Miami, Ohio State, and Georgia navigate injury and inconsistency in volatile Week 8
Eleven top-10 teams lost in the past three weeks, the most in three decades, as injuries to key players like Julian Sayin and Nate Frazier reshape the playoff picture.
By Connor Murphy ·
College football's top 25 has become a moving target, with eleven top-10 teams suffering losses in the last three weeks, a tie for the worst three-week span in AP Poll history. The recent stretch matches the record set in 2007, indicating a level of unpredictability not seen in decades.
Miami held the No. 1 ranking after a 52-23 victory over Pitt. Malachi Toney caught 16 passes for 194 yards, setting a school record. The defense allowed 334 passing yards, but the game was out of reach by that point. Darian Mensah was sacked three times by Pitt. The Hurricanes play at North Carolina next week before hosting Notre Dame on Nov. 7.
Ohio State, ranked No. 3, enters its game at USC without starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. True freshman Luke Fahey is the new starter. The Buckeyes will rely on a mobile offense to keep Fahey in clear lanes. Tavien St. Clair, a five-star recruit, played with the first team this week but lost the backup job to Fahey in preseason.
Georgia, ranked No. 4, is dealing with injuries to key offensive players. Star tailback Nate Frazier appeared rusty after missing most of two games with a rib injury. Backup Chauncey Bowens has been out for two games with a lower-body injury. The Bulldogs gained only 113 rushing yards against Auburn. They face Florida in Atlanta this week before traveling to Ole Miss.
BYU dropped to No. 4 after a double-overtime loss to UCF. The Cougars averaged just 3.2 yards per carry without injured running back LJ Martin. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier completed 16 of 32 passes. The margin for error has narrowed after the team's No. 2 ranking lasted only one week following a win over Notre Dame.
Notre Dame, ranked No. 5, had a bye week to recover from a loss to BYU. Big 12 officials admitted a mistake in the final seconds of that game. The Irish must prepare for Miami in two weeks. Their current standing allows them to focus on the upcoming slate rather than the controversial ending to the previous contest.
Indiana, ranked No. 7, defeated Michigan 13-6 in overtime. The Hoosiers held Michigan to 54 rushing yards on 39 carries. Quarterback Josh Hoover threw his first interception of the season but made two plays in overtime. Michigan had not lost to a top-10 team while allowing 13 or fewer points since 1985.
Utah, ranked No. 9, remains 7-0 and holds the nation's longest winning streak. The Utes came back from a 10-0 halftime deficit to beat Houston 21-13. This win positions them as the favorite in the Big 12 after losses by Texas Tech and BYU. The team has shown inconsistency in its passing game over the last two weeks.
Source: ESPN
