Week 8 College Football: Vanderbilt Upsets, Notre Dame Drama, 2007 Chaos

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Week 8 of the 2025 college football season? Wild. Absolute chaos, honestly. Upsets everywhere, overtime drama, records falling—if you’re not watching, you’re missing out. Parity isn’t just a buzzword anymore; it’s the reality. We’ll hit some big takeaways from this week, talk about the transfer portal and NIL, and spotlight a few performances that really popped. If you want the full play-by-play, here’s the deep dive on 247Sports.

Table of Contents

Unpredictability Reigns Supreme

Honestly, what’s more unpredictable than a Saturday in college football? This week alone, the SEC gave us two overtime games, coaches sweating on hot seats, and—get this—a Division III running back, Montie Quinn from Curry College, who put up 522 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on just 20 carries. Week 8 felt like the season’s tipping point.

But really, it was the upsets. This year’s shaping up to be one of the wildest we’ve seen in ages.

Historic Comparisons: 2007 vs. 2025

People love to talk about 2007 as the gold standard for college football chaos. No FBS team finished unbeaten that year, and the top two teams lost on the same weekend three times. Wild, right?

But here’s something to chew on. Top 10 teams’ win percentage through Week 8: in 2007, it was 75%. This year, it’s 72.7%.

2007: 75%
2025: 72.7%

So yeah, 2025 might actually be crazier. On Saturday, top 10 teams went 5-4. Georgia knocked off No. 5 Ole Miss, 43-35, sending the Rebels tumbling from the unbeaten. The other losses? All upsets. Louisville stunned No. 2 Miami, 24-21, on Friday. Arizona State toppled seventh-ranked Texas Tech, 26-22. And No. 17 Vanderbilt handled No. 10 LSU.

Parity and the New Reality

It’s tempting to just call all these upsets chaos. But honestly, it’s more about parity. The transfer portal, NIL, and revenue sharing have changed the game. The top teams don’t have the same depth, and the so-called “middle class” of the Power Four can actually compete now.

The top 25% of FBS teams? They’re still raiding the Group of Six and FCS for top players, but the field is way more even than it used to be.

Impact of the Transfer Portal and NIL

The transfer portal and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) have totally flipped the script in college football. Players can move around more easily, and NIL money means even the underdogs can bring in serious talent.

Just look at the average scoring margin in SEC games through Week 7 over the last decade:

2025: 10.7
2024: 11.1
2023: 14.4
2022: 16.5
2021: 17.6
2020: 15.6
2019: 17.3
2018: 17.6
2017: 20.9

Remember when Alabama and Georgia just steamrolled everyone? Not this year. Kentucky took Texas to overtime. Auburn and Missouri? Also OT. Texas A&M barely got past Arkansas, 45-42. Florida edged Mississippi State by two.

Standout Performances

It wasn’t just about the upsets. Week 8 had some unreal individual efforts, too. Montie Quinn—Division III, Curry College—set an NCAA record: 522 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on just 20 carries. That’s video game stuff.

Vanderbilt’s Rise

Vanderbilt, of all teams, has been a shocker. The No. 17 Commodores beat No. 10 LSU, 31-24. They held the ball for 35 minutes, scored touchdowns on four of their first five drives, and just squeezed the life out of LSU’s defense as the clock wound down.

They came in first in rushing success rate, eighth in passing success rate—so they’re efficient, plain and simple. Third downs? They converted half of them against LSU. Fourth downs? Two out of three. And Diego Pavia? He’s slippery as they come, extending plays when you think he’s dead to rights.

The Future of College Football

Looking ahead, parity is the new reality in college football for 2025. The so-called “light heavyweights” have the money to keep up—and, honestly, every reason to in this wild 12-team playoff era.

So, yeah, expect the chaos to stick around. Margins are tiny, maybe with the exception of Ohio State, because those middle-tier teams? They’re scrapping harder than ever.

For more insights and a detailed breakdown of Week 8, check out the full article on 247Sports.

Joe Hughes is the founder of CollegeNetWorth.com, a comprehensive resource on college athletes' earnings potential in the NIL era. Combining his passion for sports with expertise in collegiate athletics, Joe provides valuable insights for athletes, fans, and institutions navigating this new landscape.

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