Week 8 upsets and observations

Week 8 upsets and observations

1.      The only HUGE (and unexpected) upset was the NINE(!) overtime victory of Illinois over Penn State. This removes PSU from CFP contention as they are now almost impossible to make it to the Big10 championship game. Ohio State (1 non conference loss) and unbeaten Michigan and Michigan State will have to battle it out for the Big10 east to face either Iowa or even Minnesota! #25 Purdue was in that mix until they were mildly upset by Wisconsin. This will all sort itself out but for now we have way too many Big 10 teams in the top 10 but that will change.

2.      Although Oklahoma State was 6-0 and ranked #10, the Las Vegas oddsmakers picked Iowa State (with two losses) to win and they were right. So, this wasn’t technically an upset but I picked it as well. The game was close and one of the best of the weekend. This leaves Oklahoma as the only unbeaten in the Big 12, but with how BADLY they played against now 1-6 Kansas, the coming games with Baylor, Iowa State and Oklahoma State plus a likely rematch in the Conference championship game make it seem much less likely they will survive unscathed.

3.      Appalachian State beat #14 Coastal Carolina; a loss we can all appreciate to keep the whining down to a minimum as the New Year’s Day games get doled out.

4.      Clemson lost to #23 Pittsburgh. No, this was not an upset. Pitt is 6-1 a near lock for the ACC Coastal championship. #16 Wake Forest is 7-0 and has a shot at running the tables. The #18 NC State Wolfpack remains undefeated in conference play. These two will face each other November 13 in a game that will likely decide the winner of the ACC Atlantic. Only if Wake runs the tables can they have a shot at the CFP championship, and I am not sure even that would do it.

5.      In another ACC upset, Woeful Miami even showed up against #18 North Carolina State. This is of course irrelevant to anyone except Miamin and NC State fans but was one I didn’t see coming. Good game.

6.      CLOSER THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN: Several scares in the top 10 as #2 Cincinnati beat navy by a touchdown and didn’t actually look that good. #3 OU could easily have lost the Kansas game but for a 35 point second half featuring two ESPN highlight moments with the young QB. We rarely mention “weird handoffs” but when the QB snatches the ball from the runner he just gave it to (who was about to come up short on 4th and 1, whose forward progress may or may not have been stopped) to run to make the 1st down and leading to what was possibly a game saving score you know it was a weird game. Tennessee actually gave Alabama a good game. UCLA gave #10 Oregon all they could handle before losing by a field goal. Army put 56 points on Wake Forest, but gave up 70.

7.      SMU remains undefeated at 7-0 and will face #2 Cincinnati November 13. A win there will put SMU in the top 10 for the first time since I had a 33” waist and be a massive upset. It would also throw the CFP a curve ball. For that matter UTSA remains undefeated and is a lock to run the tables against one of the weakest schedules at the top level. Ho Hum. You know those teams Alabama likes to schedule in the first two weeks? UTSA has that schedule almost all year long.

8.      BYU managed a win over Washington State in an “ALL COUGARS” matchup. BYU’s ground game looks much better and next week’s game against Virginia and their old coach Bronco Mendenhall.