The college football schedule to close out the month of October has come and gone as we are now set up for a fantastic final month of the 2023 season. Week 9 saw Georgia make a massive statement in its rivalry win over Florida. This was the first full game for the Bulldogs without star tight end Brock Bowers, but quarterback Carson Beck and the rest of the crew didn't seem to have any issue getting the job done in the 43-20 win.
Out west, Oregon stomped Utah in a Pac-12 showdown that essentially served as a conference championship elimination game. The Ducks defense has been a force all season, and it proved yet again why coach Dan Lanning's squad is one of the most complete teams in the country.
Penn State, which fell to Ohio State last weekend, got a massive scare at home in the 33-24 win over Indiana. With one loss on the resume, style points might matter for the Nittany Lions, but they didn't get them on Saturday in Happy Valley, though.
So, how did the College Football Playoff National Championship contenders grade out throughout Week 9? It's time to check out the report card for every top team with odds of +10000 better heading into Saturday's action. Odds via SportsLine consensus.
College football grades: Week 9 report card
| Team | Odds | Grade | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 11/5 | n/a | Michigan was on a bye. |
 | 14/5 | A | Georgia gave up a touchdown to Florida on the first drive of the game but ripped off 36 straight points and turned the rivalry into a laugher. Quarterback Carson Beck kept the offense firing on all cylinders in the Bulldogs' first game without Brock Bowers by completing 19 of his 28 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns. |
 | 6-1 | A | Florida State turned this one sideways early and led Wake Forest 34-7 at the half before putting it in cruise control over the final 30 minutes. Quarterback Jordan Travis' Heisman Trophy campaign is rolling right along after he threw for 359 yards with three touchdowns and rushing for 29 yards and another score on the ground. |
 | 15/2 | B | Ohio State was a 14.5-point favorite at kickoff and nearly covered in the 24-10 win, but this one was ugly. Kyle McCord threw two interceptions and the offense never seemed to find any rhythm. Luckily for coach Ryan Day, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr (two receiving touchdowns) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (one rushing touchdown) helped McCord out when it mattered most. |
 | 10-1 | D | Oklahoma's 38-33 loss to Kansas proved that it isn't ready for the national spotlight quite yet. It escaped the clutches of a below-average UCF team last week and had nothing for QB Jason Bean and the Jayhawks on Saturday afternoon. Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw a pick six as the offense converted just two of their 10 third-down chances. |
 | 12-1 | C- | Washington got the 42-33 win over Stanford, but it was far from crisp. The Huskies gave up 499 yards and couldn't stop Cardinal quarterback Ashton Daniels, who threw for 367 yards. However, Michael Penix Jr's Heisman Trophy campaign kept rolling right along as the veteran threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns. |
 | 12-1 | n/a | Alabama was on a bye. |
 | 22-1 | B+ | Texas, which was playing its first game without starting quarterback Quinn Ewers, jumped out to a 14-0 lead and never looked back in a 35-6 trouncing of BYU. Maalik Murphy wasn't a superstar; he threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in the his first meaningful action. The defense played lights out, which was great. Still, we don't really know what the ceiling is for the offense under Murphy quite yet. |
 | 22-1 | A+ | Oregon thoroughly dismantled Utah in what was one of the biggest games in the Pac-12 this season. Quarterback Bo Nix accounted for three touchdowns and the Ducks defense allowed just 241 yards in the 35-6 road win in a hostile environment. The Ducks will likely have to win out to make the CFP. If they do ... look out. |
 | 30-1 | n/a | LSU was on a bye. |
 | 40-1 | D | Penn State entered this game as a 31.5-point favorite but had to hang on late in a 33-24 win. The Nittany Lions scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:46 left in the game and added a safety to make the score look somewhat respectable. It's hard to trust Penn State after what we've seen over the last two weeks. |
 | 100-1 | F | The Utes had the eyes of the college football world on them as they hosted Oregon, but they fell flat on their faces in the 35-6 loss. The defense couldn't get pressure and the offensive line couldn't hold off an Oregon defense that has quietly become a force. |
