaining has been really good, and the balance that we can potentially build on and show that we're not just a pound the ball at you and win with ball control and defense -- we can win with explosive plays in the passing game and throw the ball to beat people."

The defensive line has also been underrated, and is putting pressure on quarterbacks -- part of back-to-back wins at Colorado and West Virginia. K-State has eight touchdowns from its tight ends, including four different players who have two each.

K-State is favored to win each of its remaining games -- except the regular-season finale against Iowa State. If the Wildcats can win that one, though, they'll have a shot at the CFP.

Let's empty your notebooks. What else are you hearing this week/what's the best thing you've heard?

Dinich:

• All season, Boise State has been the favorite Group of 5 team to reach the CFP, a position that was validated in early September when now-No. 1 Oregon needed a last-minute field goal to hold off the Broncos. Boise State enters Friday night's game at UNLV with the top résumé among the Group of 5 schools and the best chance to reach the CFP (47%), according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor.

  But UNLV is chasing the same goal, will have home-field advantage and is playing in its fourth Friday night game of the season. The Rebels are also not shying away from what's at stake.

  "Anybody that would say, 'Oh, we don't look at that,' they're lying," UNLV coach Barry Odom said of the playoff picture. "We know -- and we've felt this way since we started the season -- when you look at the 12-team playoff, to have a seat at that table, our margin for error is very, very slim to none. We know that. We do feel like we are in position because of our nonconference schedule and what we've been able to do that we're in the conversation, that it's real and it's exciting for our team and our program. We've worked really hard and had a number of conversations about the hope, the vision, the belief -- and then there's been some validation. And now we're on the front porch, trying to knock at the door."

  UNLV has arguably been more battle-tested than Boise State, having won on the road at Houston, Kansas and Oregon State. The lone loss was in overtime to Syracuse -- on a Friday night. Since then, Odom said the word "finish" has been on repeat.

  "Sometimes the greatest learning moments come from defeat or coming up short," he said. "I hate that we lost that game -- we were so close and had opportunities. That's why the other night at Oregon State for me was such a really good win for me because we had to finish the game in the fashion we did."

• Undefeated Miami continues to find ways to win -- including in back-to-back road games at Cal and Louisville. But the Cardiac Canes haven't made it easy on themselves, winning each of the past three games by a touchdown or less. Not since Sept. 21 at South Florida have the Canes won by double digits. Miami has had at least one turnover in each of its past three games but is No. 2 in the country in scoring offense (48.2 points per game) heading into Saturday's game against rival Florida State.

  Coach Mario Cristobal said his team was "very capable" of putting itself into a more comfortable fourth-quarter position.

  "I think we proved that earlier in the year, and we created our own tight games," he said. "We turned the ball over in a manner we hadn't done when we started the season. We're very well conditioned so we do feel we get stronger as the game goes on. But yeah, we're capable of being much more consistent, executing at a higher level and then not being careless in terms of the football, in terms of penalties, in terms of execution."

• One of the biggest reasons Notre Dame is still in the CFP conversation is because its defense has helped keep it there since the home loss to Northern Illinois -- and it's going to have to do it again Saturday against an undefeated Navy team that has the nation's No. 4 scoring offense (44.8 PPG).

  Notre Dame is holding its opponents to 279 yards per game (10th in the nation), 4.36 yards per play (No. 6), and 113 rushing yards per game (No. 30). Navy is fourth in the country, averaging 274.8 yards on the ground. Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden said one of the biggest strengths has been up front, particularly at defensive tackle where Rylie Mills and Howard Cross III have been playing well.

  "They've made a big difference," he said, "and that's translated into being better against the run."

  Notre Dame has little if any margin for error if it wants to reach the CFP, but Golden said coach Marcus Freeman has done a great job of keeping the team "in the moment."

  "We're not really thinking big picture," Golden said. "We're definitely playing better. We're playing more complimentary football. It's not on any single phase. We're helping each other out a lot more and I think our guys are responding to it. It doesn't help you to be stressed out about anything else. We just have to go out there and practice well and perform well, and that's a lot of credit to Marcus and the way he's leading everything."

Rittenberg:

• Pitt puts its perfect record (6-0) on the line Thursday night against another ACC surprise team in Syracuse (5-1), and quarterbacks Eli Holstein and Kyle McCord will be front and center. Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi told me that Holstein -- the Alabama transfer with 1,697 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, while adding 266 rushing yards and three scores -- has been "the biggest reason" in the team's turnaround from a 3-9 mark last season, but there's a completely different vibe on offense under new coordinator Kade Bell.

