College football Week 8: Live updates, scores, Top 25 rankings, highlights
⬇️ And then there were fewer
Saturday's midafternoon slate was a reckoning for the four of the nations last unbeaten teams — Ole Miss, Memphis, UNLV and Texas Tech all watched their spotless records vanish in a cascade of upsets that will reshape the college football season.
Memphis' undefeated season came to an end Saturday afternoon, as the Tigers fell 31-24 to UAB in the “Battle for the Bones” rivalry at Protective Stadium.
Memphis was the favorite, but stumbled against a Blazers team that had fired its coach less than a week earlier and was missing its starting quarterback. Freshman Ryder Burton made the most of his first collegiate start, throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns to lead UAB. His favorite target, Iverson Hooks, caught 11 passes for 172 yards and all three scores.
The Tigers never found rhythm offensively. They trailed 17-14 at halftime after Burton and Hooks connected on a late first-half touchdown. Early in the third quarter, Memphis quarterback Brendon Lewis left the game with an injury after being sacked. True freshman A.J. Hill replaced him and threw for 175 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted once.
UAB capitalized on Memphis’ mistakes, stretching its lead to 31-17 in the fourth quarter with an 81-yard touchdown run from Solomon Beebe and Burton’s third scoring toss to Hooks. Hill connected with Christian Ross for a 37-yard touchdown to pull Memphis within a score, but the Tigers couldn’t complete the comeback.
YOU CAN'T GUARD THIS MAN!!!!
— UAB Football (@UAB_FB)
In a rematch of the past two Mountain West championship games, Boise State rolled past previously unbeaten UNLV 56-31 on Saturday afternoon at Albertsons Stadium.
The Broncos racked up 558 yards of total offense and extended their home winning streak to 16 games. Running back Dylan Riley set the tone early, rushing for a career-high 201 yards and a touchdown on just 15 carries, while quarterback Maddux Madsen threw four touchdown passes despite one interception.
UNLV kept pace early behind dual-threat quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns and added 87 rushing yards and a score. But Boise State’s defense clamped down after halftime, allowing only one fourth-quarter touchdown once the game was already out of reach.
After a back-and-forth first half that ended with Boise State ahead 28-24, the Broncos broke it open with 28 unanswered points. Madsen connected with Chris Marshall and Sire Gaines for third-quarter touchdowns, and cornerback A’Marion McCoy delivered a 60-yard interception return to push the lead to 49-24.
A late touchdown pass from Madsen on a wheel route sealed the dominant win. Boise State’s balanced attack — 307 rushing yards and 251 passing — overwhelmed a UNLV defense that had entered the game ranked among the nation’s best in scoring.
THERE GOES THAT MAN! 😮💨
— UNLV Football (@unlvfootball)
Colandrea's third rushing score this fall
No. 9 Georgia 43, No. 5 Ole Miss 35
Georgia stormed back from a halftime deficit to hand No. 5 Ole Miss its first loss of the season, 43–35, on Saturday night at Sanford Stadium.
After surrendering touchdowns on the Rebels’ first five drives, the Bulldogs (6-1, 3-1 SEC) tightened defensively in the second half, holding Ole Miss scoreless in the fourth quarter and forcing two three-and-outs plus a turnover on downs to close the game. The final stop came when Trinidad Chambliss’ fourth-down pass was batted away, allowing Georgia to kneel out the clock before a raucous home crowd.
Quarterback Gunner Stockton fueled the comeback with 348 total yards and five touchdowns — four passing and one rushing. Tight end Lawson Luckie caught three of those scoring passes, including the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Kicker Peyton Woodring added a 42-yard field goal to make it a two-score game with under five minutes left.
Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1) appeared in control early, as Chambliss engineered three long first-half touchdown drives and running back Kewan Lacy scored twice. The Rebels led 21–20 at halftime and stretched it to 28–20 when De’Zhaun Stribling turned a short catch into a 75-yard touchdown after the break.
But Georgia’s defense took over from there, with Mykel Williams and Smael Mondon Jr. applying consistent pressure to close out the win. The Bulldogs kept their SEC title and playoff hopes alive, while the Rebels’ six-game winning streak came to an end.
