NCAAF · 11 hours ago

Ranking the Top 10 Potential Upsets for College Football Week 9

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

10. Army at Memphis
Army Black Knights @ Memphis Tigers
- Date: October 31 | Time: 8:00 PM ET | TV: ESPNU
- AP Rank: NR
- Records: Army: 5-2 | Memphis: 6-2
- Stadium: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium | Location: Memphis, TN
The American Athletic Conference is wide open with six teams currently sitting with one loss or fewer in the league. UTSA is a heavy favorite to take one of the spots in the title game, and two of the other one-loss squads meet on Saturday night in Memphis as the Tigers host 5-2 Army. Memphis lost 31-17 to a bad Tulane team and needed overtime to win at home over East Carolina. Marcus Stokes is a really good quarterback, but I don’t trust the Memphis defense, and Army is a real pain to play against, particularly if you struggle to stop the run.
1. Arizona at Texas Tech
Arizona Wildcats @ Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Date: October 31 | Time: Noon | TV: ESPN
- AP Rank: Arizona #22 | Texas Tech #13
- Records: Arizona: 6-1 | Texas Tech: 6-1
- Stadium: Galaxy Stadium | Location: Lubbock, TX
Most analysts have boiled the Big 12 race down to three teams and have dismissed all others not named Houston, Texas Tech, or Utah. I’m here to warn the Red Raiders: dismiss the Arizona Wildcats at your own peril. The Wildcats are 6-1 and ranked 22nd in the country, but that number should be closer to the top 15. Since losing 28-17 at BYU, Arizona has pummeled Big 12 foes: 34-7 Cincinnati, 52-31 at West Virginia, 39-3 to Iowa State. Noah Fifita is playing at a high level, and Cincinnati proved that this Texas Tech defense is very gettable. I think Arizona is the better team in this matchup and has a chance to be legitimized as a Big 12 Championship contender.
2. Wisconsin at Iowa
Wisconsin Badgers @ Iowa Hawkeyes
- Date: October 31 | Time: Noon | TV: FOX
- AP Rank: Wisconsin #25
- Records: Wisconsin: 5-2 | Iowa: 5-2
- Stadium: Kinnick Stadium | Location: Iowa City, IA
The Wisconsin Badgers dominated the USC Trojans on Saturday night in Madison, and they now travel to play the wounded Iowa Hawkeyes. Kirk Ferentz’s team is fresh off a last-second loss to Minnesota in Minneapolis, and the much-hoped-for offensive renaissance in Iowa City was extremely short-lived. The Badgers have a legitimately good defense, and Iowa’s offense has struggled in every conference contest that wasn't against a Washington team that looked like it had quit. This will be a very low-scoring affair, but I think Wisconsin is playing better entering this game.
3. Florida vs. Georgia
Florida Gators vs. Georgia Bulldogs
- Date: October 31 | Time: 3:30 PM ET | TV: ABC
- AP Rank: Florida #17 | Georgia #3
- Records: Florida: 5-2 | Georgia: 6-1
- Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Location: Atlanta, GA
Which Florida team is going to show up? The version that hammered Ole Miss and won at Texas? Or the team that was blown out at Missouri and against South Carolina? Head coach Jon Sumrall has surely had this game circled for a while, and the Gators have yet to name a starting quarterback with both Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. ready to go. Georgia lost to Auburn in their last outing, and both teams are coming off of a bye week as the rivals meet in Atlanta instead of Jacksonville. Crazy things happen in this annual battle, and Florida has shown high-end potential capable of beating the Bulldogs, particularly if they can establish a dominant running game.
4. Minnesota at Indiana
Minnesota Golden Gophers @ Indiana Hoosiers
- Date: October 31 | Time: 3:30 PM ET | TV: CBS
- AP Rank: Indiana #4
- Records: Minnesota: 5-2 | Indiana: 7-1
- Stadium: Memorial Stadium | Location: Bloomington, IN
The Minnesota Golden Gophers have been inconsistent, but their defense has been dominant in at least two recent contests, with wins over Michigan and Iowa to show for it. In short, every game for IU is scary until the Hoosiers show a consistent offensive attack. Head coach Curt Cignetti acknowledged that quarterback Josh Hoover is injured, but there has been no indication that the TCU transfer will sit out a game. This will be Indiana’s ninth game without a bye week (they get their break after this Halloween clash), and Minnesota is a physical foe that will at least offer resistance. Indiana is the better team, but coming off eight straight games, including back-to-back contests against Ohio State and Michigan, they are just trying to survive, and this game will probably look right at home a dozen years ago in the old Big Ten West. If it’s ugly and low scoring, anything could happen.
5. Northwestern at Oregon
Northwestern Wildcats @ Oregon Ducks
- Date: October 31 | Time: 3:30 PM ET | TV: Peacock
- AP Rank: Northwestern #20
- Records: Northwestern: 6-1 | Oregon: 4-3
- Stadium: Autzen Stadium | Location: Eugene, OR
The Oregon Ducks are in free-fall mode. Since topping USC but losing Dante Moore to a concussion, Oregon lost to UCLA, narrowly escaped Nebraska, and lost 21-10 to a bad Illinois team. Dan Lanning fired first-year offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, and it is obvious the Ducks desperately miss Will Stein. Does a change at OC magically jumpstart the offense? It will need to because Northwestern’s offense is for real. The Wildcats have only one loss, and it came in a game they stormed back against IU and nearly knocked off the reigning National Champions. Northwestern has Chip Kelly as its offensive coordinator, and it has developed one of the nation’s top rushing attacks. Oregon needs to play a whole lot better, or they’ll fall to 4-4.
