Ad Disclosure
Graphic shows just how crazy the 2021 college football season has been through 8 weeks
Published:
Another week of college football, another boatload of upsets for Week 8, mainly coming from the Big Ten as two of its ranked teams went down Saturday. Let’s start with Penn State and Illinois.
Week 8 tied for the fewest ranked upsets in a week so far this season with just five 📉
Which of these ranked losses was the most surprising? pic.twitter.com/R1lr6x1mW4
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 24, 2021
Penn State came into this game as heavy favorites to defeat the struggling Illini, but they had other plans for the Nittnay Lions. It took 9 overtimes, but the Fightin Illini finally defeated the Nittnay Lions 20-18. The No.7 team in the country is eliminated from the College Football Playoff and the Big Ten Championship Game. Not a good day for James Franklin and crew.
In the “that didn’t last long” category, Wisconsin took out Purdue, 30-13. Purdue had the biggest upset of the year last week against Iowa and couldn’t hold on to the momentum against the Badgers. Purdue seems to play better when they aren’t ranked.
In other upsets Appalachian State took out Coastal Carolina, ending their chances of going to a New Year’s 6 Bowl.
North Carolina State’s chances of going to the ACC Championship game was ended by Miami, 31-30, and Oklahoma State’s undefeated season was ended by Iowa State, 24-21. The good news for OSU is that they can still win the Big 12 and make it to the CFP.
What’s craziest? The five unranked teams beating a Top 25 opponent ties for the lowest total for a week this season.
By far, this is one of the biggest season for upsets in college football.