College football Week 9: Arizona-Texas Tech, Florida-Georgia top schedule as quirky season continues

Given all the upsets and other strange occurences this season, college football fans must be wondering what surprises are in store for Week 9.

A total of 10 teams in The Associated Press Top 25 have lost over the last three weeks, including two No. 1s and a No. 2 that were beaten by unranked opponents. Trick or treat, indeed.

Beyond the upsets, the season has seen end-of-game clock fiascos adversely affect Western Michigan and Notre Dame, disputed calls and no-calls and incorrectly administered penalties that forced conferences to issue mea culpas on behalf of their officials. One good thing to come of it: In the name of transparency, the Big 12 and Big Ten joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in allowing networks (and viewers) to listen in on referees' discussions with replay officials during video reviews.

October marked the start of coach firings with Maryland’s Michael Locksley, N.C. State’s Dave Doeren and Baylor’s Dave Aranda the first to go, and a host of other coaches are on warming seats. And in a sign of the times with players getting paid, and possibly as a way to keep tampering at bay, star receiver Jesse Legree made an in-season announcement that he already has re-upped for another year at Oregon State.

Like last week, there are only two Top 25 matchups Saturday: No. 22 Arizona at No. 13 Texas Tech and No. 17 Florida vs. No. 3 Georgia in Atlanta.

Don't let that keep you from watching all day long because, as this season has shown as much as any, anything can happen. And we haven't even gotten to November.

Best game

No. 22 Arizona (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) at No. 13 Texas Tech (6-1, 3-1), noon ET (ESPN)

Arizona has won five straight by an average of 40-16 and Noah Fifita is passing for 295 yards per game as the most accurate passer in the country behind Miami's Darian Mensah. The Red Raiders are coming off a road loss to Cincinnati that left coach Joey McGuire livid, especially about his team's three turnovers and inability to stop the run.

The winner gets an inside track to the Big 12 championship game. The Wildcats' only loss was to No. 8 BYU, so a win in Lubbock and at home against TCU next week would set up a huge showdown with No. 6 Utah in Tucson on Nov. 14. Texas Tech's toughest remaining game after this is on the road against No. 24 Oklahoma State.

Heisman Trophy watch

Ohio State sensation Jeremiah Smith has been projected to be the runaway winner for weeks, but the Miami tandem of Mensah and Malachi Toney might have closed the gap with their performances against Pittsburgh last week.

Smith will get the spotlight this week against Southern California, but yet to be seen is whether Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair will have anything resembling the connection Smith had with injured QB Julian Sayin.

Mensah and Toney go into Saturday's game at North Carolina off impressive performances. Mensah hit on 31 of 37 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns in the 52-23 win over Pitt, and his 81.4% season completion rate is on FBS record pace. Toney caught a school-record 16 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns.

Smith is an even-money favorite to win the Heisman, according to online sportsbooks, while Mensah is 3-to-1 and Toney is 7-to-2. No one else is close.

Numbers to know

2 — Teams that have totaled more yards in punts than offense in conference play (Old Dominion, Sam Houston State).

17 — Ohio's consecutive home wins, the longest streak in the nation.

91 — Arizona QB Noah Fifita's career touchdown passes, most among active FBS players.

499 — Rice's rushing yards in a 51-49 loss to Florida Atlantic last week, most by a losing team since Army ran for 534 in a loss to North Texas on Nov. 18, 2017, according to Sportradar.

923 — Receiving yards needed by Oregon State's Jesse Legree over the next six games (assuming Beavers play in a bowl) to break Michael Crabtree's FBS freshman record of 1,962 in 13 games for Texas Tech in 2007.

Under the radar

Army (5-2, 4-1 American) at Memphis (6-2, 3-1), 8 p.m. ET (ESPNU)

This sets up to be the toughest remaining game for both and could knock the loser out of the race for a spot in the American championship game. Neither has conference leaders UTSA or North Texas on its schedule.

The Black Knights lead the nation with 345.7 rushing yards per game and QB Cale Hellums is seventh at 120 per game. His 16 rushing touchdowns are tied for first in the country.

Memphis is averaging 508 yards and 36 points per game with Marcus Stokes and Jaylin Carter leading the way.

Hot seat

Lincoln Riley's time at Southern California hit a low point with last week's 24-7 road loss to Wisconsin. The Trojans had their fewest yards and points in Riley’s five seasons, got bounced from the AP Top 25 and at 6-2 are on the cusp of elimination for College Football Playoff consideration.

Riley already was on shaky ground with fans and boosters for underachieving with a high-priced roster. The Trojans were in line to make the playoff in his first season (2022) when they were No. 4 in the CFP rankings prior to a 23-point loss to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game. They haven't come close since.

USC is a 6 1/2-point home underdog against a second-ranked Ohio State team that will start a backup quarterback Saturday. The Trojans still have to play at No. 4 Indiana and at the Rose Bowl against seventh-ranked crosstown rival UCLA.

As a private school, USC is not required to make public details of Riley's contract. According to media reports, citing anonymous sources, the contract runs through 2031 and buyout estimates range from $57 million to $70 million if he's fired this year.

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