Week 8 Shakes Up the Top 25 with Upsets and Defining Wins

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College Football Week 8 delivered a chaotic Saturday, marked by another surprising Top 10 upset and a series of clutch victories that rearranged the entire national landscape. The biggest winner of the day was the Big 12, while the Group of Five saw its most prominent contender fall.

Here is a look at the major action from yesterday’s AP Top 25 games:

The Big 12’s Shock and Roll

The biggest headline of the weekend came from the Big 12 race, which was blown wide open by two significant outcomes:

Arizona State 26, No. 7 Texas Tech 22: The undefeated Red Raiders, who many had pegged as Big 12 title favorites, were stunned on the road by the Sun Devils. After Texas Tech erased a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt led a meticulous, final-minute drive that included a gutsy fourth-and-2 conversion, setting up the winning score in the final minute. The loss knocks Texas Tech from the ranks of the unbeaten and throws the Big 12 into even greater fluidity.
No. 15 BYU 24, No. 23 Utah 21: The “Holy War” lived up to its hype as BYU survived a massive rivalry challenge to defeat Utah. The 7-0 Cougars, led by freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, dominated the line of scrimmage with over 200 rushing yards. The hard-fought win moves BYU into a first-place tie with Cincinnati atop the Big 12 standings, leaving them as the only undefeated team left in the conference.

The ACC’s Unbeaten Remain on Track

While the Top 25 was rocked by upsets, the ACC’s two biggest undefeated programs—Georgia Tech and Virginia—found ways to win against tough opponents.

No. 12 Georgia Tech 27, Duke 18: In a battle for first place in the ACC, the Yellow Jackets relied on their quarterback, Haynes King, to carry the load. Georgia Tech’s win, fueled by King’s 120 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground, moves the Yellow Jackets to a dominant 7-0 start—their first since 2011—and a perfect 4-0 in conference play.
No. 18 Virginia 22, Washington State 20: The newly ranked Cavaliers needed a frantic fourth-quarter comeback, capped off by a game-winning safety in the final minute, to get past Washington State. Virginia trailed 20-10 entering the fourth before their offense finally woke up, and their defense ultimately sealed their fifth straight win.

The Group of Five’s Standard Bearer Falls

An unexpected rival felled the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the nation:

UAB 31, No. 22 Memphis 24: In a stunning upset that will have major ramifications for the College Football Playoff, the undefeated Memphis Tigers lost on the road to a UAB squad that was a 23.5-point underdog. UAB, playing its first game under interim coach Alex Mortensen, shocked the Tigers and delivered a huge blow to the American Athletic Conference’s hopes of securing an automatic CFP bid.

Other Notable Top 25 Action

No. 9 Georgia 43, No. 5 Ole Miss 35: In a massive SEC showdown, Georgia delivered a vintage “Kirby Smart” comeback, outscoring the Rebels 17-0 in the fourth quarter to overcome a large deficit and move to 4-1.
No. 13 Notre Dame 34, No. 20 USC 24: The Fighting Irish handled their rivalry game, defeating the Trojans to keep their season on track.
No. 16 Vanderbilt 31, No. 10 LSU 24: The remarkable run for the Commodores continued as they moved to 6-1 on the season with a clutch victory over LSU, further shaking up the SEC standings.
No. 24 Cincinnati 49, Oklahoma State 17: The Bearcats cruised to a blowout win over the struggling Cowboys, relying on a turnover-heavy defense to complement a strong offensive showing.