reviewjournal
As the college football season heats up, the Las Vegas Review-Journal's weekly CFP projections have undergone a significant shake-up following a wild Saturday of upsets. The Big 12 conference, once boasting three undefeated teams, now has only one after a brutal weekend that saw BYU and Texas Tech suffer damaging losses.
BYU, which had been left out of the rankings despite a dramatic and controversial win over previous top team Notre Dame, fell to UCF in another thrilling contest. The Cougars' exclusion proved justified as they struggled against a challenging schedule and had not been overly impressive. Texas Tech, making its first appearance in the top four, squandered a 24-6 lead at Cincinnati and lost 37-24, ending its brief stay.
The lone undefeated Big 12 team remaining is Utah, which holds the No. 3 spot in this week's projections. The Utes' home game against Houston was kicking off around press time, so their undefeated status was still intact at the time of publication. With a favorable schedule ahead, including a home matchup against rival BYU on Nov. 7, Utah has a clear path to a top-four seed if it can take care of business.
Key Analysis
Miami retains the top spot after a dominant 52-23 victory over Pittsburgh. Quarterback Darian Mensah delivered a stellar performance, completing 31 of 37 passes for 387 yards, while receiver Malachi Toney hauled in a season-high 16 catches for 194 yards and three touchdowns. The Hurricanes have a pivotal showdown at Notre Dame on Nov. 7 that could significantly impact the race for the national title game in Las Vegas.
Georgia, at No. 2, benefited from a bye week, giving the Bulldogs extra time to recover from their surprising loss to Auburn and prepare for a home game against Florida. With three of their final five games at home and the SEC Championship Game set for Atlanta, Georgia remains a major contender.
Indiana rounds out the top four at No. 4 despite a less-than-impressive showing against Michigan on Saturday. The Hoosiers are still regarded as one of the nation's best teams and should coast through the rest of their schedule, with a potential challenge against USC. A intriguing storyline could unfold if Indiana faces UCLA in the Big Ten title game, pitting former James Madison coaches Curt Cignetti and Bob Chesney against each other. The Hoosiers get the edge over the unbeaten Bruins because they would likely be favored in such a matchup.
Ohio State has dropped out of the top four for now due to the expectation that quarterback Julian Sayin will miss the rest of the season with an injury. The Buckeyes' playoff hopes now hinge on how they adapt without their starting signal-caller.
Originally reported by reviewjournal.