That's a wrap‼️
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball)
Arizona State 26, No. 7 Texas Tech 22
Quarterback Sam Leavitt returned from injury and delivered a steady performance, throwing for more than 250 yards and a touchdown while orchestrating several long drives. His favorite target, Jaren Hamilton, made a series of explosive plays, including a 49-yard catch that set up one of Jesus Gomez’s four field goals.
The Sun Devils led for much of the game thanks to a stifling defensive effort. Cornerback Martell Hughes intercepted a pass early in the third quarter, setting up a short Leavitt-to-Jordyn Tyson touchdown that gave Arizona State a 16–7 lead. Gomez added field goals from 28 and 47 yards to extend the advantage to 19–7 early in the fourth quarter.
Texas Tech mounted a furious rally behind quarterback Will Hammond, who ran for a short touchdown and later hit Reggie Virgil for a 36-yard strike to give the Red Raiders their first lead with two minutes remaining. But Arizona State answered immediately. Raleek Brown capped a clutch drive with a one-yard touchdown run in the final minute, and the Sun Devil defense held firm on Texas Tech’s last possession to secure the win.
The victory marked Arizona State’s biggest under coach Kenny Dillingham, snapping Texas Tech’s six-game winning streak and keeping the Sun Devils in contention near the top of the Big 12 standings.
THE GAME WINNER BY RALEEK BROWN 😈
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils)
🔥 60-yard pick six for Boise State!
Boise State is handling undefeated UNLV. The Broncos lead, 49-24, in the fourth quarter, and they're doing it on both sides of the ball. The most recent TD came from A'Marion McCoy, who picked off Anthony Colandrea and returned it 60 yards for the score.
A'MARION MCCOY PICK SIX
— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB)
📺 FS1 | |
💨 81-yard house call for UAB
No. 22 Memphis is on upset watch in the Battle for the Bones, down 24-14 to rival UAB in the second half, courtesy of this 81-yard TD run from Solomon Beebe.
🚨SOLOMON BEEBE 81 YARDS TO THE HOUSE! UAB LEADS 24-14 VS #22 MEMPHIS!🚨
— Im not a fan of your favorite team (@fsh733)
It's UAB's first game since firing head coach Trent Dilfer, and its interim coach is Alex Mortensen, son of the late Chris Mortensen.
For Memphis, it would be its first loss of the season if this score holds, and it might bump the Tigers out of the top 25 rankings.
🫨 Toledo's blocked punt turned TD
Toledo had a big day against Kent State, winning 45-10, but one of its biggest plays was generated by the special teams unit in the third quarter.
Like a one-man-army, Rockets safety Eric Williams blocked Golden Flashes' punter Charlie Durkin's attempt, raced after it and fell on top of the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
🚨 BLOCKED PUNT FOR TD! 🚨
— MACtion (@MACSports)
Eric Williams with a HUGE play on special teams! |
🤯 Get up there, Carnell Tate!
No. 1 Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate has arguably been one of the best players at his position this year, and he showcased why against Wisconsin.
The junior made a highlight reel-like touchdown catch in the first quarter, catching a 33-yard pass from quarterback Julian Sayin. However, that's not all. He made the grab over two defenders while his helmet was getting ripped off.
Check it out below:
CARNELL TATE TD OVER 2 DEFENDERS WHILE HAVING HIS HELMET RIPPED OFF 😳🔥
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport)
(Via )
🔥 Old Dominion 98-yd TD catch
Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph and wideout Tre Brown made history for Old Dominion, producing the program's longest offensive play ever.
Backed up to their own two-yard line, Joseph dotted Brown, who was cutting across the middle. Brown didn't look back, outrunning James Madison's safety Tyler Brown for a 98-yard touchdown.
The longest offensive play in ODU history. to ! |
— ODU Football (@ODUFootball)
The contest has provided multiple big plays so far with three 55-plus yard touchdowns in the game just in the first quarter.
🥴 CRAZY Old Dominion opening kickoff scoop-and-score
James Madison had an opening kickoff to remember against Old Dominion, and not in a good way.
