There’s so much more to celebrate this Halloween than chocolate bars, candy corn (no judgment here) and kids in adorable costumes.
The College Football Playoff selection committee’s first ranking release, for instance. Will it be a Halloween trick or a treat? With the decision on the horizon, what do one-loss teams have to do this week to remain in contention for a coveted spot in the top four?
Our reporters break down what it will take in Week 9 for Oregon and Utah, who face one another, Texas and Penn State — all one-loss teams — to stay in the CFP picture. We’re also looking at QBs to watch in Week 9, including an under-the-radar player, and notable quotes from the week.
How can these one-loss teams prove themselves and stay relevant in Week 9?
Note: Not all one-loss teams were included, notably Alabama, which is still very much in the CFP picture but has a Week 9 bye.
Oregon: Just win. Is that too simple? A loss at Utah would effectively eliminate the Ducks from the CFP equation, while a win keeps them in the game. Beyond the basic math, going to Salt Lake City to play one of the nation’s best defenses provides a valuable opportunity to make a statement about what this offense can be. If quarterback Bo Nix is truly a Heisman Trophy candidate — which still should be the case — there’s no better way to prove himself than with a big day in this matchup.
It’s still hard to imagine a scenario where a one-loss Pac-12 team, given the depth the conference has this season, would be left out of the CFP. And if Oregon were to fill that hypothetical profile, then its only loss would have been a heartbreaker on the road against Washington. Far from an unforgivable loss.
The Ducks still have USC and Oregon State on the schedule, so they’ll have chances to impress, but this will be the biggest test for their offense. The Utes have allowed more than 14 points just twice this season. — Kyle Bonagura
Utah: Aside from getting an injured Cam Rising back (he was ruled out for the season last week), the Utes need to continue stacking up the statement wins. Going to LA and outlasting USC without Rising was Step 1, but the upcoming game against Oregon, as well as matchups against Washington (in Seattle) and Colorado at home will go a long way toward proving Kyle Whittingham’s team is good enough to win a third straight Pac-12 title and have an outside shot at the playoff.
Despite their strong defensive efforts (they have the 12th-best defense in the nation according to SP+), their chances likely rest on how much they can get out of backup quarterback Bryson Barnes. The junior shined against the Trojans, throwing for three touchdowns, but he’s no Rising, and Utah has been able to win in spite of its quarterback situation.
And yet, we’re well past the point of doubting a Whittingham-led team, injuries or not. The Utes are greater than the sum of their parts. That identity has been more than enough for them so far. The only question is, can they keep it up? — Paolo Uggetti
Texas: The Longhorns will be facing Steve Sarkisian’s alma mater, BYU, with backup quarterback Maalik Murphy likely making his first college start after Quinn Ewers was sidelined by a shoulder injury suffered against Houston.
Texas’ defense will be under the spotlight against BYU, which has the best record against Texas (4-1) of any opponent the Longhorns have faced at least five times. After giving up an average of 12.8 points per game (including a 34-24 win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa) as Texas started 5-0 and climbed to No. 3, Oklahoma went 75 yards in five plays with 1:17 left to upset the Longhorns 34-30.
Last week, after dominating the first 22 minutes of the Houston game with a 21-0 lead, Houston’s Donovan Smith passed for 378 yards and three touchdowns and the Longhorns had to hold off a last-second fourth-down try on the 10-yard-line to win 31-24.
“The lesson learned here is we have to have a killer instinct,” Sarkisian said after the game. “People aren’t going to lay down against us. … We relaxed.”
Whether it’s Murphy, who shined in the spring game (9-of-13 passing for 165 yards) but has attempted just eight passes in his Texas career, or freshman Arch Manning, who has the pedigree and was the No. 5 overall player in this year’s ESPN 300, a lot of eyes will be on how the Longhorns look against BYU.
The Allstate Playoff Predictor currently gives Texas a 25% chance of making the College Football Playoff. Only six teams (including Oklahoma at 63%) are ahead of it. So if Texas can win out, including a potential rematch with OU in the Big 12 title game, it would likely be in. The killer instinct could be the difference. — Dave Wilson
Penn State: While the urge to just whitewash yet another loss to Ohio State — its 11th in the last 12 meetings between the two schools — would be a strong one, Penn State needs to heed the harsh lesson learned last weekend in Columbus.
Failing to convert on its first 15 third-down attempts and going 1-for-16 in that department in the 20-12 loss, its offense managed a season-low 240 total yards — the program’s lowest since last season’s October loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor (268). The ability to sustain drives against elite competition and getting back to running the football with Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, who combined for 74 yards on 18 carries against Ohio State, is paramount.
Quarterback Drew Allar struggled mightily last week (18-of-42 passing for 191 yards and an interception) in his first true hostile environment and will look to rebound at home against Indiana this weekend.
Despite the loss, Penn State’s defense under defensive coordinator Manny Diaz remains second nationally both in scoring defense (9.7 PPG) and passing defense (144.7 YPG) — a force to be dealt with.
Its Big Ten East title hopes flickering, there will be nothing Penn State will be able to do if it can’t beat Michigan when the Wolverines come to State College on Nov. 11. Its offense will need to be humming to make the most of that opportunity. — Blake Baumgartner
Which QB are you most looking forward to watching this weekend?
