Week 9 of the college football season delivered a cascade of upsets, with seven AP Top 25 teams falling in the first two windows of play, including five losses to unranked opponents. No. 2 Ohio State suffered a stunning defeat to USC, marking Ryan Day's second career loss to an unranked team, while No. 1 Miami narrowly escaped. No. 3 Georgia dominated rival Florida, and No. 4 Indiana needed a 60-yard field goal to force overtime against Minnesota. No. 13 Texas Tech rebounded with a strong showing, while No. 25 Wisconsin was shut out 30-0 by Iowa.
Losers
Ohio State's loss to USC exposed vulnerabilities, as the Buckeyes surrendered a 69-yard touchdown on the second play and allowed USC to score on four of its first six drives. The defeat marked Ohio State's first two-loss season before November since 2011. Nebraska saw a late collapse against Washington, with quarterback Anthony Colandrea throwing a pick-six in the final seconds after the Cornhuskers led 7-3. The loss extended Nebraska's skid to three straight games by a combined 13 points. Wisconsin's resurgence under Luke Fickell ended abruptly as the Badgers managed only 52 rushing yards and allowed Iowa quarterback Hank Brown to complete 20 of 24 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Oklahoma continued its downward spiral under Brent Venables, falling 42-25 to South Carolina at home, with the defense allowing 28 first-half points and an 84-yard touchdown pass. SMU's playoff hopes took a hit with a 30-27 loss to Syracuse, surrendering a touchdown with 17 seconds remaining.
Winners
Iowa State stunned No. 24 Oklahoma State 51-49 on a game-winning field goal, with running back Aiden Flora rushing for 221 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard score. The Cyclones now face four unranked opponents to close the season. Missouri's Ahmad Hardy made an inspiring return from a gunshot wound suffered over the summer, breaking off a 37-yard run in his first action against Arkansas. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti survived a clock-management miscue, as the Hoosiers hit a 60-yard field goal to force overtime and eventually beat Minnesota 23-16. Texas Tech, after a loss to Cincinnati, turned to backup quarterback Thomas Castellanos and earned wins over No. 22 Houston and No. 22 Arizona, thrusting the Red Raiders into the Big 12 title conversation. Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola, a Nebraska transfer, rebounded from a 10-0 deficit to throw for 336 yards and three touchdowns in a win over No. 20 Northwestern, setting up a showdown with Ohio State next week. Baylor's DJ Lagway, under interim coach Joe Klanderman, threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in a 41-9 rout of UCF. Sacramento State captured its first FBS victory, defeating Kent State 31-10 behind 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Isaiah Ene.
