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Week 8 of 2026, ranked by a score whose parts are all shown. No term rewards a program for being famous — if a Tuesday MAC game outranks the night game, that is the answer.

Week01234567891011121315

The five

  1. 1
    #9Ole Missat#4Texas
    Time TBDDKR-Texas Memorial Stadiummodel Ole Miss by 0.9market -8.5
    • Projected closeness 32/35
    • Team quality 28/30
    • Stakes 15/15
    76
    score
  2. 2
    #21IowaatMinnesotaFloyd of Rosedale
    Time TBDHuntington Bank Stadiummodel Minnesota by 2.7
    • Projected closeness 27/35
    • Team quality 20/30
    • Stakes 7/15
    • History 10/10
    • Points on the board 3/10
    67
    score
  3. 3
    #22Houstonat#20Utah
    Time TBDRice-Eccles Stadiummodel Utah by 1.4market -6.5
    • Projected closeness 30/35
    • Team quality 20/30
    • Stakes 13/15
    • Points on the board 3/10
    66
    score
  4. 4
    #18TennesseeatSouth Carolina
    Time TBDWilliams-Brice Stadiummodel South Carolina by 5.2
    • Projected closeness 21/35
    • Team quality 25/30
    • Stakes 7/15
    • History 3/10
    • Points on the board 3/10
    59
    score
  5. 5
    Kansas StateatArizona State
    Time TBDMountain America Stadiummodel Kansas State by 1.6
    • Projected closeness 30/35
    • Team quality 21/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 4/10
    57
    score

