CFB Tailgate Detox- What did we learn from Week 9?
- Will Locks
- Oct 29, 2024
- 4 min read
College football continues to provide us with the type of entertainment we just can’t seem to look away from this season. From fake field goals all across the country to political celebrations by kickers, to blowouts to absolute rock fights, week 9 gave it all to us. Lets unpack our bags, and get over that CFB hangover with a few key games that taught us a lot for the season going forward.
As the featured game of the slate for week 9 this game did not disappoint as both teams took turns throwing uppercuts at one another up until the 3rd quarter when LSU decided they wanted to gift the football to the Aggies on every possession. Third quarter possessions for LSU resulted in punt, interception, fumble, interception and the Aggies turned every single one of the turnovers into touchdowns. Whatever Mike Elko decided to say to the team at halftime had the Texas A&M team ready to run through a brick wall coming out in the second half. This performance now puts Texas A&M in the driver seat to go to the SEC Championship in Elko’s first year as their head coach which Jimbo Fisher never accomplished. The Aggies are the real deal under an actual coach, yes I said it, which is not shocking with the money and the talent in that organization. I expect A&M to run the table to include a win over their most hated rival, Texas, in the final game of the regular season.
#13 Indiana 31 – Washington 17
Google the Hoosiers, all they do is win. The Hoosiers continue to roll through this schedule and no we aren’t talking about the sport with the round ball that bounces and goes through a hoop. The Indiana Hoosiers are now 8-0 and have made every game look easy, even with their backup QB in the last two games. First year coach Curt Cignetti has built a monster in Indiana. The question everyone is asking though is how good is this team? They have their toughest stretch of the schedule coming up with a trip to Spartan Stadium, followed by Michigan at home, than a trip to battle the Ohio State Buckeyes. Can Cignetti keep this magical season going? I say yes, until I am proven otherwise this Indiana team knows how to win and win big. I expect them to beat the Spartans and the Wolverines and have a battle to the end against the tough Buckeyes squad but come up short there. This would be a 1 loss Indiana Hoosiers team that would have a huge argument to be an at large bid to the playoffs.
#11 BYU 37 – UCF 24
BYU is one of the bigger surprises of the season as they are now 8-0 and looked almost flawless against the Knights on the road this weekend. Jake Retzlaff led the cougars offense to score in every quarter to include a 62 yard TD pass just before the half as the BYJew continues to win games and gain respect for this BYU team. As this is the main story of this game, the UCF Knights are now spiraling down the drain after dropping their 5th straight game, 3rd at home this season. They went with their 4th quarterback of the year in the fourth quarter of this game, Dylan Rizk, and anyone who was still watching this game asked the same question….Rizk has been on the bench all year? Rizk came into the game and immediately sparked the UCF offense going 6/10, 102 yards and a TD in the air as well as four rushes for 31 yards…..all in the 4th quarter. Gus and the Knights have some work to do if they want to go to a bowl game and Gus’s seat is red hot right now after this stretch with the Knights.
Longhorns escaped Nashville with a win that even they know they were lucky to get. Now I know the scoreboard doesn’t lie and Texas got it done, a win is a win as they say. But I will not gloss over the fact that Vandy had the Longhorns by the horns and once again have shown the country they are not a team to look passed going forward with a win over Bama and taking the high powered Texas longhorns down to the final seconds of the game. The brand bias continues as a wagon like Vanderbilt gets knocked out of rankings for a rock fight loss to Texas and Mizzou somehow stays in the rankings after getting manhandled by Alabama. Vandy travels to Jodan Hare Stadium to play Auburn this coming Saturday as 6.5 point dawgs. Hammer the commodores as they will want to come out swinging after losing a close one to Texas. On the flip side, Texas gets a much needed bye week to get right before they matchup with the Gators at home on 11/9.
Many of us, to include me, expected much more from this Illinois team who has looked to be tough and scrappy throughout the season. Oregon had other plans as the Ducks led by top Heisman candidate and now the QB with the 2nd most TD passes in history, Dillon Gabriel, put up 35 points in the first half while only allowing the Illini to score 3. Oregon turned the fighting Illini into the sleeping Illini as they solidified why they are #1 in the country right now.
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