The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dropped to 4-3 in Week 7 with a 41-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on ‘Monday Night Football.’ After building a 10-0 lead after the first quarter, the Buccaneers were outscored 17-0 in the second quarter en route to the defeat.

The Buccaneers couldn’t convert their lone red zone trip of the second quarter to points. On that drive — which ended in a Baker Mayfield interception — the Buccaneers’ quarterback took a shot to Mike Evans in the end zone. Evans couldn’t hang on and injured his hamstring in the process.

The five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was dealing with an injury to that hamstring prior to the game. Evans left the contest after that play and did not return.

It was a rough night for Tampa Bay’s wide receiver corps. Chris Godwin suffered a serious ankle injury in the final minute of the game as well and has been placed on injured reserve. On Tuesday, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles provided an update on Evans’ status.

When will Mike Evans return?

Bowles said Evans’ hamstring injury is ‘moderate’ but did not provide a specific return date. He said that Evans will be out through the Buccaneers’ bye in Week 11.

All things Buccaneers: Latest Tampa Bay Buccaneers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

The Buccaneers have games against the Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers ahead of the bye. That puts Evans’ earliest return at Nov. 24 for Tampa Bay’s Week 12 game on the road against the New York Giants.

The Falcons game will be the first game Evans has missed since Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season. He hasn’t missed a regular season game due to injury since Week 16 of the 2021 season.

When was Mike Evans injured?

Evans injured his hamstring halfway through the second quarter of Week 7’s ‘Monday Night Football’ game between the Ravens and Buccaneers. It came after his first and only touchdown of the game — his 100th career receiving touchdown.

Evans is just the 11th player in NFL history with 100 touchdown receptions. The others are:

Jerry Rice (197)
Randy Moss (156)
Terrell Ownes (153)
Cris Carter (130)
Marvin Harrison (128)
Larry Fitzgerald (121)
Antonio Gates (116)
Tony Gonzalez (111)
Tim Brown (100)
Steve Largent (100)

Mike Evans stats

In 2024, Evans has 26 catches for 335 yards and a league-leading six touchdowns in seven games.

Buccaneers WR depth chart

With Evans and Godwin both out with injury, here’s how the rest of the active roster looks for Tampa Bay at wide receiver:

Jalen McMillan
Sterling Shepard
Trey Palmer

The Buccaneers also have Marquez Callaway and Ryan Miller available on their practice squad.

The New Orleans Saints’ best offensive weapon is staying in the Big Easy for a few more seasons.

Running back Alvin Kamara and the Saints have agreed to terms on a new two-year, $24.5 million extension, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet official.

The contract extension ties Kamara and New Orleans through the 2026 season.

The versatile running back has 438 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, 34 receptions, 252 receiving yards and one touchdown catch this year.

Kamara is one of the top running backs in Saints franchise history. He’s the Saints’ franchise leader in yards from scrimmage (10,738) and his 60 rushing touchdowns ranks first. His 6,267 career rushing yards is No. 2 in team history and he’s just 233 rushing yards shy from becoming the Saints’ all-time leading rusher.

All things Saints: Latest New Orleans Saints news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

The Saints drafted Kamara in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in his first season and has been selected to five Pro Bowls. He’s topped over 1,100 yards from scrimmage in his first seven seasons in a Saints uniform.

Kamara let it be known he yearned for a new contract before the start of the regular season. The running back left the Saints’ mandatory minicamp early amid the contract dispute.

“I want to be a Saint. You know what I’m saying? I want to retire here,” Kamara told reporters in July. “If I got to play football somewhere else, I’ll probably be somewhere with my feet kicked up in Africa somewhere, or something like that.’

Kamara’s two-year extension ensures he will be a Saint, and won’t have his feet kicked up in another continent.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

Colorado two-way football star Travis Hunter is expected back again in his team’s next game Saturday against Cincinnati and “will contribute a lot more than he did a week ago, because he’s healthier,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said Tuesday.

“Travis is better than last week,” Sanders said at his weekly news conference in Boulder.  “I think he’ll have more productivity because he’s feeling much better than last week. You can just tell with his little giddy-up and the way he goes about life, a little more pep in his step today.”

