College football Week 9: Scores, Top 25 rankings, highlights, results
☀️ Sunday Morning Recap for Week 9
There was plenty of action and some big time highlights that went down last night. Let's take a look at what you might have missed from the late window:
No. 3 Texas A&M 49, No. 20 LSU 25
No. 3 Texas A&M exploded in the second half to rout No. 19 LSU 49-25 on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium, turning what looked like a tense SEC battle into a statement win. Quarterback Marcel Reed accounted for four touchdowns and 310 total yards, while the Aggies’ defense dominated after halftime, holding LSU to just 14 yards until a late garbage-time score. The win pushed A&M to 8-0, its best start since 1994, and further strengthened coach Mike Elko’s playoff pitch.
Reed threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more, including a 41-yard score on the game’s opening drive. NC State transfer KC Concepcion had two touchdowns, one on a 79-yard punt return that broke the game open in the third quarter. LSU led 18-14 at halftime but was outscored 35-7 after the break. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier struggled under constant pressure as the Aggies racked up seven sacks. The loss dropped the Tigers to 5-3 on the season.
Oh run THAT back
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball)
Battle for the Dakota Marker
No. 1 North Dakota State 38, No. 2 South Dakota State 7
No. 1 North Dakota State dominated from start to finish Saturday, defeating No. 2 South Dakota State 38-7 to claim the 2025 Dakota Marker and snap the Jackrabbits’ 33-game home winning streak.
Quarterback Cole Payton led the Bison (8-0) with a career-high 131 rushing yards and four touchdowns while completing 18 of 23 passes for 243 yards. North Dakota State jumped out to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter and never looked back, outgaining South Dakota State 486-192.
Wide receiver Bryce Lance was Payton’s top target, catching five passes for 103 yards, all in the first half. Running back Barika Kpeenu added a rushing touchdown as the Bison built a 31-7 halftime lead.
The North Dakota State defense smothered the Jackrabbits, who were forced to start backup quarterback Luke Marble after Chase Mason was ruled out pregame with an injury. The Bison held South Dakota State to 43 rushing yards and forced six punts while allowing only one scoring drive.
With the win, North Dakota State extended its series lead to 66-47-5 and captured its third straight Dakota Marker. The Bison have now won 12 of 22 trophy matchups since the rivalry’s inception in 2004.
Bundle up. It’s getting Cole out there.
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball)
No. 17 Tennessee 56, Kentucky 34
Joey Aguilar threw for 396 yards and three touchdowns as No. 17 Tennessee rolled past Kentucky 56-28.
Tennessee jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter behind a deep touchdown from Aguilar to Chris Brazzell and a pick-six by linebacker Edrees Farooq. Kentucky briefly cut the deficit on a 71-yard touchdown from Kendrick Law, but the Vols’ offense continued to strike quickly and often.
Brazzell led a dominant receiving corps with 138 yards and a touchdown, while second-year Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley each topped 100 yards. Running backs DeSean Bishop and Star Thomas and Peyton Lewis added short rushing scores as Tennessee piled up explosive plays through the air.
Aguilar completed 20 of 26 passes, spreading the ball to six different receivers. The Vols’ defense forced two turnovers and limited Kentucky’s offense in key moments.
Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley threw for multiple touchdowns but was under pressure throughout the night.
What. A. Ball.
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football)
📺 SECN
📲
No. 25 Michigan 31, Michigan State 20
No. 25 Michigan powered past Michigan State 31-20 in this in-state rivalry. The Wolverines leaned on their dominant rushing attack, piling up 276 yards and all four touchdowns on the ground. Freshman running backs Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall combined for 262 rushing yards and three scores, including Marshall’s 56-yard touchdown with under three minutes left to seal the win.
Michigan State hung tough behind quarterback Aidan Chiles, who threw a touchdown to Nick Marsh and led a late scoring drive capped by Alessio Milivojevic’s 21-yard pass to Michael Masunas in the final seconds. But the Spartans couldn’t keep pace after halftime, converting just one of four fourth-down attempts.
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood added 189 total yards and a rushing touchdown, while Haynes carried the load with a pair of third-quarter scores. Brandyn Hillman led a stout Wolverine defense that forced a key fumble early and held MSU to 97 rushing yards.
With the win, Michigan extended its series streak to four, its longest since 2011.
JORDAN MARSHALL SEE YOU LATER 👋 keeps pulling away
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX)
📺:NBC
See you next week!
That's all for this week, folks!
