If aliens came down to Earth and asked me to describe the 2026 college football season in three words or fewer, here’s what I’d tell them:
Any given week.
If there’s been one lesson learned this college football season, it’s not to put too much stock into what you saw last week. A team could be flying high one week (BYU), then fall back down to earth the next. A team could be written off one week (Texas after its collapse vs. Florida) and then save its season with a top-10 victory the next (Texas staves off No. 7 Ole Miss).
Yes in many ways, Week 8 reinforced this lesson once again. And in doing so, made the voters’ task in rearranging the AP Top 25 poll quite a difficult one. Here’s how we see things playing out.
Projected the AP Top 25 rankings after Week 8
1. Miami Hurricanes (7–0, 5–0 ACC)
Week 8: Beat Pittsburgh, 52–23
Week 9: At North Carolina, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday
The top ranking has been a blessing and a curse, as the top-ranked teams (Texas and Georgia) lost in each of the last two weeks. It was the former for the Hurricanes in Week 8, as they thumped the Panthers with multiple members of the legendary 2001 team in attendance.
The confidence from Pitt cornerback Raion Strader, who said he believed the Panthers defense “had a great scheme” for Hurricanes wideout Malachi Toney, was admirable. But the game plan may need to be forever scrapped after Toney schooled the Pitt defense to the tune of a school-record 16 receptions for 194 yards and three touchdowns.
Freshman Javian Mallory continues to have plenty of juice, and with two more touchdowns, a nose for the end zone. The incredible—four touchdown passes, just six incompletions—is quickly becoming routine for star quarterback Darian Mensah. And the Hurricanes defense, despite some mishaps in the secondary, held the Panthers to just 2.7 yards per rush and clamped down on third down. Up next are Bill Belichick’s spunky Tar Heels.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (6–1, 4–0 Big Ten)
Week 8: Bye
Week 9: At USC, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday
The Indiana-Michigan game was a win-win for Buckeyes fans, for if the Hoosiers lost, it would all but seal Ohio State’s berth in the Big Ten title game, assuming the Buckeyes win out. And if the Wolverines lost, well, any Wolverines loss is cause for celebration in Columbus, Ohio. But with Julian Sayin out indefinitely, Ohio State is too busy getting backup quarterbacks Luke Fahey and Tavien St. Clair up to speed to throw any parties about its hated rival’s narrow defeat to the defending champions.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6–1)
Week 8: Bye
Week 9: Vs. Navy, noon ET Saturday
They’re still probably fuming in South Bend about the pass interference no-call and clock snafu in last week’s upset loss at the hands of BYU, though the Cougars’ loss to unranked UCF may have elicited some ball-don’t-lie sentiments from the Fighting Irish faithful. A winnable game against Navy will give Notre Dame a chance to reset before a massive Nov. 7 showdown against Miami.
4. Georgia Bulldogs (6–1, 4–1 SEC)
Week 8: Bye
Week 9: Vs. Florida, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday
The best cure for an SEC hangover? Watching the team that just skunked you, Auburn, get skunked (the Tigers were mauled by LSU, 38–17). But what comes around goes around, especially in the SEC, so Kirby Smart’s Dawgs will need to be ready for a resurgent Florida team that just stunned Texas and is keen on scoring another sizable conference upset.
5. Indiana Hoosiers (7–1, 4–1 Big Ten)
Week 8: Beat Michigan, 13–6
Week 9: Vs. Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday
Indiana hadn’t won in Ann Arbor, Mich., since 1967. So fittingly, just a week before Halloween, it seemed like the ghosts of losses past haunted the Hoosiers for four quarters. Were it not for two first-half takeaways from the defense, Indiana’s sluggish offense would have been kept off the board. Give credit to the stingy Michigan defense, which stonewalled the Hoosiers’ running game, but it was apparent that quarterback Josh Hoover (81 passing yards and an interception) was still feeling the effects of last week’s injury.
Yet, Indiana, as they’ve often done this season, rose to the occasion in the overtime period to escape the Big House with a hard-fought win. Coach Curt Cignetti said it best in his postgame interview on the field. “Not pretty, but it’s a win.”
6. BYU Cougars (6–1, 3–1 Big 12)
Week 8: Lost to UCF, 39–31
Week 9: Vs. Arizona State, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday
What a difference a week makes. Just seven days after the BYU defense stymied the Notre Dame rushing offense, the Cougars permitted 4.1 yards per carry to UCF and were repeatedly gashed for explosive plays. Offensively, Bear Bachmeier had a costly first-half interception in UCF territory, and the Cougars’ running game for the first time this season appeared to sorely miss the injured LJ Martin.
Despite looking out of sorts, the Cougars had chances to win this one, but costly penalties, including a somewhat questionable roughing-the-kicker call in the second overtime, proved to be their undoing. One of the biggest games in the history of the Holy War rivalry looms in two weeks, but BYU can’t afford to overlook Arizona State next week.
7. Utah Utes (7–0, 4–0 Big 12)
Week 8: Beat No. 14 Houston, 21–13
Week 9: At Cincinnati, 3:45 p.m. ET Saturday
The Utes did what they needed to do to win this game. Stop the powerful Houston running game? Check. Rack up enough explosive plays through the air and on the ground? Check. Come up with some timely stops in the fourth quarter? Check.
Quarterback Devon Dampier was a bit uneven through the air and had two turnovers, but repeatedly burned the Cougars defense for chunk gains with his legs. And speaking of the turnovers, the way the Utes defense was able to stand tall after Dampier’s fourth-quarter interception was a major turning point.