Hunter injured his right shoulder in a loss to Kansas State Oct. 12 but still returned to play in the first half of his next game last weekend, a 34-7 win at Arizona. He just wasn’t 100% healthy. Sanders said after the game that Hunter was sore and didn’t play in the second half as a precautionary move – the second straight week he didn’t play after halftime.

Can Travis Hunter revive his Heisman Trophy candidacy?

His absence hurt his candidacy for the Heisman Trophy, dropping him from second to fourth in the odds to win the award, according to BetMGM.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

This week he could revive his candidacy with the Buffaloes playing a key game in the race for the Big 12 Conference title. Both Cincinnati and Colorado are 5-2 with 3-1 records in Big 12 play. The winner of Saturday’s game in Boulder would stay near the top of the pack with BYU (7-0) and Iowa State (7-0).

With four regular-season games remaining after this, a victory also would make the Buffs eligible for a bowl game in Sanders’ second season as head coach – a big milestone for a program that finished 1-11 before Sanders’ arrival in 2022.

Deion Sanders: Getting hated at road games ‘kind of sexy’

The time and place of Saturday’s game against Cincinnati normally might not be a big subject of discussion. But these are Sanders’ Buffs, who have thrived on the road this year with three straight wins in hostile environments. This week they return home, where they lost their last game against Kansas State, a game that didn’t start until about 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. This game also is scheduled for a 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN, the eighth straight game for the Buffs on national television. The Buffs are 4-5 at Folsom Field under Sanders in two seasons.

“We like to be booed and nay-sayed and hated,” Sanders said of his team’s road success. “That turns us on. It turns us on. It’s kind of sexy as a matter of fact. That’s how I felt when I played. I loved to be on the road and get booed and nay-sayed and hated on. I think we like being the underdogs and we like being those types of people.”

Sanders is not a fan of the late kickoffs, however, in part because his team usually practices in the morning during the week.

“We hadn’t started off quick in the night games because it flips our whole schedule,’ Sanders said. “We fared better in day games because that’s who we are. But we plan to make adjustments this week to make sure we get the proper sleep, the proper rest and we’re ready and prepared for kickoff.”

Colorado’s NFL selling point

Colorado’s defense is a big reason for its success this season under new defensive coordinator Robert Livingston. The Buffs rank 13th nationally and first in the Big 12 in quarterback sacks with 21. Livingston came to Colorado after previously serving as a defensive backs coach with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals. He is one of several assistant coaches on Sanders’ coaching staff with NFL experience, which is a big part of his message to potential recruits, more so than getting money for their names, images and likenesses (NIL).

“NIL is cool, but the real money is in the league,” freshman offensive lineman Jordan Seaton said Tuesday.

Seaton’s position coach, Phil Loadholt, also played in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. Seaton aspires to be a top NFL draft pick in a few years.

“He has the cars that we want,” Seaton said of Loadholt. “He has the money that we all trying to get. So I feel like, me personally, I like listening to people who’ve done it, you know?… I know that he has done it, and it’s proof that he has done it, so why not just listen to him and take his advice?”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Joe Mansueto is worth $7.1 billion, per Forbes. As such, he doesn’t expect the public to help fund a new stadium for the Chicago Fire.

That view, simple as it may seem, puts Mansueto in the minority when it comes to professional sports team owners.

As Mansueto searches for a new home for his side, he told The Athletic that he wasn’t expecting the public to handle any of the bill. In fact, he found the entire concept to be somewhat offensive when the city has so many more pressing needs.

“My personal view is that stadiums are not a great investment,” Mansueto said. “They’re big, costly to maintain, sit empty most of the time.

‘And so to the extent that they create value, most of that accrues to the sports team, not the municipality. So to me, it’s fair that the sports team should own it.

‘Moreover, here in Illinois, in the City of Chicago, our finances are strained. Teachers want more money, law enforcement needs money, pension obligations. Our city and state don’t have the funds, to be candid, and so to me, we would privately finance it.”

