Kirk Herbstreit reveals top performing teams from Week 8

Week 8 was another exciting weekend for college football. There were a few major upsets and other exciting finishes during the action. Following Week 8, College GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit has revealed his top performing teams from the weekend.

Herbstreit’s top performing teams from Week 8

1. Illinois Fighting Illini: Illinois shocked the nation by taking down No. 7 Penn State on Saturday. Despite an abysmal day from quarterback Artur Sitkowski, the Fighting Illini dominated on the ground. Chase Brown had 223 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries. Joshua McCray had 142 yards on 24 carries. It might have taken nine overtimes, but Illinois came away with the 20-18 victory, landing them a spot as Herbstreit’s top performing team in Week 8.

2. Iowa State Cyclones: Iowa State came into Saturday as a home favorite against previously undefeated Oklahoma State. The Cyclones trailed 14-7 at halftime but came away with the 24-21 victory to improve to 5-2 on the season. Quarterback Brock Purdy had a nice day in the win, completing 27 of his 33 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns.

3. Miami Hurricanes: Miami has had its struggles this season, but a 31-30 win over NC State on Saturday propelled the Hurricanes to 3-4 on the year. Tyler Van Dyke threw for 325 yards and four touchdowns while Charleston Rambo caught nine passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

4. Wisconsin Badgers: Like Illinois, Wisconsin struggled in the passing game but a strong ground attack led the way to victory. Chez Mellusi ran for 149 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. Braelon Allen had 140 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. Wisconsin also held Purdue to -13 rushing yards and forced three interceptions. The Badgers are now 4-3 on the season.

5. UL Monroe Warhawks: UL Monroe defeated South Alabama 41-31 in Week 8, earning a spot on Herbstreit’s list of the top performing teams of the weekend. The Warhawks were led by a strong performance from quarterback Chandler Rogers, who threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns.

6. Oregon State Beavers: The Beavers picked up a big win on Saturday against Utah. Oregon State rushed for 260 yards and three touchdowns as a team. Chance Nolan threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Oregon State now sits at 5-2 on the season and sits tied atop the Pac-12 North division with Oregon.

7. Appalachian State Mountaineers: Appalachian State pulled off a big upset at home on Wednesday night, beating Coastal Carolina 30-27. The Mountaineers were led by a strong performance from quarterback Chase Brice, who threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Malik Williams had a big day with 10 catches for 206 yards and a touchdown. It took a last second field goal to win it, but the Mountaineers took down the previously undefeated Chanticleers.