Bye weeks across the country limited the potential for chaos in Week 8. How did the results of the weekend impact the newest AP Top 25 projections?
Six teams in the AP Top 25 were on bye weeks in Week 8. That included three teams in the Top 10, limiting the amount of chaos that could potentially take place. But with only two matchups featuring ranked opponents against one another, it was also a rather quiet day around the country. Chalk held in most contests, and there will likely be no teams dropping out of the AP Top 25 this week.
That was too bad for teams like Iowa State and Mississippi State, who both moved to 5-2 after solid victories over Texas Tech and Kentucky respectively. Other teams that had a chance to move up into the AP Top 25 dropped tough contests, including Utah in a 30-10 pasting by Arizona State in Salt Lake City. And teams on bye weeks, like Texas A&M, will have to wait another week before they have a chance to slide back up into the rankings.
With the results holding to form this week, there is no question about whether teams survived to stay in the rankings. But that doesn’t mean there will be no shakeup in the order of the polls this week, as we prepare for the release of the first College Football Playoff rankings. So where will everyone end up on Sunday when the AP releases its newest poll? Keep reading for our projection of the AP Top 25 heading into Week 9.
Michigan fell hard at No. 2 Penn State this week, effectively ending any chance the Wolverines had of winning the Big Ten this year. Jim Harbaugh‘s team was blown out 42-13 in Beaver Stadium, unable to do much on offense. But the defeat won’t be enough to knock Michigan completely out of the AP Top 25 this week.
John O’Korn struggled once again at quarterback, going 16-of-28 for 166 yards. The Wolverines were held under 300 total yards of offense as they failed to gain momentum either on the ground or in the air. The defense gave up over 500 yards to the Nittany Lions, as they were manhandled by the defending Big Ten champs in a grudge match.
The Wolverines now look capable only of playing spoiler in the Big Ten East this year. They will remain in the AP Top 25 this week, but hanging on by a thread. Rutgers, Minnesota, and Maryland offer chances to recover and rediscover their offensive and defensive prowess ahead of showdowns against Wisconsin and Ohio State to close out the regular season.
Surviving a possible trap game in Waco, No. 23 West Virginia held on to win 38-36 over Baylor. The win will let Dana Holgorsen’s team hold on to a spot in the AP Top 25 for another week, though they could drop a place or two depending on how pollsters feel about the other performances around the country.
Will Grier had another big day for the Mountaineers, throwing for 375 yards and five touchdowns on 26-of-37 passing. The Baylor defense held West Virginia to just 118 rushing yards, though, and the Bears nearly mounted a fourth-quarter comeback. WVU gave up 23 points in the final frame, but Baylor failed to convert a two-point attempt that would have tied the game with 17 seconds remaining.
After escaping Baylor, West Virginia remains in a four-way logjam right behind TCU in the Big 12 standings. The Mountaineers return home for a date with top-10 Oklahoma State in Morgantown next weekend, and their tough November slate includes home games against Iowa State and Texas and road trips to face Kansas State and Oklahoma.
At halftime of their American Athletic Conference tilt against Houston, No. 25 Memphis looked dead in the water. The Tigers went to the locker room down 17-0, shut out after Major Applewhite called three straight timeouts to ice freshman kicker Riley Patterson on the final play of the first half.
Whatever adjustments took place during the intermission, they worked. Veteran quarterback Riley Ferguson threw for 471 yards to pace the Tigers to victory on the road. It wasn’t the prettiest of wins, but the 42-38 result gives Memphis tiebreakers over both of its primary divisional challengers. The Tigers will stay in the AP Top 25 and could bump up a few spots, setting up strong for a run at a New Year’s Six berth.
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All that stands in the way of a trip to the American Athletic Conference championship game are four games against Tulane, Tulsa, SMU, and East Carolina. If the Tigers can take down all four, then upset either UCF or South Florida in the title game, they would have a strong case to put before the College Football Playoff selection committee in December.