The Fire currently play downtown at the massive Soldier Field, home to the NFL’s Chicago Bears. Prior to 2020, they played at a more reasonably sized venue, SeatGeek Stadium, which is located well outside the city center in Bridgeview.

For Mansueto, a smaller stadium that is easier for Chicagoans to reach represents the holy grail.

“A smaller venue I think would work well for us and help us connect further with our fan base,” Mansueto said after revealing that the club had toured three potential stadium sites.

“I think it would be another element in re-energizing the club.”

One caveat here: Teams may talk a big game about privately financing stadiums, but sometimes find a loophole through charging the public for infrastructure around the stadium, or through complicated tax breaks.

Should the Fire secure a new venue and not fund every cent privately, Mansueto will deserve to have his feet held to the, ahem, fire. Until then, though, his comments are a promising start.

A brutal rash of injuries has left many fantasy managers with gaping holes in their starting lineups for Week 8, even with no NFL teams on bye.

There’s no way to completely replace the likes of Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel or Rashid Shaheed. But in trying, we may need to dig rather deep into the available player pool to find their replacements.

As you might expect, this week’s waiver wire suggestions are chock full of wide receivers as we look to fill the void left by so many ailing starters.

Fantasy football players to add for Week 8

Due to the wide variance in types of leagues and individual team needs, the players listed here are in the lowest to highest availability rates in Fantrax leagues, which may or not match rates on other platforms. (Suggested bid values based on $100 free agent acquisition budget for the season.)

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

WR Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens (39% availability)

The top-ranked Ravens offense continues to roll along with QB Lamar Jackson throwing five touchdown passes on Monday night. The league’s leading receiver in Week 7? None other than Bateman, who hauled in all four of his targets for 121 yards and a touchdown. If Zay Flowers continues to be limited by a tweaked ankle, the speedy Bateman will play an even larger role going forward. FAAB bid: $10

WR Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers (49%)

With Brandon Aiyuk set for season-ending knee surgery, Jauan Jennings sitting out with a hip injury and Deebo Samuel suffering from pneumonia, someone has to catch Brock Purdy’s passes. Pearsall – the Niners’ first-round pick in this year’s draft – should be that guy. After missing the first six games recovering from a gunshot wound, Pearsall made his NFL debut on Sunday, catching three passes for 21 yards and playing more snaps (44) than any other Niners receiver. FAAB bid: $13.

TE Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins (57%)

Smith, not Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle, was Miami’s leading receiver on Sunday with seven receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown. Of course, that was with Tyler Huntley at quarterback. It looks like Tua Tagovailoa will return from injured reserve to reclaim the job this week, so Smith may not be as frequent a target. Still, the week’s No. 2 fantasy tight end is worth a long look if you’ve been streaming the position all season. FAAB bid: $4.

QB Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (59%)

Entering Monday night, Wilson was the No. 1 fantasy quarterback on the week, throwing for 264 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another score. Not bad for his first game coming off a calf injury. While fantasy managers in one-QB leagues probably already have a solid starter, Wilson’s upside (especially throwing to WR George Pickens) definitely makes him a potential spot start during bye weeks. FAAB bid: $5

RB Tyler Goodson, Indianapolis Colts (68%)

Jonathan Taylor is hoping to return to practice this week after an ankle injury has forced him to miss the last three games. In his place, Goodson and Trey Sermon have been sharing time. While Sermon (44% available) has been getting more snaps, Goodson has been more productive. FAAB bid: $6

WR Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (67%)

The Bucs lost both of their starting wide receivers to injury on Monday night, with Chris Godwin likely out for the season. McMillan, a rookie third-round pick, has the highest upside of the other receivers who could line up opposite Mike Evans (who’s dealing with a nagging hamstring himself). McMillan saw eight targets before Godwin’s injury, so look for him to see even more opportunities going forward. FAAB bid: $8.

QB Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns (84%)

With QB Deshaun Watson, the Browns had the NFL’s worst offense, so what makes anyone think things will be better with a backup under center? First off, the veteran Winston is much more of a risk-taker throwing the ball, which can lead to big plays. However, that also makes him prone to turning the ball over. In other words: Break glass only in case of emergency. FAAB bid: $1.

