Another chaotic week of games shook up the college football landscape.
The Colorado Buffaloes were humbled in Salt Lake City by a much more physical Utah team, LSU made a stunning coaching change after dropping one to Texas A&M in Death Valley, and Indiana solidified itself as a true playoff threat.
From Bloomington to Baton Rouge, here are the biggest winners and losers from week 9 of the college football season.
Coming off an upset win over then No. 22 Iowa State and with the bye week providing an extra week to prepare, it seemed like Colorado had momentum on its side. Instead, the Buffs were blindsided by the Utes on both sides of the ball.
Utah freshman quarterback Byrd Ficklin, making his first college start, torched Colorado for 151 rushing yards on the ground, opening the game with a 63-yard touchdown run on just the second play from scrimmage.
From then on, the Utes dominated every phase of the game in a 53–7 rout, handing Deion Sanders the most lopsided defeat of his Colorado tenure. The Buffs now sit at 3–5 on the season and 16–17 overall under Sanders — a harsh reality check after what looked like a turning point two weeks ago in Boulder.
“The way we practiced, the way we prepared, there was no way that should have happened,” Sanders said after the loss.
Colorado’s defense struggled to contain Utah’s physical rushing attack, while the offense managed just 167 total yards and surrendered seven sacks. It was a complete and total collapse for a team still clinging to bowl hopes.
The Buffs will look to regroup in Boulder this weekend, returning home to face 4–3 Arizona, another program hungry to rebound after a close loss to Houston.
In one of the biggest headlines of the weekend, LSU dismissed head coach Brian Kelly following a 49–25 blowout loss at home to Texas A&M — the Aggies’ first win in Death Valley since 1989.
LSU entered halftime with an 18–14 lead, but the Tigers unraveled in the second half as Mike Elko’s Aggies outscored them 35–7 to remain undefeated at 8-0, the Aggies best start since 1992. The second-half collapse not only ended LSU’s playoff hopes but also ended Kelly’s tenure in Baton Rouge.
Kelly, who was hired in 2021, finishes his LSU stint with a 34–14 record. Respectable by most standards, but far from the championship expectations of Tiger Nation. Now, running backs coach Frank Wilson will take over head coaching duties for the remainder of the Tigers’ season.
The midseason firing signals more than just frustration in Baton Rouge — it’s a statement that LSU expects to compete for the national title every year, and missing the College Football Playoffs is just not acceptable. With one of the most talented rosters in the country and top-tier NIL resources, the Tigers will now begin another high-profile coaching search that could shape their future for years to come.
MORE: Deion Sanders Benches Key Colorado Weapons As Offense Capsizes Against Utah Utes
MORE: Deion Sanders Reacts To Colorado Buffaloes’ Meltdown At Utah
MORE: What Kaidon Salter Said After Colorado Buffaloes’ Embarrassing Loss At Utah
Indiana is no longer a feel-good underdog story — the Hoosiers are legitimate contenders. Saturday’s 56–6 dismantling of UCLA pushed Indiana to 8–0 and firmly into the national championship conversation.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a transfer from Cal, has been the perfect fit for Curt Cignetti’s up-tempo offense, throwing for over 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns this season. His growing chemistry with Indiana’s talented receiving corps has made the Hoosiers nearly impossible to defend through the air.
With dynamic playmakers like wide receivers Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr., and E.J. Williams Jr., Indiana boasts one of the most explosive passing attacks in college football — a unit capable of striking from anywhere on the field and looks more dominant each week.
But it’s not just the offense carrying Indiana. The defense ranks in the top five nationally in points allowed per game, holding six of eight opponents to under 15 points. That balance and discipline have turned them from a Cinderella story into a legitimate playoff threat.
For the second straight season, Indiana has started 8–0, and with four favorable matchups left, the Hoosiers could be peaking at the perfect time when the college football playoffs begin.
