Conference title races are heating up around the country midway through October, especially in the Big Ten and SEC, which once again dominate the Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings as we move into another marquee schedule of games in Week 8.

Oregon took a major step in the right direction by knocking off Ohio State in a dramatic, 1-point victory, gaining the early inside track in the Big Ten conference championship picture, while Penn State rallied in overtime to take down USC on the road and stay undefeated, too.

SEC contenders Alabama and Georgia both won, but in somewhat concerning fashion as the Crimson Tide needed some late heroics to edge out South Carolina at home, and the Bulldogs’ defense didn’t look its usually dominant self in a win over Mississippi State.

Texas stayed undefeated in a dominant 31-point victory over Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout, further entrenching its position at the top of the SEC pecking order, but another major test awaits at home, as Georgia comes to the Forty Acres next weekend in a landmark conference clash.

Where does that leave things in the top 25 college football rankings this week? Let’s check out what teams are moving up and down, and who are the new kids on the block, as we move into Week 8, according to the coaches’ vote.

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Texas (53)
2. Oregon (2)
3. Penn State 
4. Georgia
5. Ohio State
6. Miami
7. Alabama
8. LSU
9. Clemson
10. Tennessee
11. Notre Dame
12. Iowa State
13. BYU
14. Texas A&M
15. Ole Miss
16. Missouri
17. Kansas State
18. Indiana
19. Boise State
20. Pittsburgh
21. Illinois
22. Michigan
23. SMU
24. Army
25. Nebraska

More … Predicting the AP top 25 rankings for Week 8

No. 16 Oklahoma. After a bad loss to Texas, the Sooners need to find an offense quick before embarking on the rest of a brutal SEC schedule.

No. 17 Utah. The return of quarterback Cameron Rising wasn’t enough for the Utes offense in a loss at Arizona State that further hurts their Big 12 title hopes.

Oklahoma 81; Arizona State 49; Navy 37; Utah 31; Vanderbilt 26; Syracuse 13; UNLV 12; Iowa 12; Texas Tech 9; Liberty 9; Washington State 8; Memphis 4; Louisville 4; James Madison 3; Tulane 2.

Ole Miss (Down 7). The Rebels are at 1-2 in SEC play after dropping an overtime decision at LSU and those preseason playoff hopes are slipping away fast.

Clemson (Up 2). Back in the top-10 this week, the Tigers are confident on offense after trouncing Wake Forest and scoring more than 200 points in their 5-game win streak.

Ohio State (Down 3). A close loss at Oregon puts Ryan Day’s performance in big games under a microscope, but the Buckeyes are still well within striking distance in the national title hunt.

Army (Up 4). Undefeated through 6 games, the Black Knights have one of college football’s most potent rushing offenses and have emerged as a G5 sleeper in the early playoff picture.

It was guaranteed we would lose at least one team from the ranks of the undefeated, and this week that dishonor goes to Ohio State, which came just 1 point short of knocking off Oregon on the road.

ACC: Miami, Pittsburgh

Big Ten: Oregon, Penn State, Indiana

Big 12: BYU, Iowa State

SEC: Texas

AAC: Army, Navy

CUSA: Liberty

More … ESPN updates Top 25 football rankings in Week 8

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