Trying to field the kick, both return men bumped into each other, causing the ball to ricochet off them and bounce out of the end zone and into play. One of the returners scooped up the ball, but seconds later had the ball punched out and picked up by a Monarchs' player, leading to a scoop-and-score opening touchdown.
Well that's a special start! with the scoop and score! |
— ODU Football (@ODUFootball)
🪟Noon window recap
No. 17 Vanderbilt 31, No. 10 LSU 24
The No. 17 Vanderbilt Commodores defeated the No. 10 LSU Tigers 31-24 in Nashville. LSU took the lead first with a 48-yard field goal. The Commodores quickly responded on their first possession when quarterback Diego Pavia capped a 9-play, 57-yard drive with a rushing touchdown, putting Vanderbilt ahead 7-3 by the end of the first quarter. LSU regained the lead in the second quarter. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier connected with Trey'Dez Green for a 24-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers a brief 10-7 advantage. However, Vanderbilt answered with an extended 14-play, 8:58 drive that resulted in a Sedrick Alexander one-yard touchdown run, which gave them a 14-10 lead. Despite Nussmeier leading the Tigers into Vanderbilt territory late in the half, LSU missed a 52-yard field goal attempt, but converted a 42-yard field goal with 45 seconds remaining to narrow the gap to 14-13. With less than a minute left on the clock, Vanderbilt executed a quick 50-yard drive, ending with a 46-yard field goal to send the Commodores into halftime leading 17-13.
Vanderbilt opened the second half with an effective 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, ending in Pavia's connection with Cole Spence, extending its lead to 24-13. Nussmeier promptly retaliated, scrambling to connect with Zavion Thomas for a 62-yard touchdown pass, and a successful two-point conversion closed the gap to 24-21. Vanderbilt's offense continued to keep up the pace, with Pavia's mobility key to their next possession; he ended a 10-play, 75-yard drive with his second rushing touchdown to put the Commodores up 31-21 by the end of the third quarter. LSU opened the fourth quarter with a 69-yard drive, 51of those yards from a single run by Caden Durham, but the team stalled inside the five-yard line and settled for a field goal, bringing the score to 31-24. The LSU defense forced a much-needed three-and-out, giving the Tigers an opportunity, but the offense failed to convert and Vanderbilt’s offense was able to stay on the field and kneel it out.
DIEGO. PAVIA. TOUCHDOWN
— #17 Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball)
Houston 31, Arizona 28
The Houston Cougars defeated the Arizona Wildcats 31-28 after kicker Ethan Sanchez connected on a walk-off 41-yard field goal. The Wildcats started the game quickly, quarterback Noah Fifita found Tre Spivey for a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown on the opening drive. The Cougars immediately answered, needing only four plays for quarterback Conner Weigman to connect with Amare Thomas for a 52-yard touchdown, tying the score at 7-7. Arizona put together an 11-play, 73-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass from Fifita to Luke Wysong, putting the Wildcats ahead 14-7 at the end of the first frame. Houston's defense halted the Arizona offense in the second quarter, forcing a punt after back-to-back sacks on Fifita. Weigman then engineered an impressive 13-play, 96-yard touchdown drive, which he capped off with a 10-yard rushing TD, evening the contest at 14-14. After the Houston defense forced a turnover on downs, Weigman drove the offense down the field in just 1:20, throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tanner Koziol to give the Cougars a 21-14 lead heading into halftime.
Houston extended its lead after the break as Weigman led a marathon 17-play, 75-yard drive that consumed nearly nine minutes and finished with a touchdown pass to Thomas, making the score 28-14. The Wildcats responded in the fourth quarter with a lengthy drive of 13-play, 75-yard drive that lasted over six minutes, with Spivey scoring a rushing touchdown on a jet sweep to cut the lead to 28-21. The Cougars' subsequent drive stalled in Arizona territory, and kicker Sanchez missed a 48-yard field goal attempt, setting up the Wildcats for the tying score. Arizona capitalized on the miss, driving 70 yards in 10 plays. Kedrick Reescano two-yard touchdown run leveled the score at 28-28 with under seven minutes left. With the final possession, Houston marched the ball into the Wildcats' territory, allowing Sanchez to convert the 41-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Cougars a dramatic victory.