  "It's not like we went for a roster overhaul and brought in 45 transfers," Narduzzi said. "We do what we do defensively and always been pretty solid, but having a QB who can make plays with his feet is huge. Kade Bell has infused the offense. There's excitement, there's confidence, and then you've got a quarterback who can make plays. We're moving the ball and scoring touchdowns and giving your defense faith."

  Narduzzi noted how in last year's 58-7 loss to Notre Dame -- a low point in his tenure -- Pitt generated turnovers early, but the offense couldn't convert any into points. "The whole defense was looking over at the other end of the bench," Narduzzi recalled. Balance has been restored at Pitt thanks to Bell and players such as Holstein and Desmond Reid, who came with Bell from Western Carolina and stands out as an all-purpose back (494 rush yards, 341 passing yards).

  "He's a helluva coach," Narduzzi said of Bell, 31. "He's got great ideas, he's creative in so many ways, and he calls a great game. Being young, he's a coach's kid, his dad [Kerwin] played in the NFL and CFL, so he comes from a coaching family. When you say something to him, he gets it immediately. I've talked to some 50-year-old coordinators who don't get it."

• Diego Pavia's dynamic personality and playing style overshadows his efficiency -- 11 touchdown passes, only one interception, 66.2% completions -- and why he's such a perfect fit for the way Vanderbilt wants to play. Commodores coach Clark Lea told me that Vanderbilt is a "game-control offense," based around manageable third downs (the Commodores rank eighth nationally in conversions at 52.1%), red zone efficiency (sixth in red zone scoring percentage) and limiting overall possessions in games (tied for 18th in fewest defensive drives against).

  Pavia's familiarity with offensive coordinator Tim Beck -- the two came to Vanderbilt from New Mexico State -- has helped him pick his spots for big plays while maintaining the discipline Vanderbilt needs to compete with opponents that often have more talent.

  "What the world sees on Saturday is the guy out there just having a blast; they see the swagger and they see the edge that he plays with," Lea said. "But he's making really smart, focused decisions with the ball. He's on time, he's on target. He's taking every second of the play clock to try to see the defense, and once he knows where to go with the ball, he gets it there in a hurry."

  Vanderbilt already has wins over Alabama and Kentucky in SEC play, as well as Virginia Tech to open the season. But Texas, which visits Nashville after its first loss of the season, might be the most complete team Vanderbilt has faced.

  "They're fast everywhere," Lea said. "We cannot come out and in one of the three phases, play under our standard, because they will make you pay."

• The premier Group of 5 matchup of the season will pit strength versus strength when Boise State's offense and UNLV's defense are on the field. UNLV is tied for fourth nationally in takeaways with 16, and ranks 20th nationally against the run. Boise State is tied for fifth nationally (with UNLV and seven other teams) in fewest turnovers with four, and has the nation's best running back in Heisman Trophy contender Ashton Jeanty, whose 1,248 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns lead the nation's No. 2 run offense.

  "They've gotten better, even from the [Mountain West] championship game," said Boise State coach Spencer Danielson, whose team beat UNLV to win the league title last year. "They take the ball away, and they stop really well what we've shown to do well on offense. It's going to be a really good matchup."

• Wisconsin's recent improvement, especially on defense, can be tied to a longtime program tenet: Discipline. The Badgers have given up only one touchdown in their past three games, while giving up only 19.1% of third downs to be converted, which leads the nation in October. Wisconsin also is No. 1 nationally in points allowed, yards allowed and pass yards allowed this month.

  The Badgers are drawing only four penalties per game this season, which ranks eighth nationally and has improved from 52nd last season.

  "To be honest, we need every advantage we can get," coach Luke Fickell told me. "I was shocked that we were very average last year. For a team that needs to put it all together, that has something to do with it. It doesn't just show up in penalties; it shows up in the ability to execute, too. Those things have started to fall into line."

  Fickell praised the defensive front for its work in limiting explosive plays in key situations. Wisconsin also is getting playmaking, not only from usual sources such as safety Hunter Wohler, cornerback Ricardo Hallman and linebacker Jake Chaney, but safety Preston Zachman, who has interceptions in three of the past five games and "gives us a lot of flexibility," Fickell said. The challenge increases this week with Penn State, which is tied for seventh nationally in average plays of 10 yards or longer (18.2 per game).

  "They just make it really difficult on you during your preparation, because they're so multiple and so explosive," Fickell said of Penn State.