LSU has rebounded solidly from its earlier losses to Mississippi State and Troy to get to six wins and remain a threat in the SEC West. The No. 24 Tigers took down Ole Miss 40-24 in Oxford, running away with victory on a day where they had nearly 600 yards of total offense. Ed Orgeron’s team consolidated its position in the AP Top 25 with the victory.
Danny Etling was an efficient 9-of-13 passing the ball, racking up 200 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Derrius Guice led a loaded backfield with 276 yards and a touchdown, and Darrel Williams also went over 100 rushing yards. The defense held Rebels quarterback Shea Patterson to 116 passing yards and forced three interceptions in the runaway win.
LSU has a bye week in Week 9 before taking on No. 1 Alabama on the first wekeend of November. Were the Tigers to take down Alabama, they would vault up the AP Top 25. As it is, they are now bowl eligible and the seat has cooled down considerably under Ed Orgeron.
After back-to-back losses against USC and San Diego State, the Cardinal appeared to be off track for a run at the Pac-12 title. But Stanford has now won four straight before taking a bye week in Week 8, and they entered the week atop the Pac-12 North standings.
The catalyst for Stanford’s success so far this season is Bryce Love. Love, who stepped up to take over for all-purpose threat Christian McCaffrey after he moved on to the pros, has looked even better than his predecessor this year. The Cardinal tailback leads the nation in rushing, and has averaged over 200 all-purpose yards per game through Stanford’s first seven games.
With games against both Washington schools still on the horizon in November, the Cardinal holds control over its own destiny this season. Love will continue to make an impression on Heisman voters, and if David Shaw‘s team can keep winning they will present an intriguing case study to the College Football Playoff selection committee.
On the road in South Bend, No. 11 USC fell 49-14 to No. 13 Notre Dame in one of just two games this week featuring two teams ranked in the AP Top 25. The Trojans fell behind 28-0 by halftime to the Fighting Irish and couldn’t muster a comeback. As a result, Clay Helton‘s team fell to 6-2 on the year.
The loss did not impact the Trojans’ chances in the Pac-12. But the blowout defeat is a karmic blow to USC’s confidence. Sam Darnold was benched early after a fumble, an interception, and a couple of sacks. Backup quarterback Matt Fink fared little better against the Irish defense, while USC managed just 76 yards rushing all day.
Now the Trojans will have to dust themselves off and return to winning ways in a hurry. They will fall at least six spots this week after such a comprehensive beatdown, and a College Football Playoff berth is probably out of reach this year. But a Pac-12 title is still possible. USC needs to rebound quickly with a trip to Pac-12 South threat Arizona State next weekend.
Auburn walloped Arkansas on the road in SEC West action for its sixth win of the season. The No. 21 Tigers will likely move up into the high teens of the AP Top 25 this week after the comprehensive 52-20 blowout of the Razorbacks, as they keep pace with rival Alabama in the division race.
It was a committee effort on offense. Kamryn Pettway led the team with 90 yards and three rushing touchdowns, part of a night where Auburn finished with 345 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Jarrett Stidham didn’t throw a touchdown pass, but he did going 19-of-28 for 218 yards to provide some offensive balance.
The Tigers get a bye week in Week 9 to close out October, then head to College Station for their last road game of the regular season against Texas A&M. Once they return to Auburn, the Tigers don’t have to leave the Plains until either their bowl game or a possible SEC championship appearance. Games against top-five Georgia and Alabama are sandwiched around a non-conference date with Louisiana-Monroe.
After struggling on the road, No. 16 South Florida could possibly drop a spot or two in the AP Top 25 despite remaining undefeated against Tulane on Saturday. The Bulls had a hard time putting away the Green Wave on the road, eventually prevailing 34-28 in New Orleans. While USF is now 7-0, they will likely lose some votes to American Athletic Conference rival UCF this week.
