College Football Winners, Week 9 Losers: Texas Disappoints in Win, Baylor Ends Embarrassing Streak

Week 9 proved to be an eliminator for the conference title game and the College Football Playoff as the top contenders fell. No. No. 14 Texas A&M added its name to the list of serious CFP hopefuls after shocking No. 8 LSU 38-23 in a game that could have major implications for the remainder of the SEC season.

Elsewhere, Missouri crossed its name off that same list after Alabama wiped the Tigers off the planet with a 34-0 win in Tuscaloosa. Ohio State and Texas showed some big cracks at the rebound spots, while Oregon rolled. Boise State tightened its grip on the Group of Five race after outlasting UNLV.

The best part of the new 12-team College Football Playoff system is the sheer number of games with real consequences. They were widely felt in week 9. Here are the biggest winners and losers of Week 9, including a death knell for some hopeful CFP candidates.

Winner: Texas A&M

Texas A&M has played games like this so many times and come up just short. There was the season opener against Notre Dame that went all the way. There were potential upsets against Ole Miss, Alabama and Tennessee last season. Since 2020, this program has been defined by falling just short in close games.

Welcome to the Mike Elko era. It's a new Texas A&M. The Aggies saw it when LSU least expected it, bringing in backup quarterback Marcel Reed to provide a running threat and score four consecutive touchdowns. The defense made LSU's offense completely one-dimensional and forced three interceptions to ice the game.

Texas A&M has sole possession of first place in the SEC standings, ahead of Texas and Georgia. The Aggies are the only undefeated team left in SEC play and have a good shot at both the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.

Loser: Bitter rivals

Michigan State had to watch Michigan win three consecutive Big Ten championships and a national title, while the Spartans fired their coach for cause. Kansas put together its best roster in fifteen years and finally looked ready to end Kansas State's long winning streak. Navy competed against Notre Dame and Florida State tried to stay alive to become bowl eligible against Miami. Sadly, it all ended in heartbreak.

The Spartans pushed Michigan to the limit and ultimately fell short in the red zone with a chance to tie the game on the final drive. Unfortunately, Aidan Chiles couldn't hit on fourth and fifth. Kansas led Kansas State with less than two minutes left, but KSU kicker Chris Tennant scored a 51-yard field goal to clinch the win.

For Navy and Florida State, promising days turned into losses that put a major dent in their plans. Sometimes seasons are about one big game. This time it yielded no results.

Winner: QB Brendan Sullivan, Iowa

After seven games, Iowa finally got tired of the Cade McNamara experience and turned the keys over to athletic backup Brendan Sullivan. The exchange was almost miraculous. Sullivan outscored a team 7-3 in the second quarter and led 37-0 the next two quarters.

The junior was inconsistent, only throwing for 79 yards and rushing for 41, but the threat of his run opened things up for star running back Kaleb Johnson, scoring three touchdowns. Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester has tried several approaches to get the most out of his limited personnel, but Sullivan could be the answer heading into an important four-game stretch to end the year.

Loser: Kentucky

All year long, the conversation focused on Auburn and its complete inability to recruit and develop quarterbacks at the SEC level. Well, a game against Kentucky can help soothe the soul. Despite a win over Ole Miss, Kentucky has now convincingly proven itself as the worst team in the SEC after handing Auburn a 24-10 win – and disastrous offensive results were at the forefront. The Wildcats mustered just 224 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per play and made a quarterback change. Unfortunately, Gavin Wimsatt did no better than Brock Vandagriff, completing 3 of 10 passes with an interception.

It flew under the radar, but Kentucky quietly invested heavily in its 2024 roster. Vandagriff was a former five-star recruit, while running back Chip Trayanum and wide receiver Raymond Cottrell were four-stars. There were serious expectations for the team this season. Instead, Kentucky is scraping the bottom of the barrel. Mark Stoops will never be fired (nor should he), but serious questions need to be asked about whether he wants to hold the job long-term. Remember, his brother, Bob, was almost 56 when he retired from Oklahoma. Mark just reached 57.

Winner: Colorado

Do you still believe? The Coach Prime circus has largely calmed down. In its place, a legitimately good football team has emerged. The Buffaloes survived a late comeback by Cincinnati racking up six wins and qualifying for bowling behind 153 yards and two touchdowns from do-it-all star Travis Hunter for the first time since 2016.

