Each week during the season, our college football writers are picking the four teams they think belong in the playoff right now. This weekend, No. 5 Oklahoma's 48-41 loss at Kansas State on Saturday dropped the Sooners from the writers' top four.
Kansas State withstood a fourth-quarter rally from Oklahoma after the Wildcats built their lead with a 17-0 third quarter.
The other top-ranked teams won Saturday.
No. 1 Alabama routed Arkansas 48-7 with Mac Jones filling in nicely for injured starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Jones passed for 235 yards and three scores.
No. 2 LSU edged No. 9 Auburn 23-20. Joe Burrow passed for 321 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score.
No. 3 Ohio State rolled past No. 13 Wisconsin 38-7.
No. 4 Clemson had no trouble against Boston College.
The 59-7 win was Clemson's 23rd consecutive victory. Trevor Lawrence passed for 275 yards and three TDs.
Here's how our writers see the playoff field after Week 9. (Note: These are not their projections for how the season will end.)
Andrea Adelson: 1. LSU; 2. Clemson; 3. Alabama; 4. Ohio State
Edward Aschoff: 1. Ohio State; 2. LSU; 3. Alabama; 4. Clemson
Kyle Bonagura: 1. Ohio State; 2. Alabama; 3. Clemson; 4. LSU
Bill Connelly: 1. Ohio State; 2. LSU; 3. Alabama; 4. Penn State
Heather Dinich: 1. LSU; 2. Ohio State; 3. Alabama; 4. Clemson
David Hale: 1. LSU; 2. Ohio State; 3. Clemson; 4. Alabama
Sam Khan Jr.: 1. LSU; 2. Ohio State; 3. Alabama; 4. Clemson
Chris Low: 1. Ohio State; 2. LSU; 3. Alabama; 4. Clemson
Ivan Maisel: 1. Ohio State; 2. LSU; 3. Alabama; 4. Clemson
Ryan McGee: 1. LSU; 2. Alabama; 3. Clemson; 4. Penn State
Adam Rittenberg: 1. LSU; 2. Ohio State; 3. Alabama; 4. Clemson
Alex Scarborough: 1. LSU; 2. Clemson; 3. Ohio State; 4. Alabama
Mark Schlabach: 1. Ohio State; 2. LSU; 3. Clemson; 4. Alabama
Tom VanHaaren: 1. Alabama; 2. Ohio State; 3. LSU; 4. Clemson