Sports
Ranking 134 college football teams after Week 9: Top-10 Indiana’s dream season is getting real
Editor’s note: The Athletic 134 is a weekly ranking of all FBS college football teams.
Indiana is no longer just a fun college football story. That is to say, Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers aren’t some plucky upstart. They’re the real deal. They’re a machine. And it’s time to realize they’re a real threat to make the College Football Playoff.
After beating Washington and becoming the first FBS team in 26 years to start 8-0 without ever trailing, Indiana is up to No. 9 in this week’s edition of The Athletic 134.
It is truly wild that a program that went 3-9 last season was favored to beat and then did beat last year’s national runner-up, and that Indiana is likely to be favored against last year’s national champion, Michigan, in a few weeks. The school record for wins is nine, and it would have to take a complete collapse for the Hoosiers to not at least tie that record.
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox.
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox.
Sign Up
Without talented quarterback Kurtis Rourke, the Hoosiers turned to the ground, and running back Justice Ellison had 123 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries against the Huskies. Winning in a different way is impressive, but it would be helpful for Rourke to come back sooner than later.
And for the people ready to chime in with, “Who have they played?” — it’s true that the schedule has not been that difficult. But ESPN’s analytics, which rank Indiana’s strength of schedule at No. 106, also rank the Hoosiers’ strength of record at No. 10, crediting them for how they’ve done while factoring in opponent strength. It still matters how you perform against your schedule, and again Indiana hasn’t trailed for a second all season.
It’s been a dream season in Bloomington, and with a remaining schedule that ranks 17th in the country, opportunities for more impactful wins are coming, including against Ohio State.
Here is this week’s edition of The Athletic 134.
1-10
The only changes here come at the bottom of the group, where Indiana has moved to No. 9 and Notre Dame has returned to the top 10 after a 51-14 win against a ranked Navy. That, coupled with the fact that Texas A&M hasn’t lost since its Week 1 defeat to the Irish, means Notre Dame is squarely back in the CFP picture. A lot of people wrote off the Irish after their loss to Northern Illinois, but welcome to the 12-team CFP era, where schools can play their way back into the mix.
Expect another shakeup in the top five after Ohio State visits Penn State this week. And by the way, BYU has two wins against 7-1 teams this season. The Cougars still aren’t getting enough respect in the polls.
GO DEEPER
Mandel’s Final Thoughts: QB decisions loom for top-10 teams in Week 10
11-25
Texas A&M rises all the way up to No. 11 after its 38-23 win against LSU. The Aggies are the lone team still undefeated in SEC play. Clemson and Iowa State both dropped while idle, but that was simply because Notre Dame and Texas A&M now have much better wins after the weekend.
Pitt is up to No. 17 after a 41-13 win against Syracuse. I wanted to move the Panthers up more, but the teams ahead of them also won. Their trip to SMU this Saturday is their first chance for a major victory. Welcome to the top 25, Colorado. The Buffs are now 6-2 after beating Cincinnati. They’ve just been a really solid team this season, with fewer people paying attention.
Somehow, Missouri remains in the top 25 at No. 23 despite a 37-0 loss to Alabama. I didn’t expect to keep the Tigers here, but so many teams just behind them in last week’s rankings also lost, and Mizzou still has the win against Vanderbilt to hang its hat on (yes, that’s a real sentence). Arkansas also jumps into the top 25 after a blowout win against Mississippi State and losses by a bunch of teams ahead of the Razorbacks. It also helps that two of Arkansas’ three losses came to top-20 teams, and the Razorbacks have a win against Tennessee.
GO DEEPER
AP Top 25: Penn State, OSU set for top-5 game; Colorado moves in
26-50
Navy only slips to No. 27 after its loss to Notre Dame, largely because of the win against No. 28 Memphis. Army remains outside the top 25 because it doesn’t have a win against an FBS team with a winning record yet. The Black Knights only “dropped” because Colorado and Arkansas moved up. As I always say, don’t overreact to dropping while idle. It’s just about what other teams did.
