Welcome to your Week 9 Headlines in Review, written by the Three Technique Team. This week, we give some overdue respect to Kansas, recap dominating performances from contenders and turn the page to November with conference title and playoff projections. Let us know who you think the College Football Playoff Committee will have in their top four in the comments or by tagging us @ThreeTechPod, and be sure to check out the podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple!
Kansas Topples No. 6 Oklahoma in Instant Classic
Despite Oklahoma clearly having a Texas hangover last week, no one outside of Lawrence gave the Jayhawks much of a chance against the Sooners. Despite the allure of Fox’s Big Noon designation and a dangerous offense hosting an undefeated team, we failed to include this matchup in our “Big Three” segment on our Week Nine Preview. And as neutral fans, we could not be happier to have been wrong.
The Jayhawks set the tone early with a Mello Dotson pick six and doubled their lead to 14-0 at the beginning of the second quarter. From then on, the two offenses traded blows and the Jayhawks, who have seen more than their fair share of shootouts over the past two seasons, weathered the storm both literally and figuratively. After an extended weather delay, Oklahoma found new life and took a 21-17 lead into the half. From that point on, backup quarterback Jason Bean and running back Devin Neal willed the Jayhawks down the field and responded time and time again when Oklahoma looked to gain control. After throwing two crucial interceptions, Bean extended the eventual go-ahead drive by connecting with Lawrence Arnold on fourth-and-6 to set up Neal’s game-winning touchdown with 55 seconds remaining.
The resurgence of Kansas under Lance Leipold continues to deliver as one of the best “feel good” stories of college football in recent memory, but taking down the heavyweight Sooners for the first time since 1997 signifies a new chapter. Leipold’s Jayhawks are ready to cement themselves as more than just a fun footnote. They have laid the foundation to become a true contender to fill the Big 12 power vacuum in 2024 and beyond.
Oregon Makes a Statement in Salt Lake City
After its heartbreaking loss in Seattle, Oregon probably shifted away from center stage in the minds of most. The Ducks reminded us Saturday afternoon that counting them out in October would be foolish in their 35-6 thrashing of Utah on the road.
Everyone knows Bo Nix has led a dynamic offensive attack since he arrived in Eugene, but the defense continues to steal the show. No one is confusing the Utah offense without Cameron Rising as a potent attack, but holding the hard-nosed Utes under 100 rushing yards on their home turf is nothing to sneeze at. Not only that, it was the first time Utah failed to score a touchdown at home since a 17-9 loss to UCLA on Nov. 21. 2015. From the opening kick, Oregon proved tougher than the Utes, who build their identity around hard-nosed football. Not bad for a program which, for years, was accused of being “all sizzle, no steak.”
Oregon and Washington seem to be moving in different directions since their sensational matchup. The Ducks have outscored formidable foes Washington State and Utah by an average of 21.5 points. The Huskies have escaped against Arizona State (15-7) and Stanford (42-33), teams with a combined 4-12 record. Many are penciling in a rematch in Las Vegas with the final Pac-12 Championship Game on the line, and the Ducks are certainly making their case to be favored in that hypothetical matchup.
Georgia Bulldogs Remind Us They Still Reign Supreme (Until Proven Otherwise)
No Brock Bowers? No problem for the Bulldogs as they cruised to their 25th consecutive win, 43-20 over rival Florida in the Cocktail Party. After a Florida touchdown on the first possession of the game, Georgia responded with 36 unanswered points to remove any hope from the upset-minded Gators. Many wondered how the offense would respond after losing their best weapon in Bowers, but Carson Beck put concerns to rest with arguably his best performance to date, and veteran Ladd McConkey filled the void by more than doubling his season-long receiving output.
Defensively, Georgia did not allow Florida to score between touchdowns with 11:19 remaining in the first quarter and 12:29 remaining in the fourth. A Graham Mertz sneak with 1:20 left made the score look more respectable, but the performance was nothing short of dominant. The Gators mustered just 109 yards on the ground, 6.8 yards per attempt through the air and allowed a blocked punt that resulted in a safety. Short of a one-off performance in Auburn, the Georgia defense has not seen much of a drop off in 2023.
Much was made about Georgia’s (lack of) strength of schedule in the lead up to the season, but the Bulldogs enter the defining stretch of the season next week when they welcome the surprising 7-1 Missouri Tigers to Athens. That game will be followed by hosting 7-1 Ole Miss before road trips to 6-2 Tennessee and rival Georgia Tech to close out the regular season.
Eliminating Divisions Will Create Yearly Conference Championship Chaos — And We’re Here For It
Three of the five power conferences (ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12), and three Group of Five leagues (American, Conference USA and Mountain West) have abandoned divisions in order to pit their two best teams against each other on the first weekend in December for the conference title. The SEC and Big Ten will join that movement next year, and the races will have heightened importance with the rules for qualification (and seeding) in the expanded 12-team playoff. The result? Chaos. Let’s take a look at where things stand as we turn the calendar to November:
ACC: Florida State has all but locked up a trip to Charlotte for the first time since 2014. After that? Eight teams have one or two conference losses.
Matchup if the season ended today: Louisville (7-1, 4-1) vs. Florida State (8-0, 6-0)
Big 12: FIVE teams (Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas and Kansas State) sit tied atop the standings at 4-1 in league play. Another two (Kansas and West Virginia) sit one game back at 3-2. Buckle up.
Matchup if the season ended today: Oklahoma (7-1, 4-1) vs. Oklahoma State (6-2, 4-1)
Pac-12: Washington sits atop the standings as the lone unbeaten, but Oregon and USC have only one conference loss and four teams (Oregon State, Utah, Arizona and UCLA) have two.
Matchup if the season ended today: USC (7-2, 5-1) vs Washington (8-0, 5-0)
American: Three teams (Tulane, SMU and UTSA) are currently tied at the top at 4-0. UTSA and Tulane will face off on the final week of the regular season, so SMU has the mathematically easiest path to the championship.
Decision Time for the CFP Committee: What Will the Top Six Look Like Tuesday Night?
The committee has famously gotten weird — and controversial — with their first rankings release (it is a television show after all). So, rather than try to predict the unpredictable, I’ll take a crack at putting the top teams into tiers:
Launch an investigation if they aren’t in the top four:
- Georgia
- Michigan
- Ohio State
These three teams have undoubtedly earned the right to be included in the first edition of the bracket, and I do not think there is much room for debate.
Choose your fighter for the final spot:
- Florida State
- Washington
- Oregon
The Huskies and Seminoles are rather self-explanatory as undefeated teams that have often looked elite. Oregon has certainly made a case as well with what it has accomplished since its heartbreaking loss, combined with the other teams looking vulnerable at times.
Off the graphic, for now…
- Texas
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- Penn State
All four of these teams have already suffered a loss, but all four of them are forgivable if they win out and the ball bounces the right way elsewhere around the country. In addition, all four will have ample opportunities for quality, perception-shifting wins before Selection Sunday.
About the author
I've spent the majority of the last decade cutting my teeth in college sports, covering athletics for three separate universities and spent 2021 as an Assistant Athletic Director. I graduated from Texas A&M in 2019 and got my Masters from Dallas Baptist University two years later. My favorite CFB memory will always be Texas A&M's dramatic 7OT win over LSU in 2018, my final game as a student. My passion is telling stories and helping fans get to know their favorite athletes on a personal level, whether that be through articles or a broadcast.