Quinton Flowers once again had a big day running, with 138 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Bulls were led by Darius Tice‘s 141 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while D’Ernest Johnson added another 84 yards and a third rushing score. Flowers was less successful through the air, though, finishing 10-of-24 for 127 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
The Bulls take on Houston and Connecticut over the next two weeks before a bye. Coming out of their break, they get Tulsa at home on a Thursday night before the regular-season finale against UCF that will likely decide the division crown and possibly the Group of Five’s selection for a New Year’s Six bowl this year.
UCF could move up into the high teens of this week’s AP Top 25 on Sunday after remaining undefeated on Saturday. The No. 20 Knights went to Annapolis and took down interdivisional foe Navy in a 31-21 victory. The ability to win in a close contest bodes well for UCF down the road, as they get into the heart of the American Athletic Conference schedule.
McKenzie Milton was efficient if muted on offense, ending the game with 280 total yards of offense. The quarterback went 15-of-23 with a touchdown and a pick in the air, and added 47 yards and a score on the ground. Adrian Killins Jr. led the effort in the backfield, rushing for 122 yards and two scores against the Midshipmen.
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Now 6-0, the Knights have four games before their rivalry game against South Florida on Black Friday. If they keep winning and meet with undefeated records, both UCF and the Bulls will be ranked in the AP Top 25 and College Football Playoff rankings. The winner would host the AAC championship game and head to a New Year’s Six bowl with a conference title in hand.
Victory was hard to come by in East Lansing on Saturday, but No. 18 Michigan State held on to survive the upset scare against Indiana on Saturday. The Spartans were down 6-3 entering the fourth quarter, but two touchdowns in the final frame allowed the hosts to squeak past the Hoosiers 17-9 in Week 8.
LJ Scott ran for 87 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Brian Lewerke threw for 185 yards and a touchdown on 16-of-29 passing. Michigan State’s defense came up huge, holding a solid Indiana offense to 253 yards and preventing them from reaching the endzone. A slew of penalties proved costly for the otherwise disciplined Hoosiers, while the Spartans suffered just three penalties all night.
Related Story: Michigan State Football: 3 takeaways from win over Indiana in Week 8
Michigan State will remain in the high teens of this week’s AP Top 25, though they could move up a spot or two thanks to results around them in the poll. The Spartans head to Evanston for a tricky interdivisional showdown at Northwestern next week. Once the calendar flips to November, back-to-back tests against Penn State and Ohio State will determine whether the dark-horse Spartans can actually contend for the Big Ten crown this year.
NC State has been the surprise of the ACC this season, rolling out to a 6-1 record before taking a bye this weekend. The Wolfpack have been strong on both offense and defense. Their defense is giving up less than 100 rushing yards per game, while the offense is atop the national charts with only three turnovers lost so far this season.
What is even crazier, though, is that NC State could be undefeated if not for a season-opening defeat against South Carolina. Dave Doeren’s team is in sole possession of the lead in the ACC Atlantic, ahead of defending national champion Clemson as well as preseason favorites Louisville and Florida State.
If they can get past Notre Dame and Clemson over the next two weeks, the Wolfpack is set up for a possible College Football Playoff berth. They look poised to move up in the AP Top 25 this week despite being idle and could vault into the top 10 with success over next fortnight.
Washington State looks poised to move to 7-1 as they took a first-half lead against Colorado at home in #Pac12AfterDark action on Saturday night. Cougars quarterback Luke Falk notched two early touchdown passes in the contest against the Buffaloes, opening the door for the No. 15 team in the country to move up a spot or two in the next AP Top 25.
Assuming that Mike Leach’s team holds on for the win over Colorado in Pullman, they will keep pace with Stanford and Washington atop the Pac-12 North standings. The Cougars face the Cardinal at home on the first weekend of November, while they head to Seattle on Thanksgiving weekend to face the Huskies in the Apple Cup.
First, though, Washington State must get out of October with a tricky test next week in the desert. The Cougars head to Tucson to face a surprise Arizona team that is in contention for the Pac-12 South. If Washington State can escape the Territorial State with a victory, they will continue their climb back up the AP Top 25.
