College football Week 9 is behind us, and the stakes continue to rise with each passing week. With time running out to raise their stock, which CFB teams are taking advantage of the chances they have left?
Sunday Stock Exchange | College Football Week 9
Stock Up: Kansas State Wildcats
Hands down, one of the most eye-opening results on Saturday afternoon was that of Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State. The Cowboys came into this clash as the higher-ranked team, but the Wildcats left as the winners, and they did so in dominant fashion. At the half, the score was 35-0. At the final whistle, it was 48-0. Oklahoma State didn’t score a single point. Kansas State, meanwhile, couldn’t stop scoring points.
The Wildcats will be kicking themselves for losses to Tulane and TCU, but in hindsight, neither of those losses are very bad. Tulane is ranked now, and TCU is currently the best team in the Big 12 under Sonny Dykes. Kansas State is right up there with the class of the conference, and they have the talent on both sides to match that reputation.
Stock Down: Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry is a storied clash, fueled and fed by proximity conflict. Over the years, this game has gone back and forth, with legendary moments on both sides. But right now, the Paul Bunyan Trophy is locked up in Ann Arbor, and it doesn’t look like the Wolverines will be giving it up anytime soon.
This game usually manages to be close simply because of the emotions churned up on both sides. But Michigan dominated this year’s iteration, beating Michigan State 29-7 through four quarters. It wasn’t even a perfect game on the Wolverines’ side, but relative to the Spartans, Michigan has more talent and cohesion.
Now, Mel Tucker — who’s one of the nation’s top-five highest-paid coaches after receiving a 10-year, $95 million contract late last season — is 3-5, with games left against Penn State, Illinois, Indiana, and Rutgers. The Spartans didn’t put up a fight against their biggest rival, and they might not even be bowl eligible by the end of the year.
Stock Up: Tennessee Volunteers
We can be quick with this one. The Tennessee Volunteers, appropriately, are becoming titans on the college football stage. They just took a hyped-up Top 25 matchup and made it a blowout, demolishing the Kentucky Wildcats 44-6.
MORE: College Football Power Rankings Week 10
Hendon Hooker is a top-tier college QB whose efficiency is unmatched. Jalin Hyatt is an escape artist in the deep third with game-breaking speed. The defense is a hyper-aggressive unit, led by Byron Young on the edge. And Josh Heupel has this team playing at its true maximum.
Tennessee isn’t just a legitimate challenge for Georgia next week. They could ultimately be the favorite. If they win that game, a playoff spot is all but certain.
Stock Down: Will Levis and the Wildcats
Listen — it’s important not to give in to the hyperbolic urge that can be so dehumanizing for players after a loss like this. Will Levis doesn’t stop being an intriguing 2023 NFL Draft prospect because of a three-interception performance. He’s human, and the pressure no doubt built up in the lead-up to this game.
But this was a game onlookers and evaluators alike were looking forward to from him, to see how he’d respond to such a heightened mix of pressure. He didn’t respond well.
A lopsided loss like this undoubtedly pulls Kentucky back down the board as a 5-3 team. And Levis now has more questions to answer as a prospect. He was still staring down targets in this game, forcing throws, and not processing well enough. And as the deficit widened, he only fell further down that hole.
There’s one more major test on Kentucky’s schedule this year — No. 1 ranked Georgia in a few weeks. That’s now an even bigger game for Levis, who still has to prove he can elevate his team with his natural talent.
Stock Up: North Carolina Tar Heels
We were all worried about what the North Carolina Tar Heels would look like without Sam Howell at quarterback. As it turns out, that worry was misplaced — because the guy who replaced him is even better.
Drake Maye is a star and a future first-round QB in waiting. His talent as a thrower is something the Tar Heels have masterfully built around within the offense. He used that talent to amass 388 yards and five touchdowns against a talented Pitt secondary in a 42-24 Week 9 win.
Maye is clicking with his receivers on all levels, and Josh Downs and Antoine Green are both incredibly dynamic talents. The UNC defense still takes its lumps at times, but this offense is proving to be one of the most explosive units in the league.
