College football week 8 is in the books. After every week fans can take away things from what happened on the field. Here are five things learned from college football week 8.
1. Joe Milton was Worthy of the Hype
Every season it seems, Michigan is hyped up only to fall short of expectations. This season the expectations were a little bit more modest for them, as they were ranked 18th heading into their first game of the season against Minnesota. With their 49-24 win, Michigan and their quarterback Joe Milton are showing they may be worth the hype.
Milton finished the game going 15 of 22 passing for 225 yards and a touchdown. He also had eight rushes for 52 yards and a touchdown against what figures to be a tough Golden Gophers team. Michigan may have their best shot to win the Big Ten in a long time, but that of course means they would have to beat out their rivals Ohio State, which is a tall task.
2. Big Ten Quarterbacks are Good
In addition to Milton, other Big Ten quarterbacks showed out in the first week the conference played. On Friday against Illinois, Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz went 20 of 21 for 248 yards and five touchdowns. It is safe to say that with their highest-rated recruit at quarterback ever, the future is looking bright for the Badgers.
Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields also went 20 of 21 for 276 yards and two touchdowns. While Sean Clifford had a very inconsistent day against Indiana, Michael Penix came up with some big plays to give the Hoosiers the victory. There will be plenty of good games coming from more Big Ten quarterbacks down the line.
3. Oklahoma State has a Chance for the CFP
Oklahoma State got a big win over 17th-ranked Iowa State, 24-21 on Saturday. The win moved the Cowboys to 4-0 and also makes them the last hope for the Big 12 to make the CFP, unless things get really weird. There were a lot of impressive things about the win and a lot of hope for Oklahoma State moving forward.
The Cowboys have played pretty good defense by Big 12 standards so far this season. Oklahoma State allowed 21 points this week, which was the most points they have allowed all year. They still need to get their stars rolling on offense to put up even more points, but when they do and everything clicks, there is no reason Oklahoma State can’t keep this run alive and make the CFP.
4. Cincinnati is for Real
There was a big AAC matchup between Cincinnati and SMU. While it was expected to be a good game, Cincinnati pulled away from SMU in the second half to win the game 42-13. It was a dominant performance that showcased the Bearcats’ defense, which held SMU to just 216 passing yards.
With the win, Cincinnati should be favored to win the AAC. This also puts them in the driver’s seat for a New Year’s Six Bowl appearance. With how crazy 2020 has been, the Bearcats could even sneak into the CFP. They will have some more tough games in the AAC, but that defense isn’t one that anyone will want to see.
5. Zach Wilson can Sling it
BYU has a star at quarterback in Zach Wilson. He has led the team to a 6-0 record and has made incredible plays along the way. He has played so well that he has worked his way into discussions to be selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Against Texas State this week, Wilson went 19 of 25 for 287 yards and four touchdowns. On the season, Wilson had passed for 1,928 yards, 16 touchdowns and one interception on 78.3 percent completion. His play has elevated BYU and has put them in a position to get some spotlight.
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