Road to Vegas: 5 matchups to watch in Week 9 of college football

5 GAMES TO WATCH

Week 9 of the college football season brings two new teams into the AP Top 25 after losses by USC and Iowa dropped both programs out of the national rankings.

Highlighted by two ranked-on-ranked games, here are five games to watch as the college football season approaches its final stretch toward Las Vegas.

Remember, the College Football Playoff championship game is at Allegiant Stadium on Jan. 25.

No. 17 Florida vs. No. 3 Georgia

The annual rivalry game between the Gators and Bulldogs will have a different setting this season, with the teams meeting at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta instead of Jacksonville, Florida, because of renovations at EverBank Stadium.

Georgia enters the game 6-1 overall and 4-1 in SEC play, while Florida is 5-2 and 3-2 in conference games. A win in the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” would move the Gators ahead of the Bulldogs in the conference standings.

Florida’s offense has averaged 39.6 points per game during the 2026 season, helping the Gators move up in the latest AP Top 25 after defeating then-No. 7 Texas 27-24 in Week 7.

Georgia leads the all-time series 58-44-2 and won last year’s meeting 24-20.

No. 22 Arizona at No. 13 Texas Tech

A ranked Big 12 game awaits in Lubbock, Texas, as the Wildcats visit the Red Raiders for the first time since 1989. Both programs enter the game with identical 6-1 overall records and 3-1 marks in conference play.

Arizona is coming off a 39-3 win over Iowa State in Week 8, and the Wildcats have won their past five games. Quarterback Noah Fifita has thrown for 2,064 yards and 18 touchdowns with four interceptions this season.

Texas Tech, meanwhile, suffered its first loss of the season in Week 8, falling 37-24 at Cincinnati, winning six straight games before the defeat.

Arizona will look to earn its first win against the Red Raiders since 2019 and its first win in Lubbock since 1935.

No. 2 Ohio State at USC

The Buckeyes head to Los Angeles to face USC in a Big Ten game between a national championship contender and a Trojans program looking to rebound from a 24-7 loss to Wisconsin in Week 8 that dropped USC out of the AP Top 25.

Ohio State is 6-1 after defeating Indiana 19-15. The Buckeyes have averaged 39.3 points per game while allowing 13.4 points per game, ranking among the nation’s top five defenses in that category.

The Trojans are averaging 32.8 points and 303.6 passing yards per game, led by quarterback Jayden Maiava, who has thrown for 2,302 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2026.

The programs last met in the 2017 Cotton Bowl, when the Buckeyes won 24-7.

Auburn at No. 12 Ole Miss

Ole Miss returns home looking to respond after a 34-27 loss at Texas in Week 8. The Rebels are 5-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play, while Auburn enters at 4-3 overall and 2-3 in conference play. The Tigers are coming off a win over the then-No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs two weeks ago.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has thrown for 1,926 yards and 16 touchdowns through seven games, while receiver Deuce Alexander has recorded 610 yards and five touchdowns.

Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown has contributed 480 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, along with eight passing touchdowns.

Ole Miss will look to remain undefeated at home through four games in Oxford.

No. 6 Utah at Cincinnati

Utah takes an undefeated record through seven games for the first time since 2010 into Cincinnati for a Big 12 game against the Bearcats, who are coming off a win over then-No. 8 Texas Tech.

The Utes are 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play after defeating Houston 21-13 in Week 8. They have averaged 37.4 points per game while allowing 14.6, including 88.3 rushing yards per game in 2026.

Cincinnati is 5-2 and enters the game with momentum after defeating Tech 37-24 in Week 8. The Bearcats have averaged 35.4 points and 234.6 rushing yards per game, and their ground game will be tested against the Utes’ run defense.

The teams met for the first time last season, when Utah won 45-14.

Contact Donovan Hicks at [email protected]. Follow @HicksSports on X.