College Football Top 25: Week 8

This school year has been crazy, so I apologize for not posting last week. I went to the Wake Forest-Army game on Saturday, a game that did not include a punt or a field goal. No defense was played in that game, so I felt like I was watching a Big 12 game. Even though Week 8’s schedule did not include highly anticipated games, the outcomes of the games made Week 8 just as crazy as the past few weeks. Here is my top 25 going into Halloweekend:

  1. Georgia (7-0) (PREV: 1)

Georgia stays #1 in the country, coming off a bye week after beating Kentucky weeks ago. Now, they face rival Florida in Jacksonville in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Florida has been underwhelming, so I expect Georgia to advance to 8-0.

  1. Cincinnati (7-0) (PREV: 4)

If I did rankings last week, Cincinnati would have been #2 in the country. Navy scored 10 points in the fourth quarter against the Bearcats, but Cincinnati stays undefeated as they edge the Midshipmen. Cincinnati stays on the road this weekend to face Tulane in New Orleans.

  1. Alabama (7-1) (PREV: 3)

Between Alabama and Oklahoma, it was tough to choose who should be the #3 team in the country. The Crimson Tide took down Tennessee in the Third Saturday in October rivalry. Bryce Young is still Vegas’ favorite to win the Heisman as they head into their bye week before hosting LSU in November.

  1. Oklahoma (8-0) (PREV: 5)

Five touchdowns in the second half helped Oklahoma shut down Kansas after trailing 10-0 at the half. The Sooners are a different team with Caleb Williams starting, but they need to shake off that rough first half from last weekend. They host Texas Tech next week, who just fired their head coach.

  1. Ohio State (6-1) (PREV: 6)

Ohio State crushed Indiana as they are now the top team in the Big Ten in my rankings. C.J. Stroud has positively progressed throughout the season, and he will be needed when the Buckeyes face a Penn State team coming off a brutal loss.

  1. Michigan (7-0) (PREV: 8)

Michigan handled Northwestern on Saturday with the help of two touchdowns from Blake Corum and the tough defense. Everyone has their eyes on the matchup between Michigan and Michigan State, so it will be interesting how Jim Harbaugh performs as he takes on the Spartans.

  1. Michigan State (7-0) (PREV: 9)

Michigan State took Week 8 to prepare for their arch-rival Wolverines. With both teams undefeated, Kenneth Walker III won’t be the only player required to step up in Spartan Stadium on Saturday. Mel Tucker will need everyone to step it up against Michigan.

  1. Oregon (6-1) (PREV: 10)

UCLA nearly completed a comeback at home against the Ducks, but Travis Dye’s touchdowns on four straight carries were enough to hold off the Bruins. It is hard to tell whether or not Oregon deserves to be in the top 10. They can’t prove it this weekend, with an easier opponent in Colorado.

  1. Iowa (6-1) (PREV: 2)

My bad. I should have done rankings last week. Iowa would have been 9th anyways. After Purdue stunned the Hawkeyes, Iowa took their bye week to regroup and prepare for Wisconsin. I’m interested to see how Iowa performs after their brutal loss at home.

  1. Ole Miss (6-1) (PREV: 13)

Ole Miss is an excellent team, but they haven’t had a test since hosting Arkansas. The Rebels took care of LSU on Saturday, even with Matt Corral not at his best. He is still my favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. Now, Ole Miss will take a trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium to take on Auburn.

  1. Notre Dame (6-1) (PREV: 14)

Notre Dame took care of business against USC with the help of RB Kyren Williams. I remember when their schedule scared me. USC, North Carolina, Virginia Tech have all been underwhelming this year. The Fighting Irish will take on Sam Howell and North Carolina in South Bend on Saturday night.

  1. Wake Forest (7-0) (PREV: 16)

Wake Forest’s offense impressed on Saturday when they visited West Point to take on Army. Scoring 70 points on offense helped, but the Demon Deacons didn’t force a punt on defense. Their run defense is questionable, but maybe it will look better against a worse Duke team for Wake Forest Homecoming.

  1. Kentucky (6-1) (PREV: 11)

Kentucky remains in the top 15 after their loss to Georgia two weeks ago. They had a bye week for Week 8 and now will visit Starkville to take on Mississippi State. Mississippi State should give the Wildcats a test to make sure the Georgia game was a fluke.

  1. Texas A&M (5-2) (PREV: 18)

Texas A&M is back in the top 15. They started the season as #6 in the country but fell off after suffering two losses. They came back after beating Alabama in College Station. They held their own as they handled South Carolina. The Aggies’ offense looked terrific in that game, in the air, and on the ground. They have their bye week now, which gives them more time to prepare for Auburn in November.

