No. 2 BYU just took a wild 2OT loss, and if you thought the college football rankings were settled, you can toss that idea out the window. Week 8 was pure chaos, man, turning the whole damn Big 12 race upside down and muddying the College Football Playoff picture big time.
Chaos Reigns: Top Dogs Crumble
BYU wasn’t the only one taking an L. Texas Tech also suffered their first loss of the season, getting dropped by an unranked opponent. This wasn’t some isolated incident either, Tennessee, USC, Iowa, and James Madison all ended up on the wrong side of upset losses. Seriously, what even happened? This whole mess just blew the door wide open, making room for multiple newcomers to crash the Top 25 party.
USC’s Offense Hits Rock Bottom in Madison
Dude, USC’s offense looked *lost*. These guys came into Saturday’s game averaging 36.4 points per game, one of the most potent attacks in the entire country, and then Wisconsin held them to a pathetic seven points. SEVEN! That’s the fewest points a Lincoln Riley-coached team has ever scored, which is just wild to think about. They finished with negative-17 rushing yards on 25 carries. Quarterback Jayden Maiava tried to pick up the slack, throwing for 258 yards with one touchdown and two picks on 31-of-50 attempts, but it wasn’t enough. After halftime, they produced two missed field goals and two turnovers on downs. Brutal.
Credit where it’s due, Wisconsin’s defense is stout. They were only allowing 16.7 points per game coming in, and they absolutely dominated USC, despite their own offense only racking up 200 total yards and 58 passing yards. That’s a true defensive masterclass.
The Sleepers Making Moves: Roadrunners and Wildcats
Amidst all the chaos, some teams are making serious noise. UTSA is now sitting at No. 25, previously unranked, with a 7-1 record. Their only blemish? A 30-6 loss to Texas when Texas was No. 1. Their rushing attack is legit, shouldering the load against Tulane with 223 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. If they can run the table over their final four games, they could totally be the next team in line if Boise State falters.
Northwestern also jumped up to No. 21, sitting at 6-1 for the first time since the abbreviated 2020 season. Aidan Chiles was absolutely electric, putting up 219 passing yards, 83 rushing yards, and five total touchdowns in a dominant win. These guys were picked to finish 14th in the Big Ten’s preseason media poll, so yeah, they’re one of college football’s biggest surprises, hands down.
Then you’ve got Florida, who’s a total enigma at 5-2. They’ve got top-10 wins over Ole Miss and Texas, but then a two-game losing streak to Missouri and South Carolina. Next week’s matchup against Georgia is going to be a major test. They’ll need a huge performance from star running back Jadan Baugh, who’s already got 135 carries for 763 yards and 13 touchdowns, against a Bulldogs defense that only allows 91.4 rushing yards per game. That’s gonna be a battle!
So, what’s next in this wild season? USC has to figure things out, and fast, because Ohio State is on deck. Wisconsin is getting ready for what sounds like an “ugly one” next weekend when they visit Iowa. Northwestern’s schedule just got way tougher with Oregon, Iowa, and Ohio State coming up in the next three weeks. Florida faces that major test at Georgia, and UTSA, after a bye, needs to run the table. Oh, and Houston is playing Utah tonight, so their spot is still up in the air. Texas Tech will host Arizona after their upset loss. Man, Week 9 is gonna be something else.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply