Week 8 of college football was nothing short of wild. Upsets, dramatic finishes, and teams unexpectedly rising from the ashes kept fans on the edge of their seats. Matt Hayes took a deep dive into four major takeaways from this unforgettable Saturday of games. Let's break it down and see what shook the college football world this weekend.
First Down: The Fall of Alabama
The mighty Crimson Tide have been showing signs of vulnerability for a while now, and it seems like the walls are finally crumbling. Alabama’s recent loss to Tennessee was just a symptom of a deeper issue. The fall of this legendary football program didn’t start with that game, though. It’s been brewing since last season, when the cracks first appeared in their foundation.
Remember that heart-pounding fourth-and-31 conversion against Auburn last year? If that play hadn’t gone Alabama’s way, they wouldn’t have made it to the College Football Playoff, even after beating Georgia in the SEC championship. That Auburn game nearly sealed their fate, and it wasn’t just a fluke. There were rumblings of a disconnect within the locker room when Nick Saban benched quarterback Jalen Milroe, and that should’ve been the red flag.
Saban, the heart and soul of Alabama football, retired at the end of last season, leaving a vacuum that’s been impossible to fill. His departure wasn’t entirely surprising, given how much power and influence players have gained in recent years. Now, without Saban’s strict guidance, Alabama’s been struggling to find its footing.
Just look at the embarrassing 40 points they gave up to Vanderbilt—yes, Vanderbilt, a team without a single player who could crack the Tide’s starting lineup in years past. A narrow escape against a mediocre South Carolina team the following week further exposed their weaknesses. When Tennessee came to town, it should’ve been a blowout, but Alabama somehow managed to keep it close. Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava missed wide-open receivers all game, and if he had connected on just a few more throws, the Vols would’ve run up the score to 40 as well.
Sure, Alabama still managed to beat Georgia in the 2023 SEC Championship game and even held off the Bulldogs again this year, but aside from those two wins, it’s been ugly. Alabama’s new head coach, Kalen DeBoer, may turn things around in the long run, but this season is more about figuring out which players are truly committed to the program and who’s already looking for the exit.
Second Down: Indiana - A Football School? Believe it.
When you think of Indiana, football is probably the last thing that comes to mind. For decades, the Hoosiers have been the Big Ten’s punchline, but that’s no longer the case. Indiana is 7-0 for the first time since the 1960s, and it’s time we start taking them seriously as a College Football Playoff contender.
Their dominance was on full display with a 56-7 thrashing of Nebraska, marking Nebraska's second-worst loss since joining the Big Ten in 2011. Indiana’s first-year head coach, Curt Cignetti, isn’t letting his team get complacent. In fact, he was pacing the sidelines like a “maniac” during the fourth quarter, even with the game well in hand. That’s the kind of fire that has transformed Indiana football from a perennial loser to an undefeated powerhouse.
Cignetti, who brought in 12 transfers from his former team at James Madison (where he won 11 games in 2023), has completely overhauled Indiana’s roster. The Hoosiers have found gold in the transfer portal, with 19 more players coming in from across the country. Their top rushers, receivers, and even their star pass rusher are all transfers, including quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who’s having a career year. Rourke is completing nearly 74% of his passes, averaging 10.9 yards per attempt, and boasts a passer rating of 192.1. He’s thrown for 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions, and Indiana is on fire.
Looking ahead, Indiana will be favored in every remaining game except one: a November 23 matchup against Ohio State. If they win that, they’ll likely secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. Even a close loss could keep their hopes alive. This is uncharted territory for Indiana, and they’re loving every minute of it.
Third Down: Miami is a CFP Lock
Miami just keeps winning, and it’s looking more and more like they’re destined for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Their 52-45 win over Louisville this weekend wasn’t exactly pretty, especially with the defense giving up 45 points, but it was enough to keep their unbeaten record intact.
At 7-0, the Hurricanes have cleared their biggest hurdle of the regular season. Their remaining games — Florida State, Duke, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and Syracuse — should all be smooth sailing. Unless something truly bizarre happens, Miami will finish the season undefeated and punch their ticket to the ACC Championship game, which might not even matter for their CFP chances.
One thing to keep an eye on as Miami coasts through the back half of their schedule is quarterback Cam Ward’s Heisman chances. With the Canes likely to roll over weaker opponents, Ward has a real shot at padding his stats and making a push for the prestigious trophy. But he’s got some stiff competition. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is gunning for the NCAA single-season rushing record, and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel is chasing the NCAA career passing touchdowns record. Can Ward make enough of a splash to overshadow those two?
Fourth Down: USC and Lincoln Riley - A Marriage in Trouble?
The Lincoln Riley experiment at USC has hit a rough patch, and things could get ugly in a hurry. USC has dropped three straight games and four of their last five, including embarrassing losses to Big Ten also-rans like Minnesota and Maryland. To make matters worse, they even lost to Michigan, which is having one of its worst seasons in recent memory.
Under Riley, USC has lost nine of its last 14 games, and they’re on the verge of missing the postseason altogether. But here’s the kicker: Riley isn’t going anywhere. He signed a massive 10-year, fully guaranteed $110 million contract with USC in 2022. Firing him now would cost the school over $70 million, so they’re stuck with him for the foreseeable future.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for USC fans, who have watched their team go from national title contenders to being outplayed by mediocre Big Ten teams. The losses to Minnesota and Maryland were bad enough, but with Rutgers, Washington, and UCLA still on the schedule, things could get even worse.
The reality is, Riley was brought in to turn USC into a powerhouse, and right now, it feels like they’re headed in the opposite direction. At $10 million a year, the expectations were sky-high, and the results have been anything but. USC and Riley are stuck together for better or worse, but for now, it’s mostly worse.
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