After a chaotic stretch in college football, the College Football Playoff picture is already starting to bend again heading into Week 8 - and there’s still plenty of room for it to twist even more as Saturday unfolds.
The Big 12 is very much in the spotlight as a possible two-bid league, and Texas Tech is right in the middle of that conversation. The Red Raiders head to Cincinnati for an early kick in the first of three road games over the second half of the season, a stretch that will go a long way toward determining whether the conference can land a second team in the CFP field.
Elsewhere in the race, Boise State gets a trip to the Palouse to face Washington State after a week of rest, and James Madison’s loss on Thursday opened a little more breathing room in the Group of 6 chase. In Columbus, Ohio State is trying to reset after life after Julian Sayin at quarterback as it looks ahead to next Saturday’s lengthy trip to USC.
Indiana, meanwhile, is looking for a response after its long winning streak was halted last week. The Hoosiers now head to Michigan, where they’ll try to pull off a first win at the Big House for the program in nearly six decades.
There’s plenty happening in the SEC too, where several playoff contenders are leaving home. Tennessee is an underdog in Columbia, S.C., and faces a spot where a letdown is very much in play on the fourth Saturday in October. Ole Miss, meanwhile, gets the prime-time stage in Austin.
Georgia already has its first loss after falling to Auburn, and while the Bulldogs are now part of a crowded group of one-loss SEC teams, they still look firmly positioned to make the playoff field. That doesn’t mean the mood around Athens will improve anytime soon, especially with the World’s Largest Cocktail Party in Atlanta still a week away.
Notre Dame is also sitting on a controversial loss to BYU, and that one is clearly going to linger. But the Irish need to keep their eyes on Navy next Saturday, because the Miami game only matters if they take care of business first.
Miami, for its part, is back at No. 1 in the polls for the first time in nearly two decades, and that comes with a warning label. The Hurricanes are set to face an unranked opponent starting a backup quarterback, though they do appear to be getting healthier before their game against Pitt. Still, they’ll need to stay locked in with North Carolina and Notre Dame looming in a make-or-break stretch.
Out west, the Cougars are walking into one of the trickiest road spots on the board. After a huge win, they head to Orlando for a trip that comes with plenty of outside noise, including the fact that their rivals are hosting ESPN’s College GameDay. It’s the kind of letdown spot that can swallow a team whole, though this group has shown enough this season to believe it can handle it at UCF.
Will Stein Mania has also taken hold in the Commonwealth, but Kentucky still has to deliver Saturday against Vanderbilt, which is chasing a step closer to bowl eligibility.
And at the Rose Bowl, UCLA would love nothing more than the kind of Big Blue vs. Power Blue CFP game being talked about, but first it has to deal with an improved Michigan State team on Saturday afternoon.
In Other News...
Lee Corso Update Leaves Ohio State Fans With One Big Concern
Lee Corso has been mostly out of public view since his final College GameDay appearance in 2025, but a recent update from Kirk Herbstreit gave fans a clearer picture of where things stand. Corso, who turned 91 in August, has dealt with several physical ailments, though Herbstreit said his mind remains sharp. For Ohio State fans who spent years seeing Corso bring his famous energy and loyalty to the programs biggest stages, the news is a reminder of how much the longtime ESPN personality meant to Saturdays in Columbus and beyond.
Corso has made only a few public appearances lately, including receiving the Governors Medal of Freedom and spending time at events with former colleagues. Even so, the latest comments leave one lingering concern for Buckeyes fans who have followed him for decades: how much more of him theyll get to see in public going forward. His presence has always been larger than life, and while the voice and personality are still there, the physical side of his health remains the part to watch. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State May Already Be Losing Grip On Top 2027 QB Options
Ohio States quarterback planning for 2027 is already getting complicated, and the Buckeyes may not have the clean runway they hoped for in that cycle. With uncertainty swirling around both the current room and future options, the staff is reportedly weighing veteran transfer possibilities as it keeps an eye on the broader market and how it might fit the offense.
One name that makes sense in that mix is Drake Lindsey of Minnesota, a potential target whose skill set appears to line up with what Ohio State wants to do. The problem is that the picture around the top quarterback options is getting murkier by the day, with Braden Atkinson expected to stay at Oregon State and rumors tying Arch Manning to a possible move from Texas to Ole Miss, leaving the Buckeyes to navigate a changing board. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Just Got Another Reminder About The Future At Receiver
Ohio States bye week has given the program a little breathing room on the field, but it has also offered another chance to watch the future take shape. Five-star receiver Jamier Brown, already committed to the Buckeyes in the 2027 class, put together a standout high school performance with multiple touchdowns, the kind of reminder that recruiting wins can be just as important as anything happening on Saturdays in Columbus.
Browns outing fits the larger picture around Ohio State, where the receiver room keeps producing and the recruiting pipeline keeps humming even through coaching changes. For Buckeyes fans, it is another look at a position group that has long been a program strength, and another sign that the talent coming next could keep that standard intact. [Read more 🡒]