No. 14 Virginia Tech manhandled a woeful North Carolina team. Only a fourth-quarter touchdown pass by Chase Surratt prevented the Hokies from pitching a shutout in Blacksburg, as they steamrolled to a 59-7 victory at home on Saturday. Moving to 6-1, the Hokies kept pace right behind Miami in the ACC Coastal.
It wasn’t all great for Virginia Tech, though. Quarterback Josh Jackson was held to 151 total yards on 10-of-20 passing and five carries, though he did throw three touchdown passes. The defense came up huge for the Hokies, holding the Tar Heels under 200 yards of total offense and forcing three turnovers to fuel the win.
After the convincing takedown of North Carolina, the Hokies could move up a spot or two in this week’s AP Top 25 thanks to the USC-Notre Dame showdown in South Bend. They face Duke at home next weekend, then open November with a huge showdown against the Hurricanes in Miami that will likely decide which team plays in the ACC championship game from the Coastal.
Last weekend, Washington blew its shot at a perfect season in a flat performance against Arizona State. The 13-7 loss marked the lowest point total for the Huskies since crumbling against Alabama in last year’s Peach Bowl. Now Chris Petersen and his staff are left to pick up the pieces and right the ship in Seattle.
The Huskies still got into the College Football Playoff last season with a loss on their record. That will still be possible this season, with only a handful of unbeaten teams left in the country. Washington is still hovering just outside the top 10, but they still have plenty of time to vault back up into one of the semifinal positions.
For now, though, Washington will likely continue to hover in the low double digits of this week’s AP Top 25 when it comes out on Sunday. They won’t fall down the rankings, but an idle weekend won’t do much to boost their stature in the eyes of voters.
They needed more than 60 minutes to survive the trip to Austin, but No. 10 Oklahoma State won its sixth game of the year with a 13-10 overtime victory over Texas in early action on Saturday. The Cowboys were held 36 points and nearly 200 yards under their season averages on offense. But the defense came up huge at key moments to pace Oklahoma State to the road win.
Mason Rudolph completed 25 of his 38 passing attempts on Saturday, but he was held under 300 yards in the air for the first time since last year’s Bedlam game. Rudolph finished with 282 yards and failed to score a touchdown on the day. The running game picked up the slack. J.D. King had the only touchdown of the day for Oklahoma State, while Justice Hill rushed for 117 yards.
After holding on to move to 6-1, the Cowboys will continue to be challenged week after week as October turns to November. Next week Oklahoma State faces West Virginia on the road, then open November against rival Oklahoma. Iowa State and Kansas State also loom on the schedule as the Cowboys try to push back into single digits in the AP Top 25.
Notre Dame came out at home and walloped No. 11 USC on Saturday in prime time. The No. 13-ranked Fighting Irish dominated their West Coast rivals, rolling up a 49-14 victory for their sixth win of the year. Brian Kelly’s team proved itself to be a total mismatch for its higher-ranked opponent and could threaten to enter the College Football Playoff discussion by December.
Josh Adams stole the show, rushing 19 times for 191 yards and three scores in the blowout win. The defense also came through big in the shadow of Touchdown Jesus, forcing Clay Helton to bench star quarterback Sam Darnold before the end of the contest. USC was also held to just 76 yards on the ground in defeat.
The bold statement at home could push the Fighting Irish up into the top 10 of the AP Top 25 this week. They will face another ranked opponent next weekend in South Bend when NC State comes to town. Games against Miami and Stanford also loom on a tough independent schedule that will inevitably give the Fighting Irish a boost in the polls if they win.
Once again, No. 9 Oklahoma struggled to win against an underdog. The Sooners went to Manhattan, and Kansas State gave them everything they could handle on Saturday. Trading punches with the Wildcats all day long, the Sooners prevailed 42-35 as they scored on their final possession of the shootout.
