Week 8 of college football saw another week where a top team fell. This week, it was BYU losing to UCF in double overtime, as the team ranked number one in the College Football Power Rankings lost for a third straight week. It is also the third straight week that a team in the AP Top 2 lost to an unranked opponent.
Now, just three undefeated teams remain, as both Texas Tech and James Madison took losses over the weekend. Cincinnati upset Texas Tech, while James Madison lost to Appalachian State on a last-second field goal. With changes at the top, and some other big teams struggling, there is once again movement in the power rankings.
Previous Weeks: Preseason | Week 2 | Week 3| Week 4| Week 5| Week 6| Week 7 | Week 8
1. Miami (FL) (+1)
Miami was ranked as the top team in the AP Poll for the first time since 2002 last weekend. They will be holding on to that ranking after another win. This week's victim was Pitt. Miami was dominant throughout the game. Darian Mensah threw three touchdowns in the first half, with two of them going to Malachi Toney. Toney and Mensah would add another touchdown in the fourth quarter as well. Overall, Mensah completed 31 of 37 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns, while Toney brought in 16 receptions for 194 yards and three scores. Miami beat Pitt 52-23. Miami hits the road next week to face off with North Carolina.
2. Ohio State (+1)
Ohio State moves up a slot this week thanks to BYU losing. The Buckeyes still have just one loss on the season, a Week 2 loss on the road to Texas by one point. They also have a big win over Indiana on their resume. Ohio State will be back on the field this upcoming Saturday as they visit USC. Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair will be the starting quarterback for Ohio State, with Julian Sayin out of the lineup. Playing against USC for their first start will be a softer landing compared to the rest of the schedule, as Ohio State also has games against Oregon, Northwestern, Nebraska, and Michigan.
3. Georgia (+1)
Like Ohio State, Georgia moves up a spot thanks to the loss by BYU. The last time Georgia took to the field, they were upset by Auburn 27-24. Georgia does have a road win over Alabama, though. This has put Georgia at 6-1 on the season and one of just two teams in the SEC with only one conference loss. This week, they will be attending the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, as Georgia and Florida face off in Atlanta for the first time in series history. It is the first of three straight games against ranked conference opponents, with games against Ole Miss and Missouri coming up.
4. Utah (+3)
Utah continues to remain undefeated as they took care of business against Houston. It was a defensive first half of the game, as the only points were a second-quarter field goal by Houston. The Cougars scored the first touchdown of the game with a Makhi Hughes two-yard touchdown run. Utah answered with a Devon Dampier 22-yard touchdown scamper, but Houston would add points to lead 13-7 heading into the fourth quarter. Wayshawn Parker gave Utah the lead with a five-yard touchdown run, before Dampier added his second rushing touchdown of the game in the 21-13 win. Utah hits the road this week to face off with Cincinnati, who just upset Texas Tech.
5. UCLA (+5)
Welcome to the Top 5, UCLA. The Bruins once again remained undefeated after taking care of business against Michigan State. Kenneth Williams caught a pass from Kayd Coffman to give Michigan State the early lead. Still, UCLA responded. They scored twice in the second quarter and two more touchdowns in the third, building their lead. Michigan State could only muster another field goal, as UCLA won 28-10. Anthony Woods ran for 112 yards and a touchdown in the game, while Ty Dieffenbach passed for 198 yards and a score. He also ran for 17 yards on the ground. UCLA will look to remain undefeated when they host Nevada on Saturday.
6. Indiana (-1)
Indiana nearly lost their second straight game. It was a defensive game between Indiana and Michigan. The Hoosiers took a Michigan fumble and turned it into a field goal in the first quarter, and then turned an interception into a field goal in the second quarter. Both teams would miss field goals to end the half, as Indiana led 6-0. Still, the defense for Michigan stepped up even more in the second half. Michigan missed a field goal o their first drive, before picking off Indiana and driving for a field goal to make it a three-point game. Michigan also hit a field goal as time expired to tie the game. Indiana scored in the overtime period, and then forced a turnover on downs by Michigan to win 13-6. It was an ugly win for Indiana, as Josh Hoover completed just eight of 18 passes for 81 yards and an interception. He did run in the lone touchdown of the game. Indiana hosts Minnesota next week.
