College football AP Top 25: Week 9 winners and losers

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - OCTOBER 20: Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins (7) throws downfield during the college football game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Ohio State Buckeyes on October 20, 2018, at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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CLEMSON, SC – OCTOBER 20: Running back Reggie Gallaspy II #25 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack rushes for a touchdown against the Clemson Tigers during the fourth quarter of the football game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) /

Loser: NC State Wolfpack (No. 16 down to No. 22)

It was a rough week, to say the least for NC State. The Wolfpack were ranked No. 16 in the polls with no losses on the record, but voters were skeptical because they had yet to see this team beat anyone with an actual pulse.

Sure, the Wolfpack beat Virginia by two touchdowns and Boston College by just a score, but their toughest game, West Virginia, was cancelled earlier in the year thanks to a hurricane. They have yet to show any signs of being a top-20 team other than handling teams that they were expected to blow out.

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Ryan Finley is still a solid quarterback despite struggling against the one of the best defenses in the nation and the Wolfpack will be tested once again versus Syracuse next week on the road, but they have an extremely winnable remaining schedule. A 10-1 record wouldn’t be out of the question for this team, but even then, voters will not be impressed with a premier win being Florida State — in that case.

This was the one opportunity NC State had this season to prove itself as the class of the ACC, but Clemson showed that its on a different level, putting the Wolfpack in their place.

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