2023-24 College Football: Week 8 Review

There were four Top 25 matchups for the weekend, headlined by the first of three big games this season in the Big Ten East. One of the division's three best teams was about to be given a brutal blow in the race to win the crown. Elsewhere, three of the other four Power 5 conferences had Top 25 meetings to help shed some light on the bigger conference races as we inch past the midway point. 

Game of the Week- #14 Utah 34, #18 USC 32 (Los Angeles, CA)

USC and Utah have a ton of history. At one time, this matchup was heavily dominated by the Trojans. Recent history shows the Utes in control. In a rematch of last season's PAC-12 Championship Game, they met in mid-October as a pair of one-loss teams looking to stay afloat against Oregon and Washington. This most recent stretch of games has been unkind to USC, culminating in a big loss to Notre Dame last week. Utah's offense has been sputtering with Cam Rising. In this game, Bryson Barnes proved he might be ready to take over. The teams traded blows in the first half, sitting tied at 14 at the break. Utah broke ahead with two scores in the third quarter, holding USC to a field goal to take a 28-17 lead into the fourth quarter. All of a sudden, the Trojans came back to life. They got a pick-six early in the fourth quarter to draw back within five and traded field goals to make it 31-26 with 3:03 left. USC's defense came up with a huge stop to force a punt, and the return was brought back to the Utah 11, allowing Caleb Williams to scamper 11 yards to take a 32-31 lead. The two-point conversion failed, giving Utah 1:46 to charge down the field and get a field goal for the win. A key run by Barnes set up Cole Becker to hit a 38-yard game-winner as time expired to win the game. 

Upset of the Week- Virginia 31, #10 North Carolina 27 (Chapel Hill, NC)

When North Carolina was ranked at #10 in last week's AP Poll, the writing must've been on the wall. The last time they were in the Top 10 was in the preseason poll in 2021. UNC proceeded to lose its opener to Virginia Tech and was out of the Top 25 after four games. The Tar Heels came into this game against one-win Virginia as a 24-point favorite at home. Two touchdowns in the first quarter by Mike Hollins had the Hoos up 14-7, but UNC took a 17-14 lead into halftime. Drake Maye's short scamper put them up by ten early in the third quarter, and UNC looked poised to take the win. Hollins scored his third touchdown of the night, and Virginia had tied the game going into the fourth quarter. UNC took the lead with a field goal, but Tony Muskett found Malik Washington for the go-ahead score with plenty of time left. Maye and the Tar Heels were moving down the field until an interception in the final seconds sealed the upset for Virginia. 

Other Notable Games

#3 Ohio State 20, #7 Penn State 12 (Columbus, OH)

The anticipation I had for this game couldn't be put into words. This game would be our first look into which team has the best chance of knocking off Michigan. Penn State never found its footing against the Buckeyes. Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions offense couldn't break through the Ohio State defense. Kyle McCord was much better and clearly had the best weapon in the game. Marvin Harrison Jr. caught 162 yards and a touchdown, proving to be the game breaker. Penn State scored a garbage-time touchdown and couldn't recover the onside kick. Ohio State remained perfect, setting up the possibility for their meeting with Michigan to be for the division crown. 

#11 Alabama 34, #17 Tennessee 20 (Tuscaloosa, AL)

If this game ended in the first half, Tennessee would've gotten a major road upset. Joe Milton III had the offense looking strong, taking a 20-7 lead into halftime. The problem is they still had to play the second half. The Crimson Tide rolled past the Volunteers, outscoring Tennessee 27-0 in the second half and dominating all facets of the game. They threw for a score, ran for another, returned a fumble, and kicked two field goals to get the job done. Alabama still has one loss, so there is hope for them to sneak into the College Football Playoff. 

#4 Florida State 38, #16 Duke 20 (Tallahassee, FL)

Duke was another team that wished they could've ended the game early. Riley Leonard started after missing last week's game with a high-ankle sprain, and while he didn't play a great game, the Blue Devils came out hot. A 42-yard run by Jacquez Moore and a pick-six against Jordan Travis had Duke out to a 17-7 lead early in the second quarter. Florida State got back even with ten straight points, but Duke kicked a field goal at the end of the half to take a 20-17 lead. Things changed in the second half, especially when Leonard left the game after re-aggravating his ankle injury. Travis took over for the Seminoles, leading them to 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull away from Duke and remain undefeated. 

#8 Texas 31, Houston 24 (Houston, TX)

Two weeks after their tough loss to Oklahoma, the Longhorns came off their bye, needing to send a message that they aren't dead. They started strong, scoring three touchdowns to take a 21-0 lead. Houston put up a significant fight to close the half, scoring 14 points to pull within a touchdown at halftime. The Cougars completed the comeback by scoring early in the third quarter to tie the game. Texas and Houston traded field goals to tie things at 24 midway through the fourth quarter. A 16-yard touchdown from CJ Baxter put Texas back ahead with 5:37 left in the game. Needing a big stop on 4th down, the Longhorns' defense was given a favorable spot to help them finish the job, avoiding a huge upset. 

