Last week we went into the action with 13 total undefeated teams and 8 unbeatens among the Power 5 conferences. Heading into week 8 those ranks have been chopped down to 11 undefeated programs as Iowa and Kentucky both fell. That leaves the following unblemished teams from the Power 5: Georgia, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Michigan, Wake Forest, and Michigan State. We’ll get 2 games from that bunch that will cut the list down even further, plus 2 teams are featured in this week’s games to watch.
Let’s take a look at the latest Top 20 poll from 18 Stripes.
18 Stripes Top 20 Poll
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia | 7-0 | 30-13 W vs. Kentucky |
| 2 | Cincinnati (+1) | 6-0 | 56-21 W vs. UCF |
| 3 | Oklahoma (+1) | 7-0 | 52-31 W vs. TCU |
| 4 | Alabama (+1) | 6-1 | 49-9 W at Miss St. |
| 5 | Penn State (+1) | 5-1 | BYE |
| 6 | Oregon (+1) | 5-1 | 24-17 W vs. California |
| 7 | Ohio State (+1) | 5-1 | BYE |
| 8 | Oklahoma State (+2) | 6-0 | 32-24 W at Texas |
| 9 | Michigan | 6-0 | BYE |
| 10 | Coastal Carolina (+1) | 6-0 | BYE |
| 11 | Iowa (-9) | 6-1 | 24-7 L vs. Purdue |
| 12 | Wake Forest | 6-0 | BYE |
| 13 | Notre Dame | 5-1 | BYE |
| 14 | Michigan State | 7-0 | 20-15 W at Indiana |
| 15 | Ole Miss (+2) | 5-1 | 31-26 W at Tennessee |
| 16 | Kentucky (-1) | 6-1 | 30-13 L at Georgia |
| 17 | Baylor (NR) | 6-1 | 38-24 W vs. BYU |
| 18 | SDSU (NR) | 6-0 | 19-13 W at SJSU |
| 19 | UTSA (+1) | 7-0 | 45-0 W vs. Rice |
| 20 | NC State (NR) | 5-1 | 33-7 W at Boston College |
Georgia once again proved there may be no stopping them this year with a thorough thrashing of Kentucky. The Dawgs are off this week and prepare for the Gators, possibly the last chance for a Georgia loss before league championship week.
Hello to Cincinnati at No. 2 in the nation! The Bearcats have won 16 out of their last 17 games stretching back to the end of 2019 with their lone loss to…Georgia.
Caleb Williams has transformed Oklahoma’s offense (18/23 for 295 yards and 4 TD’s against TCU, plus 66 yards and 1 more score on the ground) and suddenly they’re starting to look playoff lock-y if they can avoid tripping up.
We have the Tide back in a playoff spot but obviously they’ll need to beat Georgia if they get to that point in the SEC.
I wanted to spend some time to talk to our friends about no longer undefeated Iowa. On Sunday when I was compiling my rankings I pushed them back to 11th then saw a couple AP ballots placing them way higher and got worried I was being ridiculous. Turns out, both the AP and Coaches Poll dropped them that far, too. They were thoroughly dominated by Purdue and wideout David Bell went off with 11 catches for 240 yards and a score. More damning, the only Power 5 offenses worse than Iowa right now according to SP+ include: Rutgers, South Carolina, Northwestern, Illinois, Colorado, Arizona, Vanderbilt, and Kansas. The Hawkeyes still get to play 2 of those teams, too!
I don’t blame anyone for not believing in Michigan State or Wake Forest, and to a lesser extent Oklahoma State. Time will tell, it could be a very weird year.
Man, I really thought hard about adding Pitt this week (they’re 23rd in the other major polls) after they took Virginia Tech apart in Blacksburg but their overall resume just isn’t quite there yet featuring a home loss to a MAC program. However, Kenny Pickett (feels like he’s been at Pitt forever and took over from Tom Savage) is a legit Heisman candidate (3rd nationally in passer rating!) and the Panthers are an absurd 12th in this week’s SP+ rankings.
OUT: Arizona State, BYU, Florida
Does anyone want to win the Pac-12 South? Anyone? Utah now shoots to the top of the table and still haven’t lost in conference yet.
I caught this on TV over the weekend, Florida is 2-6 in their last 8 games against Power 5 opponents. There’s some talk about Mullen’s seat getting a little toasty but of course he just received an extension this off-season taking him through the 2026 season. That’s all the AD who pushed McElwain out of the door and hired Mullen, too.
Week 8 Games to Watch
Last Week: 5-2
Overall: 28-23
Wake Forest (-3.5) at Army
Recently in the writer’s room we debated why Dave Clawson isn’t in the conversation more for bigger jobs across the country. He’s rebuilt 4 programs (Fordham, Richmond, BGSU, Wake Forest) and is having a career year in a fight for the ACC title. I also have the Demon Deacons on upset watch this weekend!
