CBS Sports columnist examines the biggest overreactions from Week 9 of the college football season, highlighting a shifting conference hierarchy, Heisman Trophy implications, officiating controversies, and a potential high-profile coaching hire.
Big Ten Falls Behind SEC, Closer to ACC and Big 12
The Big Ten, winner of the last three national championships, appears far from a fourth consecutive title. The conference's top teams are deeply flawed or untested: Ohio State lost star quarterback Julian Sayin and fell to USC; Indiana has not looked like a top-10 team; UCLA's marquee win came against an Oregon squad missing Dante Moore. The rest of the field includes a USC team blown out by Wisconsin and two-loss teams Iowa and Northwestern. Meanwhile, the SEC boasts the entire top five and nine of the ten toughest schedules per ESPN, with seven viable playoff contenders and a stronger bottom half. The Big Ten now resembles the ACC and Big 12 more than the SEC.
Jeremiah Smith's Heisman Case Damaged by Ohio State Loss
Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith caught his 40th career touchdown against USC, but the 30-18 loss hurt his Heisman chances. Smith has slipped behind Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney in betting odds. Backup quarterback Luke Fahey's struggles — especially in the red zone — and a more conservative offense could limit Smith's opportunities for "wow" plays. While Smith deserves a Heisman, the column argues he likely won't win one this season if Ohio State's performance persists.
Big 12 Officiating Draws Sharp Criticism
Big 12 officiating has been problematic for three consecutive weeks, heavily involving BYU. Analysts Robert Griffin III and Mike Pereira criticized calls in the BYU-Notre Dame game (missed pass interference and time review), a roughing-the-kicker penalty and incorrect 10-second runoff against UCF, and a controversial fumble recovery touchdown for BYU against Arizona State. The conference admitted the latest error. Commissioner Brett Yormark is urged to prioritize fixing officiating before his departure, as repeated mistakes damage credibility and could affect the College Football Playoff race.
Notre Dame's Playoff Path Grows Perilous
Despite a 7-1 record and No. 5 ranking, Notre Dame's playoff resume took hits when Syracuse upset SMU and Iowa blew out Wisconsin. The Irish now have zero top-25 wins and only one remaining chance — against No. 1 Miami. A loss could leave Notre Dame at 10-2 with a strength of schedule ranked 57th, potentially behind several 9-3 SEC teams. The expanded 24-team playoff may help, but soft scheduling could again be the difference between inclusion and exclusion.
Philip Rivers Emerges as Leading Candidate for NC State Head Coach
Former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers is the focus of NC State's search after the firing of Dave Doeren. Multiple sources expect the hire to happen. Rivers, a successful high school coach at St. Michael Catholic in Alabama, is a program legend and strong motivator. However, the jump from high school to FBS is risky; the last such move, Trent Dilfer at UAB, ended poorly. Success will depend on assembling a strong staff, including a general manager for NIL and a defensive coordinator like South Carolina's Clayton White, an NC State alum. Rivers represents a high-risk, high-reward choice to reinvigorate a program that was solid but rarely great under Doeren.
