Week 8 was filled with exciting matchups and shocking results, with major shifts and implications in the college football landscape.
1. Kirby Smart and the Dawgs bounce back in Austin
The Dawgs entered the game as 4.5-point road underdogs on Saturday, facing the top-ranked Texas Longhorns. It was a huge weekend in Austin, not only playing host to this top-5 clash, but also the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. This led to many Georgia fans struggling to find hotel rooms for the weekend. Kirby and his players took this game personally from the get-go, jumping out to a 23-0 lead. The Longhorns gave Arch Manning a chance, but he was sacked and fumbled on one of his two drives. The Georgia defense, holding Texas to just 29 yards on the ground, proved to be too much. Junior inside linebacker Jalon Walker had his best game of the 2024 campaign with 7 tackles, 3 sacks, and one fumble recovery. Trevor Etienne added 3 rushing touchdowns, which was enough to take down the Longhorns. The Dawgs are now poised to be in the conversation for the top spot in the playoff, while Texas will need to win out and claim the conference championship to stay in the CFP hunt.
2. The Tide must now run the table to reach the CFP
In Kalen DeBoer’s first season as the head coach of Alabama, he has experienced both highs and lows. The Tide’s inconsistency has led skeptics to question whether DeBoer is running the program with the same discipline Nick Saban demanded. After suffering their second loss to Tennessee this weekend, DeBoer’s squad will need to win out to reach the playoff. They will face an uphill battle in achieving this, as they still have to play Missouri and visit No. 8 LSU in two weeks. Even if they win out, they will need other teams to lose in order to earn a spot in the SEC Championship. DeBoer is faced with great expectations in Tuscaloosa, and so far, despite a win over Georgia, he has underperformed. The rest of this season will have major implications for DeBoer’s tenure leading the Tide.
3. Indiana continues their perfect 7-0 season
Indiana has now entered legitimate College Football Playoff contention for this season. For the first time since 1967, the Hoosiers are off to a 7-0 start and have earned College GameDay for Week 9. The Hoosier faithful are rightfully delighted with the hiring of first-year coach Curt Cignetti. Cignetti, coming from JMU where he saw lots of success, has installed a winning culture in Bloomington. While they have benefited from a weak schedule, the Hoosiers have taken care of business with several impressive performances. Last week, they put together a dominant showing, beating a very solid Nebraska team 56-7. The only game they’ll be underdogs in for the rest of the season is Ohio State in Columbus. Even with one loss, they will have a chance to reach the Big Ten Championship and possibly earn a playoff berth.
4. Cam Ward and the Canes beat the Cards in a shootout
Heisman hopeful Cam Ward led his unbeaten Miami Hurricanes to an impressive, high-scoring win. They held off the Cardinals in what was a rollercoaster of a game with many shifts in momentum. The Cards, now 4-3, face an uphill battle to turn their season around. Meanwhile, the Canes, with this big road win, moved to 7-0 and should be able to win out barring a major upset. The Canes’ defensive problems could ultimately be their downfall, but their offense can keep them in games with anyone. As of now, the Canes would face either SMU or Clemson, with a chance to earn an automatic bid into the playoff. I foresee two ACC teams making the playoff, and I feel very confident that Miami will be one of the two. As long as Mario Cristobal’s squad takes care of business, Miami should earn their first-ever College Football Playoff berth.
5. Army and Navy Remain undefeated
The service academies are off to a scorching hot start in the 2024 season. Army and Navy are a combined 13-0 so far, and both have been major surprises in the college football landscape. Navy will face its toughest test yet this week at MetLife Stadium against the 12th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Army has a few favorable matchups before they face off against Notre Dame in four weeks. If either program can upset Notre Dame and win the AAC, they will have a strong case for the 12th seed in the playoff. The annual Army-Navy Game, as always, will be critical—potentially determining which team will earn a spot in the AAC Championship Game. They are currently 1-2 in the conference standings, but Tulane is also undefeated in conference play. The loser of the Army-Navy Game will need Tulane to slip up and lose a conference game to make the AAC Championship. This storyline will be one to watch closely as the season progresses.
