Top 10 Teams Drop 11 Games in Three Weeks

College football’s upper echelon has been battered over the last month. According to ESPN Research, top-10 teams have lost 11 games in the past three weeks. This total ties a record set in 2007 for the most losses by top-10 teams in any three-week span during the AP Poll era.

Week 8 proved particularly volatile. South Carolina defeated Tennessee in a come-from-behind victory, ending the Vols’ playoff hopes. Texas Tech lost to Cincinnati, and USC fell to Wisconsin after scoring only seven points following a bye week. BYU’s rise to the No. 2 spot in the AP Poll evaporated when the Cougars lost a double-overtime game to UCF on the road.

The instability has affected even the highest-ranked programs. Miami, the No. 1 team, defeated Pitt 52-23. Wide receiver Malachi Toney caught 16 passes for 194 yards, a school record. However, Pitt recorded three sacks and multiple hits on Darian Mensah, exposing weaknesses in the Hurricanes’ pass protection. Miami will play at North Carolina next before facing Notre Dame on Nov. 7.

Ohio State, ranked No. 3, is navigating life without starting quarterback Julian Sayin. Sayin is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. The Buckeyes are relying on true freshman Luke Fahey, who can run and throw. They will test this new look against USC this Saturday. Georgia, ranked No. 4, had an open week to recover after a 27-24 loss to Auburn. The Bulldogs struggled on the ground, gaining only 113 yards on 28 attempts. They must regain their rushing balance before facing Florida in Atlanta.

BYU, now ranked No. 4, suffered a sharp drop in performance against UCF. The Cougars averaged just 3.2 yards per carry and completed only 16 of 32 passes. Star running back LJ Martin remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. Notre Dame, ranked No. 5, used its bye week to recover from a controversial loss to BYU. Big 12 officials admitted to a mistake in not allowing Notre Dame one final chance to win. The Irish must move past that game as they prepare for Miami in two weeks.

UCLA, ranked No. 6, continued its trend of winning games despite early struggles. The Bruins trailed 7-0 against Michigan State after two turnovers in the first half. They recovered for a 28-10 win, rushing for 245 yards. The defense held Michigan State to 156 total yards and forced three turnovers. This marked the fifth game this season where UCLA’s defense forced three takeaways, giving the team 22 total for the year, the second most in the nation.

Indiana, ranked No. 7, defeated Michigan 13-6 in overtime. The Hoosiers relied heavily on their defense, holding the Wolverines to 54 rushing yards on 39 carries. Michigan had not lost to a top-10 opponent while allowing 13 or fewer points since 1985. Kentucky, ranked No. 8, beat Vanderbilt 34-17. This win gave Kentucky its third winning record in the SEC since 1977. The Wildcats are chasing their first league title since 1976.

Utah, ranked No. 9, is 7-0 and has the nation’s longest winning streak. However, the Utes have shown cracks in their performance, coming back from a 10-0 halftime deficit to beat Houston 21-13. With Texas Tech and BYU both losing, Utah is now considered the favorite to represent the Big 12 in the playoffs. Alabama, ranked No. 10, won against Texas A&M but struggled offensively. The Crimson Tide gained only 68 rushing yards on 28 carries. Coach Kalen DeBoer hopes four injured starters will return for the Nov. 7 game at LSU.

LSU, ranked No. 12, has found form, beating Mississippi State and Auburn for a combined score of 69-17. Quarterback Sam Leavitt threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns against Auburn. The Tigers have a bye week before facing Alabama in two weeks. Texas, ranked No. 13, held off a comeback by Ole Miss to win. Arch Manning had three turnovers, including a strip sack for a touchdown, but the Longhorns secured the victory. Ole Miss, ranked No. 14, scored only three points in the first half against Texas, their fewest in a half in two years.