That said, it's actually the defense that has made strides, holding every opponent to 31 points or less this season. Deion Sanders came to Boulder promising big results, and the opportunity could very well present itself at home. The rest of the Big 12 schedule is a combined 5-15 in conference play. Although it is highly unlikely that the games will be completely won, there is a path to 10 wins! Near Colorado!

Loser: Ohio State

The Buckeyes survived a late challenge from Nebraska in a 21-17 victory, but the script of the game should inspire little confidence about the nation's most talented roster. Seven of Ohio State's 10 complete drives ended in four plays or fewer as the program rushed for just 64 yards on 31 carries without left tackle Josh Simmons in the first game.

Ohio State was a popular choice to win the national championship to start the year, but the performance was hugely upsetting over the Buckeyes' first loss of the season. Without Simmons, one of the season's standouts, Ohio State's run blocking is lackluster. Nebraska was only able to convert one touchdown drive, but the games against No. 3 Penn State and No. 13 Indiana suddenly look much more complicated. With a loss on their record, Ohio State doesn't have much wiggle room in this stretch.

More:Buckeyes can't rely on talent alone in the Penn State showdown

Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi made some concessions when he decided to bring in speedy offensive coordinator Kade Bell. Against Syracuse, Narduzzi finally got a game in his image. Pitt recorded three pick sixes on Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord and used their defense to suffocate the Orange on a day when the Panthers' offense was not at its best.

Suddenly, the Panthers are 7-0 heading into a big game against SMU that could have major implications for the ACC. This team was left for dead in 2023 after a miserable 3-9 campaign, but Narduzzi is putting together another special season.

Loser: Missouri

Brady Cook managed to postpone the funeral for a week, but that was inevitable. The Tigers' SEC and CFP chances are officially over after running out of the building 34-0 against Alabama. With Cook sidelined with injury after 12 pass attempts, backup Drew Pyne entered the game and threw three interceptions in a miserable performance.

The loss is extremely disappointing for a Tigers program that entered the season with dreams of competing for a national championship. Missouri invested heavily in key transfers and retentions to stay in the mix. Whether it's inconsistent quarterback play, offensive line turnover or something else, Missouri is a shadow of its former self in 2023. The 34-point loss only revealed what was always there. My colleague Will Backus believes Missouri's title window has slammed shut.

Winner: Boise State

Ashton Jeanty is No. 3 in Heisman betting at +320 according to DrafKings Sportsbook, but he was merely excellent instead of his usual otherworldly self against UNLV. Luckily, the rest of the Broncos team was up for the challenge. In one of the Group of Five's best regular season games in years, the Broncos outlasted UNLV 29-24 to take control of the Mountain West championship race and stay alive in the hunt for the College Football Playoff.

Jeanty rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown, but was held to just 3.9 yards per carry against a physical UNLV defense. Now that he was in the bottle, it was quarterback Maddux Madsen who rose to the challenge. He responded by ripping off a 49-yard run and scoring two touchdowns in the win. Boise State still has games against San Jose State and Oregon State, but will be betting on favorites for the remainder of the regular season schedule.

More:Broncos pass tough UNLV test

Loser: Texas

The Longhorns survived a brutal test from Vanderbilt, escaping 27-24 after some chaos at the end. Despite the win, the game exposed some serious holes for the Longhorns. Quarterback Quinn Ewers threw multiple interceptions and the Longhorns averaged just 3.1 yards per carry. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is a unique force to deal with, but he was able to cause some real problems for a usually salty Texas defense.

Most concerning, Texas' offensive line — heralded as perhaps the best in the country — struggled for the second week in a row. The Longhorns allowed nine tackles for loss and four sacks, nearly doubling Vanderbilt's season marks in both categories. Everyone hoped that Texas would bounce back from its loss to Georgia with a decisive victory. Instead, the Longhorns fall back.

To say Baylor needed a win over Oklahoma State was an understatement. Heading into the game, the Bears had not won a Big 12 home game since Oct. 22, 2022 – more than two calendar years ago. The last time Baylor won back-to-back games was on Nov. 5, 2022. Dave Aranda's squad exorcised both demons by pulling away from Oklahoma State in a 38-28 victory in Waco. The Bears rushed for 343 yards and quarterback Sawyer Robertson scored four total touchdowns. More important games await, but the schedule opens after beating Texas Tech and Oklahoma State in back-to-back weeks. The Bears' upcoming Big 12 opponents are currently a combined 6-10 in conference play. Baylor only needs to win two to mercifully return to bowling.