7. BYU (-6)
BYU has been dropped from the ranks of the undefeated. Just a week after upsetting Notre Dame, BYU visited the Bounce House and UCF. BYU had the early lead on a Bear Bachmeier touchdown pass to Kyler Kasper. Bachmeier added a touchdown on the ground in the first half, but a late touchdown by UCF gave the Knights the 17-14 lead going into the half. The two teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, and BYU added a field goal in the fourth quarter to force overtime. BYU scored in the first overtime, but UCF answered. UCF then scored in the second overtime after BYU was called for a controversial roughing-the-kicker call. BYU could not answer, losing the game 39-31. The Cougars return home to host Arizona State next week.
8. Notre Dame (+1)
Notre Dame is the beneficiary of some other losses as they move up a spot on the off week. The Irish are 6-1 this season, but do not have a signature win. The best win may be the 41-13 win to open the season over Wisconsin. They will have a chance to prove that the team belongs in the conversation as one of the best in the nation. After facing Navy at home this upcoming week, they will then host Miami. The Irish also have a date with SMU the second-to-last week of the season.
9. Kentucky (+3)
Kentucky just keeps winning. They have now won six straight games, and their fifth straight SEC game. It is just the third time in school history they have done that and the first time since 1977. This week it was a win over Vanderbilt. Vandy had a lead at the start of the game. They hit a first-quarter field goal, and then Jared Curtis threw a touchdown pass to make it 10-0. Still, Kenny Minchey and the Wildcats answered with two touchdowns to close the half and go into the break with a 14-10 win. Brennan Ward added a touchdown run in the third quarter, but Vanderbilt answered with Jared Curtis's second touchdown pass. From there, Kentucky controlled the game, going on to win 34-17. Minchey finished the day with 203 yards passing with a touchdown, plus a touchdown run. Now, the Wildcats are in first place in the SEC. They will get a week off next week before visiting Tennessee.
10. Alabama (+4)
The only team to have beaten Kentucky this year is Alabama, but they sit behind the Wildcats after two straight losses heading into Week 8. The Crimson Tide were looking to bounce back from losses to Georgia and Tennessee, facing Texas A&M. IT was a tight game throughout. Alabama opened the scoring with a Dijon Lee Jr. interception of Marcel Reed, bringing it back for a touchdown. Still, the Aggies answered with a TD of their own. Alabama ended the first quarter with a field goal, giving them the 10-7 lead. Regardless, Reed ran in a touchdown in the second to open the second quarter. Keelon Russell gave the lead back to Alabama, but Texas A&M would tie it again. They then took the lead going into the fourth quarter, but two more Keelon Russell touchdown passes in the fourth quarter gave Alabama the 31-20 victory. Alabama returned to the field in two weeks, visiting LSU.
11. Texas Tech (-5)
Texas Tech is no longer undefeated after a 37-24 loss to Cincinnati. The Bearcats got the first points of the game with a field goal, but Texas Tech answered with two of their own in the first quarter. Still, JC French threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter to build a 24-6 lead. After the Red Raiders got a field goal, they returned a French interception 53 yards for the touchdown. Still, it was not going to be enough. The Texas Tech offense did not find the endzone in the second half as the Red Raiders lost and Cincinnati fans stormed the field. Texas Tech is now in a four-way tie for secon place in the Big 12. One of the teams they are tied with is Arizona, which Texas Tech faces next Saturday.
12. Wake Forest (+4)
Wake Forest crashes into the top 15, even after being on a bye. They are 6-1 on the season, and the lone loss on the year was to the top team in the nation, Miami. They fell 33-20 to Miami the third week of the season. The Demon Deacons rebounded to beat Louisville on the road, and then have dominated three straight weeks. Against Stanford, NC State, and California, they have scored 136 points while allowing just 24. Next up for Wake Forest is a home game against Virginia.
