Week 8 came very close to delivering on a high number of blockbuster upsets, but most of those bids ultimately fell short.
The biggest game of the week — Ohio State vs. Penn State — proved to be a low-scoring affair with the Buckeyes outlasting the Nittany Lions in the defensive battle. But that proved to be far from the most compelling game on the slate.
Both Oklahoma and Texas survived scares against conference newcomers in UCF and Houston, respectively. The former staved off a late two-point attempt and an onside kick that was very nearly successful, while the latter nearly squandered a 21-0 lead against a coach on the hot seat.
Top-five teams in Florida State and Washington both overcame second-half deficits with FSU pulling away from a banged-up Duke team and the Huskies sleepwalking to a one-possession win against a bad Arizona State team.
By far the most shocking result of the weekend was previously 1-5 Virginia’s emotional win on the road against an undefeated North Carolina team that ranked No. 10.
We’re already approaching the final weekend of October, and the College Football Playoff race is becoming clear with the first rankings set to be released following Week 9. As we prepare for crunch time in the season, here are the winners and losers from Week 8.