(For what it’s worth, the Patriots’ Drake Maye is still at 40% availability and he finished as QB6 on the week.)

WR Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns (87%)

The real reason to hype Winston’s elevation to starter (and we’re only assuming at this point due to Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s finger injury) is that Browns receivers will have a greater chance to put up decent numbers. Tillman led the group on Sunday with 12 targets, catching eight for 81 yards. The Browns figure to be playing a lot of catch-up going forward. While TE David Njoku looks like the No. 1 option, Tillman appears ahead of Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore in the pecking order. FAAB bid: $5.

WR Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions (87%)

Raymond and Tim Patrick (90% available, mentioned last week) will see increased snaps over the next two weeks while Jameson Williams serves his two-game suspension. That’s an important role with star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown likely to get even more attention from defenses. Raymond is likely to be the hotter pickup this week after catching his first TD pass of the season vs. Minnesota. FAAB bid: $4.

WR Cedrick Wilson, New Orleans Saints (95%)

Bub Means was the preferred player last week in light of injuries to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, but Wilson had six catches for 57 yards and a TD in Week 7, while Means was 3-37. It may not matter as long as rookie Spencer Rattler is the quarterback, but he’s almost certainly available. And the schedule looks a little better after this week’s matchup against the Chargers. FAAB bid: $2.

1. Texas: A Bevo-sized mess

He made the statement so matter of factly, there was an odd sense of inevitability to it all. 

“Hopefully,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said, “We get another crack at them.”

I don’t want to be the guy who has to state the obvious, but here goes: Texas has played three games in its new conference, and the Longhorns aren’t close to experiencing the weekly meat grinder that is the Ess Eee See, son. 

Texas played the best team in the SEC at home last weekend and lost to Georgia by 15. The Longhorns have also played the worst team (Mississippi State), and the second-worst team (Oklahoma) in the SEC.

Let’s just say Texas has run out of tomato cans to play. It’s time for big boy football ― with a looming quarterback controversy, no less. 

Hey, you wanted to be part of this SEC menagerie, where every week is life and death and no one gives a flip if you’re Texas. Where every road trip – there are still three remaining for the Longhorns – is a white knuckle ride of unkind uncertainty. 

Where you can’t just throw a tantrum and get what you want like the good ol’ days in the Big 12. Well, you can, but you’ll get fined $250,000 by the league office and land on double secret probation — after a call on the field was blown not once (the initial call of pass interference on Texas), but twice (the never before seen magical reversal). 

At some point, you’ve got to go on the road and deal with it. We’ve reached the fourth week of October, and Texas finally gets its first true SEC road game — against former lightweight Vanderbilt. An incredibly advantageous (and coincidental, I’m sure) scheduling move by the league office.

Doesn’t mean the Longhorns can’t or won’t win out. It just means there’s more beef to the inevitable “another crack at them.”

2. The QB controversy

Sarkisian made a mistake when he pulled starting quarterback Quinn Ewers against Georgia, and no amount of “there is no controversy’ can hide the fact that there absolutely is one.

Self-created, no less. 

Look, no one – and I mean, no one – was going to play well against the fierce Georgia pass rush. Once that defense zeroes in, once Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart convinces his group that it’s the most talented, nasty defense in college football against the world, the quarterback on the other side is usually in big, big trouble.

Ewers didn’t play well, and I know this is going to shock everyone (sarcasm, people), neither did Manning. But here’s the key: by benching Ewers when he’s struggling, Sarkisian made it clear that he’ll do it.

That’s as damaging as the benching itself. 

Because now Ewers knows one bad quarter on the road in the SEC – where, odds are, it’s going to happen – and he could be sitting and watching Manning. No matter what Sarkisian said after the fact.

Ewers has gone from playing loose and free and knowing the team (and the position) is his, to one bad series away from losing it again. The quarterback who was one throw away in 2023 from leading the Longhorns to the national title game, is now constantly feeling the pressure of, and looking for, the hook. 

That’s a bad way to play football. 