SANCHEZ THROUGH THE POST FOR THE DUB 🙌
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB)
No. 12 Georgia Tech 27, Duke 18
The No. 12 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets secured another ACC victory, defeating the Duke Blue Devils 27-10. A major turning point in the first quarter came when Georgia Tech's Omar Daniels returned a forced fumble on the goal line for a 95-yard defensive touchdown, giving the Yellow Jackets an early 7-0 lead. Duke tied the game at 7-7 late in the second quarter after quarterback Darian Mensah connected with Landen King for a 20-yard touchdown pass. The teams entered halftime deadlocked at 7-7. Duke settled for a field goal to open the second half as the Yellow Jackets' defense made a goal-line stand for three consecutive plays, pushing the Blue Devils ahead 10-7. Georgia Tech kicker Aidan Birr responded by hitting a 40-yard field goal later in the quarter, evening the score again at 10-10 heading into the final frame.
Birr kicked another 23-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give the Yellow Jackets their first lead since the opening quarter, making the score 13-10. The Yellow Jackets’ offense then executed a decisive nine-play, 72-yard drive, with running back Malachi Hosley punching in a 10-yard touchdown run to give Georgia Tech a 10-point lead. Duke missed a 46-yard field goal attempt on the subsequent drive, halting a potential comeback. Haynes King officially sealed the win with a 27-yard touchdown run shortly after, bringing the final score to 27-18. The Yellow Jackets’ defense proved critical throughout the game, forcing a defensive touchdown, recording multiple sacks, and holding the Blue Devils to field goals on two separate red zone trips.
King touchdown hits every time 🔥
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB)
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😱 Tulane's INSANE TD catch
With less than 45 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Army and Tulane, the Green Wave was setting itself up for a game-winning field goal at the Black Knights' 26-yard line.
Instead, Tulane took a shot at the end zone and it paid in a spectacular way. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff threw it up to double-covered wide receiver Shazz Preston. But rather than it being caught by the wide out or the defenders, the ball tipped in the air into the end zone.
With both Army players unable to recover in time and make a play, Preston raced after the ball, juggled it in his hands and finally secured the football deep in the end zone for a 26-yard receiving touchdown. The Green Wave went on to win 24-17.
Talk about a go-ahead grab.
Look at this catch by !!! 🌊
— Tulane Football (@GreenWaveFB)
💥 Back-to-back INTs for Michigan
It was a parade in the Big House for Michigan's defense, at least in the third quarter.
The Wolverines intercepted Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. on consecutive drives, both with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter. Linebacker Cole Sullivan came up with the first one, reading Williams like a book. It set up UofM's second touchdown drive of the game.
Got the turnover!
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball)
Linebacker Jimmy Rolder picked the second on a pass intended for tight end Decker DeGraaf.
That's another one!
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball)
⚔️ Vandy-LSU in a battle
No. 10 LSU and No. 17 Vanderbilt are trading punches in Nashville, separated by just four points at halftime.
After the Commodores scored first in the third to take a 24-13 lead, the Tigers answered in an acrobatic way. As the pocket collapsed, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier spun, rolled to left and hurled a pass not even 10 yards to wideout Zavion Thomas.
Bouncing off multiple defenders and handing out a few stiff arms, Thomas took it 62 yards for a receiving touchdown. The Tigers now trail 24-21.
ZAVION THOMAS SOMEHOW BREAKS FREE AND SCORES!
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB)
🫨 Georgia Tech's 95-yard scoop-and-score
We're just 30 minutes into College Football Saturday, and Georgia Tech has already produced the potential play of the day.
Driving all the way to the Yellow Jackets one-yard line, Duke quarterback Darian Mensah mishandled the hand off to running back Anderson Castle that led to a loose pigskin.
Who was there to pick it up? Georgia Tech defensive back Omar Daniels, taking it 95 yards for a scoop-and-score touchdown.
