CFB Wrap-up: Takeaways from Week 8's biggest games

College Football Wrap-Up recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.

Franklin's latest big-game failure

Stop me if you've heard this before - James Franklin's Penn State began the season beating the snot out of everyone on its schedule before laying an egg against Ohio State. The Nittany Lions went into Columbus with a perfect 6-0 record, poised for the signature win over Ohio State or Michigan that Franklin is desperate for. Instead, the script played out how it does virtually every year, with the Buckeyes claiming victory to drop Franklin's record to a dismal 4-15 against the two Big Ten East powerhouse programs.

This year was supposed to be different with the highly touted Drew Allar under center for the Nittany Lions. Spoiler alert: It wasn't different. Allar looked baffled all day by the Buckeyes' defensive line, barely even attempting to throw the ball more than 10 yards. The play-calling throughout the contest showed a coaching staff scared to let the quarterback take any chances - something that has come up repeatedly throughout the season.

The Nittany Lions entered the game ranked 129th in the nation out of 133 schools in plays over 20 yards this campaign. They hit only one of those Saturday, and 11 of their 14 offensive drives gained 25 yards or less. Penn State's defense held up its end of the bargain, but nobody could overcome that lack of production.

There's no question that Franklin is an excellent recruiter who can get plenty of NFL talent. However, it's clear that he struggles in games where the opposition can match that talent on the field. Franklin gets another chance to knock off a giant when Michigan comes to State College in November. One thing is clear: Allar will have to do more to stretch the field if the Nittany Lions are going to pull off the upset.

Ohio State's defense is championship level

This space has highlighted the brilliance of the Ohio State defense multiple times this season, but that unit saved its best for the biggest test Saturday. Penn State's offense looked like a high school outfit compared to the physical Buckeyes front, with Allar constantly on the move to avoid sacks. Ohio State still brought the quarterback down four times on the day, with JT Tuimoloau again wrecking the Nittany Lions' line.

Penn State's issues with explosive plays have been discussed, but the Nittany Lions entered the game converting almost 50% of their third downs. That's an essential number for that offense, which needs frequent conversions due to its inability to pop big plays. Ohio State clearly made that a focus, and the final numbers show where the game was truly decided Saturday. The Buckeyes held Penn State to an outrageous 1-of-16 on third downs, with the only conversion coming on the final drive when the game had been determined.

The outstanding defense covered for an offense that was once again a lot of Marvin Harrison Jr. and not much else. The Buckeyes now have four contests to figure out the running game and get some balance to the offense before the end-of-season blockbuster at Michigan.

Alabama's 30 minutes of fury

Tennessee experienced a wonderful Alabama fall afternoon for the opening half in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, taking a 20-7 lead to halftime in the annual rivalry game. However, that was the end of the Volunteers' pleasant experience as the Crimson Tide ripped off 27 straight points to light up the victory cigars after a dominant win.

It took Alabama just 40 seconds to show it would be a much different experience in the second half, with Jalen Milroe flashing his arm strength on an impressive 46-yard touchdown to Isaiah Bond. That started a march that saw the Tide add a field goal and touchdown before the end of the third quarter to flip the game on its head.

The stout Alabama defense forced three punts, two turnovers on downs, and housed a fumble recovery for a touchdown in a freakish second-half display. It was a reminder of what the Crimson Tide are capable of this season, even with an offense many consider a step down from the last few years.

Alabama now hits the bye week before a blockbuster matchup with LSU to start the November push.

Utah is Caleb's kryptonite

Caleb Williams is likely pleased there's no NFL franchise in the state of Utah. The USC star again found himself on the losing end of a contest against Utah, dropping his career record versus the Utes to 0-3. The defense swarmed Williams all night, holding him without a touchdown pass. However, he still put the Trojans in a position to win with a touchdown scamper at the 1:46 mark of the fourth quarter.

Virtually everyone who's watched a USC game since Lincoln Riley took over as head coach knew there was way too much time left on the clock - and that proved to be true again. Utah drove the field and kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired to secure the two-point victory.

The Trojans' defense will shoulder plenty of the blame for the loss again after being unable to stop the nation's 110th-ranked offense led by a backup quarterback. Sione Vaki - who also plays safety on defense - was the main focal point for the Utah offense, constantly beating his defender for numerous big plays. He finished with over 200 yards of total offense and two touchdowns in the win.

The result is all too familiar during Riley's tenure at USC: The team cannot be counted on to deliver unless Williams plays to a Heisman-winning level. Utah ensured the quarterback wouldn't do that and again walked off with the victory. USC is now staring a real problem in the face as November features a relentless schedule. The Trojans host Washington before heading to Oregon and ending the season with a rivalry game against UCLA.

Florida State rolls after Leonard forced out

Credit to Florida State for making second-half adjustments that got the offense rolling, but there's no question that Riley Leonard's injury blew up Duke's entire game plan. The Blue Devils held a 20-17 lead when Leonard exited, only to be outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter and fall to the fourth-ranked Seminoles.

