College Football Week 8 Winners and Losers: Cincinnati Shrinks the Pool of Undefeated Teams Yet Again

The Bearcats under coach Scott Satterfield remain difficult to classify.

Scott Satterfield added a signature win to his up-and-down Cincinnati résumé Saturday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

More than a decade into his FBS coaching career, Scott Satterfield remains a difficult figure to classify.

Is he the native son who oversaw Appalachian State’s successful transition to FBS, taking the Mountaineers to the AP Top 25 for the first time in 2018? Is he the coach who left Louisville for Cincinnati after a so-so tenure, with the Cardinals improving significantly after his departure? Is he the coach who had the Bearcats No. 17 in the country on Nov. 1 last season, or is he the coach who ended 2025 on a five-game losing streak.

Saturday was a notch in Satterfield’s favor, as Cincinnati knocked a sloppy Texas Tech team from the ranks of the FBS unbeaten—a group that now numbers just four (BYU, Miami, UCLA and Utah).

Here’s hoping your team’s one of them on a clear October Saturday across much of the country. Welcome to Week 8’s live winners and losers.

Winner: Vengeful Cincinnati

In the offseason saga surrounding ex-Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the Bearcats—for whom Sorsby broke out last year before attempting to transfer—were often the forgotten party. That’s despite the fact that Cincinnati actually sued Sorsby, accusing him of breaking his contract. On Saturday, while wearing hideous all-red uniforms that made them look like the Calgary Stampeders, the Bearcats played like they had something to prove—going up 24–6 at halftime of an eventual 37–24 win. Neither quarterback was incredible, but it was Sorsby’s replacement—Georgia Southern transfer JC French IV—who tossed four scores against two interceptions; running back Cole Tabb helped him out with 173 rushing yards on 16 carries.

Losers: Jason Beck and Michigan

The Wolverines’ offense was inert with Bryce Underwood at quarterback, and on Saturday it was inert with Tommy Carr at quarterback as well. The common denominator? Unimaginative playcalling from offensive coordinator Jason Beck, whose approach seems light-years from his 41.3-point-per-game attack at Utah in 2025. Because Michigan performed so stingily on that side of the ball in its 13–6 overtime loss to No. 6 Indiana, the Wolverines wasted a phenomenal defensive performance—the Hoosiers gained just 212 yards, their fewest since mustering 151 against Ohio State in 2024.

Michigan offensive coordinator Jason Beck has not experienced the same success in Ann Arbor that he did under Kyle Whittingham at Utah. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Winners: Easton Messer of Florida Atlantic and Gael Ochoa of Rice

The Battle of the Owls in Boca Raton, Fla., went to Florida Atlantic, whose 51–49 win contained two of the season’s most unusual statistical feats. Ochoa, Rice’s quarterback, completed just two of five passes for 80 yards—but ran for 259 yards and four touchdowns on just 12 carries. Messer, a wide receiver by trade, caught 12 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns; he also ran for two scores and ripped off an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown. Per OptaSTATS, Ochoa’s four rushing touchdowns of 50 yards or more and Messer’s specific combination of scores were both 21st-century FBS firsts.

Loser: Sonny Dykes

Because of 2022, Dykes will have a little equity at TCU forever—but Horned Frogs fans can’t be happy with the state of the union through seven games, especially after TCU finished in the Top 25 for the first time since ’22 last year. The Horned Frogs fell 24–20 to West Virginia Saturday in a game where they outgained the Mountaineers 484–265, failing to capitalize on a 372-yard day through the air from quarterback Jaden Craig. In the end, little things doomed TCU—a missed field goal, a -2 turnover margin and three more penalties and 32 more penalty yards than West Virginia. None of the four teams the Horned Frogs have lost to (North Carolina, UCF, BYU and the Mountaineers) are bad, per se, but TCU is too good a program historically to hop through life losing to every bowl-caliber team on their schedule.

This story will be updated throughout the day. Check back later for more college football winners and losers.

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