FUMBLE RECOVERY AND TAKEN TO THE HOUSE ⚠️
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB)
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🐾 WAKE UP, it’s Saturday in Athens!
The College GameDay crew has made there way to Athens, Georgia, for a top-10 showdown between No. 5 Ole Miss and No. 9 Georgia.
. and the Georgia crowd got that dawg in 'em this morning 🔥
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay)
💸 Pat catches up with Diego Pavia
Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia joined the show and negotiated a $200,000 donation from Pat. The No. 17 Commodores have a huge matchup today at noon against No. 10 LSU.
Diego Pavia and with the mid-interview negotiation 🤝
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay)
The Vandy QB was this close 🤏 to securing a $200K donation from Pat 😅
🎸 Does country music star Jelly Roll make the kick?
Pat McAfee let Jelly Roll test his luck with a field goal kick. If he made it, $300,000 would be donated to charity. After a wild miss, Jelly Roll called in former UGA kicker Rodrigo Blankenship to take a shot for a $600,000 donation — and to no one’s surprise, Hot Rod nailed it.
. IS ALSO WITH US TODAY
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow)
HOT ROD WILL KICK FOR A $600,000 DONATION AND BEN'S KICK WILL BE WORTH $400,000..
HE'S STILL GOT IT
James Franklin joins the show
Former Penn State head coach James Franklin joined the show to talk about the moment he learned he’d been fired — and whats next for him.
“That was it. It was that quick.”
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay)
James Franklin opens up about the moment he learned he was being fired by Penn State.
🧠 Dawgs by 67?
A UGA fan was held up a sign that led the the GameDay crew to discuss the viral "6-7" meme and what it means.
DAWGS BY 67
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow)
6-7 😂😂😂
🤩 It’s a packed Saturday slate, so follow along for highlights, updates, and more throughout the day!
🍿 Week 8 games to watch
Week 8 of college football kicked off with a bang on Friday, seeing two ranked teams fall, including undefeated No. 2 Miami (Fla.) to Louisville. And that was just a preview of what was to come on Saturday with a lot of tough ranked matchups and must-see battles. Let’s take a look:
The noon slate is headlined by No. 10 LSU visiting No. 17 Vanderbilt. Although the two SEC programs have played each other for more than a century, today’s matchup holds a new meaning — it’s the first meeting where both teams are ranked since 1947.
And things only heat up from there. The afternoon slate features an even bigger SEC contest between No. 5 Ole Miss and No. 9 Georgia. The only top-10 game of the weekend, check out our separate live blog that details all things in the Athens’ affair.
The night slate has three ranked battles, beginning with No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Tennessee at 7:30 p.m. ET. That rivalry starts at the same time as No. 13 Notre Dame and No. 20 Southern California, while No. 15 BYU and No. 23 Utah bring up the rear at 8 p.m. Ole Miss and BYU are the only teams still undefeated.
Here are the times and TV channels for some of the biggest games of the week:
- 12 p.m. | No. 10 LSU at No. 17 Vanderbilt | ABC
- 12 p.m. | No. 12 Georgia Tech at Duke | ESPN
- 3:30 p.m. | No. 5 Ole Miss at No. 9 Georgia | ABC
- 4 p.m. | No. 7 Texas Tech at Arizona State | FOX
- 7:30 p.m. | No. 11 Tennessee at No. 6 Alabama | ABC
- 7:30 p.m. | No. 20 USC at No. 13 Notre Dame | NBC/Peacock
- 8 p.m. | No. 23 Utah at No. 15 BYU | FOX
🌙 Friday Night Lights recap
Wow, we are off to a HOT start in Week 8 of college football. ;
Missed any of the action from last night's games? Don't worry, we got you covered.
LOUISVILLE GETS THE CLUTCH INT TO HAND NO. 2 MIAMI ITS FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON 😱
— ESPN (@espn)
ONE-HAND GRAB 😳 leads 14-7!
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball)
📺 ESPN
The Swiss Army Knife strikes AGAIN!! Deep shot from to Anthony Garcia for 6⃣!
— USU Football (@USUFootball)
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