Minnesota 12, #24 Iowa 10 (Iowa City, IA)

In this week's most controversial finish, Iowa thought they'd scored the winning touchdown on a punt return by Cooper DeJean. Trailing 12-10 in the final two minutes, DeJean returned the punt 54 yards to the endzone. Or did he? The officials went back, reviewed the play, and determined that DeJean had made a signal with his hands that would end the play. When looking at it, it's clear DeJean didn't signal for a fair catch. He told the rest of his teammates to clear out to avoid touching and fumbling the ball. It wasn't intended to be a fair catch, but that's what the officials ruled. Iowa would throw an interception three plays later, ending their chances of coming back. If we're sincere, this play didn't cost Iowa the game. The Hawkeyes managed just two yards in the second half, while Minnesota outscored them 9-0. It's a crushing loss for Iowa after beating Wisconsin last week to take control of the Big Ten West. 

What We Learned About Each Power 5 Conference in Week 8

ACC- There's one team sitting atop the ACC. Florida State has all but confirmed their spot in Charlotte. Behind them, there's a crop of teams that all still have shots. North Carolina's loss came out of nowhere but didn't kill them completely. The road for Duke is going to be a tough one. They still have to face Louisville and North Carolina, and the status of Riley Leonard will continue to be a big deal. Louisville was off this week, but they benefited greatly from the antics. 

Big Ten- The first major contender is out of the way in the Big Ten East, so assuming Michigan beats Penn State in a few weeks and neither team loses in the lead-up to the game, Michigan and Ohio State will likely be fighting for the division and a spot in the College Football Playoff. In the West, Iowa's slip-up against Minnesota puts Wisconsin back in front of the division with one loss. Iowa still has the easiest path to win the division with Wisconsin playing Ohio State next week, but don't count out Minnesota or Nebraska, who sit with two losses. 

Big 12- Despite close calls, Oklahoma stayed atop the conference, and Texas still only has one loss, meaning we could still see a rematch in December. However, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Kansas State have all gotten hot at the right time. They all have one loss in Big 12 play, though they all play either Texas or Oklahoma later in the season. The transition has proven challenging for the newcomers, though BYU is 2-2. Houston and UCF nearly came away with huge upsets. 

SEC- With each passing week, the likelihood of Georgia going undefeated increases. While they didn't play on Saturday, their next biggest competitor, Tennessee, fell in Alabama to fall to two losses. Missouri is next on the chopping block, and they meet in two weeks. Florida also has one loss, but that could change next Saturday when they welcome Georgia to The Swamp. The West continues to be ruled by Alabama. The division will likely come down to Alabama and LSU's head-to-head matchup. 

PAC-12- Washington got a good scare from Arizona State this week, but a pick-six catapulted them to a win to remain undefeated. USC suffered its first conference loss of the campaign, officially knocking them out of 1st place. Four teams sit behind Washington with one loss, three of whom still have Washington on their schedule. This conference is far from solved. It remains the most interesting conference in the league in its final season. 

 

My Top 25

1. Georgia (7-0, OFF) (-)

2. Michigan (8-0, W 49-0 Michigan State) (-)

3. Florida State (7-0, W 38-20 #16 Duke) (-)

4. Ohio State (7-0, W 20-12 #7 Penn State) (+1)

5. Washington (7-0, W 15-7 Arizona State) (-1)

6. Oklahoma (7-0, W 31-29 UCF) (-)

The Top 3 remain in place, with Georgia completing a bye week, Michigan knocking the breaks off rival Michigan State, and Florida State coming back against Duke. The only tiny change in the group is for #4. Ohio State leaps over Washington for the final spot in the College Football Playoff after its win over Penn State. The Huskies struggled against Arizona State, likely coming down from the high of beating Oregon a week ago. Oklahoma finishes the Top 6, barely beating UCF after its bye week. 

7. Texas (6-1, W 31-24 Houston) (+1)

8. Oregon (6-1, W 38-24 Washington State) (+2)

9. Alabama (7-1, W 34-20 #17 Tennessee) (+3)

10. Oregon State (6-1, OFF) (+1)

The rest of my Top 10 gets a tiny shake-up with all four teams moving up from their positions last week. Texas barely skated past Houston, Oregon and Alabama both won by two touchdowns, and Oregon State benefited from Penn State and North Carolina's losses during their bye week. 

11. Penn State (6-1, L 20-12 #3 Ohio State) (-4)

12. Utah (6-1, W 34-32 #18 USC) (+4)

13. Ole Miss (6-1, W 28-21 Auburn) (-)

14. Notre Dame (6-2, OFF) (-)

Penn State might've lost and likely taken themselves out of the race in the Big Ten, but there's still a chance. A win over Michigan would help their chances. Utah moved up a few spots after their buzzer-beater win over USC. Ole Miss and Notre Dame held steady in their spots after the Rebels beat Auburn, and the Irish took the week off. 