Tulane moves up to No. 34 after a win at North Texas. Nebraska only drops one spot to No. 38 after taking Ohio State to the limit; the Huskers’ win against Colorado keeps looking better. Minnesota jumps up to No. 41 after a dominant 48-23 win against Maryland.
TCU is back in the top 50 at No. 44 after a comeback win against Texas Tech. Cincinnati drops to No. 46 because of its loss to Colorado and because of Texas Tech’s loss, which drags on the Bearcats due to their head-to-head result.
GO DEEPER
Week 9’s College Football Playoff lessons: Ohio State walking a tightrope, new SEC leader
51-75
One week after Maryland beat USC, both hold still here after the Terps lost to Minnesota and the Trojans beat Rutgers. It’s an instance where the previous week’s results still hold a lot of sway for two 4-4 teams. North Carolina got back on track with a 41-14 win against Virginia to move up to No. 53. Cal’s 44-7 win against Oregon State moves the Golden Bears up to No. 60 and an idle NC State up to No. 59 because the Wolfpack beat Cal a week ago.
Auburn is up from No. 81 to No. 61 after beating Kentucky, which continues to tumble down, now at No. 62. Utah continues to slip as well, now down to No. 68 after a loss to Houston and on a decline that seems likely to continue with the Utes’ quarterback injuries. But their wins against Baylor and Oklahoma State keep them from falling further. Baylor’s win against Oklahoma State moves the Bears up to No. 69 and Oklahoma State down to No. 71. Old Dominion hammered Georgia Southern 47-19 to crack the Sun Belt East wide open and move up to No. 73, while Liberty’s shocking loss to previously winless Kennesaw State dropped the Flames to No. 75, all but ending their College Football Playoff hopes.
GO DEEPER
Week 9’s College Football Playoff lessons: Ohio State walking a tightrope, new SEC leader
76-100
UCF, on a five-game losing streak, is down to No. 76. Kansas stays at No. 84 after Kansas State needed a late 51-yard field goal to beat the Jayhawks. Western Michigan is up to No. 86 and atop the MAC as the only undefeated team in league play, but No. 87 Miami (Ohio), No. 88 Ohio and No. 89 Bowling Green are not far behind, especially after the Falcons beat Toledo 41-26 and Ohio pummeled Buffalo. The MAC is all jumbled together, and it’s reflected here in the rankings, especially after Notre Dame-slayer Northern Illinois lost to Ball State to fall to No. 93.
I cannot believe I had to type “1-7” for Florida State’s record here. The No. 99 Seminoles continue to sit with No. 98 Mississippi State and No. 100 Purdue as the worst Power 4 teams.
101-134
Would you believe No. 100 Colorado State is actually undefeated in Mountain West play and has a pretty clear path to the conference championship game? Because the Rams do. USF slips to No. 102 because the Bulls were idle and several teams below them got notable wins. Ball State’s win against NIU moves the Cardinals up to No. 107. UTSA falls to No. 112 after blowing a 35-7 halftime lead in a loss to No. 111 Tulsa. Nevada also falls into this group at No. 117 after a loss to Hawaii. Akron beat Eastern Michigan to move up to No. 125.
Congratulations to Kennesaw State on its first win as an FBS program and against an FBS program, as the Owls stunned Liberty. That gets Kennesaw State up to No. 127 and leaves No. 134 Kent State as the last winless FBS team.
The Athletic 134 series is part of a partnership with Allstate. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The highly anticipated 30th WNBA season tipped off Friday with three games, including the expansion Toronto Tempo’s first-ever contest.
The action continued Saturday with a full slate, including Caitlin Clark’s return after an injury-riddled sophomore season.
Clark and the Indiana Fever hosted the Dallas Wings on Saturday afternoon in a matchup featuring the four most recent No. 1 overall picks. The Wings outlasted the Fever 107-104, but the game was defined by Azzi Fudd’s — the most recent top pick — underwhelming debut.
Dallas Wings guards Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers react during the first half of the Fever’s season opener at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on May 9, 2026. (Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Fudd played 18 minutes off the bench, scoring three points — the lowest ever by a No. 1 overall pick in a WNBA debut.
Wings coach Jose Fernandez addressed Fudd’s performance after the game, encouraging the rookie to, “Keep doing what she’s doing, it’s her first year in the league. We got five really talented backcourt players.”
EX-WNBA STAR CRITICAL OF SKY ROOKIE HAILEY VAN LITH, BELIEVES POPULARITY PLAYED ROLE IN DRAFT SELECTION
In addition to Fudd, Dallas’ backcourt features last year’s top draft pick Paige Bueckers, last season’s No. 12 overall pick Aziaha James, four-time All-Star Arike Ogunbowale and starting guard Odyssey Sims.
Until Saturday, Kelsey Plum held the record for the lowest-scoring debut by a No. 1 pick. Selected first overall by the then-San Antonio Stars in 2017, she scored just four points in her debut. The Stars relocated to Las Vegas in 2018 and was subsequently rebranded as the Aces.
Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd warms up before the game against the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 9, 2026. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Despite the slow start to her first season in the league, Plum ended the year with All-Rookie team honors. In the years since, she’s been named to four All-Star teams and won two championships with the Aces.
The Wings’ decision to take Fudd with the No. 1 overall pick drew controversy, raising questions about whether Bueckers’ personal relationship with her influenced the selection. Late last month, Bueckers said last month it did not.
Azzi Fudd poses with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected first overall by the Dallas Wings during the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed in New York City on April 13, 2026. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Azzi Fudd was the No. 1 draft pick because she earned it, and it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with who she is as a human being, who she is as a basketball player,” Bueckers said, according to ESPN.
Neither Bueckers nor Fudd has publicly updated their relationship status since the April draft.
“Quite frankly, I believe me and Azzi’s personal relationship is nobody’s business but our own,” Bueckers also said in April. “And what we choose to share is completely up to us.”
Next up, the Wings play their home opener on Tuesday when they host the Atlanta Dream.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The Lakers are one playoff defeat from their season being over and from the conversation turning to LeBron James’ future.
They are in a hole no team has climbed out of in the history of the NBA, the Lakers’ 131-108 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 putting L.A. down 3-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
James and his teammates gave a gallant effort Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, but the defending champion proved to be more than the Lakers could handle.
James finished his night with 19 points on seven-for-19 shooting, eight assists and six rebounds. Rui Hachimura had 21 points and Austin Reaves finished with 17 points and nine assists.
Even so, the Lakers have now lost all three games by double digits.
And the Lakers are fully aware that no NBA team has successfully come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs, with those teams holding a 161-0 record. Only four teams have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0, all of which ultimately lost the series, including the Boston Celtics in 2023.
Lakers forward LeBron James shows frustration as Thunder center Chet Holmgren slam dunks during Game 3 on Saturday night.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Game 4 is Monday night, when the Lakers will try to stave off elimination and a night that will determine how the conversations go with James if they lose.
James has been frequently asked this season about retirement, but he has not given any indication of what the future holds for him.
He’s 41 years old and playing in an NBA-record 23rd season.
James is in the final year of his contract that pays him $52 million, making him a free agent this offseason. He can retire, join another team or perhaps return to the Lakers next season.
That will be the conversation if the Lakers can’t win Game 4.
They will see the same Thunder team that had seven players score in double figures, led by Ajay Mitchell’s 24 points and 10 assists and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 23 points and nine assists.
The Lakers went down 13 in the third quarter and had to play catchup the rest of the way. They never did, going down by 112-94 with 6 minutes and 12 seconds left, forcing Lakers coach JJ Redick to call a timeout.
The deficit just kept growing, topping out at 27 points in the fourth.
They were outscored 33-20 in the third quarter. The Lakers didn’t take care of the basketball in the third, turning it over six times, and they didn’t play good defense, allowing the Thunder to shoot 59.1% from the field and 55.6 percent from three-point range,
The Lakers did not give an inch to the Thunder in the first half, even when they fell behind by 10 points.
They just kept grinding until they led 59-57 at halftime.
Hachimura had 16 points in the first half, continuing his hot three-point shooting by making all four of his threes. Luke Kennard came off the bench to give the Lakers 13 points, shooting five for six from the field and three for four from three-point range.
