Another week of college football brought another shake-up in ESPN’s FPI ratings, and the computers delivered the kind of list that always gets people talking. Some teams climbed sharply after statement wins, while others took a real hit after rough Saturdays.
Boston College was one of the biggest movers. The Eagles, who had been sputtering, suddenly exploded for 49 points in a 49-27 thumping of Georgia Tech. At 4-3, BC now has a puncher’s chance of reaching six wins and bowl eligibility, with a 30.8% shot at getting there.
Arizona also got a major boost. The Wildcats cracked the AP top 25 and backed it up with a 39-3 drubbing of Iowa State. With the Big 12 still chaotic at the top, Arizona now has a 19.7% chance to earn a College Football Playoff berth.
Cincinnati picked up a useful spike too after upsetting No. 8 Texas Tech. The Bearcats are 5-2, and while their Playoff odds remain slim at 0.6%, the win likely kept their season on track for bowl eligibility.
Arizona State added another positive note to the week by beating Kansas State 28-17. The Sun Devils are still next to last in the Big 12, but their chances of getting to six wins and a bowl berth jumped to 44.3%, just shy of a coin toss.
On the other side of the ledger, Texas Tech took a serious tumble. Not only did the Red Raiders lose to Cincinnati by three scores, but they are now the least likely team in the ACC to reach a bowl, sitting at 0.2% to get to six wins. For a team that entered the year with big preseason hopes, it has become a nightmare.
Colorado’s season keeps sliding as well. After a 57-24 beatdown from Oklahoma State, the Buffaloes dropped to the basement of the Big 12. At 2-5, Coach Prime’s team has just a 3.0% chance of reaching six wins and making a bowl game.
Iowa also watched its outlook fade after a 13-10 loss to Minnesota. The Hawkeyes are now 5-2, but their Playoff chances fell to 4.0%, and they dropped into the middle of the Big Ten pack in the FPI, behind teams like Penn State and Michigan.
In Other News...
Cincinnati Made Texas Tech Regret All That Offseason Talk
Texas Tech spent most of the afternoon in control, but Cincinnati had the final say in a 37-24 win that left the visitors in no mood to celebrate. The Bearcats waited out the closing minutes and walked off with a result that landed hard in Lubbock, especially after an offseason full of big talk around the Red Raiders.
The reaction only sharpened the sting. Billionaire booster Cody Campbell criticized the loss publicly, and Texas Tech officials were seen at the postgame news conference with somber expressions. It was more than a bad setback in one game, too, because the loss leaves Texas Tech needing to run the table from here to keep its College Football Playoff hopes on solid ground. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Just Changed The Feel Around Scott Satterfield's Team
A week that could have drifted into the usual Big 12 grind instead turned into the kind of result that can change the mood around a program. Cincinnati handled No. 8 Texas Tech 37-24, a win built on defense, takeaways and a poised performance from the offense that gave Scott Satterfields group a much-needed jolt. The Bearcats improved to 5-2 overall and evened their league mark at 2-2, giving them something concrete to point to as the schedule tightens.
JC French IV was at the center of it, leading an attack that found the end zone repeatedly while Cincinnatis defense forced three turnovers and kept Texas Tech from settling in. The upset does more than add a ranked scalp to the rsum. It also changes the conversation around a Bearcats team that had been looking for a breakthrough moment, and now has one heading deeper into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Just Changed The Season Conversation With One Huge Win
Cincinnati walked into Saturday carrying a fair amount of noise after its 4-0 start had been followed by two losses, but the Bearcats left with the kind of win that can reset the conversation in a hurry. A 37-24 victory over No. 8 Texas Tech was the sort of result that does more than tidy up a record - it gives a team something sturdier to stand on as the schedule gets deeper and the stakes get higher.
The details made it even more striking. Cincinnati kept finding the end zone through the air when it got into scoring range, while Texas Tech came away with far less from its own red zone chances. Cole Tabb gave the Bearcats a powerful ground presence too, running with control and burst throughout the afternoon as Cincinnati handled one of its biggest tests of the season. [Read more 🡒]