  1. Oklahoma State (6-1) (PREV: 12)

Yes, Oklahoma State would have been a top 10 team if I ranked teams last week. However, they suffered their first loss of the season in Ames, with Iowa State edging the Cowboys and storming the field. Oklahoma State’s lack of scoring in the third quarter led to Iowa State taking over the second half. What’s next for the Cowboys? A game against a 1-6 Kansas team that almost seems locked for a win for Oklahoma State.

  1. Baylor (6-1) (PREV: N/A)

Baylor moves to #16 (they would have been last week if I did rankings) after winning two straight, including a game against BYU. They had their bye week, but now they will be hosting Texas which will make for a great game. Baylor needs to be ready against the Longhorns, especially on defense. Bijan Robinson, their star running back, is scary to play against.

  1. SMU (7-0) (PREV: 23)

SMU scored 55 points in their blowout win over Tulane on Thursday night, moving them up in the rankings for this week. Keep an eye on Tanner Mordecai, who passed for 427 yards and three touchdowns in their win. On Saturday, they play a one-loss Houston team looking to have an upset win over the Mustangs.

  1. Penn State (5-2) (PREV: 7)

Penn State went from being a top-10 team to falling outside the top-15 in just one week. In a historic 9OT game against Illinois, the Nittany Lions were stunned at home when the Fighting Illini completed their game-winning two-point conversion. Sean Clifford couldn’t perform when his team needed to, but he is also playing with an unknown injury suffered in the loss to Iowa. Their most important game of the year is this weekend as Penn State travels to Columbus to take on Ohio State.

  1. Pittsburgh (6-1) (PREV: N/A)

Pittsburgh finds their way into the top 25 after beating Clemson 27-17 at Heinz Field. Clemson is having a rare down year, but Kenny Pickett is now in the Heisman conversation and has led his team into the top 25. The Panthers will host D’Eriq King and the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday, looking to improve to 7-1 this season and remain as one of the top teams in the ACC.

  1. Auburn (5-2) (PREV: N/A)

Auburn went on their bye week for Week 8, well deserved after beating Arkansas on the road. The Tigers will now face their third straight top-25 opponent in the Ole Miss Rebels, led by Matt Corral. The story in that game is Auburn’s defense and whether it will hold their own against the Rebels’ offense.

  1. San Diego State (7-0) (PREV: 24)

San Diego State scored four times before Air Force could score once. Two unanswered touchdowns for Air Force made the game a one-possession game, but a quick three-and-out late in the game for Air Force saved the game for San Diego State, who got a first down to seal the game. The Aztecs will host a Fresno State team that is one of the better teams in the Mountain West, previously being ranked, with wins over UCLA and Nevada.

  1. Iowa State (5-2) (PREV: N/A)

Welcome back, Iowa State. The Cyclones were in the top-10 before the season. However, losses to Iowa and Baylor caused Iowa State to fall out of the top 25. Now, with a big win over Oklahoma State, they have won three straight and are starting to get back into their groove. QB Brock Purdy threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns, both going to Xavier Hutchinson, who had 125 yards on 12 receptions. The Cyclones’ defense forced a punt and a turnover on downs to end the game, and everyone rushed the field after spoiling Oklahoma State’s undefeated record. Iowa State now turns their attention to West Virginia in Morgantown.

  1. UTSA (8-0) (PREV: N/A)

UTSA is ranked? It’s crazy to hear that, but it is true. They are one of the only teams in the country with an 8-0 record this season, Oklahoma being the other team. It was a high offense game for the Roadrunners as they took care of Louisiana Tech on the road, 45-16. Their schedule is not spectacular, but they have their best win in Memphis. With the national recognition UTSA has received, head coach Jeff Traylor has been mentioned in lists for the open coaching positions. Their biggest conference game of the season is next week, as they play a road game against UTEP after their bye week. Both teams are the only ones with undefeated conference records, a good test for the Roadrunners.

  1. BYU (6-2) (PREV: 22)

BYU has lost two of their last three games but recently defeated Washington State in Pullman. Their win came from 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns by Tyler Allgeier. The Cougars now will host Virginia, a team with grit and potential. To win, BYU will have to prevent Brennan Armstrong, who has passed for over 3200 yards and 23 touchdowns, from breaking down their defense.

  1. Coastal Carolina (6-1) (PREV: 15)

Coastal Carolina fell ten spots down as Appalachian State beat the Chanticleers last Wednesday. Grayson McCall passed for nearly 300 yards but only was responsible for one touchdown. Shermari Jones ran for two touchdowns, and Appalachian State would not be stopped on offense as their final score was the game-winning field goal. Coastal Carolina will host Troy tonight, so it will be interesting if they can bounce back from their loss.

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