5 things to watch in Week 9: Judgment Day comes for Lincoln Riley, Buckeyes QBs

5 things to watch in Week 9: Judgment Day comes for Lincoln Riley, Buckeyes QBs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

We're desperately trying not to look ahead.

The Nov. 7 college football slate, one that could feature a half-dozen games between teams ranked in the AP Top 25, has been hyped since the summer. Don't forget about Halloween weekend. Given the last two weeks – where nine top-10 teams have lost – we are not taking any week for granted.

There are two matchups involving teams ranked in the AP Top 25. No. 22 Arizona takes on No. 13 Texas Tech at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN. No. 3 Georgia meets No. 17 Florida at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.

The prime-time window features matchups between No. 1 Miami and North Carolina on ABC and No. 2 Ohio State at USC on NBC. Here are five things to watch in Week 9.

MORE: Picks against the spread for Halloween slate

1. Lincoln Riley's moment of truth at USC

USC coach Lincoln Riley is feeling the heat after a 24-7 loss at Wisconsin last week where the Trojans had -18 rushing yards. USC hosts Ohio State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Trojans and Buckeyes have history, including seven Rose Bowl matchups, but this is the first head-to-head meeting between the schools as members of the Big Ten.

This also is the most important game of Riley's tenure. Ohio State is the measuring stick for all Big Ten opponents, and the Trojans are 0-5 against top-10 teams under Riley. A victory vaults USC back into the College Football Playoff race with upcoming games against No. 4 Indiana (Nov. 14) and No. 7 UCLA (Nov. 28). A loss accelerates that hot-seat talk to new levels.

USC vs. top-10 opponents under Lincoln Riley

MORE: Tracking the coaching changes in 2026

2. Ohio State's new QB – or QBs?

The Buckeyes' quarterback situation also comes into focus without Julian Sayin.

Quarterbacks Luke Fahey, a freshman, and Tavien St. Clair, a redshirt freshman, are in focus now, and Ohio State coach Ryan Day hasn't announced a starter. Day said it is possible both quarterbacks will play against the Trojans.

"It's definitely possible," Day said via The Athletic. "What the situations would be and what the circumstances would be, we have to see, but yeah there's definitely a chance."

Which quarterback will stick? The one that keeps a connection with Heisman Trophy front-runner Jeremiah Smith, who has 984 receiving yards and 12 TDs on 18.9 yards per catch. The Buckeyes have not played at The Coliseum since Sept. 13, 2008 – a 35-3 loss that led to Jim Tressel switching from Todd Boeckman to freshman Terrelle Pryor at quarterback.

3. What will Jon Sumrall add to Florida-Georgia?

The Georgia-Florida rivalry comes to Atlanta this week, and it's a chance for first-year coach Jon Sumrall to change the tenor of this rivalry.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart is 7-2 against the Gators. Florida coaches Steve Spurrier (11-1) and Urban Meyer (5-1) also dominated this rivalry, but the Bulldogs have won the last five meetings by an average of 18 points per game.

Can Sumrall change that? Florida has victories against No. 11 Texas and No. 12 Ole Miss and losses to No. 23 Missouri and South Carolina. The Bulldogs had a bye week after the 27-24 loss to Auburn in Week 7. Georgia hasn't lost back-to-back regular-season games since Smart's first season in 2016 – when the Bulldogs lost to Vanderbilt and Florida as part of an 8-5 season.

Gunner Stockton led the game-winning TD drive in the fourth quarter of a 24-20 victory last season.

MORE: College Football Playoff projection entering Week 9

4. Bill Belichick's defense vs. Hurricanes

Miami leads the FBS with 49 points per game. Quarterback Darian Mensah leads the FBS with a 204.6 passer rating, and receiver Malachi Toney has a FBS-best 66 receptions.

North Carolina lost 37-26 to No. 6 Notre Dame on Oct. 3. This will be the second common data point for the Hurricanes heading into that much-anticipated matchup with the Irish on Nov. 7. Miami beat Stanford 45-7. Notre Dame beat the Cardinal 58-7.

We'll learn more here. Can Bill Belichick conjure up a game plan that keeps the Tar Heels close in the fourth quarter against the Hurricanes? Miami leads all Power 4 schools in time of possession. It won't be easy in Chapel Hill.

MORE: Which unbeaten team loses first, Miami, Utah or UCLA?

5. More Big 12 chaos?

The Big 12 has four teams with one loss or less – which is tied with the Big Ten for the most among Power 4 conferences. Texas Tech and No. 8 BYU tripped up on the road last week. Will No. 6 Utah squash the upset bug at Cincinnati this week?

The Utes will try to set up the "Holy War" and a top-10 showdown against the Cougars on Dec. 7, which should be the most-anticipated matchup in the series, maybe ever.

The Red Raiders' matchup with the Wildcats feels like a playoff elimination game because the loser will have a difficult time working into the Big 12 championship mix. Texas Tech does not play Utah or BYU, so this is a huge home game for the defending Big 12 champions.

MORE: Pat McAfee doubles down on criticism of Utah fans

Power 4 teams with one loss or less

Three and out

- No. 25 Wisconsin (5-2) travels to Iowa (5-2) in a Big Ten elimination game at 12 p.m. on Fox. This is the 100th meeting between the schools – and the Badgers hold a 49-48-2 advantage. Yep, it's a coin-flip game.

- No. 20 Northwestern (6-1) can hand Oregon (4-3) a fourth loss at 3:30 p.m. on CBS, which seemed unthinkable in August. How will the Ducks respond at home after firing offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer and learning quarterback Dante Moore (concussion) will not return this season? Former Oregon coach Chip Kelly's presence on the Northwestern sideline adds to the drama.

- Clemson (4-3) plays at Florida State (3-4) at 7:30 p.m. ET on the ACC Network. This game used to be an annual rite of ACC supremacy. Which coach — Dabo Swinney or Mike Norvell – will be on a hotter seat Sunday morning?

Week 9 AP Top 25 schedule

Here is a look at the Week 9 schedule with AP Top 25 teams: