Week 8 of college football was full of great games, such as Oklahoma State at BYU, UCF at Iowa State, TCU at Utah, Alabama at Tennessee, and Georgia at Texas.
This week was exclusively conference play! There were eight conference games, and no one was on their bye week. There were many upsets, such as TCU beating Utah and Baylor beating Texas Tech.
Oklahoma State(3-4, 0-4) at #13 BYU (7-0, 4-0)
Oct 18, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Ollie Gordon II (0) runs the ball against Brigham Young Cougars safety Crew Wakley (7) and cornerback Jayden Dunlap (29) during the third quarter at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images
The ending of this game was unreal. With ten seconds left, BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff passed the ball to wide receiver Darius Lassiter for a 35-yard go-ahead touchdown. Retzlaff threw for 218 yards with two touchdowns while rushing for 81 yards and a score. He threw two interceptions as well. Oklahoma State’s quarterback play hurt them; they played two different quarterbacks. OSU quarterback Alan Bowman was benched and then brought back in; he threw for 92 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. Cowboys running back Ollie Gordon II ran for 107 yards while running in two touchdowns and receiving one. BYU plays at UCF next week, and OSU plays at Baylor.
Result: BYU beat Oklahoma State 38-35.
Arizona State (5-2, 2-2) at Cincinnati ( 5-2, 3-1)
Arizona State Sun Devils running back Cam Skattebo (4) runs the ball against the Utah Utes in the first half at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 11, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Cincinnati looked dominating in the first half of this game. The Bearcats scored all their points in the first half and were up 24-7. Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt only took one snap this game due to injury. Leavitt came into the game with a rib injury and threw one pass during the game for twenty yards. His ability to run is what makes the Sun Devils offense so dynamic. They average 211.2 rushing yards per game, which, considering he averages forty yards per game in rushing, loses them a dimension of their offense. Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo rushed for seventy-five yards and two touchdowns in their loss. Coming into this game, he had the fifth-most rushing yards of any player in the country. Jeff Sims played in Leavitt’s place at quarterback, and he threw for 155 yards and ran for fifty-three yards.
Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby played average this week, throwing for 206 yards with one interception while running for two touchdowns. He has played well this season and continues to be one of the top targets for schools to go for in the portal during the off-season. Arizona State has their bye week next week, and Cincinnati will play in Colorado next week.
Result: Cincinnati beat Arizona State 24-14.
Houston (2-5, 1-3) at Kansas (2-5, 1-3)
Oct 19, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) leaps over Houston Cougars linebacker Jamal Morris (25) during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images
Kansas reminded viewers why they were picked as a Big 12 favorite at the beginning of the year. The Jayhawks played very well on both sides of the ball. Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels played his best game of the season. He went sixteen for twenty-one with 247 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for fifty-eight yards and a touchdown as well. Kansas running back Devin Neal played well; he ran for 108 yards and had two touchdowns. He had one rush for fifty-four yards. Houston had three different quarterbacks play this game. The best was Donovan Smith, who threw for 173 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He led the team in rushing with forty-five yards during the game. Kansas plays Kansas State next week, and Houston will host Utah.
Result: Kansas beat Houston 42-14.
Baylor (3-4, 1-3) at Texas Tech (5-2, 3-1)
Oct 19, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Sawyer Robertson (13) and tight end Michael Trigg (1) celebrate after a touchdown against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images / Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images
Wow, I do not even know what to say. Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson is from Lubbock and spoiled Texas Tech’s homecoming. He threw for 274 yards and five touchdowns, three of which were to wide receiver Josh Cameron. This is the most points Baylor has scored since 2019 when they beat Kansas 61-6. Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton played pretty well; he threw for 286 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks ran for 125 yards and a touchdown; he averaged five yards a carry. If a defense allows fifty-nine points, the team will lose in almost every outcome. Morton threw three touchdowns to Caleb Douglas; he also had ninety-nine receiving yards. Texas Tech has got to figure out their defense if they want to play in the Big 12 championship game. Baylor plays at Oklahoma State next week, and Texas Tech will play at TCU.
Result: Baylor beat Texas Tech 59-35.
Colorado (5-2, 3-1) at Arizona (3-4, 1-3)
Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Colorado thumped Arizona at home and made a statement to the Big 12. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw for 250 yards with a pair of touchdowns and interceptions. He ran for a score as well. Colorado wide receiver LaJohntay Wester caught eight passes for 127 yards. Arizona quarterback Noah Fafita threw for 138 yards with one interception and a touchdown. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan was covered very well; he only had five receptions and thirty-eight yards. The Wildcats had trouble protecting the quarterback; Fafita lost a fumble due to pressure. Colorado was up 28-7 going into halftime. Colorado plays Cincinnati at home next week, and Arizona plays West Virginia.
Result: Colorado beat Arizona 34-7.
#17 Kansas State (6-1, 3-1) at West Virginia (3-4, 2-2)
Oct 19, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) drops back for a pass during the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images / Ben Queen-Imagn Images
This was a pummeling! In the predictions article, I said, “This should be a very one-sided football game,” and it was precisely that. West Virginia successfully shut down the Big 12 rushing leader, DJ Giddens, but was destroyed by Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson. Johnson threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, the best game of his career. Giddens was held to a season-low fifty-seven yards; this is seventy-four below his yearly average.