The Tar Heels — now 7-1 and 4-0 in conference play — may eventually get a chance to make that offensive performance count in a conference championship game.
Stock Down: Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake Forest snuck into the top 10 ahead of their Week 9 showing against the Louisville Cardinals — but their stay will ultimately be short-lived. The Demon Deacons were demolished by a Cardinals defense with destructive intentions. Sam Hartman threw three interceptions, and Wake Forest was never able to find a rhythm, as Louisville rumbled to a 48-21 victory.
This is as much a “stock up” moment for Louisville — whose defense wrought havoc on Wake Forest with eight total sacks and four total interceptions. Standout performances from prospects like YaYa Diaby, Kei’Trel Clark, Quincy Riley, and Yasir Abdullah need to be commended. But the Deacons also got in their own way far too often here.
Stock Neutral: Ohio State Buckeyes
Exiting Week 9 with a “stock neutral” tag is a win for the Ohio State Buckeyes. As long as they stay undefeated heading into their season finale with Michigan, that’s all that matters.
But the Buckeyes didn’t get away without first getting a scare against Penn State. The Nittany Lions were up 21-16 nearly halfway through the fourth quarter. OSU soon piled on with 28 additional points, however, rocketing out to a final score of 44-31.
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This game was both a vote for and against Ohio State in the grand scheme of things. Yes, C.J. Stroud rebounded from a few early mishaps, and he helped his team pull away. Yes, blue-chip talents like Marvin Harrison Jr. and J.T. Tuimoloau are near impossible to match up with. But we also saw that if defenses can pressure Stroud and play fast in the secondary, the Buckeyes can be coaxed into making mistakes.
For a Michigan pass-rush unit that includes Mike Morris, Eyabi Okie, Mazi Smith, Jaylen Harrell, and a host of dangerous blitzing threats, that’s an opportunity in waiting. The Wolverines know firsthand how pressure can help from last year’s game. OSU is safe for now.
Stock Down: Miami and Virginia
Miami and Virginia both got into the spirit of spooky season this past weekend, but they probably should have coordinated their costumes before they played each other. Both teams came dressed as Iowa, and they stayed true to their characters — mostly for the worse.
The game started with 10 — yes, 10 — consecutive total punts, before the Hurricanes finally kicked a field goal before the halfway point. The game entered overtime at 6-6. And even after four overtimes, the final score was only 14-12.
Miami came away with the win, but it didn’t really feel like a victory — unless they were trying to stay in character for Halloween. If so, they succeeded on multiple fronts.
Stock Up: Bo Nix and the Oregon Ducks
Bo Nix and the Oregon Ducks earned a “stock up” mention last week as well, after besting the vaunted UCLA Bruins. But they deserve the same recognition again this week. Even though the opponent — California — wasn’t quite as daunting, everyone wanted to see if Nix could stack good weeks in the thick of Pac-12 play. He responded to those wonders with a six-touchdown performance, filled with impressive throws and off-platform plays.
Nix is a different QB than he was a year or two ago, but the Ducks also have legitimate talent elsewhere. The defense, especially, is a stacked unit. DJ Johnson and Brandon Dorlus are menacing physical threats in the trenches. Noah Sewell remains a phenomenal safety blanket at the second level, and Justin Flowe‘s instincts are improving every week. In the secondary, Christian Gonzalez is blossoming into a No. 1 CB.
With just one loss against first-ranked Georgia and four more conference games to go, there’s room for Oregon to keep rising up in the top 10.
Stock Up: Toledo Rockets
No Dequan Finn? No problem for the Toledo Rockets. Shortly before Toledo’s game against Eastern Michigan, it was revealed that the Rockets would be without their star QB. But a stingy defensive performance and an excellent relief showing from backup Tucker Gleason helped Toledo emerge victorious in spite of Finn’s absence. They won 27-24, stealing the lead with a 10-point fourth quarter.
This win happened to be big for Toledo. Not only does it give the Rockets another head-to-head win against a divisional opponent, but it also places them at the top of the MAC West division. Furthermore, the win brings Toledo to an overall record of 6-3, making them bowl-eligible. Heading into MACtion season, Toledo is perhaps off to the best start.