Lincoln Riley’s crew came back from a 21-7 deficit to pull off the road win. Baker Mayfield finished the day with 410 yards and two touchdowns in the air on 32-of-41 passing. The Heisman hopeful added 69 yards and two more scores on the ground to fuel the comeback for the Sooners. Rodney Anderson added another 147 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries for Oklahoma.
After moving to 6-1 on the season, Oklahoma consolidated its position among the top 10 in the AP Top 25. Now the Sooners turn their attention to a home game against Texas Tech to close out the month. Once November begins, the quality of opponent rises with games against Oklahoma State, TCU, and West Virginia on the schedule. If they win out, Oklahoma will be on the cusp of a College Football Playoff.
The upset loss to Syracuse last weekend didn’t impact Clemson that much. The Tigers fell just five spots in the AP Top 25 following the defeat to the Orange. Just three spots out of College Football Playoff position, Dabo Swinney‘s crew still has a solid chance of repeating as national champions. The margin for error decreased significantly, but the Tigers are still in the race.
Coming out of its bye week, the next three weeks will be critical for Clemson football. The Tigers host Georgia Tech next weekend. Once November begins, a key trip to ACC Atlantic leader NC State will be followed by the annual showdown against Florida State. If Clemson gets back to winning ways, the loss to Syracuse will be written off by the College Football Playoff selection committee.
For Clemson, success or failure will all come down to whether quarterback Kelly Bryant is ready to go. Bryant suffered an ankle injury and a concussion against Syracuse, and if he is not 100 percent by the time Clemson plays Georgia Tech it could prove disastrous to dreams of back-to-back titles.
Miami nearly became the most recent upset victim when they took on Syracuse at home on Saturday. A week after knocking off Clemson, the Orange hung tough against the Hurricanes before the home team eventually pulled away for a 27-19 victory. The win moved Mark Richt‘s team to 6-0 on the year and kept them in the top 10 of this week’s AP Top 25.
Malik Rosier had a solid game for the Hurricanes, finishing with 344 passing yards and adding 45 rushing yards on the day. Rosier threw two touchdown passes and avoided an interception on 26-of-43 passing. Travis Homer continued his solid relief of injured tailback Mark Walton, rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown in the Hurricanes win.
Miami ends its October schedule with a trip to Chapel Hill to face woebegone North Carolina. November gets tougher, as the Hurricanes face Virginia Tech and Notre Dame at home. If they get past the Hokies and Fighting Irish, Miami looks like a potential threat to reach the College Football Playoff in 2017.
Since losing to Oklahoma, Ohio State has won five in a row to bounce right back into the top 10 of the AP Top 25. Urban Meyer’s team is three years removed from its last national championship, and the Buckeyes will be gunning for another trip to the College Football Playoff.
In 2014, Ohio State survived an early loss to Virginia Tech and injury to two quarterbacks to claim the Big Ten and reach the Playoff. They also made it in last year despite failing to win the Big Ten. As long as they keep winning this year, the Buckeyes will be right back in the thick of the discussion. With J.T. Barrett beginning to assert himself as a Heisman contender, Ohio State is a legitimate threat.
Given everything else that transpired around the country this week, the Buckeyes are unlikely to move in the next edition of the AP Top 25. They will have a chance to make their case for a top-four spot when they host Penn State next weekend. November yields a stretch of games against Iowa, Michigan State, Illinois, and the Thanksgiving weekend finale against rival Michigan.
Wisconsin continued its push toward another Big Ten West title with a 38-13 takedown of Maryland at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday. The Badgers opened the game with a 56-yard T.J. Edwards interception return for a touchdown on Maryland’s opening drive, and they never looked back as they moved to 7-0 on the year.
The Badgers saw freshman tailback Jonathan Taylor go over 1000 yards on the season in the seventh college game of his career. He finished the day with 126 yards and a touchdown to pace the big win. Despite two turnovers and a missed field goal in the first half, the Badgers went to the locker room at halftime already up 21-3. Maryland was simply overwhelmed by a Wisconsin defense that once again held its opponent under 300 total yards of offense.