The drop-off from Leonard to backup Henry Belin is significant, with Duke's passing attack basically sidelined in the starter's absence. That allowed Florida State to stack the box and shut down a running attack that gashed it for over 8 yards per carry in the opening half.

With the defense standing tall, Jordan Travis and the offense got running downhill and didn't stop the remainder of the contest. That improved Florida State's record against Duke to 22-0 - a record-setting number since the dawn of the AP Poll era in 1936.

Oh no, North Carolina

The last FBS opponent Virginia beat was Georgia Tech - 366 days ago. The Cavaliers celebrated the one-year anniversary of that achievement by shocking the college football world with a road win over undefeated No. 10 North Carolina on Saturday.

How stunning was Virginia's improbable win? Consider the following: In the program's 120-year history, the Cavaliers had never won a road game over an AP top-10 team. It had also been 18 years since the program won any game over a top-10 team.

The Cavaliers entered as the 106th-ranked offense in the country but kept up with Drake Maye and the Tar Heels all night. Three Virginia players topped 60 rushing yards, with Mike Hollins finding the end zone three times.

North Carolina came into the contest as one of the nation's hottest teams, having won four straight games by double digits. While that streak is over, the Tar Heels are still in a position to control their own destiny in the ACC race. However, the chances of a CFP berth for Mack Brown's outfit took a serious hit with the improbable loss.

Texas' October woes continue despite narrow win

We didn't fall for the "Texas is back" nonsense again, did we? After a brilliant September had the Longhorns among the college football elite, the October cracks continued to show Saturday. Steve Sarkisian's outfit followed up its rivalry loss to Oklahoma earlier this month with a narrow victory at Houston. To make matters worse for the Longhorns, star quarterback Quinn Ewers left the contest late with a shoulder injury.

While the Longhorns' biggest concern is Ewers' health, they'll need to address other areas to keep their hopes for a Big 12 title-game berth alive. The biggest issue is likely the passing defense. After struggling to contain Dillon Gabriel and Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry, Texas struggled mightily with Donovan Smith and Houston. The Texas Tech transfer piled up over 380 yards through the air and moved the ball comfortably against the Longhorns. Houston was actually driving for a potential game-tying score before the officials' shocking placement stopped a first down - despite clear evidence the team had passed the line to gain.

The good news for Texas is the remaining schedule is virtually void of any teams that possess a top passing attack - TCU is the only opponent left with a top-50 passing offense. That'll give the embattled secondary five weeks to get things sorted before a potential berth in the Big 12 title game.

Bucky Irving cures Washington hangover

Things looked rough for Oregon to start Saturday's home game against Washington State, with the Ducks clearly suffering from a hangover after last week's enthralling loss to Washington. Enter running back Bucky Irving, who almost single-handedly willed Oregon past the Cougars to eventually deliver a comfortable victory.

With the Ducks clinging to a four-point lead in the third quarter, Irving took in two touchdowns of at least 40 yards to help Oregon run away. His final numbers show an incredibly efficient effort.

The win keeps the Ducks in control of their destiny in the Pac-12 despite the loss to Washington last week. However, next week presents a tough test in Utah against the standout Utes defense.

Missouri has our attention

The toughest challenger to Georgia's quest for a third straight national title might just be ... Missouri?

No, that's not a misprint. The Tigers will take a 7-1 record to Athens in two weeks to try for the upset of the year in the SEC. The latest triumph came on Saturday in a comfortable 34-12 win at home against South Carolina. They'll now hit the bye week with a full 14 days to prepare for a Georgia team that faces a rivalry game against Florida next week.

Missouri gave Georgia its biggest scare last season, holding a 10-point lead with ten minutes to play at home. The Bulldogs stormed back and won a narrow contest by four, but the message had been sent that Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers weren't scared. The game may be in Athens this year, but Missouri is a significantly better outfit this campaign with a much-improved Brady Cook at quarterback.

There's no magic equation to take down the two-time defending nation champion. However, a Brock Bowers-less Bulldogs attack coming off an intense rivalry game against a well-rested team with a potent offense should present a tough challenge for Kirby Smart.

Oklahoma survives ... barely

Vibes were at an all-time high in Norman heading into Saturday's game versus UCF, with Oklahoma coming off a bye and sporting a perfect record following a statement win over rival Texas. Those vibes were all but gone by the end of three quarters as the Knights held a 23-17 lead in front of a nervous home crowd.

While losing to UCF would be bad on its own, the fact it would double as a conference setback could be significant in the race for the Big 12. However, the Sooners rose to the occasion when it mattered most, peeling off 14 points in the final frame to vault into the lead. The game remained in question late, but a solid defensive play on a potential game-tying two-point conversion sealed the victory.

It was an ugly afternoon, but the ability to win with a subpar effort is something all great teams must display over a season. The Sooners now face two straight road games, including a Nov. 4 date at Oklahoma State in the final scheduled edition of the Bedlam rivalry. A better effort will be needed by then if Oklahoma is to remain undefeated on the year.