ACC: We are going under the radar here and choosing Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who has emerged as a running force in the ACC. Since he became the full-time starter in Week 2, BC has transformed into a rush-heavy offense, playing to its strengths behind Castellanos and a much improved offensive line.
Castellanos is coming off back-to-back 100-yard rushing games — the only Power 5 quarterback with multiple 100-yard rushing games this season. BC is also coming off consecutive 300-yard rushing games as a team. The last time that happened was in 2017.
Do you know what else happened in 2017? That was the last time BC overcame a 1-3 record to make a bowl game. BC started 1-3 and is now on a three-game winning streak headed into its game Saturday against UConn. This is a big game for a few reasons. A loss to UConn last season was probably the low point in a disappointing 3-9 campaign. Avenging that loss gets BC to 5-3, just one win away from bowl eligibility. Castellanos is a big key in getting there. — Andrea Adelson
Big 12: Given the stakes and the circumstances, it’s got to be whoever gets the nod at Texas. Murphy is a 6-foot-5, 238-pound redshirt freshman whose accuracy on deep balls in the spring game looked like the missing piece of the Texas offense last season. Then there’s Manning, whose jerseys are for sale in every store in town as fans clamor for a glimpse of the future and football royalty.
“We’ll go through the week and Arch and Maalik will both get a ton of reps,” Sarkisian said Monday. “If the game was being played today, Maalik would start the game and again, Arch will be ready to go.”
Big Ten: Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord was able to come out of the Penn State game without a turnover, which is an accomplishment in itself considering how good the Nittany Lions’ defense has been this season.
McCord was also able to get the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr., who had 162 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t that long ago McCord was in a quarterback battle with Devin Brown, trying to hang on as the starter.
McCord has shown improvement throughout the season and finished the win over Penn State with 286 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t a perfect game for McCord, but he showed improvement and has now helped the Buckeyes beat two top-10 opponents this season.
Ohio State will face Wisconsin this week with the Badgers 5-2.
“We talked about it on Sunday, as a team, that we’ve got to bring it this week. [Wisconsin] is playing well, they’re a good football team,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said at his weekly news conference. “They’ve got a really good opportunity to win their side and we can’t let last week affect this week. Championship teams bring it every week, they don’t have ups and downs and letdowns, so we’re not allowed to have a letdown.”
McCord has another opportunity against the Badgers to continue his improvement, settle into the offense and build his confidence as Ohio State moves closer to its end-of-the-season matchup with Michigan. — Tom VanHaaren
Pac-12: A quick review of Utah quarterback Barnes’ season doesn’t show a lot to be impressed with. Statistically, he’s been among the worst in the Pac-12 (633 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, 3 interceptions in six appearances). However, after the resident “pig farmer” went out and led Utah to a win against USC — and Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams — last week, it’s time to climb aboard the Barnes bandwagon. At least for this week.
The Utes seemed destined for a lost season without Rising for the first several weeks, but with competent quarterback play this is a team that has the potential to remain in the conference title race. — Bonagura
SEC: LSU‘s Jayden Daniels has played his way to the forefront of the Heisman Trophy race, but Florida‘s Graham Mertz has quietly been one of the most efficient passers in the league.
The Wisconsin junior transfer is third nationally in completion percentage (76.2) and has passed for 1,897 yards, 12 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions. In his past two starts (wins over South Carolina and Vanderbilt), he’s completed 71% of his passes for 677 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.
Mertz will face his toughest test yet Saturday against No. 1 Georgia, which is third nationally in allowing just 5.1 yards per attempt. The Bulldogs have intercepted more passes (nine) than they’ve given up touchdown passes (eight).
If the Gators (5-2, 3-1) are going to upset the Dawgs and stay in the SEC East race, they will likely need to make more explosive plays in the passing game. They’re tied for 101st nationally in completions of 30 yards or longer (eight) through seven games and have thrown just two touchdown passes against FBS opponents that were longer than 20 yards. — Chris Low
Quotes of the week
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Deion Sanders shares his thoughts on sign stealing amid Michigan probe
Colorado coach Deion Sanders says stealing signals wouldn’t necessarily help Michigan’s football team.
“Everyone’s trying to get an edge wherever they can. You can have someone’s whole game plan. They could mail it to you. You’ve still got to stop it.” — Colorado coach Deion Sanders, on sign stealing in college football.
“You can’t steal signs and do any of this stuff if you have a helmet communicator.” — Alabama coach Nick Saban, echoing other coaches in favor of new sideline communication in the wake of accusations of sign stealing by Michigan.
“They’ve got a Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback. So they’re going to make some things, and that’s just the way it is. But we’ve got ourselves a pig farmer at quarterback, so we’re proud of that guy, too.” — Kyle Whittingham, after Utah’s win against USC in Week 8.
The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is set to deliver yet another exhilarating race to the finish. From the field to the favorite, here is everything to know about the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
When is the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
The 2025 Kentucky Derby will take place Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
What time does the 2025 Kentucky Derby begin?
The post time for the 2025 Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET.
