Week 8 of the 2026 college football season was an absolute rollercoaster, bringing some wild changes to the rankings after multiple top-10 teams went down. No. 2 BYU and No. 8 Texas Tech both got hit with their first losses of the season, and get this, they were both to unranked opponents!
Miami Stays Crowned, But Everyone Else Got Shook
Up top, No. 1 Miami made it look easy, slamming a 50-burger on Pitt with a 52-23 win. Seriously, they were up 31-7 at halftime, proving they’re not budging from that top spot. Mario Cristobal even got to honor the 2001 title team with some throwback uniforms, what a moment. Meanwhile, more than half of the top five teams were chilling on a bye week, which definitely kept things stable at the very, very top. Ohio State, who was No. 3 last week, moved up to No. 2 just by being idle. But beyond that, Week 8 was a wrecking ball. No. 2 BYU and No. 8 Texas Tech both took their *first* losses of the season, and they were both to unranked teams! Plus, No. 7 Ole Miss lost to No. 19 Texas, and we were even waiting on the final whistle for No. 8 Utah hosting No. 14 Houston at the time this all dropped.
The Longhorns’ Confusing Climb and Ballot Bedlam
That Texas win against Ole Miss means the Longhorns are projected to sneak right back into the top 10. But here’s the kicker: voters have a real challenge with these guys. Texas has a trio of great wins, which is awesome, but then they’ve also got *two stunning losses*. What even is that? They were supposed to be one of the best teams in the country, but their results have them as merely “very good” teams as October wraps up. Still, “very good” seems just good enough to crack that top 10, which is exactly where a College Football Playoff hopeful wants to be. It’s wild because No. 15 Iowa and No. 16 USC also took their second losses of the season, both against unranked teams. The top of the rankings might be easier to figure out, but everything outside the top 10 is pure chaos. Last week, voters were super aligned on the top 24, but this week? Expect as many as 40 teams to get votes for those last few spots on the ballot after all these ranked losses outside the top 10.
With all these upsets and shifts, we’re heading into another unpredictable week. Ohio State, now at No. 2, will be back in action, and you know everyone’s watching to see if this madness continues.
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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