CALM DOWN: Alabama, Texas lead biggest Week 8 overreactions

RE-RANK: Oregon takes over top spot of NCAA 1-134 after Texas loss

3. A 10-gallon problem, The Epilogue

The margin for error is gone for Texas. Of all the fallout from that humbling pummeling at the hands of Georgia, nothing is more important. 

The further we get from last month’s gold standard non-conference win at Michigan, the closer we get to Illinois beating Michigan ― If you know what I mean. 

So in the spirit of the annual transitive property argument of college football, I give you this: who has Texas beaten? The Longhorns looked like they didn’t belong on the field in their only game of significance ― which isn’t the first time Georgia has done that to every team not named Alabama.

Texas may not be able to afford another loss against a schedule of at Vanderbilt (not a gimme putt), Florida, at Arkansas (former Southwest Conference rival), Kentucky and at bitter rival Texas A&M — which has waited more than a decade to get another shot at Texas. 

The road to “get another crack at them” is about as sure as “there is no quarterback controversy.”

4. Oklahoma: No boom, all bust

Meanwhile, there’s Oklahoma, the other heralded addition to the SEC. Let’s just say, it isn’t going well. 

The Sooners began last weekend – long before Texas was exposed by Georgia – losing by 26 points at home to South Carolina. I don’t think I’m breaking any news here when I say if you lose by 26 at home to South Carolina, someone is getting fired. 

That someone: first-year offensive coordinator Seth Littrell. 

Someone has to pay for the regression of former five-star quarterback recruit Jackson Arnold, even though the top five receivers are out with injuries and the offensive line leads the SEC in sacks allowed (28). Arnold looked lost from Week 1, and the Sooners’ offense never really clicked with he or backup Michael Hawkins Jr. 

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables elevated assistant Joe Jon Finley to play caller and co-coordinator, but the significant move is Kevin Johns, the former offensive assistant who is now quarterbacks coach and co-coordinator. 

Johns last worked with Riley Leonard at Duke, and helped him develop from raw dual-threat into high-level thrower. Oklahoma is last in the SEC in nearly every offensive metric, and sometimes a different voice and a scaled down offense resonates with struggling quarterbacks. 

It better, because the schedule is unforgiving: road games at Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU, sandwiched around home games against Alabama and Championship Subdivision opponent Maine.

The league office made that schedule, too, just in case you’re interested in conspiracy.

5. The Weekly Five

Five reasons we’ve all forgotten about one-loss Notre Dame, despite a win at the team everyone now loves (Texas A&M).

1. The Northern Illinois loss. Unforgivable.

2. The Irish are about as exciting as an enema.

3. ND wins after the NIU loss: Purdue, Miami (Ohio), Louisville, Stanford, Georgia Tech — a combined record of 14-15.

4. New Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock has turned Leonard into a heckuva runner (456 yards, 10 TDs) as a thrower.

5. Did I say NIU? Huskies have lost to Buffalo, North Carolina State and Toledo since winning in South Bend, Indiana.

6. NFL scout’s take on Syracuse TE Oronde Gadsen II

An NFL scout analyzes a draft eligible player. The scout requested anonymity to protect the team’s draft preparation. 

“Crazy athleticism, and huge upside. He’s about 230-235 pounds, and if you can get him a little heavier he has some Kyle Pitts-type ability. He’s not going to be a heavy in-line blocker, but he’s going to cause matchup problems and put a defense in conflict. He has some injury history, and that specific injury (Lisfranc, 2023) is one that can be troublesome down the road. There’s a lot to like about what he can be.”

7. Power Play: Tennessee makes a statement

This week’s College Football Playoff Power Poll, and one big thing.

1. Georgia: Back in the comfortable saddle at the head of the pack, taking on all comers.

2. Oregon: This team needed punt and kick returns for touchdowns, and a last-second field goal, to beat Boise State in Eugene. 

3. Miami: The only drama left in a weak schedule is how badly Miami will beat bitter rival Florida State this weekend.

4. Brigham Young: Central Florida should’ve beaten Iowa State, and now gets BYU in Orlando. A dangerous spot for the Cougars.

5. Ohio State: A tuneup against Nebraska before traveling to Penn State in a game that suddenly has become of critical need for one-loss Buckeyes.

