College football is unpredictable and delightful, which is why we live for what happens on Saturdays. And Week 8 certainly delivered, with five unbeatens going down over a span of 24 hours.
Each Sunday, I’ll publish my biggest takeaways from the college football weekend. I’ll highlight the most interesting storylines, track College Football Playoff contenders and specifically shout out individual and team performances that deserve the spotlight.
1. The No. 1 team in the country is somehow underrated
I’m serious. Ohio State is the best team in the country (and could be the unanimous No. 1 when the new AP poll comes out) but for some reason it feels like the Buckeyes are not getting the respect they deserve.
It could be because they have beaten Power 4 opponents by an average of 23.2 points this season. Maybe people are simply box score-watching! These games aren’t always the most exhilarating. But this is a team worth trusting in a season filled with parity.
Obviously, Matt Patricia’s defense has been sensational. But what we saw on Saturday from Julian Sayin (and Carnell Tate) was downright impressive. I’ve been waiting for Ohio State to open up the offense a bit more for Sayin, and it was quite enjoyable to see him throw for 393 yards and four touchdowns. He has quietly been one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and it’s time to be a bit louder about that development.
Cignetti and Indiana continue to surge
Nicole Auerbach and Joshua Perry dive into Indiana’s winning streak under head coach Curt Cignetti and discuss Luke Fickell’s future at Wisconsin after a fifth straight loss.
2. It’s going to be hard to memory hole that Carson Beck performance
At Georgia last season, Beck went through a six-game stretch in which he threw 12 interceptions. It’s what I remember most about his final season with the Bulldogs, and it’s what gave me pause about his transfer to Miami. Would we see that version of Beck with the Hurricanes?
Over the first half of the season, the answer looked like a resounding no. Behind a great offensive line, Beck looked poised and confident. The change of scenery worked wonders … until a disastrous Friday night performance against Louisville.
Beck threw four interceptions — the most he’d ever thrown in a single game — in a 24-21 loss at home. And, of course, the final pick came with 32 seconds left in regulation and Miami in field-goal range. It was brutal, and it’s going to make it hard to fully trust this team down the stretch (and into the postseason).
3. Vanderbilt has a path to the College Football Playoff
Yes, really! It’s time to talk to your loved ones about the possibility of Vanderbilt — yes, Vanderbilt — making the 12-team CFP. The Commodores have just one loss to date and the following remaining opponents on the schedule: Missouri, Texas, Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee. There’s a very real possibility that Vandy loses just one of those games and is sitting pretty at 10-2 heading into Selection Sunday.
Or, maybe the ‘Dores are 9-3 and squarely on the bubble. Either way, this team is definitely talented enough to stay in the mix, and the best thing about Vanderbilt’s win over LSU on Saturday was how unsurprising it was. The Vandy students didn’t even rush the field! They knew that their team could and should beat a deeply flawed LSU team.
That’s the kind of confidence that Diego Pavia has instilled in this fan base, and that’s why this team believes it can be a CFP contender.
Vanderbilt must be taken seriously in CFP talks
Nicole Auerbach and Josua Perry unpack Miami’s loss to Louisville, Vanderbilt’s win over LSU and why the Commodores are a legitimate College Football Playoff contender.
4. It’s time to have the Luke Fickell conversation
When Wisconsin hired Luke Fickell after he’d had all that success at Cincinnati, it seemed like a perfect fit. What’s transpired since November 2022 is nothing short of shocking.
We can debate who is at fault for which problems within this program. Fickell for the wrong offensive coordinator hire out of the gate? Just bad luck for quarterback injuries? Defensive coaches for the poorly constructed secondary?
Ultimately, the responsibility for everything that has gone wrong falls on the head coach.
Wisconsin just got shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since 1977. The Badgers have lost their last five games by an average margin of 25.2 points and have now lost their last 10 games against Power Four teams.
That is, frankly, unacceptable for a program that used to be among the best in the Big Ten every single season. And that $25 million buyout is expensive for a school like Wisconsin — but a necessary price to pay to compete in the current college football landscape. And it looks like a more reasonable buyout now that Penn State agreed to pay nearly double that!
5. It’s time for some Heisman Love
I love talking about the Heisman Trophy race this year, because it’s constantly changing. I think a lot of quarterbacks deserve consideration — and have no problem with Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson as the current frontrunners — but it’s time to make room for a player I Love to watch: Jeremiyah Love.
In Notre Dame’s win over USC on Saturday night, Love rushed for a career-high 228 yards and one touchdown. It was the most rushing yards ever by a Notre Dame player at Notre Dame Stadium, and if you weren’t already treating Love like must-see TV, it should now be apparent that he’s appointment viewing.
I love the whole Notre Dame offense (and think that CJ Carr will eventually be a first-round pick), but Love is the headliner this season. Heisman voters should take notice.