Utah has some things to clean up, and Cincinnati, fresh off of an upset win over Texas Tech, will be a worthy opponent with which to do so.
8. UCLA Bruins (7–0, 5–0 Big Ten)
Week 8: Beat Michigan State, 28–10
Week 9: Vs. Nevada, 4:15 p.m. ET Saturday
A sloppy first quarter made this one a bit too close for comfort for UCLA initially, but, as it has been for much of the season thus far, the defense stepped in and provided a spark. A forced fumble and 67-yard interception return set up a pair of touchdowns for the Bruins, and turned the game around.
UCLA suffered a scare right before the half when quarterback Ty Dieffenbach suffered an apparent injury when he got stepped on, then promptly breathed a sigh of relief when he returned for the second half and uncorked a 63-yard touchdown pass on the fourth play of the third quarter.
Dieffenbach has shown he can make the throws necessary to win, while the Bruins’ running game and defense, which hasn’t allowed more than 15 points since Sept. 19, continue to give this team a high floor, even on days it doesn’t have its best fastball.
9. Kentucky Wildcats (7–1, 5–1 SEC)
Week 8: Beat Vanderbilt, 34–17
Week 9: Bye
After two straight overtime thrillers, the cardiac Cats finally won one somewhat decisively over Vanderbilt, though the victory was not without its turbulence. After two straight punts to open the game, the Wildcats defense provided little resistance to the Commodores on a long touchdown drive that dug Kentucky a 10–0 hole.
Kentucky imposed its will from that point on, scoring on its next six drives of the game to take a commanding lead. Quarterback Kenny Minchey continues to make some big-time throws and plays mistake-free football in Will Stein’s offense. And the defense, while a sieve on third downs, once again came up with some timely takeaways to help jump-start the offense. Kentucky has now won six straight games and has clinched a winning record in the SEC for just the 10th time.
10. Texas Longhorns (5–2, 2–2 SEC)
Week 8: Beat No. 7 Ole Miss, 34–27
Week 9: Vs. Mississippi State, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday
For one half, it looked like Arch Manning and Texas had been reading their obituaries in the lead-up to the Ole Miss game, as Manning came out firing while the Longhorns defense picked off Trinidad Chambliss twice to take a 24–3 lead into halftime. It looked like the origin story for Manning and Steve Sarkisian’s villain turn.
Then, the Rebels defense tightened up and Chambliss pulled a couple rabbits out of his hat to mount a furious second-half comeback. The fans at Darrell K. Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium, remembering last week’s collapse, were becoming restless. That’s when Raleek Brown, who rushed for a game-high 157 rushing yards, erupted for a 47-yard run that put Texas in Ole Miss territory and four plays later resulted in a go-ahead score by Manning.
The defense then came up with a much-needed stand, picking off Chambliss in the end zone to keep Texas’s College Football Playoff hopes alive. It’s been a rocky road for the Longhorns, but with three top-15 wins this season, this is looking like a top-10 team at the moment, especially with so much week-to-week uncertainty.
11. Alabama Crimson Tide (6–2, 4–2 SEC)
Week 8: Beat Texas A&M, 31–20
Week 9: Bye
12. Texas Tech Red Raiders (6–1, 3–1 Big 12)
Week 8: Lost to Cincinnati, 37–24
Week 9: Vs. Arizona, noon ET Saturday
13. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6–1, 4–1 ACC)
Week 8: Bye
Week 9: Vs. Virginia, 3:45 p.m. ET Saturday
14. Ole Miss Rebels (5–2, 3–2 SEC)
Week 8: Lost to No. 19 Texas, 34–27
Week 9: Vs. Auburn, 12:45 p.m. ET Saturday
15. Tennessee Volunteers (6–2, 3–2 SEC)
Week 8: Lost to South Carolina, 27–24
Week 9: Bye
16. Houston Cougars (6–2, 3–2 Big 12)
Week 8: Lost to No. 10 Utah, 21–13
Week 9: Bye
17. LSU Tigers (6–2, 3–2 SEC)
Week 8: Beat Auburn, 38–17
Week 9: Bye
18. Boise State Broncos (6–1, 3–0 Pac-12)
Week 8: Beat Washington State, 31–10
Week 9: Vs. Texas State, 10 p.m. ET Saturday
19. Florida Gators (5–2, 3–2 SEC)
Week 8: Bye
Week 9: Vs. Georgia, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday
20. Missouri Tigers (5–2, 2–2 SEC)
Week 8: Bye
Week 9: At Arkansas, 7:45 p.m. ET Saturday
21. SMU Mustangs (6–1, 4–1 ACC)
Week 8: Beat California, 59–20
Week 9: At Syracuse, noon ET Saturday
22. Northwestern Wildcats (6–1, 3–1 Big Ten)
Week 8: Beat Rutgers, 42–14
Week 9: At Oregon, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday
23. Arizona Wildcats (6–1, 3–1 Big 12)
Week 8: Beat Iowa State, 39–3
Week 9: At Texas Tech, noon ET Saturday
24. Oklahoma State Cowboys (5–2, 3–1 Big 12)
Week 8: Beat Colorado, 57–24
Week 9: At Iowa State, 7 p.m. ET Saturday
25. Wisconsin Badgers (5–2, 3–1 Big Ten)
Week 8: Beat No. 16 USC, 24–7
Week 9: At Iowa, noon ET Saturday
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