6. Texas: Georgia (and Trevor Etienne) showed you can run on the Texas defense. Texas A&M and Arkansas are two of the top four rushing teams in the SEC.

7. Penn State: Texas and Penn State are the same team, each using the anchor of a win against a struggling blueblood program to bolster a weak resume.  

8. Tennessee: Playoff run could come down to who looks better in a loss to Georgia: Texas or Tennessee?

9. LSU: Forget about the comeback at South Carolina, or the Ole Miss win. Rout at Arkansas was most impressive game of the season.

10. Kansas State: Defense has turned a corner since the blowout loss to BYU, giving up an average of 22 ppg.

11. Indiana: QB Kurtis Rourke is out indefinitely, and former Tennessee transfer Tayven Jackson is next up. 

12. Boise State: Broncos can’t let the season be all about Ashton Jeanty chasing history. 

13. Clemson: Tigers look good on six-game win streak, but combined opponent record is 16-26.

14. Iowa State: Not feeling it. Why? The schedule is ridiculously easy.

15. Texas A&M: We’re about to find out if the Aggies are for real this weekend against LSU.

16. Army: If Vanderbilt can beat Alabama, you better believe Army can, too.   

8. Mail bonding: ACC and Big 12 races

Matt: Why no love for Pitt in your weekly CFP poll? You’re going to get on the bandwagon too late. — Gerald Conners, Pittsburgh. 

Gerald: 

I respect what Pittsburgh has accomplished with a new quarterback (Eli Holstein) and another defense that pressures the quarterback (18 sacks). But it’s the way they’ve won against less-than-stellar competition that, at least, leads to pause. 

But that’s no different than any number of teams in the ACC and Big 12, where we’re closing in on November, and there are few (if any) marquee wins. Clemson, Miami, SMU and Pitt are all unbeaten in ACC play, and none have a signature win.

BYU and Iowa State are unbeaten in the Big 12, and only BYU (over Kansas State) has a win of significance. There are four Big 12 teams with one loss, and none have a win (or even a loss) of significance.

Iowa State could be unbeaten in the regular season final against Kansas State, and not have a win against a currently ranked team. Miami could be 12-0 and not have beaten a currently ranked team.

9. Numbers game: Indiana and the Top 10

Just in case seven consecutive wins to begin the season, and an average margin of victory of 35 doesn’t convince you of Indiana’s bona fides, consider these national top 10 rankings:

Scoring offense (1st), scoring defense (7th).

Total offense (5th), total defense (7th).

Long scrimmage plays (3rd), opponent long scrimmage plays (9th).

First downs (2nd), opponent first downs (10th).

Rush defense (4th).

Third-down conversions (5th).

Rourke, in his sixth season after playing five at Ohio, leads the nation in passing efficiency. How Jackson plays until Rourke returns from a thumb injury will be critical to Indiana’s magical season.    

10. The last word: Colorado and the CFP

Before we go further, the Buffs are going to need help. More than likely, a lot of help. 

But pressure affects teams differently, especially November games when the push to the CFP begins. Maybe the help arrives, and maybe, just maybe, a suddenly surging Colorado deals with a manageable schedule (Cincinnati, at Texas Tech, Utah, at Kansas, Oklahoma State) and finishes with 10 wins and a spot in the Big 12 championship game — against, does it really matter?

Imagine the circus of championship week with Colorado and Coach Prime one win away from the CFP and a first-round bye.  

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X @MattHayesCFB.

NFL power rankings entering Week 8 of the 2024 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): Patrick Mahomes joined Peyton Manning (2015) as the only quarterbacks in the past 30 years to guide their teams to 6-0 starts despite throwing more INTs than TDs. Manning’s Broncos won the title that season. Sunday, the Chiefs return to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, where they’re 5-0 (including their overtime triumph in Super Bowl 58). Good bet K.C., which hasn’t lost on the road to the Silver and Black in seven years, progresses to 7-0.