On the cusp of a College Football Playoff spot, Wisconsin will remain at No. 5 when the newest AP Top 25 is released tomorrow. The Badgers hit the road over the next two weeks to take on Illinois and Indiana. If they can make it to Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship with an undefeated record, that game will likely serve as a play-in game for the Playoff.
TCU showed no mercy in a mismatch against Kansas, taking down the Jayhawks in a 43-0 shutout. The deficit could have been even bigger if not for a running clock in the fourth quarter that mercifully ended the misery for Kansas fans. The Horned Frogs remain undefeated, one of just eight teams around the country still boasting that distinction.
Gary Patterson‘s defense held Kansas to negative-25 yards rushing on the day. Peyton Bender and Carter Stanley combined to go 8-of-18 for 46 yards at quarterback. It was a thorough and unquestionable showing by the Horned Frogs that keeps them in sole possession of the lead in the Big 12 standings.
The win will make some pollsters consider bumping TCU up their ballots. They could ostensibly leapfrog idle Georgia into the No. 3 spot in the AP Top 25, though they will likelier remain at No. 4 when the poll is released on Sunday. TCU heads to Ames next weekend in a game against Iowa State that surprisingly could be a preview of the rebooted Big 12 championship game.
Georgia jumped up to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 last weekend right before taking a bye week. The Bulldogs have been dominant so far this season, winning six of their seven games by at least three touchdowns. The one anomaly in the group was the 20-19 takedown of Notre Dame in a key non-conference battle with national implications.
To put things into perspective, Georgia keeps winning despite being forced to shift its offense. When Jacob Eason was injured early in the year, Jake Fromm stepped up at quarterback and has kept the Bulldogs undefeated. The nation’s fourth-ranked scoring defense has certainly helped in that regard.
Georgia gets back on the field next weekend in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party against Florida in Jacksonville. Road trips to Auburn and Georgia Tech in November will determine where the Bulldogs end up in the AP Top 25 and, more importantly, in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s rankings.
After getting blown out in Ann Arbor last year, No. 2 Penn State left nothing to chance as they routed the Wolverines on Saturday night. The Nittany Lions ran up the score in a 42-13 blowout that sets up the defending Big Ten champions as the team to beat in their conference. Penn State consolidated its position right behind Alabama in the AP Top 25 with another big win.
Saquon Barkley put up another Heisman-worthy performance, racking up 108 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 15 carries. Barkley also added a 42-yard touchdown catch, one of three receptions for 53 total yards. Quarterback Trace McSorley finished with 282 passing yards and a score along with 73 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Penn State’s defense was just as formidable, holding Michigan to 269 total yards of offense. Now James Franklin‘s team turns its attention to back-to-back road games at Ohio State and Michigan State. Win both and the Nittany Lions will effectively lock up a trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game a month early.
Alabama maintained its stranglehold on the top spot in the AP Top 25 with a resounding 45-7 win over Tennessee in the Third Saturday in October matchup. Nick Saban’s crew moved to 8-0 on the season heading into its bye week. The result was never in doubt, as the Crimson Tide jumped out to a huge lead and never looked back.
The Tide defense held Tennessee to just 108 total yards of offense, clamping down at the line of scrimmage against the Vols. Only a pick-six thrown by backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa prevented Alabama from notching a shutout. Aside from that gaffe on offense, the Crimson Tide put in a balanced effort that yielded over 600 yards of offense.
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Alabama now gets a much-deserved rest for the rest of October. The November slate will test the Crimson Tide as they face LSU at home and both Mississippi State and Auburn on the road. The team from Tuscaloosa has a great shot at going wire-to-wire atop the AP Top 25, and they will likely open as the top team in the College Football Playoff rankings when the selection committee releases its top 25 next week.