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College football Week 9 highlights: Top plays, games, takeaways

At first, it was a quaint footnote.

Then, it was all vibes, the bandwagon filling up with wide-eyed joy riders, and all the breaks going their way.

And now, nine weeks into the season, it's getting increasingly difficult to shrug off all we've seen as dumb luck, soft schedules and total flukes.

As we close in on November, it's time to take Indiana and BYU and Pittsburgh seriously.

The momentum has built slowly, cautiously -- like when someone suggests going to Waffle House as a party winds down. Everyone has a good laugh, but the next thing you know, Indiana's in the Big Ten title game, a waitress is poking you with a fork to make sure you're alive, and your face is glued to the table with maple syrup.