Week 8 marked the official start of the second half of the College Football season and it'll go down as one of the most impactful weekends on the College Football Playoff race. We had everything from Top 25 clashes to shocking upsets which will end up defining the season for several College Football Playoff hopefuls.
Teams like LSU and Tennessee went from right in the race for the Playoff to having to walk a tightrope the rest of the season. This weekend brought massive changes to the College Football Playoff race and the rest of the season now becomes clearer because of it.
These 12 programs have the best chance to make the College Football Playoff
Falling out of the race after Week 8 are the Memphis Tigers and the LSU Tigers as their losses were massive setbacks. Memphis still has a chance to bounce back and win the American which would likely make them the Group of 5 representative. The LSU Tigers now have to win the rest of the way and with games against Texas A&M, Alabama, and Oklahoma all looming that seems impossible.
The USF Bulls added another dominant win to their resume as they dismantled Florida Atlantic in a 48-13 rout. The biggest thing to help the Bulls this weekend was Memphis suffering a shocking loss to UAB thinning the field at the top of the American. This weekend, USF will need to beat Memphis to keep on the path to the Conference Championship but, Alex Golesh's team has been impressive every week.
This weekend, Texas Tech suffered their first loss to an Arizona State team that really needed the win to stay alive in the Big 12 race. It's hard to fully fault the Red Raiders as they played this game without quarterback Behren Morton and Will Hammond didn't have the same impact he's had when Morton has left games. This is still the most talented roster in the Big 12 and their only test the rest of the way comes against BYU late in the year.
The BYU Cougars had an incredible weekend as their win over Utah paired with Texas Tech suffering a loss in league play helped their chances of making the Big 12 title game. Freshman QB Bear Bachmeier continues to get better on the job while this team is so well coached that it's hard to envision them getting tripped up. The schedule the rest of the way is tough with games against Iowa State, Cincinatti, and Texas Tech which will truly prove where this team stands.
Georgia Tech already had an easy path to the ACC Championship Game, and Miami taking their first loss this weekend only helps their push. This weekend, Georgia Tech put together an impressive performance with a dominant win over Duke. As long as Georgia Tech doesn't get tripped up against a far inferior schedule the rest of league play, they should be in the Playoff regardless of result in their game against Georgia and the ACC Championship.
After suffering their first loss of the year, the Oregon Ducks couldn't have asked for an easier bounce back spot as they faced Rutgers. The Ducks dominated this game scoring 4 touchdowns on the ground and passing getting to work through a ton of kinks. The next three games come against Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota which should allow this team to get to 9-1.
Lane Kiffin's offense looked unstoppable for the first three quarters as it looked like the Rebels would have a case for being the best team in the Country. Instead, this team was outscored 17-0 in the 4th quarter as Georgia finally exposed some of their flaws. The good news for Lane Kiffin is that if his team can beat Oklahoma this weekend, the remaining schedule is so easy their only fear would be sleepwalking their way to a loss.
On Friday Night, Mario Cristobal's team proved they're still vulnerable to an upset like they were last season falling against Louisville. Carson Beck threw 4 interceptions which has to make you worry about him in any game this team plays. The rest of the way the Canes won't face a ranked opponent which should allow them to get this season back on track.
Kirby Smart's team got their signature win this weekend with a pivotal victory over Ole Miss. The defense finally slowed Ole Miss' offense in the 4th quarter allowing the Bulldogs to score 17 unanswered to win the game. The next two games get much easier after a tough stretch which should allow this team some time to work through the few issues they have.
After losing the season opener, Kalen DeBoer's team has ripped off 6 straight wins including 4 straight wins over Top 25 opponents. The toughest part of the schedule is now behind Alabama and while they still have big games remaining, this team has rounded into form and with Ty Simpson at quarterback they can win every game they play.
It wasn't pretty for Texas A&M this weekend as the Aggies found themselves in a shootout with Arkansas, but Mike Elko's team remains unbeaten. The offense has the firepower to play with any team, but this defense has to be a concern especially once they start to face better opponents. This weekend, Texas A&M has a big test as they go on the road to Death Valley where they could end LSU's season.
The Indiana Hoosiers keep on rolling as they handed the Michigan State Spartans a 38-13 beatdown this weekend. Fernando Mendoza has proven he's the best quarterback in the Country passing for another 332 yards and 4 touchdowns this weekend. Indiana doesn't face a ranked opponent the rest of the way as they appear on a collision course to meet Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship.
As top teams continue to get picked off, the Ohio State Buckeyes continue to dominate teams picking up a 34-0 win over Wisconsin. Julian Sayin is starting to look like a Heisman front runner making this team even scarier with all the talent they have around him. Penn State falling apart means that this team most likely won't have a real challenge until the season finale against Michigan.