13. Texas (+6)
Texas rebounded from back-to-back losses with a big win. After losing 27-24 to both Oklahoma and Florida, the Longhorns hosted Ole Miss this week. The first half was high-scoring for Texas. After a field goal, they gave up a game-tying field goal to Ole Miss. From there, Arch Manning ran in a touchdown before throwing a 50-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo. Michael Terry III added a touchdown run as Texas led 24-3 at the half. Still, Trinidad Chambliss and Ole Miss would make the comeback. It started with an Arch Manning fumble that Kam Franklin recovered for a touchdown. Then, Chambliss found Horatio Field twice to tie the game at 24. Manning would run in his second touchdown of the game in the fourth, and they would go on to win the game 34-27. Manning used his legs more this week, scoring twice on the ground. Still, turnovers were once again an issue, as he threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. Texas will host Mississippi State next week.
14. Ole Miss (-6)
Ole Miss dropped six spots to just behind Texas after their second loss of the year. While Chambliss threw two touchdowns against Texas, it was not the best game for him. He completed just 25 of his 52 pass attempts while also throwing three interceptions. The running game also struggled. Kewan Lacy ran the ball 16 times, but managed just 36 yards. Meanwhile, Makhi Frazier ran for 47 yards on six carries, but much of that came on a 34-yard run. Ole Miss has now dropped games to Florida and Texas, both on the road. They return home this week, hosting Auburn.
15. Northwestern (+3)
Northwestern keeps winning as well. After opening the season 2-0, they lost a close game on the road to Indiana, falling 29-23. Since then, they have won four straight. This past week was a domination against Rutgers. Aiden Chiles was great in the game. He threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 83 yards and two more touchdowns. Northwestern racked up 502 yards of offense, including 283 on the ground. Meanwhile, the defense held Rutgers to 344 yards while forcing three turnovers in the 42-14 win. They hit the road next week, visiting Oregon.
16. Tennessee (-5)
Tennessee was riding high after a 26-10 win over Alabama. That all came crashing down this week against South Carolina. LaNorris Sellers threw a touchdown and ran another one in the first quarter. Still, Tennessee responded. DeSean Bishop, DaShaan Brame, and Mike Matthews all scored on the ground as Tennessee led 21-17 going into the halftime break. Tennessee hit a field goal in the third quarter to extend the lead, but Sellers scored again to make it a three-point game. The Gamecocks' defense then forced a George MacIntyre fumble, setting them up in field goal range. Malik Orsan hit the game-winning field goal as time expired, as South Carolina defeated Tennessee 27-24. Tennessee has a week to recover from the loss before hosting Kentucky on November 7.
17. Arizona (+6)
Arizona is proving they are one of the best in the Big 12. They are part of the three-way tie for second in the conference after taking another win this past weekend. The Arizona defense was great against Iowa State. They held the Cyclones to just 221 yards and 3 of 14 on third downs. Arizona also held Iowa State to just 52 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Noah Fifita threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns as Arizona took a 39-3 win over Iowa State. With their lone loss being to BYU, Arizona does not have a lot of room for error. They will visit Texas Tech this upcoming week.
18. SMU (+7)
SMU has moved to 6-1 on the season with a win over Cal. They gave up the first touchdown of the game, but answered with a field goal and a Kevin Jennings touchdown pass. Still, they would be down 20-17 going into the halftime break. That is when SMU took over. Christian Rhodes scored twice on the ground in the third quarter, as Jennings added another touchdown pass. He threw another touchdown pass in the fourth while SMU added two more scores on the ground. Three different running backs combined for five touchdowns on the ground as Jennings threw for 223 yards and three scores in the 59-20 victory. They return to the field on Saturday, visiting Syracuse.