6. Utah at Cincinnati
Utah Utes @ Cincinnati Bearcats
- Date: October 31 | Time: 3:45 PM ET | TV: ESPN
- AP Rank: Utah #6
- Records: Utah: 7-0 | Cincinnati: 5-2
- Stadium: Nippert Stadium | Location: Cincinnati, OH
Oddly, I think Cincinnati would be a much more obvious upset pick if they had lost to Texas Tech last Saturday. As is, this is still a very dangerous spot for the No. 6 Utah Utes. Utah beat Houston in Salt Lake City to remain unbeaten, and they are riding high and now the favorite to win the Big 12. JC French IV is a dangerous dual-threat quarterback, and running back Cole Tabb was fantastic against the Red Raiders. The question will be whether or not Cincinnati’s defense can hold up against Utah’s offense. Still, historic Nippert Stadium is a tough place to play, and Utah has to travel there after an emotional win, so this is a tricky spot that should be watched.
7. Purdue at Penn State
Purdue Boilermakers @ Penn State Nittany Lions
- Date: October 31 | Time: 4:15 PM ET | TV: BTN
- AP Rank: NR
- Records: Purdue: 3-4 | Penn State: 3-4
- Stadium: Beaver Stadium | Location: University Park, PA
I don’t know what Penn State has done to merit anyone putting trust into the Nittany Lions. The defense has looked mostly slow and unathletic, and the offense has been, at best, average with quarterback Rocco Becht looking really shaky nearly every week. Purdue’s defense is fairly poor, but the Boilermakers have improved a ton on offense. I think the Boilermakers have the better running back, the better quarterback, and the better offensive play caller in this matchup. It’s not easy to win in State College, but there’s not much juice surrounding the PSU program right now, so it will never feel quite as easy as it should this Saturday.
8. Ohio State at USC
Ohio State Buckeyes @ USC Trojans
- Date: October 31 | Time: 7:30 PM ET | TV: NBC
- AP Rank: Ohio State #2
- Records: Ohio State: 6-1 | USC: 6-2
- Stadium: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Location: Los Angeles, CA
It’s desperation time in Los Angeles for Lincoln Riley. After a shambolic performance in Madison, Riley’s tenure is on thin ice, and a home loss to Ohio State against a backup quarterback could very well end his time as head coach for the Trojans. No matter who Ryan Day chooses at quarterback, the Buckeyes will be limited on offense, and USC should treat this as a “kitchen sink” game where anything goes to try to get a vital victory and stay alive for the College Football Playoff.
9. Missouri at Arkansas
Missouri Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks
- Date: October 31 | Time: 7:45 PM ET | TV: SEC Network
- AP Rank: Missouri #23
- Records: Missouri: 5-2 | Arkansas: 3-4
- Stadium: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium | Location: Fayetteville, AR
Arkansas got off to a terrible start this season, but they rebounded with a competitive loss to Tennessee (a game they were tied in with two minutes remaining) and then went on the road and handled Vanderbilt with ease. The Razorbacks are now 3-4 and coming off a bye week as they host rival Missouri. The Tigers are 5-2, but their last game was a very disappointing blowout loss at Ole Miss. If Austin Simmons doesn’t find his rhythm again and Missouri is unable to run the ball, Arkansas could be competitive and pull off the upset.
10. Army at Memphis
Army Black Knights @ Memphis Tigers
- Date: October 31 | Time: 8:00 PM ET | TV: ESPNU
- AP Rank: NR
- Records: Army: 5-2 | Memphis: 6-2
- Stadium: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium | Location: Memphis, TN
The American Athletic Conference is wide open with six teams currently sitting with one loss or fewer in the league. UTSA is a heavy favorite to take one of the spots in the title game, and two of the other one-loss squads meet on Saturday night in Memphis as the Tigers host 5-2 Army. Memphis lost 31-17 to a bad Tulane team and needed overtime to win at home over East Carolina. Marcus Stokes is a really good quarterback, but I don’t trust the Memphis defense, and Army is a real pain to play against, particularly if you struggle to stop the run.
1. Arizona at Texas Tech
Arizona Wildcats @ Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Date: October 31 | Time: Noon | TV: ESPN
- AP Rank: Arizona #22 | Texas Tech #13
- Records: Arizona: 6-1 | Texas Tech: 6-1
- Stadium: Galaxy Stadium | Location: Lubbock, TX
Most analysts have boiled the Big 12 race down to three teams and have dismissed all others not named Houston, Texas Tech, or Utah. I’m here to warn the Red Raiders: dismiss the Arizona Wildcats at your own peril. The Wildcats are 6-1 and ranked 22nd in the country, but that number should be closer to the top 15. Since losing 28-17 at BYU, Arizona has pummeled Big 12 foes: 34-7 Cincinnati, 52-31 at West Virginia, 39-3 to Iowa State. Noah Fifita is playing at a high level, and Cincinnati proved that this Texas Tech defense is very gettable. I think Arizona is the better team in this matchup and has a chance to be legitimized as a Big 12 Championship contender.