Thank you for joining us in our Week 9 college football coverage. We're shutting down for the evening. Click below to follow the games still in action:
- No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU | 7:30 p.m. | ABC
- No. 9 Miami (Fla.) vs. Stanford | 7 p.m. | ESPN
- No. 17 Tennessee at Kentucky | 7:45 p.m. | SEC Network
- No. 25 Michigan at Michigan State | 7:30 p.m. | NBC
Battle for the Dakota Marker
🌪️ Wild offensive sequence for Kentucky
Of course this would happen against Tennessee.
— KSR (@KSRonX)
🔵 🟠 Back to back big plays between the Kats and Vols
PICK 6! Edrees Farooq Touchdown!
— gmannVOLS (@gmannVOLS)
But the Wildcats responded with a 71-yard screen pass touchdown by Kendrick Law to make it a one score game.
NO CATCHING 🏃💨
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball)
📺 - SEC Network
🤟 Longhorns storm back in Starkville
Mississippi State led 38-21 with 12:29 left in the game but No. 22 Texas was able to string together a couple of scoring drives and the necessary stops to pull off the 45-38 comeback.
Arch Manning had his best game of the year completing 29 of 46 passes for 346 yards, three touchdowns in the air and one on the ground. Manning went down with an injury in OT, but backup Matthew Caldwell stepped in and threw the go ahead score to Emmett Mosley V as the Longhorns stun the Bulldogs.
Caldwell finds Mosley 😮💨
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball)
🧾 Second slate recap
The mid afternoon slate was filled of exciting plays and near upsets. Here is everything you need to know from the top games.
No. 4 Alabama 29, South Carolina 22
Fourth-ranked Alabama pulled off a dramatic 29-22 comeback win over South Carolina scoring 15 points in the final 2:16 to stun a packed Williams-Brice Stadium crowd. Germie Bernard’s 25-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds left capped the Crimson Tide’s rally and secured their seventh straight victory. Quarterback Ty Simpson tied the game moments earlier with a two-point pass to Josh Cuevas after a short touchdown to Bernard, completing a 14-play, 79-yard drive that kept Alabama’s SEC title hopes alive.
The Gamecocks led most of the second half behind quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who threw a 54-yard touchdown to Nyck Harbor and later scored on a 10-yard run. But Sellers’ late fumble, stripped by linebacker Deontae Lawson and recovered by Alabama, turned the momentum for good. Alabama’s defense held strong in the final minute, sealing the program’s first comeback win under coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide improved to 5-0 in SEC play and 7-1 overall, while South Carolina fell just short of a signature upset.
HE'S CONTAGIOUS 😷
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL)
Iowa State’s midseason struggles continued Saturday with a 41-27 loss to No. 10 BYU. The Cyclones jumped out to an early lead after a 75-yard touchdown pass from Rocco Becht to Brett Eskildsen on the game’s first play, but the Cougars stormed back behind quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who threw for multiple touchdowns and added a rushing score. Iowa State running back Carson Hansen scored twice, and kicker Kyle Konrardy hit a pair of field goals, but turnovers and missed opportunities late cost the Cyclones their chance at an upset.
BYU remains perfect on the season, improving to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in Big 12 play. The Cougars sealed the win in the fourth quarter with a pick-six from linebacker Faletau Satuala and a late interception deep in their own territory. Iowa State fell to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the conference despite showing early promise on both sides of the ball. The Cyclones will look to regroup next week as they try to snap their losing streak and stay in the Big 12 race.
BEAR'S HUNGRY🍽️
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball)
No. 10 Vanderbilt 17, No. 15 Missouri 10
Vanderbilt continus its breakout season with a 17-10 win over Missouri, improving to 7-1 and solidifying its spot in the College Football Playoff conversation. Quarterback Diego Pavia scored the game-winning touchdown on a 1-yard run with less than two minutes remaining, capping a dramatic fourth quarter. The Commodores’ defense made the final stand, stopping Missouri’s Kevin Coleman Jr. just short of the goal line as time expired. Running back Makhilyn Young sparked Vanderbilt’s offense earlier with an 80-yard touchdown run, while kicker Brock Taylor added a field goal in the low-scoring SEC battle.
Missouri fought hard despite losing starting quarterback Beau Pribula to a leg injury in the second half. True freshman Matt Zollers entered in relief and kept the Tigers alive, throwing a touchdown to Jude James to tie the game late. Running back Ahmad Hardy rushed for 90 yards, but a late fumble recovery by Vanderbilt’s CJ Heard set up the winning drive.