19. LSU (+5)
Lane Kiffin and LSU refuse to go away. After a loss to Ole Miss in Week 3, LSU dropped. Then they fell to Kentucky on the road in overtime three games later. Still, LSU has been great the last two weeks. First, the Tigers defeated Mississippi State 31-0. This past week, they visited Auburn. Same Leavitt had his best game of the year. He completed 32 of 45 passes for 387 yards. He also threw three touchdowns while running for 54 yards and scoring another touchdown. LSU gets a week off this week before a gauntlet to end the season. It opens up with a visit from Alabama before Texas comes to town. They will then visit Tennessee and Arkansas to end the year.
Article Continues Below20. Missouri (-)
Missouri is 5-2 on the year and holds steady after the bye. The last time they took to the field, Ole Miss handed them a 31-3 loss. Still, they have not lost at home yet this year. The Tigers have lost to Mississippi State and Ole Miss, both on the road. This week, they will be back on the road, facing Arkansas. Still, three of their last four games are home, with contests against Texas, Kentucky and Oklahoma.
21. Boise State (-)
Boise State is coming off another win, ranking up their sixth win of the season. The Broncos faced off with Washington State this past week, on the road. They opened the game with a Sire Gaines touchdown, but with 31 seconds left in the half, gave up a touchdown. The Broncos had enough time to drive the field and hit a field goal as the first half came to an end. Washington State added a field goal in the third quarter, as the game was tied at ten going into the fourth. Boise State controlled the fourth. Maddux Madsen threw a touchdown pass, then Dylan Riley had touchdown runs off 33 and 72 yards as Boise State won 31-10. Boise State will return home to host Texas State next week.
22. Houston (-6)
Houston drops in the rankings after a loss to Utah. The offense struggled overall, finding the endzone just once. Conner Weigman passed for 282 yards but did not have a touchdown. Meanwhile, he lost a fumble. Amare Thomas was great, with five receptions for 133 yards, but Utah shut down Patrick Overmyer, who had just one catch for no yards. Meanwhile, the ground game struggled. Makhi Huges ran the ball 19 times for 52 yards and a score, as the team ran 31 times for just 86 yards. Houston gets a week off to figure out where things went wrong before hosting Cincinnati on November 7.
23. Oklahoma State (+3)
Oklahoma State returns to the Top 25 this week. Drew Mestemaker put on a show against Colorado. He completed 21 of 36 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns. Meanwhile, Caleb Hawkins ran the ball 19 times for 120 yards. The defense also forced three turnovers from Isaac Wilson, picking him off twice, forcing him to fumble twice, and recovering one. Overall, the Cowboys had 598 yards of offense in the game to move to 5-2. They will visit Iowa State next week.
24. Wisconsin (+2)
Wisconsin works their way into the Top 25 for the first time this year. The Badgers took a massive win over USC on Saturday. Wisconsin had the first score of the game with a field goal, but USC responded with a touchdown from a Jayden Maiava pass to take the lead. Bryan Jackson II found the end zone at the end of the second quarter, as Wisconsin took a 10-7 lead into halftime. The Badgers added two more touchdowns in the second half as Wisconsin went on to defeat USC 24-7. Luke Fickell called it a gritter performance from his team. Colton Joseph completed 12 of 14 passes, but for just 58 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, they picked off Maiava twice on the way to the victory.
25. UTSA (+1)
UTSA moved into the playoff contender this week with their seventh win of the season. They dominated Tulane in a 42-19 win. Owen McCown was not great in the game, passing for just 173 yards and two interceptions. Still, the Roadrunners dominated on the ground. Four different players, including McCown, scored on the ground, while A'Marion Peterson scored two times. UTSA ran for 223 yards and six touchdowns in the victory. Their lone loss of the year was to Texas in Week 3. UTSA will be off next week, before a midweek clash on the road against FAU on November 5.
Dropped from the Top 25: Iowa, USC, James Madison
Just Missed Out: Iowa, New Mexico, Florida