College Football Rankings: Robert Griffin III makes big changes to Top 12 after wild Week 8

Week 8 is behind us, and Robert Griffin III has overhauled his Top 12 College Football Playoff contender rankings. The former Heisman Trophy winner made a few notable choices — including his projected No. 1 overall seed remaining Indiana.

Five of Griffin’s Top 12 teams come from the SEC, but only one of those would earn a first-round bye in his projections. The Big Ten also hold Griffin’s No. 1 and No. 2 overall seeds, with the Hoosiers coming in at No. 1 being a bit of a surprise to some.

Keeping that in mind, here’s Griffin’s CFP projections heading into Week 9. There’s still plenty of changes that could come to his Top 12, but this is where the former Heisman winner stands at this moment in time.

1. Indiana

There was definite letdown potential this weekend for Indiana following its huge win over Oregon a week ago. But the Hoosiers took care of business and beat Michigan State soundly, allowing only three points in the second half.

The schedule continues to look very manageable for Indiana. Up next is a home date with UCLA, followed by road trips to Maryland and struggling Penn State.

2. Ohio State

With Luke Fickell on the hot seat and needing something to quiet the noise, Wisconsin might have put up a decent fight against Ohio State. The Buckeyes had other ideas, turning this one into a blowout right away with 17 first-quarter points.

From there it was smooth sailing for Julian Sayin and company. Sayin threw four touchdown passes, including two to Carnell Tate. Next up for Ohio State is a home date with Penn State.

3. Texas A&M (+3)

Texas A&M gave up a first-quarter field goal, then took the lead about midway through the frame and never again trailed. Still, there were points where the game was firmly in the balance, as the defense allowed Arkansas to stay within striking range right till the bitter end.

Arkansas actually outgained its top-25 foe 527 to 497 in the game, something that will undoubtedly frustrate Mike Elko. Still, on a bloody weekend in college football, simply surviving was a huge win — and the Aggies did just that.

4. BYU (+3)

BYU was victorious over rival Utah in the Holy War. They beat the Utes by three to keep their undefeated season alive, and continue to climb Griffin’s rankings.

Bear Bachmeier didn’t light up the stat sheet, but he did just enough to lead the Cougars to a win. He scored two touchdowns in Week 8 — one rushing, one passing.

5. Georgia Tech (+3)

Georgia Tech is in Griffin’s Top 12, and it seems like they’re going to be here for the long haul. The Yellow Jackets are 7-0 on the season following a 27-18 win over Duke in Week 8.

Haynes King threw for 205 yards and ran for another 105 on the ground and had a touchdown. In a 10-10 game in the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech outscored the Blue Devils 17-8 to get the victory over Duke.

6. Alabama (+4)

Alabama was in charge of the contest from start to finish, but it really blew things open with a 99-yard pick-six on a play that could have easily swung things the other direction. Those are the breaks championship teams create.

And at this point, Alabama certainly has the look of a title contender. The Crimson Tide just keep winning. Next up is a road trip to face a flustered South Carolina team.

7. Oregon (+2)

Oregon wasted no time bouncing back from the loss to Indiana, even with a trip all the way across the country. That’s what top-25 teams do — they take care of business.

Dante Moore threw for 290 yards and four scores, while the Ducks also punched it in four times on the ground. It was a lopsided win from start to finish, punctuated by a 28-point second quarter.

8. Georgia (+3)

Georgia got everything it could handle and then some against an Ole Miss team that didn’t seem intimidated by the incredibly hostile environment. But at every turn, Gunner Stockton was there to answer the call.

The Georgia quarterback threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. He also ran for 59 yards and a score, helping the Bulldogs win a thrilling shootout with the Rebels. And just like that, Georgia moves back into a dominant position in the SEC race.

9. Ole Miss (-5)

In the grand scheme of things, the loss on the road at Georgia doesn’t figure to be all that detrimental to Ole Miss’ playoff chances. It’s a legitimate top-25 opponent that figures to remain one the rest of the way.

Still, it does narrow the margin for error for Lane Kiffin and his squad. Trinidad Chamblisswas once again solid in the loss, but the offense ran out of steam late as the crowd took its toll. Now it’s about bouncing back — next up is a road trip to Oklahoma.

10. Miami (-7)

Miami quarterback Carson Beck threw four interceptions, and the Hurricanes were doomed as Louisville played the upstart in this one. It was clear early on that it would be closer than the experts predicted.

The Hurricanes certainly had their chances, but self-inflicted mistakes cost them against the Cardinals. While the loss puts a serious dent in Miami’s résumé, the Hurricanes still have everything in front of them.

11. Texas Tech (-6)

Texas Tech was the class of the Big 12 to start the 2025 season. The Red Raiders came back down to Earth a bit in Week 8 though, as they fell to Arizona State on the road.

Quarterback Will Hammond had been playing well, but he was out-dueled by Sam Leavitt. He threw for over 300 yards, while the Texas Tech signal caller only mustered 167.

12. Vanderbilt (NR)

Vanderbilt knocked off LSU this weekend and improve to 6-1 on the season. So with that, they’re headed into the Top 12 of Griffin’s rankings, and into his hypothetical CFP.

Diego Pavia threw for 160 yards, one touchdown, ran for 86 yards and had two rushing touchdowns. He even struck the Heisman pose. We’ll see if he can join Griffin as an award winner. He’ll have a shot if he keeps leading the Commodores to wins.