Three teams that started the season ranked in the AP Top 10, and a staggering six teams from the preseason Top 20, have already racked up at least three losses, just eight weeks into the college football season. What in the world is happening out there? The top of the AP Top 25 looks completely unrecognizable from what we thought it would be, and some teams are already staring down disastrous seasons.
The Ducks Are Cooked: What Happened to Oregon?
Let’s talk about Oregon, because man, that one hits different. The Ducks were the No. 2 team going into the season, our national title pick even, and now they’re sitting at a dismal 4-3. Their latest defeat, a loss at Illinois on Saturday where they were 12.5-point favorites, just screams trouble. We get it, they were missing QB Dante Moore for the third straight game due to a concussion, and four of their top five receivers were also out. Those are huge absences, no doubt. But for a No. 2 team that was supposed to have serious roster depth, you gotta wonder.
Backup QB Dylan Raiola has been struggling, outside of one “stellar” relief effort against USC. Against Illinois, the Ducks scored a touchdown on their opening drive, and then proceeded to need 89 yards for a 20-yard field goal late in the second quarter. Eighty-nine yards! For a field goal! Aside from those two drives, Oregon averaged less than 25 yards on their other 11 possessions. Yikes. It’s getting clearer every week how much former Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein meant to that program’s infrastructure, especially with the success he’s having at Kentucky now. Plus, Oklahoma State players had already spotted stance tendencies from Oregon’s offensive line back in Week 2. This whole offense is just off. The Ducks have only put up a combined 42 points in their last three games. At this point, the playoffs are completely out of the question for Oregon. Yeah, they’ve still got a game against No. 3 Ohio State, who’s missing QB Julian Sayin, but you’d need some serious mental gymnastics to see Oregon ending the season with a five-game win streak.
Aggies and Wolverines Facing Their Own Nightmares
Oregon isn’t the only former top-tier team in free fall. Texas A&M, who kicked off the season at No. 8 in the AP Top 25, is now 4-4 overall and a brutal 1-4 in the SEC after a 31-20 loss to No. 13 Alabama. Just like Oregon, their offensive coordinator from last year, Collin Klein, bounced for a power conference head coaching gig at Kansas State. And guess what else? Consistent quarterback play is a massive problem. Marcel Reed has been one of the worst power conference passers in college football. Against the Crimson Tide, he was 14-of-21 for 163 yards and chucked two interceptions. He also fumbled three times, lucky to only lose one. Last year, the Aggies averaged 6.4 yards per play. This year? Barely over five yards a snap. Penn State, a preseason No. 18 team, is also having a rough go at 3-4. Both A&M and Penn State would already be out of contention if next year’s expanded 24-team playoff was in effect this season.
But believe it or not, both the Oregon and Texas A&M offenses look like well-oiled machines compared to what’s happening in Ann Arbor. The preseason No. 16 Michigan Wolverines are also 4-3, but get this: they haven’t given up more than 20 points in any game all season! Their defense is elite. This past week, they only gave up one touchdown in a 13-6 overtime loss to No. 6 Indiana. Freshman QB Tommy Carr started that game, filling in for their regular starter. It just shows you how much offense is a struggle across the board for some of these teams.
So, here we are, just eight weeks in, and a full third of the teams that started in the preseason AP Top 15 already have at least three losses. This season is shaping up to be one of the wilder rides in recent memory. You gotta keep an eye on these squads, especially Oregon, as they try to salvage some pride in the weeks ahead. It’s gonna be a bumpy finish.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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