The chaotic college football season rolls on as Week 8 delivered even more upsets. No. 2 BYU, No. 8 Texas Tech and No. 15 Iowa all fell in stunning upsets, while No. 6 Indiana and No. 13 Alabama survived scares. Heading into the night slate, No. 1 Miami, No. 9 UCLA and No. 10 Utah are the only undefeated teams remaining.
The last time three or fewer undefeated major college football teams remained through Oct. 24 was 1977, when Texas, Louisiana Tech and Colgate (!) all remained spotless. It's also the first time since 2007 that an AP Top-2 team lost against an unranked opponent in three straight weeks.
In the night slate, No. 19 Texas faces a critical prove-it spot against No. 7 Ole Miss. No. 10 Utah and No. 14 Houston play in the late-night slate for control of the Big 12 race. No. 16 USC also faces a tough challenge from a rising Wisconsin squad.
Here are the biggest winners and losers of Week 8 heading into primetime.
Loser: The Big 12
All week, the conversation has focused on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity facing the Big 12. Had the league powers taken care of business, the league would have had a realistic shot at three College Football Playoff teams. After a chaotic Week 8, that path is diminished.
No. 2 BYU struggled to maintain its momentum after stunning Notre Dame a week ago, losing a 39-31 decision against UCF in double overtime. No. 8 Texas Tech's struggles also caught up to it as the Red Raiders fell 37-24 against Cincinnati.
When the rankings come out on Sunday, there will likely be only two Big 12 teams in the top 12 and none in the AP top five. It took one week for the league to waste its early lead.
Winner: Miami
As many of the top teams in America struggle, Miami is taking full advantage. The Hurricanes have a manageable schedule in the ACC, but they continue to obliterate overmatched opponents.
This week, they dominated Pittsburgh 52-23 to reach 7-0 and 5-0 in ACC play. Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns, but wide receiver Malachi Toney was more impressive with 194 yards and three touchdowns on 16 catches.
Miami earned its first AP No. 1 ranking since 2002 this week. They look the part.
Loser: Baylor coach Dave Aranda
Losing to rival TCU last week was a bad sign, but falling 25-24 to Kansas is the final nail in the coffin for Aranda's tenure. For all the faults of the Aranda era, Baylor had a 14-game winning streak against the Jayhawks dating back to the 2007 season. Even during miserable 2-7 and 1-11 seasons in the past decade, Baylor managed to beat Kansas.
That streak came to an end on Saturday in wild fashion. Baylor blew a 21-10 lead entering the fourth quarter as the offense imploded in the fourth quarter. Kansas blocked a potential 45-yard game-winning field goal to clinch the game as the Bears allowed more than 200 yards passing and rushing.
While a loss to TCU seemed to spell the end of the Aranda era, losing in this fashion cements it. There's no path back for the Bears. Baylor has not fired a coach for on-field reasons since 2007, so it's unclear whether they'll make a midseason move. At this point, though, they're not doing anyone favors by dragging it out.
Winner: South Carolina
After starting the season about as bad as they could, Shane Beamer's Gamecocks suddenly have life. South Carolina just picked up a second straight ranked win, and it could have three had it not fallen by one point to Kentucky. This time, it was a 27-24 upset against No. 11 Tennessee as time expired.
South Carolina finally got a great running game from quarterback LaNorris Sellers, as he threw for 210 yards, rushed for 96 yards and scored three total touchdowns. The defense stepped up in big moments, including a late sack from defensive end Dylan Stewart.
The Gamecocks only have one game remaining against an AP Top 25 opponent: No. 5 Georgia on Nov. 21. Could South Carolina clear eight wins?
Loser: James Madison
The Dukes were in a tremendous position to contend for the Group of Six's College Football Playoff spot. Unfortunately, historic Sun Belt power Appalachian State had something to say about it.
James Madison lost 34-31 in overtime against the rival Mountaineers to fall to 7-1 and complicate its pathway to the Sun Belt title game. The Dukes earned only 92 yards rushing on 30 carries. But even if JMU retakes control of the Sun Belt race, their schedule won't give them much leeway compared to other Group of Six contenders.
Winner: Minnesota
The Golden Gophers might be the quietest 5-2 team in America, but Minnesota picked up a major victory over No. 15 Iowa 13-10 on a game-winning field goal. With the win, Minnesota now has wins over Iowa and Michigan in the same season for the first time since 2014. The next few weeks ahead are tough with No. 6 Indiana and No. 9 UCLA, but PJ Fleck has the program in a great spot.