3. Detroit Lions (4): The very early leaders for home-field advantage in the NFC, they might actually be even more dangerous on the road – where they’re undefeated with an average margin of victory of 15.7 points. However the looming suspension to WR Jameson Williams certainly doesn’t help the greater cause.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

7. Buffalo Bills (9): They trade for WR Amari Cooper … and, naturally, rookie Keon Coleman has Buffalo’s first 100-yard receiving day of the season in Sunday’s victory.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6): Monday night started out nicely for the wideouts, Mike Evans catching his 100th TD and actually remembering to keep the ball. It ended with Evans in agony with an exacerbated hamstring issue that’s going to keep him out for the next month, and Chris Godwin apparently suffering a season-ending leg injury (very) late in the game himself.

10. Washington Commanders (10): Though it was certainly boosted by Sunday’s rout of Carolina, you might be surprised to learn that Washington’s +66 point differential paces the league. But that obviously won’t be easy to maintain if rookie QB Jayden Daniels misses starts due to his rib injury.

13. Dallas Cowboys (15): No place like the road. The ‘Boys will play their next two away from their AT&T Stadium house of horrors – which is a plus. This team is 3-0 outside of Texas and hasn’t allowed more than 17 points in any of those games.

17. San Francisco 49ers (12): With WR Brandon Aiyuk lost to a season-ending ACL injury, it’s now apparent this crew will never be whole in what is something of a ‘The Last Dance’ situation. Depending on which wideouts can answer the bell in Week 8 against Dallas, the Niners might be relying on the likes of rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing.

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21. Indianapolis Colts (13): They’re 4-3 and have moved into wild-card position in the AFC. But Indy simply isn’t passing the eyeball test with sophomore Anthony Richardson, the league’s least-accurate (48.5%) and efficient (60.0 rating) quarterback among those with at least 100 passes. (Though apparently the NFL likes what it sees, flexing the Colts into a Sunday night date at Minnesota in Week 9.)

22. New York Jets (18): Looking for a scintilla of good news, NYJ fans, if LB Haason Reddick’s return just ain’t doing it for ya? Then how about this: In five of the six previous seasons, a team that started 2-5 nevertheless found its way into the playoff field.

24. Miami Dolphins (29): How bad has this offense been? Try a league-worst 1.04 points per drive. It should certainly help to get QB Tua Tagovailoa back, but – don’t forget – the Fins weren’t playing very well when he was in the lineup, either.

31. Tennessee Titans (28): Good thing you’ve got all those veteran wideouts when you can’t pass for even 150 yards per week. Two words: Trade and deadline.

32. Cleveland Browns (31): Whatever his football future is at this point, injured QB Deshaun Watson will at least remain financially tethered to this franchise for two more seasons. But if he’s played his last down with the Browns, Watson will almost doubtless be remembered for settling 24 lawsuits during his stint, juxtaposed to the 22 TDs he generated.

(This story has been updated to include new information.)

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

Georgia’s win at Texas returns the Bulldogs to the top overall seed and dumps the Longhorns into an at-large bid in this week’s College Football Playoff projection.

While playoff expansion has lessened the impact of these high-profile games, this swap reflects the down-the-road influence of the regular season. Now, the Bulldogs are poised to receive a bye through the playoff’s opening round while the Longhorns would have to navigate through another postseason matchup to win the national championship.

The Longhorns are still projected for a rematch with Georgia to decide the SEC. For one, the loss doesn’t alter the fact that Texas has looked like one of the nation’s best teams; after getting thrown into an early hole on Saturday night, the Longhorns rebounded after the break and largely outplayed the Bulldogs in the second half.

There’s also a very manageable schedule that paves the way for the rematch. That’s good news and bad: Texas might have an easier path than other contenders in the SEC, but that fact could come back to hurt the Longhorns’ postseason credentials if they stumble before December.

In fact, there is a chance that Texas could lose just once yet fail to notch a single win against a team that finishes the regular season in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Longhorns don’t have a ranked win through seven games — Michigan and Oklahoma were ranked at the time but have since dropped off the map — and would need Texas A&M to keep winning to ensure that remains a ranked-on-ranked matchup in the season finale.

College Football Playoff bracket projection

There are several unexpected contenders lurking in the playoff picture.