Watching Wake’s run come to an end at Michie Stadium.Â
This is an extremely inside college football type of pick featuring a road game against a tricky Army team that is capable of punching above their weight. Plus, this would only make things even weirder (and sad) for the ACC. Black Knights win 29-27.
Oregon (+2.5) at UCLA
This is the first of Oregon’s 3 toughest remaining regular season games and they are all on the road. The fact that they are road dogs portends danger ahead. If the Ducks lose, there’s a real chance Washington State and all their drama move into the top spot in the Pac-12 North! But, I do like Oregon to hold on. Ducks win 47-44.
Oklahoma State (+7) at Iowa State
The Cowboys are one of 2 unbeaten teams in the Big 12 and pretty big underdogs this weekend on the road. If Iowa State wins they’re suddenly right back in the thick of a conference title chase. I think Mr. Curved Brim holds on for a big win. Cyclones win 35-31.
LSU (+9.5) at Ole Miss
How will this LSU team react to the news of their head coach leaving, except not until the end of the season? Coming off the win over Florida maybe they’re free and loose! This is a huge recruiting weekend for Mississippi and I have a bad feeling about it. Tigers win 38-30.
Clemson (+3.5) at Pitt
It’s the ACC so I don’t know if we can confirm a 2nd league loss dooms Clemson’s chances at winning the conference. But they’d be officially on life support. Pitt’s offense has been super charged this year while Clemson’s has been a deflated balloon. It’s Narduzzi’s time to shine. Panthers win 26-24.
Did anyone else in the media use this title because I felt like it was a layup.
Narduzzi and Dabo are going to get in a fight at midfield about who has been disrespected more this week.
Not exactly a Mensa club meeting, that game.
Those are all sneakily intriguing games. Cannot believe Clemson is an underdog in an ACC game – what happened to DJU?
I’m not predicting this happening to Clemson, but you know, there was one day in 2009 where we woke up and USC just wasn’t a national powerhouse anymore. They just turned into an ordinary team overnight and, 12 years later, are still that.
Just sayin.
Funny thing is I thought, and I don’t think I was alone by any stretch, that Bama would do this to first and Clemson would have more time in the sun. Like how we saw Miami > USC > Florida (briefly) > Bama (tragically not briefly).
It’s going to be a very interesting case study. Clemson has recruited well, but not absolute SEC elite (like a Bama or UGA). And now suddenly their OL looks bad, and it isn’t brimming with talent. They always have a good DL and edge rushers but their LB’s and secondary seems average-ish at best.
And while losing Lawrence is key, they also lost Etienne (ACC all-time yards leader) as well and that hurts. The weapons compared to a tippy top team are not impressive.
Maybe in 10 years Clemson will just be that blip attributed to having 2 very great QB’s in a row (Deshaun Watson, Trevor) and not much else in hindsight.
(Which, also….if you’re Dabo do you try to stay ahead of this turn of events and jump to a LSU now while still possible? 3 months ago that might sound ridiculous, but now…)
What would be the benefit of LSU over Clemson? They’ve been pretty even in recruiting, and LSU has a much harder path to the playoff each year. Unless they pay a lot more, it seems like Clemson is a much better job as long as Saban is alive.
USC could be a good spot as the ‘crootin’ and competition are easier than LSU, but I still don’t see any reason it would be better to go there.
Also, anywhere else, Dabo wouldn’t have the built in goodwill of having won 2 NCs.
FWIW, LSU was 5th and Clemson was 7th in a poll of college coaches by The Athletic about the best jobs in CFB. LSU has great facilities and recruiting-wise, owns their home state and is good in Texas. The competition factor you mention plus pressure at LSU are valid counter-points.
I don’t think Dabo really would leave one Death Valley for the other at this point, more an idle thought. But even the fact he was asked earlier this week shows the curiosity is out there to make it conceivable..If you’re the LSU AD, you might as well ask and make Swinney say no, which he probably will since his support in Clemson is high.
Simply being in SEC West, or the SEC, and facing Saban hasn’t stopped marquee coaches from happily taking on the challenge. If Dabo’s end goal truly is to succeed Saban, the LSU to Bama path is an obvious comparison.
Hooks,
I think that them having back to back elite QBs has floated them a lot (didnt they recruit at NDs level during those title run years?)
But… I think that 2018 team had 3 first rounders and a 4th rounder on their DL. So, 3 jerry tillery’s and a julian okwara. Granted trevor Lawrence balled out against alabama, but an NFL front 4 is a great equalizer, so just credit where it’s due.
But definitely showcases the impact of elite QB play in football, which I think 18s has mentioned in recruiting deep dives before.