College football Week 8 winners and losers: BYU, Texas Tech upsets hurt Big 12 playoff hopes; Miami offense rolls

Week 8 delivered seismic shifts in the College Football Playoff race, with the Big 12 absorbing the most damage. BYU's stunning home loss to Oklahoma State and Texas Tech's defeat at the hands of Kansas State eliminated two of the conference's top contenders, leaving the league without an undefeated team and its playoff path in peril. The Cougars, previously ranked No. 9, fell 41-34 as the Cowboys' Ollie Gordon II rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns. Texas Tech's 38-21 setback to Kansas State further muddied the Big 12 picture, where five teams now have at least one conference loss. The chaos underscores the league's depth but raises doubts about its ability to secure a playoff berth in the final four-team format. Meanwhile, Miami continued its offensive onslaught, improving to 7-0 with a 52-7 rout of Florida State. Quarterback Cam Ward threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns, while the Hurricanes' defense forced four turnovers. Miami has scored at least 38 points in every game this season, solidifying its status as a national title contender. Elsewhere, Baylor's 35-23 loss to TCU dropped the Bears to 2-5, intensifying pressure on coach Dave Aranda, whose tenure appears increasingly untenable. With the first College Football Playoff rankings looming, the Big 12's margin for error is gone—every remaining game becomes a de facto elimination contest.