Previewing & Predicting the Biggest Week 9 Games in College Football

October 21, 2025·2 hr 6 min·5 clips

Why does Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss have a higher grade when blitzed than when kept clean?

Max Chowdhury and Dalton Wasserman preview the ten biggest Week 9 college football games, focusing on playoff implications and key matchups. The hosts, analysts for PFF, use data and film study to break down the weekend's slate. They note that after a chaotic Week 8, three ranked-versus-ranked SEC games headline this week's schedule. The first major game is #8 Ole Miss at #13 Oklahoma, where the loser faces near-elimination from playoff contention. Oklahoma's defense leads the nation with a 47% pressure rate and 30 sacks, posing a major test for Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Chambliss ironically has a higher PFF grade when pressured (78.4) than from a clean pocket (74.2). Oklahoma's offense hopes to build on its running game success from last week, where Torrey Blaylock and Xavier Robinson combined for 153 yards. The hosts also preview #18 USF at Memphis, a critical Group of Five playoff race game where USF is the current favorite. Memphis quarterback Brennan Lewis is day-to-day with an injury, potentially forcing true freshman A.J. Hill to start against a USF run defense that has ranked 15th nationally since Week 4. USF quarterback Byron Brown is an electric dual-threat but has five fumbles and seven turnover-worthy plays this season. College GameDay will be at #15 Missouri at #10 Vanderbilt, another SEC matchup with massive playoff stakes. Missouri's defense, third in pressure rate, will challenge Vanderbilt's offensive line, which ranks 104th in pass blocking. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia excels under pressure, ranking 10th nationally with a 68.0 grade in those situations. Missouri's offense relies on physical trench play and running back Ahmad Hardy, but its offensive line grades have dipped in SEC play. The hosts predict a tight, defensive struggle for Oklahoma-Ole Miss, with both picking the Sooners to win a low-scoring game. They forecast a high-scoring affair for USF-Memphis, with both analysts selecting USF to win, especially if Lewis is unavailable. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending stats with straightforward game breakdowns. This episode is perfect for fans who enjoy detailed, data-driven previews and betting insights. Listeners seeking narrative-driven stories or non-SEC coverage might find less to hold their interest.

As heard by us

A brisk Week 9 board-sorting show with playoff stakes and real picks.

Max Chowdhury and Dalton Wasserman spend Week 9 doing the useful thing: sorting through the biggest games, checking the mess from last week, and keeping an eye on the first official playoff ranking.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Need Week 9 sorted before kickoff?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The PFF College Football Show