15. Missouri (7-1, W 34-12 South Carolina) (+4)

16. Louisville (6-1, OFF) (+4)

17. Tennessee (5-2, L 34-20 #11 Alabama) (-2)

18. LSU (6-2, W 62-0 Army) (+4)

A few more teams shot up the board by four spots. Missouri laid the smackdown on South Carolina, winning by 22 points. Louisville was another team to benefit from the other losses this week while watching from home. LSU ran all over Army, scoring 62 points in a shutout victory. The only team in this group to fall was Tennessee after they collapsed in the second half. 

19. North Carolina (6-1, L 31-27 Virginia) (-10)

20. Air Force (7-0, W 17-6 Navy) (+3)

21. UCLA (5-2, W 42-7 Stanford) (+5)

22. Duke (5-2, L 38-20 #4 Florida State) (-5)

23. James Madison (7-0, W 20-9 Marshall) (+2)

24. USC (6-2, L 34-32 #14 Utah) (-6)

25. Tulane (6-1, W 35-28 North Texas) (+2)

There is a lot of movement at the bottom of the rankings this week. North Carolina fell down the board after their shocking upset loss at home against Virginia. Duke also fell a few spots after losing in Tallahassee. USC suffered its second straight loss, dropping the decision to Utah at home. Air Force and James Madison moved up a few spots after remaining undefeated in tight games. UCLA re-joined the Top 25 after destroying Stanford. Tulane also moved back in, occupying the final spot after their close win against North Texas. 

The Next 5

26. Fresno State (6-1, OFF) (-2)

27. Florida (5-2, OFF) (+1) 

28. Liberty (7-0, W 42-35 Middle Tennessee) (NR)

29. Miami (5-2, W 28-20 (2OT) Clemson) (NR)

30. Iowa (6-2, L 12-10 Minnesota) (-9)

Week 9 Preview

1. #8 Oregon at #13 Utah (Salt Lake City, UT)

While Week 9's schedule lacks many Top 25 battles, the headliner will be in Salt Lake City as the Utes look to keep their momentum against the Oregon Ducks. Utah announced that Cam Rising will not play this season, leaving Bryson Barnes to battle Bo Nix, one of college football's most experienced QBs. 

Prediction- #13 Utah 31, #8 Oregon 30

2. #20 Duke at #18 Louisville (Louisville, KY)

The only other Top 25 game of the week features two ACC teams looking to recover from their first losses in conference play. Louisville had an extra week to prepare for Duke, whose quarterback situation is a little hairy with Riley Leonard leaving the Florida State game early. 

Prediction #20 Duke 24, #18 Louisville 17

3. #1 Georgia at Florida (Jacksonville, FL)

The Bulldogs haven't looked dominant at all times this season, but I imagine the extra week of practice before traveling to Florida was well spent. Florida has been up and down this season, though they remain in the hunt to unseat Georgia at the top of the SEC East. 

Prediction- #1 Georgia 34, Florida 21

4. #21 Tennessee at Kentucky (Lexington, KY)

Saturday will be a big day for the state of Kentucky because not only is Louisville in action in a Top 25 matchup, but Kentucky will welcome hated rival Tennessee to town. The Wildcats have dropped their last two games, while Tennessee is trying to forget their collapse against Alabama. 

Prediction- #21 Tennessee 38, Kentucky 24

5. BYU at #7 Texas (Austin, TX)

The Longhorns barely snuck past newcomer Houston on the road this past week and will now have to contend with the team that's taken to the Big 12 the best. BYU is a win away from bowl eligibility and sneaking into the picture for a potential big in the conference title game. 

Prediction- #7 Texas 41, BYU 20

6. #3 Ohio State at Wisconsin (Madison, WI)

After beating Penn State on Saturday, the Buckeyes have proven they can win a big game. Now, their only mission is to make it to the Michigan game without slipping up, ensuring the winning of Michigan and Ohio State makes it to the Big Ten Championship Game in December. 

Prediction #3 Ohio State 34, Wisconsin 14

7. #6 Oklahoma at Kansas (Lawrence, KS)

Like Texas, Oklahoma survived a close call against a newcomer to the Big 12, but their game was sloppier. They're the favorite to win the conference, and beating a Kansas team that has often folded in prominent spots like this on the road would help ease some minds. 

Prediction- #6 Oklahoma 48, Kansas 31

8. Miami (OH) at Ohio (Athens, OH)

A little MACtion never hurt anyone, and the battle between two strong Ohio teams will likely not disappoint. Miami (OH) and Ohio are in a tight three-team battle with Buffalo atop the East Division at 3-1, so the winner will likely get a leg up on the other two teams. 

Prediction

9. UNLV at Fresno State (Fresno, CA)

The Mountain West is another Group of 5 conference that has a tight race ongoing, so I'm giving them two games to watch. At 3-0, UNLV is on the tail of Air Force, while Fresno State looks to keep pace with several other one-loss teams that are looking at the top of the standings. 

Prediction- Fresno State 27, UNLV 21

10. Wyoming at Boise State (Boise, ID)

The other Mountain West game features a former powerhouse trying to reach the top of the mountain by avoiding its second loss. Boise State welcomes one-loss Wyoming to town as the two teams try and stick around with Air Force and UNLV. 

Prediction- Boise State 34, Wyoming 31