While the College Football Playoff race has been wide open all year, Week 8 saw some of the puzzle pieces start to fall in place. There's a pack of teams clearly separating themselves from the herd and the weekend's slate felt like a real turning point.
Top-ranked Georgia had a bye. If there's any team that feels like a virtual guarantee to be in the mix right down to the end, it's the Bulldogs. No. 2 Michigan continued its undefeated march with a methodical dismantling of rival Michigan State. The Wolverines have a much tougher remaining path than most teams left in the playoff field, but they've looked like the best team in the country through eight weeks.
Florida State cleared its largest remaining regular season hurdle by fending No. 16 Duke off at home. Ohio State remained unbeaten with a top-10 win against Penn State. No. 5 Washington and No. 6 Oklahoma both needed big plays in the fourth quarter, but eventually overcame upset-minded underdogs to stay unbeaten. Those six teams are leading the playoff scramble and will be the focus of the selection committee's deliberations come December.
College football's eighth week provided plenty to overreact to beyond that. Here are some key takeaways now that all the dust is settled.
USC is going to have a very bad time in the Big Ten
This could have easily been a takeaway following USC's Week 7 loss to Notre Dame, but Saturday further cemented the fact that this team is not built for the Big Ten. The Trojans faced Utah -- another team noted for its physicality -- and wilted down the stretch in a 34-32 loss.
USC got pushed around on the line of scrimmage again. Utah managed three sacks and four total tackles for loss, which means USC has allowed nine sacks in its last two games while getting to the opposing quarterback just once.
If that's how the Trojans perform against two physical teams in back-to-back weeks, imagine how they will fare when they have to routinely play teams like Penn State and Michigan. It's going to take time -- and maybe even a new approach to roster building and philosophy from coach Lincoln Riley -- for USC to adjust to its new home after this season.
Virginia got the regular season's most meaningful win
Virginia's probably not going to make a bowl and there are other games that will have a bigger impact on both conference and College Football Playoff outlooks. But the Cavaliers' 31-27 win against No. 10 North Carolina transcends the sport.
It was Virginia's first-ever road win against a top-10 team, leaving an indelible mark on a program that had its inaugural season in 1888. Even more than that, it was a moment of catharsis for coach Tony Elliott and a Virginia team that endured an unthinkable tragedy to end their 2022 season.
Mike Hollins -- who was a victim in last year's on-campus shooting that resulted in the death of three of his teammates -- led Virginia to the win with his three rushing touchdowns. Linebacker James Jackson hadn't logged a single interception in his four-year career, but he picked off likely future first-round draft pick Drake Maye to seal the game for the Cavaliers. Just special all around, and one of the most meaningful results in college football's recent history.
The Big Ten East race was fun while it lasted
It sure was a thrill buying into the notion that either Ohio State or Penn State could push for the Big Ten East and the almost guaranteed Big Ten Championship that comes with it. Week 8 showed that this race is already over before it could really get going.
Ohio State battered Penn State 20-12 in a game that wasn't really as close as the final score might suggest but it probably doesn't matter in the grand scheme. Both teams will fall to the football Death Star that is Michigan.
The Wolverines slaughtered hapless Michigan State 49-0, earning their first shutout of the year. They've now won all eight of their games by at least 24 points. There's something to be said about Michigan's strength of schedule, which is simply dreadful, but Michigan is doing what it needs to do by absolutely bulldozing through it. In the process, it showed that Ohio State and Penn State still have a long way to go to catch up -- without a lot of time to do so.
Missouri could follow in TCU's footsteps
Sort of. Obviously Missouri won't finish the regular season undefeated. A late-game meltdown a few weeks ago against LSU made sure of that. But the Tigers could follow in the mold of a completely out-of-the-box dark horse that makes an improbable run to the final four.
That path certainly lies ahead of them. Following Saturday's 34-12 win against South Carolina, Missouri's 7-1 record is tied with Alabama for second-best in the SEC. The Tigers trail only top-ranked Georgia, a team that they'll get a crack at in two weeks. That game holds way more meaning than anyone ever expected, both in the conference race and nationally. Outside of that, Missouri's schedule is favorable with beatable teams in Tennessee and Florida at home and then a regular season finale on the road against a really bad Arkansas team.
Mizzou needs a win there to keep any hopes alive. Not saying that the Tigers will even make it that far. But if there was a with a shot at coming completely out of left field, look no further than Columbia, Missouri.