One is A&M, which has won six in a row after dropping the opener to Notre Dame. While they could take care of this problem by reaching the SEC championship game, the Aggies are rooting for the Fighting Irish to lose at least once and preferably twice to remove that potential roadblock from the equation.

Indiana continues to impress over in the Big Ten, most recently dismantling Nebraska in a 56-7 win. Off to the program’s best start since 1967, the Hoosiers end the regular season with Washington, Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State and Purdue, with the Spartans and Buckeyes coming on the road.

In the Big 12, Brigham Young remains tied with Iowa State as the league’s two unbeaten contenders. The Cougars miss the Cyclones during the regular season but do take on road trips against Central Florida, Utah and Arizona State.

CALM DOWN: Alabama, Texas lead biggest Week 8 overreactions

RE-RANK: Oregon takes over top spot of NCAA 1-134 after Texas loss

Four teams to watch

SMU

The Mustangs are only an 18-15 loss against BYU from being undefeated. Amazingly, they’ve defied the skeptics to rise to stand as one of three teams still perfect in ACC play, along with Miami and Clemson. Those two heavyweights are projected to represent the conference in the playoff, but SMU has played well enough to warrant a place among the crowded group of Power Four teams hanging around just outside the bracket.

Illinois

Like Indiana, Illinois is a surprising contender in the Big Ten as the regular season passes the midway point. On Saturday, the Illini manhandled Michigan in a 21-7 win that should put the team back on track after losing to Penn State and barely escaping against Purdue. This weekend’s matchup with Oregon will make or break Illinois’ chances.

UNLV

UNLV owned the second half against Oregon State to win 33-25 and stay at just one loss entering Friday night’s enormous Mountain West pairing with Boise State. While the Broncos are the Group of Five representative in our bracket, ahead of teams such as Army and Navy, the Rebels can climb back into the driver’s seat with a win. They’ll have to slow down Boise running back Ashton Jeanty, the nation’s leading rusher (1,248 yards) and a Heisman Trophy favorite.

Louisiana-Lafayette

Another team rising up the Group of Five rankings is ULL, which moved to 6-1 overall and stayed perfect in the Sun Belt with a 34-24 win at Coastal Carolina. The Ragin’ Cajuns have a solid loss to Tulane, a road win against Wake Forest and the chance to two or three wins down the stretch against potential bowl teams in Texas State, Arkansas State and rival Louisiana-Monroe. Louisiana-Lafayette needs a few things: to win out, for Georgia Southern to win out and create the best possible Sun Belt championship game matchup, and for some teams in the American Athletic to take down Army and Navy.

We knew much would change when No. 4 Georgia traveled to face No. 1 Texas in Week 8. We just didn’t know if the result would be the Longhorns solidifying themselves as the top contender for the national title or if the Bulldogs would give them a true baptism of what it is like to play in the SEC.

The result was the latter as Georgia demonstrated its dominance of Texas from the early going and won going away in Austin. That means major change for this week’s bowl projections as the top spot that Texas owned was going to be handed to someone else. And unsurprisingly, it’s the team that beat the Longhorns taking over.

While the Bulldogs aren’t ahead of Oregon in the polls and still have difficult games left, they’re now the favorite to win the SEC, and that makes them the favorite to enter the postseason as the committee’s No. 1. The Ducks are still in the fight but remain outside the spots reserved for conference champions with an expected rematch with Ohio State looming.

The other adjustment to the playoff field sees Iowa State fall out of the Big 12 champion position in favor of Kansas State. While the Cyclones managed to beat Central Florida, it was a less-than-convincing win that came as the Wildcats asserted themselves at West Virginia. But there’s long way to go in the most chaotic Power Four conference.

CALM DOWN: Alabama, Texas lead biggest Week 8 overreactions

RE-RANK: Oregon takes over top spot of NCAA 1-134 after Texas loss

Further down the postseason lineup, you won’t see two of the biggest programs in college football. Both Southern California and Oklahoma face long odds of reaching six wins given their poor play and difficult schedule ahead.

Note: Legacy Pac-12 schools in other conferences will fulfill existing Pac-12 bowl agreements through the 2025 season.