2025 Week 9 12-team College Football Playoff prediction: Alabama survived a scare

Week 9 may have been Alabama’s biggest test of the season, not because South Carolina is the toughest opponent on the Crimson Tide’s schedule, but because it might be the worst. Heading into Alabama’s trip to Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, Kalen DeBoer had yet to beat an unranked SEC team on the road since taking over in Tuscaloosa, and he almost extended the streak. 

The Tide came out lethargic after a brutal stretch of four-straight wins over College Football Playoff contenders, and Shane Beamer had every opportunity to step on Alabama’s throat. Instead, he left it a one-score game in the fourth quarter, and Ty Simpson is too good to give a chance. 

After three straight three-and-outs in the second half, Simpson and Ryan Grubb orchestrated a 14-play 79-yard touchdown drive to even the score at 22. Then, Tim Keenan III and Deontae Lawson, two more holdovers from the Nick Saban era, combined to force a fumble and get the ball back for Germie Bernard’s game-winning score. The championship mentality is back at Alabama, but with Texas A&M steamrolling through the conference, winning the SEC won’t be an easy task. 

Table for 12 Week 9: Texas A&M isn't the only contender to lock up a CFP spot

Texas A&M is a force to be reckoned with

After Alabama navigated the hostile environment in Columbia, Mike Elko led his Aggies into Death Valley and didn’t have nearly as much trouble with LSU. After trailing at halftime thanks to a blocked punt safety from the Tigers and an end zone interception of Marcel Reed, Texas A&M throttled LSU in the second half, outscoring them 35-7 after the intermission for a 49-25 win. 

The Aggies ate up Garrett Nussmeier with their dominant defensive line, led by Cashius Howell. Considering Alabama’s struggles to run the ball, that group could pin its ears back in a likely SEC Championship matchup and give Simpson problems. 

For now, I’m sticking with Alabama as my SEC Champion and No. 2 seed, but Texas A&M is a scary team capable of winning the conference and the national title. 

Lane Kiffin won’t trip up this time

Last year, after Ole Miss beat Georgia, it looked like a certainty that the Rebels would make the CFP. Then, coming out of a bye week, Lane Kiffin’s team found a way to lose to Florida in Week 13. This time around, Ole Miss looks like a lock after downing Oklahoma in Norman on Saturday, and with South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida, and Mississippi State left on the schedule and a one-game buffer, because two-loss Ole Miss would still get an at-large bid, Kiffin can’t mess this one up. 

Now, as for the remaining undefeated teams that don’t have a spot in this prediction, BYU and Georgia Tech, I’m still not sold. I still favor Texas Tech to win the Big 12 and Miami to win the ACC. So, with Notre Dame likely taking an at-large spot by winning out, both should only be one-bid leagues. 

In the Group of Six, USF finally took a conference loss, falling to Memphis one week after the Tigers lost to UAB. The American is the best G6 conference, but it’s cannibalizing itself to open the door for Boise State and James Madison. Because USF has a big win over Boise from Week 1, I’ll throw the Dukes in at No. 12.