How can fans watch?
Coverage of the 2025 Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Peacock will stream early coverage beginning at noon ET.
How many horses run in the Kentucky Derby?
Twenty horses have the chance to compete in the Kentucky Derby.
How do horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby?
To earn a spot in the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby, a horse must compete in a series of designated races from September through mid-April. Points are awarded to the top five finishers in each race. The 20 horses with the most points, or the horses who win their international series, earn a spot in the starting gate in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.
Who is the favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, opened as the 3-1 favorite.
What are the post positions for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Post 1: Citizen Bull (20-1 morning line odds)
Post 2: Neoequos (30-1)
Post 3: Final Gambit (30-1)
Post 4: Rodriguez (12-1)
Post 5: American Promise (30-1)
Post 6: Admire Daytona (30-1)
Post 7: Luxor Cafe (15-1)
Post 8: Journalism (3-1)
Post 9: Burnham Square (12-1)
Post 10: Grande (20-1)
Post 11: Flying Mohawk (30-1)
Post 12: East Avenue (20-1)
Post 13: Publisher (20-1)
Post 14: Tiztastic (20-1)
Post 15: Render Judgment (30-1)
Post 16: Coal Battle (30-1)
Post 17: Sandman (6-1)
Post 18: Sovereignty (5-1)
Post 19: Chunk of Gold (30-1)
Post 20: Owen Almighty (30-1)
Alternate: Baeza
Which post has produced the most Kentucky Derby winners?
Post 5 has produced the most winners, with 10.
What three races make up horse racing’s Triple Crown?
The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes are the three races needed to accomplish the Triple Crown.
NEW YORK — Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for two games for elbowing Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the head midway through Game 4 of Florida’s first-round series against Tampa Bay.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced its ruling after a phone hearing with Ekblad earlier Tuesday. He will be out for Game 5 and either Game 6 of this series or the Panthers’ first game in the next round.
No penalty was called when Ekblad hit Hagel in the chin with his right elbow and forearm with just under nine minutes left in the second period on Monday night. Hagel left the ice and did not return, and Ekblad scored the first of two goals in 11 seconds late in the third to give the defending Stanley Cup champions a comeback victory and a 3-1 series lead.
Coach Jon Cooper said Hagel would not play in Game 5. Hagel was suspended for Game 3 for his late hit that knocked Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out of Game 2.
Ekblad missed the first two games of the playoffs and the final 18 of the regular season after being suspended for violating the league and NHLPA’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Florida got accustomed to playing without Ekblad.
“If it’s the first time it happens, there’s even questions from the coaching staff about what’s the right adjustment to make in your lineup and how will that play out — there’s a lot of unknown,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Because we’ve been through it so much when Aaron’s out, we know what the D-pairs are — let’s assume — if he’s out of the lineup.”
Another Florida defenseman, Niko Mikkola, was fined $5,000 for boarding Tampa Bay’s Zemgus Girgensons. Mikkola was given a five-minute major and ejected for the play early in the third period of Game 4.
Add Rick Tocchet to the list of available coaching options on the open market with the Vancouver Canucks announcing Tuesday that Tocchet left the team.
There had been a belief that Tocchet’s time with the Canucks could be coming to an end. Last week saw the discussion of Tocchet’s future with the franchise come under greater focus, with Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford saying they weren’t exercising their option on Tocchet’s contract before adding that they offered him a new, more lucrative deal to remain in Vancouver.
But now? Tocchet joins the list of sought-after coaching candidates and the Canucks become the eighth NHL team that will use this offseason to go through a coaching search.
“After a very long and thorough process, unfortunately Rick has decided to leave the Vancouver Canucks,” Rutherford said in a statement. “This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick’s decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career. We did everything in our power to keep him but at the end of the day, Rick felt he needed a change.”
In the same news conference in which Rutherford said the team offered Tocchet a new deal, he also said that Tocchet “may have his mind somewhere else” before adding that he felt Tocchet and his staff did “a good job coaching this team this year” as they did in their first full campaign.
Tocchet was a midseason hire during the 2022-23 season. His first full year in charge saw the Canucks win 50 games, finish with 109 points and win the Pacific Division. He led the Canucks to their first postseason appearance since the 2019-20 season and was a win away from advancing to the Western Conference finals.
Entering this season, the Canucks had most of their players from their playoff team. They started strong with a 15-8-5 record but encountered numerous on-ice and off-ice problems that would prove too large.
Among them was the friction between star forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The tension between Miller and Pettersson reached a stage in which Canucks captain Quinn Hughes publicly acknowledged there was an issue with Miller and Pettersson denying such issues.
Miller would be traded to the New York Rangers before the trade deadline, and the Canucks struggled to find someone who could replace his production. They would finish six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
Still, Tocchet had the support of Hughes, along with others within the organization who wanted him to stay.
As for what it all means going forward for both parties? Tocchet is among those who will join Mike Sullivan, who parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday after winning two Stanley Cups in 10 seasons, as one of the most attractive names for teams seeking a new bench boss.
“I’m choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks,” Tocchet said. “Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes an opportune time. While I don’t know where I’m headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities around hockey.”