Week 8 of the college football season is in the books, and it gave contenders another chance to prove their worth in the chase for the College Football Playoff National Championship.
No. 3 Oklahoma survived a scare from Kansas of all teams, No. 2 Cincinnati skated by Navy and No. 4 Alabama pulled away from rival Tennessee to light up those cigars after the win at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Other teams didn't fare so well, though, including Penn State and Clemson -- both of which suffered losses on the day.
Let's hand out some grades for the top national title contenders according to Caesars Sportsbook.
College football grades: Week 8 report card
| Team | Odds | Grade | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 5/4 | n/a | Georgia was off this week with the annual rivalry game vs. Florida in Jacksonville looming ahead next weekend. |
 | 9/4 | B- | The Crimson Tide pulled away late against Tennessee, but it was a one-score game going into the fourth quarter. The secondary continues to need some work. |
 | 9-1 | A+ | Ho-hum, just another blowout win -- this time over Indiana. C.J. Stroud has emerged as a star, the defense balled out and the Buckeyes proved that they're the second-best team in the nation. |
 | 14-1 | D+ | A win is a win, especially when you're undefeated. But the Sooners had to rally to beat lowly Kansas to stay unblemished on the season. If style points come into play, this one could resonate in the meeting room when the CFP selection committee meets. |
 | 25-1 | D | The Bearcats were sleepy early in their game at Navy but rallied to a 27-20 win against the previously 1-5 Midshipmen. The Bearcats really need style points, but didn't get them on Saturday afternoon. |
 | 40-1 | B+ | The Wolverines kept cruising in the 33-7 win over Northwestern, but it's not like they had much to gain against a lesser opponent. The offense hasn't had to show that it can go score-for-score yet, which is the only question Jim Harbaugh's crew has left to answer. |
 | 60-1 | B- | The one-loss Ducks stayed alive in the win over UCLA, but it is hard to trust the them at the moment. It seems like they play down to the competition every week, which won't fly for a full season (PUN intended). |
 | 80-1 | F | The nine-overtime loss to Illinois essentially eliminates the Nittany Lions from CFP contention. There is no coming back from that ... even with a Big Ten championship. |
 | 80-1 | C | The loss to Iowa State hurts, but the Cowboys are still in the mix with only one loss on the season. Could two wins over Oklahoma get them in? the answer is probably 'yes' in most cases. |
 | 80-1 | n/a | The Spartans were off on Saturday and have a rivalry showdown with unbeaten Michigan next weekend. |
 | 80-1 | n/a | The Hawkeyes were on a bye and play at Wisconsin next weekend. |
 | 100-1 | F | It's hard to believe that the Tigers had CFP odds coming into the weekend, but the loss to Pittsburgh will move them out of this story next week. |
 | 100-1 | B+ | The Fighting Irish topped rival USC in South Bend in a game that was a little too close for comfort in the third quarter. Brian Kelly's crew found a way to pull away and prove once again that they can find ways to get the job done. |
 | 100-1 | A | The Rebels showed that they're a complete team in the dismantling of LSU. A strong defense paired with this offense makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the country. |
