The Hawkeyes were in the process of creating one of the best teams in program history. Visions of National Championships like 1921 and 1922 were dancing in their heads. After all, they had already defeated arch rival Iowa State and downed national power Penn State. A spot in the Big 10 Championship Game seemed realistic. But a funny thing happened on the way to Indianapolis. Purdue. The great defensive play of 2021 disappeared in the face of the Boilermaker Train. The Hawkeye offense never got untracked and Purdue dominated the game from start to finish. The Iowa loss leaves the Big 10 with only Michigan and Michigan State undefeated on the season.

Around the Nation: In the ACC undefeated Wake Forest was idle while North Carolina State was making a huge statement by going on the road and dominating Boston College 33-7. Pittsburgh traveled to Blacksburg and took care of business with a convincing 28-7 win over the Hokies. Cincinnati is making a run at the CFP look realistic. The Bearcats continue to run over opponents in convincing fashion, this time the victim was Central Florida, 56-21. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State appear on a Big 12 Collision Course. Both teams are 6-0 fast approaching mid-season. The Sooners downed the Horned Frogs 52-31 while the Cowboys were victorious in Austin over the Longhorns. Steve Sarkisian is finding life in the Big 12 difficult. Utah handed Arizona State it's first conference loss in the unpredictable PAC 12. Kentucky gave Georgia all they could handle in the first half, battling to a 14-7 deficit, but the Bulldogs proved way to much in the second half pulling away to a 30-13 win over the Wildcats. Alabama took out their frustrations on Mississippi State 49-9. Ole Miss survived a tough road trip to Rocky Top, squeezing by Tennessee 31-26. Watch for the week 9 projections to be posted Tuesday afternoon.