CFB Week 9 winners, losers: Wild Minnesota-Indiana kicker battle, Big Ten QB woes and more

But in an era of rampant realignment, transfers and NIL deals, perhaps the biggest change to college football is that kickers are actually good.

On Saturday, Minnesota's Luke Drzewiecki and Indiana's Paddy McAteer stole the show in the final 24 seconds of regulation on dueling 60-yard field goals. First, Drzewiecki put the Gophers up by three, 16-13, to cap a seven-play, 33-yard drive. Indiana followed with a rapid push beyond midfield, setting up McAteer's make to send the game to overtime, where the Hoosiers would hang on for a 23-16 win to remain in contention for a College Football Playoff first-round bye.

Trick: Big Ten starting quarterbacks

Indiana won, but it didn't emerge Saturday unscathed. The Hoosiers joined a growing list of Big Ten programs with quarterback concerns after starter Josh Hoover got banged up late in the first half and didn't return.

When healthy, the TCU transfer struggled for the fourth consecutive game, finishing 9-of-19 for 119 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His backup, Grant Wilson, was 9-of-17 for 156 yards and a touchdown, leading three field-goal drives in regulation before finding wideout Charlie Becker on a 25-yard score on the first play of overtime.

Where head coach Curt Cignetti goes from here remains to be seen, but he's far from alone in his conference.

Julian Sayin is out indefinitely for the Associated Press No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-2, 4-1 in Big Ten) after injuring his throwing arm at Indiana on Oct. 17. The No. 7 UCLA Bruins (8-0, 5-0 in Big Ten) are without Nico Iamaleava, who suffered a "severe" knee injury at Oregon a week earlier, per head coach Bob Chesney. (h/t AP)

The Ducks, meanwhile, lost Dante Moore for the season after he suffered a concussion against USC in late September. 

Michigan's Bryce Underwood was benched at halftime of a comeback win over Penn State due to underperformance.

Adversity has hit the Big Ten hard at quarterback this season. Whoever wins the conference will likely have successfully navigated through some stormy weather.

Treat: No. 14 Wake Forest Demon Deacons

In an ACC hierarchy that includes the No. 1 Miami Hurricanes (8-0, 6-0 in ACC) at the top, then everyone else, Wake Forest (7-1, 5-1 in ACC) is beginning to distance itself from the secondary pack.

The Demon Deacons throttled Virginia, which played for an ACC title last season, 51-7, on Saturday behind a dominant ground attack. They out-rushed the Cavaliers, 309-16, and scored on their first nine possessions (six touchdowns, three field goals) before mercifully punting with under two minutes remaining.

After losing to Miami in Week 3, Wake Forest has won five in a row, including its last four by an average of 39 points per game. Few teams in the country were hotter in October, putting the Demon Deacons in position to finish the regular season on a high note.

Trick: Wisconsin Badgers' revival

No. 25 Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2 in Big Ten) moved into the rankings last Sunday following a 24-7 win over USC (7-2, 4-2 in Big Ten), but that was a false alarm. The Badgers we've grown accustomed to under coach Luke Fickell were back in a 30-0 loss at Iowa (6-2, 3-2 in Big Ten). Per Stathead research, it marked Wisconsin's 15th game scoring 10 or fewer points under Fickell, the most among power conference teams since 2023. Only Kent State (21 times) has failed to eclipse 10 points more during the span. It was also the program's third time being shut out since the start of 2025, the most in FBS.

It's one step forward, two steps back for the Badgers, who have failed to gain meaningful traction in the Big Ten at any point during Fickell's four seasons.

Treat: Chip Kelly's awesome Northwestern TD design

Yep, Kelly's still got it.

Despite losing on the road at Oregon (5-3, 3-2 in Big Ten), 34-26, the No. 20 Northwestern Wildcats (6-2, 3-2 in Big Ten) scored a touchdown on one of the best-designed plays we've seen this season.

Receivers Drew Wagner, Griffin Wilde and running back Joseph Himon II lined up in a straight line directly behind right tackle Grant Seagren. At the snap, quarterback Aidan Chiles faked a handoff to Himon while Wagner and Wilde stretched the field on vertical routes, with Wilde splitting the defense to end up wide open, resulting in a 64-yard touchdown.

Trick: Florida Gators quarterbacks

It turns out first-year Florida coach Jon Sumrall was right to have trouble deciding on a starting quarterback against the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 in SEC). After watching Aaron Philo and QB2 Tramell Jones in the top-25 showdown, Sumrall had two bad options.

The Gators took one on the chin in Week 8, losing 27-8 in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the storied rivalry's first game outside the state of Florida since 1995. Philo was rattled from the start, making a horrible decision on his first interception when attempting to throw the ball away while falling down.

He finished 5-of-7 for 26 yards with both incompletions going for interceptions. Jones didn't fare much better, losing a fumble on a sack and throwing an interception on two of his first four meaningful possessions.

As No. 17 Florida (5-3, 3-3 in SEC) tries to take the next step under Sumrall in 2027, adding an elite quarterback needs to be the priority.

Treat: 100 points in Ames

Fans at Iowa State were treated to a barnburner as the Cyclones (4-4, 2-3 in Big 12) out-dueled the No. 24 Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-3, 3-2 in Big 12) in a 51-49 victory secured on a 34-yard walk-off field goal. In addition to 100 points, the two teams combined for 1,114 yards. Running backs Caleb Hawkins (Oklahoma State) and Aidan Flora (Iowa State) had 53 carries, 415 yards and four touchdowns, while quarterbacks Drew Mestemaker and Jaylen Raynor each had over 300 passing yards and at least three touchdowns.

In other words, it was a game only the Big 12 could produce. As much as college football changes, it stays the same.

Trick: Being ranked No. 2

For the third week in a row, the No. 2 team in the country lost. Two Saturdays ago, Notre Dame fell in a top-10 showdown at BYU, which rose to No. 2 only to lose in Week 8 at UCF.

Ohio State was the latest to fall into the trap, losing its first game since Sayin was ruled out indefinitely, 30-18, at USC.

Based on other Week 9 results, Georgia will likely rise to runner-up in the AP poll. Next Saturday, it travels to No. 12 Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2 in SEC). The Bulldogs should proceed with caution.