West Virginia quarterback Garret Greene threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Marques Sigle. Greene threw for eight-five yards and a touchdown and led the team in rushing with eighty-nine yards. He did not play in the second half of the game; West Virginia head coach Neal Brown, when asked why Greene didn’t play, said Greene had sustained a head injury along with a few others. Next week, West Virginia travels to play Arizona in Tucson, and Kansas State plays Kansas at home.
Result: Kansas State beat West Virginia 45-18.
UCF (3-4, 1-3) at #9 Iowa State (7-0, 4-0)
Oct 19, 2024; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) throws a pass during their game with the UCF Knights at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones beat the Knights 38 to 35. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
This game was down to the wire. UCF should have won this game. UCF defensive back Braeden Marshall picked off Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht and tossed the ball on the one-yard line while celebrating because he thought he was in the endzone. These seven points would have won UCF the game. This mistake happens once a year and is a costly one at that. UCF quarterback Jacurri Brown threw for sixty-two yards and two interceptions while rushing for 154 yards and two touchdowns. UCF running back RJ Harvey had twenty-five rushes for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Iowa State has a great committee of running backs they use, which is why their leading rusher was Becht. Becht threw for 274 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He rushed for ninety-seven yards and two touchdowns as well. Iowa State receiver Jaylin Noel caught eight passes for 153 yards in the Cyclones’ victory.
Result: Iowa State beat UCF 38-35.
TCU (4-3, 2-2) at Utah (4-3, 1-3)
Oct 19, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) sneaks for a touchdown against the Utah Utes during the second quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Utah’s passing game looks pathetic. Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson threw for fifty-one yards, with his longest being for twenty-six yards. TCU held Utah running back Micah Bernard to just fifty-two yards! We will see if the TCU defense improved while on their bye week or if this is a testament to just how bad the Utah offense is without a healthy Cam Rising. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover threw for 196 yards and rushed for one touchdown. TCU running back Trent Battle made his first appearance after getting injured in fall camp; he rushed for twenty-five yards. Next week, TCU will host Texas Tech, and Utah will play in Houston.
Result: TCU beat Utah 13-7.
Nebraska (5-2, 2-2) vs. #16 Indiana (7-0, 4-0)
Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke (9) passes during the Indiana versus Nebraska football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Indiana has looked fantastic this year under head coach Curt Cignetti. Indiana needs to sign him for a long time at this rate. Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke threw for 189 yards with one interception and a touchdown. Indiana had four rushing touchdowns this week. Indiana running back Justice Ellison rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Two other Indiana running backs, Ty Son Lawton and Kaelon Black, had rushing touchdowns. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola threw for 234 yards and three interceptions. Nebraska struggled in this game and needs to move on quickly because they will play at Ohio State next week. Indiana will host Washington this weekend, and College Football GameDay will be there.
Result: Indiana beat Nebraska 56-7.
#7 Alabama (5-2, 2-2) at #11 Tennessee (6-1, 3-1)
Oct 19, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) runs the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images / Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
This game was a slog. In the first half, only seven points were scored. In the second half, the offenses ramped up. Tennessee held receiver Ryan Williams to seven three yards and a touchdown. Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava got hurt during the game and returned to lead the Volunteers to fourteen points in the fourth quarter. He threw for 194 yards with one interception and a touchdown. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns; he now ran for over 100 yards in all but one game. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe threw for 239 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He threw a bad interception on the first play during Alabama’s final drive of the game. Tennessee has their bye week next week, and Alabama will play #21 Missouri.
Result: Tennessee beat Alabama 24-17.
#24 Michigan (4-3, 2-2) at #22 Illinois (6-1, 3-1)
Oct 19, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Illinois’s defense keeps winning the games; both teams played very well defensively. Michigan quarterback Jack Tuttle threw for 208 yards and one interception. This game alone put him half to leading the team in passing. That is how bad their quarterback play has been. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer threw for eighty yards and a touchdown. He ran for forty-eight yards and a score as well. Michigan running back Kalel Mullings ran for eighty-seven yards and a touchdown. Michigan outgained Illinois 322 yards to 267 yards. Next week, Michigan plays Michigan State, and Illinois plays Oregon.
Result: Illinois beat Michigan 21-7.
#5 Georgia (6-1, 4-1) at #1 Texas (6-1, 2-1)
Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Trevor Etienne (1) runs the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Patzke-Imagn Images / Brett Patzke-Imagn Images
I was right; in the predictions article last week, I said, “Bulldogs by 13 plus.” The Dawgs showed they were contenders by beating Texas in a dominant fashion. Texas’ offense looked lost, and the offensive line looked atrocious. Carson Beck did not play well; he threw for 175 yards and three interceptions with a 56% completion accuracy. Georgia’s defense and running game won the dawgs this game. Georgia running back Trevor Etienne ran for eighty-seven yards and three touchdowns. In the first half, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was benched for Arch Manning, but then they put Ewers back in. Next week, Georgia has their bye week, and Texas plays at #25 Vanderbilt.
Result: Georgia beat Texas 30-15.
I was 7-1 on the Big 12 this week, bringing my season record to 71-23 in all games. I have been right 76% of the time this season.
