The College Football Playoffs don't start for more than a month, but for two-loss SEC teams like Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee, they essentially start on Saturday. Those teams are all part of top-20 matchups as the No.

No. 17 Cincinnati at No. 24 Utah is the big game in the Big 12, with the upstart Bearcats looking to extend their winning streak to eight games. The game of the week in the Atlantic Coast Conference is No. 10 Miami at SMU, the teams' first meeting since the Mustangs joined the league last year.

Texas A&M established itself as a national title contender while ending the Brian Kelly era at LSU in one fell swoop on Saturday.

BYU remained unbeaten after defeating Iowa State 41-27. The No. 11-ranked Cougars improved to 8-0 and are still tied atop the Big 12 standings (5-0) with Cincinnati after overcoming a 14-point deficit in the first half.

Week 9 results also impacted bowl games outside of the College Football Playoff. LSU falls in the SEC bowl pecking order after its loss to Texas A&M, while Auburn moves to the Texas Bowl after a victory at Arkansas. Cincinnati and Houston are also on the rise in Big 12 bowl projections after wins on Saturday.

The No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers face the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 at Kroger Field in Lexington, Ky.