Week 9 Takeaways: LSU’s Next Move, a New Texas A&M, Prospect Quick-Hitters, and My College Football Power Rankings

It’s the morning after in college football, and I’ve got you covered with my biggest takeaways from Week 9.

But first, a couple housekeeping notes before we dive in:

That’s all for now—let’s get to it.

An SEC Roundtable: LSU’s next move, Mike Elko and Texas A&M 2.0, Lane Kiffin’s greatest coaching job, and a Texas mirage

Prospect Quick-Hitters: Scouting notes on seven prospects that caught my eye on Saturday

My Updated College Football Power Rankings: Who’s in the CFP title bubble? Who’s on the outside looking in? I share my tiers heading into Week 10

What’s next for LSU and HC Brian Kelly? 

LSU had an opportunity to right the ship on Saturday after losing two of its previous three games and looking nothing like the inner-circle playoff contender we expected them to be coming into the year. Instead, they laid an egg at home in a 49-25 loss against Texas A&M. 

Every flaw came out in the ugliest manner, especially during the second half. The offensive line was giving ground all night, Garrett Nussmeier looked hurt, and the defense couldn’t contain A&M QB Marcel Reed. 

I don’t know the specifics of Kelly’s buyout, but get ready for a Sunday and Monday of a lot of noise. It’s going to be damn hard for him to overcome this tidal wave of criticism—coming from inside and outside the building.  

With major job openings already at Penn State and Florida, there’s going to be a ton of hiring competition in the next head-coaching cycle. Will LSU cut bait and opt to get a jump on their process now, or will they hold steady and hope for a turnaround? We’ll find out soon enough.

Mike Elko is doing what no one else could at Texas A&M

I remember being down in College Station for Johnny Manziel’s pro day in 2014 and looking around at tons of cranes in the sky. It was the moment I could see all the A&M boosters taking special interest in the team like they hadn’t before. They were building a brand fit for the modern NIL landscape.

Since that day, the Aggies have been competitive (especially with recruiting), but they always felt more like an NIL hotspot than a program with an actual identity under Jimbo Fisher. They have one now under Mike Elko. A&M has won with defense when the offense isn’t playing well and won with offense when the defense isn’t playing well. To sum it up, they’re resilient.

They showed that resilience again on Saturday. Heading into the half, A&M trailed 18-14 after their final three second-quarter possessions resulted in a safety and two interceptions. The Aggies proceeded to score 35 unanswered points in the final two quarters and looked dominant in every phase of the game. It’s not every day that a road team waltzes into Death Valley and dominates like that.

If they finish the season strong with wins against SEC foes Missouri, South Carolina, and Texas, I think we could be talking about A&M the same way we talk about Ohio State.

This has been the best coaching job of Lane Kiffin’s career

Ole Miss just hung 34 points on a Brent Venables defense that was surrendering an average of 9.4 points per game (second in the FBS). Watching Kiffin play 4D chess against SEC defenses every week has genuinely become appointment viewing.

You get all the social media goofiness throughout the week, then he does Picasso-level scheme shit during the game, then he’s talking trash in the postgame interview and hitting social media again after the game to talk even more trash. He reminds me of a modern-day Steve Spurrier, but with a savant’s understanding of offense. Kiffin’s been an OC on national title teams, but what he’s done with this Ole Miss group is unique.

I’m not buying a Texas resurgence

If I had told you after the Florida loss that Texas would eventually be 6-2—with a blowout victory over Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry—and that Arch Manning and star wideout Ryan Wingo were finally on the same page after the two struggled to connect early in the year, you might think, “maybe they could make a run at this thing.” But if you zoom in, the imperfections begin revealing themselves. The team’s defense isn’t the elite unit it was at the beginning of the season and both Arch and the offensive line are struggling, too. It took 24 fourth-quarter points and OT on Saturday night for Texas to beat a Mississippi State team that lost to A&M by three touchdowns earlier this month. Steve Sarkisian’s group is riding three straight wins and may look good on paper, but they just don’t have the feel of an elite team. We’ll find out if I’m wrong next week when the Longhorns welcome Diego Pavia and Vanderbilt to town.

QB John Mateer, Oklahoma: He just doesn’t look like the same guy since that thumb injury. He’s always been overly aggressive, he’s always had Mateer moments. But in the past, two or three of those questionable decisions have become big-time plays because he’s so uniquely gifted. Now, he’s struggling to make the ordinary throws and he’s consistently missing spots in the strike zone. There were plenty of guys in the league who already had doubts about his NFL future and the second half of this season has given them more evidence to support their arguments. At this point, I want to see him return to college to put together a full season of healthy tape against SEC competition. 

WR Germie Bernard, Alabama: Bernard’s all over the field and looks like the guy Ryan Grubb and Ty Simpson are most often targeting when they need a big-play or conversion. Alabama seems to trust him more than they trust Ryan Williams. On that front, I’m starting to worry about Williams’s drops. He has all the talent in the world, but it’s a trend worth monitoring. 

QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech: King had 395 yards from scrimmage and five total touchdowns on Saturday against Syracuse. He may not wind up getting drafted, but he’s one of the most impactful players in college football. King should absolutely be in the mix for the Heisman Trophy. 

QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss: He continues to make more tight-window throws and is stacking good tape. I feel like I learned a lot about his makeup on Saturday after what was a devastating fourth quarter last week against Georgia. Chambliss is undersized and still unrefined as a passer, but his instincts, mobility, and ability to create out of structure are forcing NFL scouts to take a longer look at him as a potential Day 3 developmental QB prospect for 2026.

QB Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati: He’s legitimately drawing NFL interest as a 2027 prospect. Sorsby isn’t polished with footwork and his ball placement can be a bit erratic, but he has a big frame, a big arm, and he’s a mobile, natural playmaker. He looks more comfortable and confident each week. He can build a lot of momentum heading into the 2026 season if he finishes strong vs Utah, Arizona, BYU (especially), and TCU down the stretch. 

RB Justice Haynes, Michigan: I love his downhill running ability and burst. He went for 152 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries on Saturday against Michigan State, and lately has been improving his draft stock on a weekly basis. Haynes is competing with Jadarian Price, Nicholas Singleton, and Jonah Coleman (behind Jeremiyah Love) for RB2 in 2026.

WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M: I included Concepcion in my bubble prospects newsletter from Friday, and on Saturday he was a dynamo for the Aggies. He finished the game with three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown, but was particularly impactful on special teams, with a 79-yard punt-return TD that put A&M up two scores early in the third quarter. If he keeps performing like this, he could find himself in the top 32 come draft season.

Tier 1: Title Bubble

1. Ohio State (7-0, at Penn State)
2. Indiana (8-0, at Maryland)
3. Texas A&M (8-0, Bye Week)
4. Alabama (7-1, Bye Week)

Tier 2: Next in Line

5. Georgia (6-1, vs. Florida)
6. Ole Miss (7-1, vs. South Carolina)
7. Oregon (7-1, Bye Week)
8. Georgia Tech (8-0, at NC State)

Tier 3: In the Hunt

9. Miami (6-1, at SMU)
10. Vanderbilt (7-1, at Texas)
11. Notre Dame (5-2, at Boston College)
12. Texas Tech (7-1, at Kansas State)