Upset alert hit like an avalanche last weekend, and it wasn’t just a drizzle. Five of the nation’s top-10 teams went down, totally shifting the conference championship and College Football Playoff discussion right at midseason. Week 8 usually feels lighter, but that’s exactly when college football loves to deliver chaos, and we’ve got top-20 teams playing away from home, trying to balance insane pressure and execution in hostile environments. With the first CFP rankings dropping the first Tuesday in November, these squads only have two more weekends to hammer down their resumes.
BYU Must Avoid a Letdown After Notre Dame High
First up, we’ve got No. 2 BYU heading to UCF, who are somehow 6.5-point underdogs. UCF is in its third straight Big 12 game against a ranked foe. Scott Frost probably thought he was done with brutal schedules after leaving the Big Ten, but here we are! The Knights have caught the short end of the stick with their draws, sure, but challenges are opportunities, right? This is their first real crack at a quality opponent at home, and UCF is absolutely *undefeated* at 3-0 in the Bounce House this season. Keyone Jenkins is stepping up for his fifth straight start under center with Alonza Barnett III injured, but he hasn’t faced a defense like BYU’s. The Cougars are coming off the high of beating Notre Dame last weekend, and this is exactly the kind of game where you see a team slip.
Indiana’s Elite Defense Faces Michigan’s Offensive Mystery
Then there’s No. 7 Indiana, hitting the road to Michigan, where the Wolverines are 7.5-point favorites. Seriously, at what point will Michigan’s offense put together a full game? Is that even possible for the Wolverines this season? Saturday’s task comes in the form of Indiana, an elite team with a defense that is absolutely aiming to deny Michigan any semblance of confidence on that side of the ball. Tommy Carr is the better option at quarterback for Michigan, and there’s limited film on him for Bryant Haines and the Hoosiers’ defensive staff. The betting line screams “competitive game,” and that’s why this one is on upset alert. Indiana has failed twice this season to really push away from league competition on the road, even though they won against Northwestern and Nebraska. This is a must-win for Indiana if they want any shot at a top-four seed in the CFP.
Houston Could Blow Up Utah’s Undefeated Run
Finally, we’ve got No. 10 Utah hosting No. 14 Houston, with the Cougars as 6.5-point underdogs. There’s a wild scenario brewing that could actually put *three* Big 12 teams in the CFP this season, but only if Houston pulls off the upset this weekend and hands the Utes their first loss. Houston dropped one at Texas Tech early and doesn’t play BYU this fall, so if they win, we could be looking at a matchup of unbeatens in the Big 12 Championship Game between BYU and Texas Tech, with Houston sitting pretty at 11-1 overall. Meanwhile, Utah has a huge chance to cement their claim in the CFP discussion over the next three weeks. It starts with getting past Houston before a seismic showdown with BYU on November 7.
The first CFP rankings are dropping the first Tuesday in November. These teams don’t have much time left to make their case! Utah has that massive game against BYU on November 7 looming, which could make or break their season. Get ready, because Week 8 is gonna be a wild ride!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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