2026 NCAA Football Season · October 24–25
Week 8 delivered one of the wildest Saturdays of the 2026 college football season. Top-ranked contenders fell, unbeaten records disappeared, and several teams strengthened their College Football Playoff credentials with statement victories.
Five unranked teams defeated ranked opponents, while only three unbeaten FBS teams remained after Saturday’s action.
Top games and biggest results
1. UCF stuns No. 2 BYU in double overtime
UCF 39, BYU 31 (2OT)
UCF produced the weekend’s biggest upset, handing BYU its first loss in a dramatic double-overtime finish.
Quarterback Keyone Jenkins threw three touchdown passes, and the Knights made a decisive defensive stop on fourth down in the second overtime.
The victory gave UCF its first-ever win over a top-five opponent.
2. Cincinnati knocks off Texas Tech
Cincinnati 37, No. 8 Texas Tech 24
The Bearcats used a balanced offensive attack to hand Texas Tech its first defeat.
JC French IV accounted for four touchdowns, while running back Cole Tabb rushed for 173 yards and delivered a decisive 58-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
3. Texas survives Ole Miss
Texas 34, No. 7 Ole Miss 27
Texas earned a critical victory to revive its playoff hopes.
The Longhorns held off a late Ole Miss rally, with an interception on a final Hail Mary attempt sealing the result.
The win was particularly important after Texas entered the game needing to stop a two-game losing streak.
4. South Carolina edges Tennessee
South Carolina 27, No. 11 Tennessee 24
The Gamecocks delivered a late-game thriller, overcoming Tennessee in a three-point victory.
The result dealt a significant blow to Tennessee’s conference and playoff ambitions
5. Wisconsin dominates USC
Wisconsin 24, No. 16 USC 7
Wisconsin controlled the ground game and pressured USC quarterback Jayden Maiava throughout the contest.
The Badgers held the Trojans to seven points and recorded a major Big Ten victory.
Other Games
No. 1 Miami vs. Pittsburgh Miami 52–23
No. 6 Indiana at Michigan Indiana 13–6 (OT)
Alabama vs. Texas A&M Alabama 31–20
Utah vs. Houston Utah 21–13
UCLA vs. Michigan State UCLA 28–10
Minnesota vs. No. 15 Iowa Minnesota 13–10
SMU vs. California SMU 59–20
LSU vs. Auburn LSU 38–17
Arizona vs. Iowa State Arizona 39–3
Illinois vs. Oregon Illinois 21–10
Syracuse vs. North Carolina Syracuse 31–30
Appalachian State vs. James Madison Appalachian State 34–31
Teams that made a statement
Miami Hurricanes — Team of the week
Miami crushed Pittsburgh 52–23
Quarterback Darian Mensah threw for 387 yards and four touchdowns, while Malachi Toney caught 16 passes for 194 yards and three scores.
The Hurricanes strengthened their position as the nation’s top-ranked team.
Indiana Hoosiers — Gritty road victory
Indiana beat Michigan in overtime for its first victory at Michigan since 1967.
The 13–6 defensive struggle demonstrated Indiana’s ability to win without an explosive offensive performance.
Utah Utes — Perfect record preserved
Utah defeated Houston 21–13 to remain unbeaten. With BYU and Texas Tech losing, the Utes emerged from a difficult weekend in a stronger position within the Big 12 and the playoff conversation.
College Football Playoff picture
The updated AP Top 25 published October 25 placed Miami at No. 1, followed by Ohio State and Georgia.
Indiana moved to No. 4, while Utah climbed to No. 6 and UCLA reached No. 7. Texas rose to No. 11 after its victory over Ole Miss.
The biggest concerns heading into Week 9 belong to the Big 12.
BYU and Texas Tech both suffered damaging losses, leaving Utah as the conference’s most prominent unbeaten contender. Texas, meanwhile, has renewed its playoff hopes, and Miami remains in control of the national title conversation.
Week 8 final verdict
Biggest upset: UCF over BYU.
Best offensive performance: Miami’s 52-point rout of Pittsburgh.
Best defensive performance: Wisconsin holding USC to seven points.
Most important comeback result: Texas defeating Ole Miss.
Most disappointing result: Texas Tech’s first loss of the season.
Team under the most pressure: BYU, which must recover quickly to remain in the playoff hunt.
Looking ahead: Week 9 will test whether the remaining unbeaten teams can maintain their momentum and whether the teams damaged by Week 8 can recover.
With conference races tightening and the playoff picture changing dramatically, every remaining Saturday carries greater importance.
