Ho-Hum Weekend, High-Stakes November: Week 9 Recap & CFP Stretch Run

*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "7d2073b3-e62e-427c-9f6f-086f561815bc" data-testid= "conversation-turn-244" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Week 9 wasn't flashy, but it mattered. Brien and AV break down a slate that felt subdued—until the fourth quarters hit. Two ranked teams survived overtime scares, North Dakota State hammered No. 2 South Dakota State, and the best football of the day came from the American: Memphis 34, USF 31. With the first CFP rankings due after next weekend, the guys sort through who's steady, who's slipping, and what November pressure really looks like. They hit on: USF–Memphis: Bulls up 14 late, Tigers rip off 17 unanswered—how the American reopened. Ole Miss at Oklahoma: Trinidad Chambliss stays hot; Rebels' defense gets timely stops. Vanderbilt–Missouri: A field-position fistfight that told us more about ceilings than résumés. Texas A&M at LSU: Aggies flex balance and defense—why they look built for Atlanta. FCS No. 1 vs No. 2: North Dakota State overwhelms South Dakota State, wire to wire. Game Balls: Georgia Tech's Haynes King (five total TDs) and BYU's Bear Brockmeyer (356 total yards, 3 TDs). I've Got Questions: Virginia's Tony Elliott on finishing games; Mississippi State's Jeff Lebby on closing time and clock management. What's Next: CFP rankings arrive after next weekend—who controls their path as temperatures and stakes drop? Plus: Thursday preview with Miami All-American Bryant McKinnie to tee up SMU at Miami and the Group of Five playoff chase.