Each the SEC and Faculty Soccer Playoff races ought to achieve loads of readability in Week 9 of the 2025 season. The Southeast’s premier school soccer convention is house to 3 ranked matchups on Saturday, every with main implications on the nationwide panorama.
Two league contenders and Ole Miss and Oklahoma are set to face off in a contest that would determine both’s convention championship sport destiny. No. 10 Vanderbilt appears to remain scorching in opposition to a No. 15 Missouri crew that it has not gained in opposition to since 2019.
No. 20 LSU highlights the night slate because it tries to maintain its season alive in opposition to No. 3 Texas A&M, which is one in all simply six remaining unbeaten groups. Exterior of the SEC, there are just a few playoff contenders that should cope with main highway assessments this weekend.
Here is a have a look at the Week 9 video games that matter within the playoff race, and what it means for each groups concerned.
Faculty Soccer QB Energy Rankings: Georgia’s Gunner Stockton surpasses Miami’s Carson Beck getting into Week 9
David Cobb
No. 8 Ole Miss at No. 13 Oklahoma
Ole Miss was knocked from the corridor of unbeatens with Week 8’s loss to No. 5 Georgia. Now the Rebels look to rebound with a really powerful take a look at. Ole Miss has misplaced its final 9 highway video games in opposition to AP-ranked energy convention opponents. The Rebels additionally have not misplaced back-to-back video games since 2022. They’re 5-0 after a loss during the last three seasons. Whereas a loss right here would not tank their season, it might eradicate any margin for error down the stretch.
Oklahoma, however, is 9-1 in its final 10 house video games in opposition to AP-ranked opponents. The Sooners want all of the wins they’ll get at this level, particularly in the event that they’re taking part in contained in the pleasant confines of Gaylord Household-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Saturday begins a gauntlet of five-straight ranked opponents for the Sooners. Two of these video games are on the highway in opposition to a pair of top-20 opponents in No. 17 Tennessee and No. 4 Alabama. With a loss in opposition to then-unranked Texas already on its ledger, the Sooners should be near-perfect during the last month and alter. Which means not fumbling home-field benefit.
No. 15 Missouri at No. 10 Vanderbilt
Missouri travels to play a really scrappy and superb Vanderbilt crew in simply its second highway sport of the season. The Tigers’ star has pale a bit in latest weeks, as they suffered their first lack of the 12 months to Alabama after which struggled on the highway in opposition to a rudderless Auburn crew. Nonetheless, Missouri ranks top-10 nationally in each complete offense and complete protection, with the upside to beat any crew within the SEC. This does really feel like a must-win for its playoff outlook as, with out it, the Tigers could not have the document to make the lower amongst an anticipated glut of two-loss Energy 4 groups.
Vanderbilt has already constructed a really robust ledger in its favor. The Commodores boast a number of wins in opposition to top-15 groups for the primary time in program historical past, they usually’re going for a 3rd on Saturday. They’ve but to lose at house they usually’ve attained their highest rating in 78 years. Even with a Week 9 loss, they will be in good standing for a possible playoff berth with additional alternatives to impress the choice committee in opposition to beatable groups like No. 22 Texas and No. 17 Tennessee down the road.
No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU
Regardless of the lofty rating subsequent to its identify, it nonetheless appears like Texas A&M is flying beneath the radar. Maybe that is as a result of that is its first sport in opposition to a ranked opponent in over a month. It is true that the Aggies have benefitted from a comparatively mild SEC schedule up to now — particularly compared to what it could possibly be — however there’s loads of benefit in taking good care of enterprise amid an especially chaotic season. The truth that Texas A&M remains to be undefeated additionally signifies that it will probably get by with a loss this weekend, particularly because it’s on the highway.
Each week from this level ahead is LSU’s final gasp. The Tigers entered the season with reputable SEC and nationwide title hopes. Now they’re barely hanging on as a ranked crew. Few outcomes look higher to the committee than a win in opposition to a top-three foe, although, and LSU can get proper again on monitor Saturday. Any loss between now and the final weekend in November will formally bury these preseason hopes.
Darkish Horse Sport of the Week
No. 18 South Florida at Memphis
South Florida, quietly, has the most effective résumés in school soccer. The Bulls at present rank thirteenth in ESPN’s power of document metric, forward of the likes of Texas Tech, Texas, Michigan and LSU. They have been the primary crew to earn consecutive ranked wins this season once they began the 12 months 2-0, and their solely loss up to now got here on the highway in opposition to top-10 Miami. Profitable the American Convention would put them in pole place for a playoff bid, however there’s nonetheless an extended — and tough — path to that time.
Memphis represents one of many largest remaining highway blocks. The Tigers constructing their very own case for the playoff amid a 6-0 begin to the 12 months and an look within the AP Prime 25. Then they suffered a disastrous loss to a UAB crew that fired former coach Trent Dilfer on Oct. 12. It is going to be onerous to beat that, although ranked wins heal most wounds. Memphis remains to be a superb crew and it may put itself proper again within the thick of the American Convention scramble with a win.