The Lakers kept the pressure defense on Gilgeous-Alexander. Though he had 14 points in the first half, he shot only four for 14 from the field and one for five from three-point range.
The Lakers shot 55% from three-point range in the first half, which went a long way in helping them.
The Lakers lost the first two games by identical margins of 18 points and each loss was magnified because Gilgeous-Alexander was kept under wraps for the most part by L.A.’s defense.
When Gilgeous-Alexander picked up his fourth foul with 10:34 left in the third quarter of Game 2 and went to the bench, the Thunder turned a five-point lead into a 13-point advantage at the end of the quarter.
So, when he wasn’t on the court, the Lakers failed to take advantage.
“Well, you know, again, I’ll repeat what I said after the game: we’ve got to be better in the non-Shai minutes,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
Role players like Mitchell and Jared McCain hurt the Lakers in the second game. Chet Holmgren also was hard to deal with.
“Mitchell and McCain have hurt us in those non-Shai minutes, and then Chet [Holmgren] has hurt us the whole game,” Redick said. “I think you’ve got to be willing to live with something. Shai playing one-on-one, thus far in the series, we haven’t been willing to live with, so you’re going to be in rotation. That can lead to smalls on bigs at the hole, and the offensive rebounding from Chet has really hurt us.”
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
In 2025, Alex Palou kicked off the Month of May with a Sonsio Grand Prix win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
Based on the odds, it’s likely that Palou will find himself in Winner’s Circle again this Saturday when INDYCAR goes back to IMS on May 9 (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
Considering Palou has already captured the checkered flag three times this season, are there any other drivers whose odds are worth a wager?
Here are the latest lines at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 9.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
Sonsio Grand Prix 2026
Àlex Palou: 5/18 (bet $10 to win $12.78 total)
Kyle Kirkwood: 5/1 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Pato O’Ward: 12/1 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
David Malukas: 14/1 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Josef Newgarden: 16/1 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Scott McLaughlin: 20/1 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Christian Lundgaard: 30/1 (bet $10 to win $310 total)
Scott Dixon: 40/1 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Will Power: 60/1 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Felix Rosenqvist: 80/1 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Alexander Rossi: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Marcus Ericsson: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Marcus Armstrong: 100/1 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Christian Rasmussen: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Graham Rahal: 150/1 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Louis Foster: 300/1 (bet $10 to win $3,010 total)
Dennis Hauger: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Romain Grosjean: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Santino Ferrucci: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Rinus Veekay: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Kyffin Simpson: 500/1 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Caio Collet: 1000/1 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Sting Ray Robb: 1000/1 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Nolan Siegel: 1000/1 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Mick Schumacher: 1000/1 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Here’s what to know about the oddsboard:
Heavy Favorite: It doesn’t look like Alex Palou’s dominance will be slowing down anytime soon. As noted above, he’s already won three of the five races since the INDYCAR season started in March. With 186 laps led, Palou sits first in the standings and has the shortest odds to win the title again. Last season, he started from the pole and led 29 laps before winning the race.
Long Shot to Watch: While his odds of 150/1 to win at IMS are much longer than Palou’s, Graham Rahal is one to watch. At this race in 2025, he started second and led 49 laps before finishing sixth. He finished second at this course in 2015, 2020 and 2023. He’s currently 10th in the INDYCAR standings, with one top five and three top 10s.
-
New York60 minutes ago‘She Studied Us for a Moment With Theatrical Longing’
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoDetroit shines red for ALS kickoff & lighting ceremony
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoWhere to watch Pittsburgh Pirates vs San Francisco Giants: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 10
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoDallas weather: Large hail, dangerous winds, and flash flooding possible
-
Boston, MA2 hours ago‘This is really just the start of it all’: Mojo Boston makes splashy debut at City Hall Plaza – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoPerson dies after being hit by plane at Denver airport
-
Seattle, WA2 hours ago‘Do you care more about the kids or the drug addicts?’: Jake calls out Seattle for potential homeless shelters near schools – MyNorthwest.com
-
San Diego, CA2 hours agoIt’s ‘trust, but verify’ for new AI spine surgery system