The rest of the slate

  1. 6
    #8LSUatAuburn
    Sat, Oct 24 · 12:00 PM ETJordan-Hare Stadiummodel LSU by 7.5
    • Projected closeness 17/35
    • Team quality 24/30
    • Stakes 8/15
    • History 4/10
    • Points on the board 3/10
    56
    score
  2. 7
    #10Texas A&Mat#12Alabama
    Time TBDBryant-Denny Stadiummodel Texas A&M by 11.9market -2.5
    • Projected closeness 11/35
    • Team quality 27/30
    • Stakes 15/15
    • History 1/10
    • Points on the board 2/10
    55
    score
  3. 8
    Western MichiganatToledo
    Time TBDGlass Bowlmodel Western Michigan by 3.0
    • Projected closeness 26/35
    • Team quality 18/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 4/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    55
    score
  4. 9
    Boise StateatWashington State
    Sat, Oct 24 · 6:00 PM ETGesa Fieldmodel Boise State by 2.6
    • Projected closeness 27/35
    • Team quality 21/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 4/10
    54
    score
  5. 10
    BayloratKansas
    Time TBDMemorial Stadiummodel Baylor by 1.3
    • Projected closeness 31/35
    • Team quality 15/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 1/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    53
    score
  6. 11
    Utah StateatTexas State
    Sat, Oct 24 · 7:30 PM ETBobcat Stadium (TX)model Texas State by 0.1
    • Projected closeness 35/35
    • Team quality 10/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 4/10
    51
    score
  7. 12
    UTSAatTulane
    Time TBDYulman Stadiummodel UTSA by 2.6
    • Projected closeness 27/35
    • Team quality 17/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 4/10
    51
    score
  8. 13
    ColoradoatOklahoma State
    Time TBDBoone Pickens Stadiummodel Colorado by 0.1
    • Projected closeness 35/35
    • Team quality 5/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 4/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    51
    score
  9. 14
    LibertyatKennesaw State
    Thu, Oct 22 · 7:00 PM ETFifth Third Stadiummodel Liberty by 2.7
    • Projected closeness 27/35
    • Team quality 14/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 4/10
    47
    score
  10. 15
    Pittsburghat#7Miami
    Time TBDHard Rock Stadiummodel Miami by 18.2
    • Projected closeness 6/35
    • Team quality 26/30
    • Stakes 8/15
    • History 3/10
    • Points on the board 3/10
    46
    score
  11. 16
    North TexasatNavy
    Sat, Oct 24 · 3:30 PM ETNavy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadiummodel North Texas by 5.8
    • Projected closeness 20/35
    • Team quality 19/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 4/10
    46
    score
  12. 17
    #5IndianaatMichigan
    Time TBDMichigan Stadiummodel Indiana by 17.0market +6
    • Projected closeness 7/35
    • Team quality 26/30
    • Stakes 9/15
    • History 3/10
    • Points on the board 1/10
    46
    score
  13. 18
    Miami (OH)atCentral Michigan
    Time TBDKelly/Shorts Stadiummodel Miami (OH) by 0.6
    • Projected closeness 33/35
    • Team quality 3/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 3/10
    • Points on the board 3/10
    45
    score
  14. 19
    VanderbiltatKentucky
    Time TBDKroger Fieldmodel Vanderbilt by 9.1
    • Projected closeness 14/35
    • Team quality 18/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 5/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    44
    score
  15. 20
    #11OklahomaatMississippi State
    Time TBDDavis Wade Stadiummodel Oklahoma by 12.9
    • Projected closeness 10/35
    • Team quality 23/30
    • Stakes 8/15
    • Points on the board 3/10
    43
    score
  16. 21
    East CarolinaatMemphis
    Thu, Oct 22 · 7:30 PM ETSimmons Bank Liberty Stadiummodel Memphis by 7.4
    • Projected closeness 17/35
    • Team quality 17/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 2/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    42
    score
  17. 22
    Dukeat#25Virginia
    Fri, Oct 23 · 7:00 PM ETScott Stadiummodel Virginia by 21.7market -6.5
    • Projected closeness 4/35
    • Team quality 23/30
    • Stakes 7/15
    • History 5/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    42
    score
  18. 23
    Old DominionatLouisiana Tech
    Time TBDJoe Aillet Stadiummodel Louisiana Tech by 2.8
    • Projected closeness 27/35
    • Team quality 9/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 4/10
    42
    score
  19. 24
    #6OregonatIllinois
    Time TBDMemorial Stadium (Champaign, IL)model Oregon by 22.0
    • Projected closeness 4/35
    • Team quality 24/30
    • Stakes 8/15
    • Points on the board 2/10
    39
    score
  20. 25
    North Dakota StateatNew Mexico
    Sat, Oct 24 · 10:00 PM ETUniversity Stadium (NM)model New Mexico by 9.7
    • Projected closeness 13/35
    • Team quality 19/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 3/10
    38
    score
  21. 26
    Californiaat#17SMU
    Time TBDGerald J. Ford Stadiummodel SMU by 9.2
    • Projected closeness 14/35
    • Team quality 13/30
    • Stakes 7/15
    • Points on the board 3/10
    38
    score
  22. 27
    James MadisonatApp State
    Thu, Oct 22 · 7:00 PM ETKidd Brewer Stadiummodel James Madison by 6.4
    • Projected closeness 19/35
    • Team quality 12/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 1/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    38
    score
  23. 28
    AkronatKent StateWagon Wheel
    Time TBDDix Stadiummodel Akron by 4.6
    • Projected closeness 22/35
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 9/10
    • Points on the board 3/10
    37
    score
  24. 29
    Virginia TechatClemson
    Time TBDMemorial Stadium (Clemson, SC)model Clemson by 9.2
    • Projected closeness 14/35
    • Team quality 14/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 3/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    37
    score
  25. 30
    SyracuseatNorth Carolina
    Time TBDKenan Stadiummodel Syracuse by 3.5
    • Projected closeness 25/35
    • Team quality 6/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 2/10
    37
    score
  26. 31
    NC StateatStanford
    Fri, Oct 23 · 10:30 PM ETStanford Stadiummodel NC State by 6.3
    • Projected closeness 19/35
    • Team quality 10/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 5/10
    37
    score
  27. 32
    Air ForceatWyoming
    Fri, Oct 23 · 9:00 PM ETWar Memorial Stadiummodel Air Force by 7.4
    • Projected closeness 17/35
    • Team quality 7/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 5/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    35
    score
  28. 33
    Boston CollegeatGeorgia Tech
    Time TBDBobby Dodd Stadiummodel Georgia Tech by 9.4
    • Projected closeness 14/35
    • Team quality 12/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 2/10
    • Points on the board 4/10
    35
    score
  29. 34
    Middle TennesseeatFlorida International
    Tue, Oct 20 · 7:00 PM ETPitbull Stadiummodel Florida International by 5.1
    • Projected closeness 21/35
    • Team quality 6/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 2/10
    • Points on the board 3/10
    34
    score
  30. 35
    Iowa StateatArizona
    Time TBDArizona Stadiummodel Arizona by 17.3
    • Projected closeness 6/35
    • Team quality 22/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • Points on the board 4/10
    34
    score
  31. 36
    #15BYUatUCF
    Time TBDFBC Mortgage Stadiummodel BYU by 18.4
    • Projected closeness 6/35
    • Team quality 17/30
    • Stakes 8/15
    • Points on the board 3/10
    34
    score
  32. 37
    West VirginiaatTCU
    Time TBDAmon G. Carter Stadiummodel TCU by 10.1
    • Projected closeness 13/35
    • Team quality 12/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 2/10
    • Points on the board 3/10
    33
    score
  33. 38
    Eastern MichiganatOhio
    Time TBDPeden Stadiummodel Ohio by 8.0
    • Projected closeness 16/35
    • Team quality 6/30
    • Stakes 3/15
    • History 3/10
    • Points on the board 5/10
    33
    score
  34. 39
    #14USCatWisconsin
    Time TBDCamp Randall Stadiummodel USC by 20.7
    • Projected closeness 5/35
    • Team quality 19/30
    • Stakes 8/15
    • Points on the board 1/10
    33
    score
  35. 40
    #13Texas TechatCincinnati
    Time TBDNippert Stadiummodel Texas Tech by 27.7
    • Projected closeness 2/35
    • Team quality 20/30
    • Stakes 8/15
    • Points on the board 2/10
    32
    score

How the score is built

Projected closeness — 35 points
Decays exponentially in the model’s projected margin: a pick’em is the full 35, a touchdown favorite about half, three scores nothing. The largest term, because a blowout is a blowout no matter who is playing.
Team quality — 30 points
Elo percentile of both sides, with two thirds of the weight on the weaker team. A top-five side hosting a bad one is not a good game, and an average of the two would claim it was.
Stakes — 15 points
Poll position going into the week, plus a share for a conference game. Two ranked teams take most of it; the higher the pair, the more.
Rivalry history — 10 points
From the all-time series: a named trophy game, the length of the series, and whether the all-time ledger has stayed close.
Points on the board — 10 points
The projected total, from the drive-sim. A 31-28 is better television than a 10-7 and that is allowed to matter a little — but only a little, or the whole list becomes bad defenses.

There is no term for brand, television window or network. A watchability score that rewards blue bloods for existing is a popularity ranking wearing a lab coat.