We here at The Eliminator pride ourselves on accuracy. Timing… maybe not so much. But after taking a week off, we are back and better than ever! The Top 8 is coming together, and next week The Eliminator’s rankings will come in. Trending Down and Up are gone, and Control Their Destiny and Need Help have been created! Now moving on to recap, Many Top 25 Teams went down this week. It would appear nobody can remain consistent. Now, here we go!

Contenders

Virginia Tech (7-1): Virginia Tech has been on fire recently, picking up huge wins week after week. With the 13th toughest schedule, and their only loss coming by two points to fellow contender Georgia Tech, it’s hard not to put the Fightin’ Jakes Hokies in the number 1 slot.

Virginia Tech has been on fire recently, picking up huge wins week after week. With the 13th toughest schedule, and their only loss coming by two points to fellow contender Georgia Tech, it’s hard not to put the Hokies in the number 1 slot. Oklahoma State (6-2): After a shocking loss to WVU, the Cowpokes rebounded against Kansas by checks notes losing to Kansas State. Things are looking troublesome in Stillwater.

After a shocking loss to WVU, the Cowpokes rebounded against Kansas by checks notes losing to Kansas State. Things are looking troublesome in Stillwater. UCLA ( 6-2): UCLA took a tough loss to Oregon that they should have won. They are still very much in the driver’s seat of the PAC-12.

( UCLA took a tough loss to Oregon that they should have won. They are still very much in the driver’s seat of the PAC-12. Best of the Rest: MTSU, Georgia Tech, Rice, Texas. Utah State, Colorado State, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Buffalo

Control Their Destiny

Texas State (7-1): If they can win the Sun Belt, they’re in. But right now, they don’t look like a playoff team.

If they can win the Sun Belt, they’re in. But right now, they don’t look like a playoff team. Michigan State, Penn State, Michigan: Every game for the 3 Big Ten East teams is a playoff game right now. Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State all clash in the coming weeks. Whoever runs the gauntlet will secure the B1G Championship berth, but can they survive enough to make the playoff? Time will tell.

Every game for the 3 Big Ten East teams is a playoff game right now. Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State all clash in the coming weeks. Whoever runs the gauntlet will secure the B1G Championship berth, but can they survive enough to make the playoff? Time will tell. North Texas (5-3): They control the C-USA west, and a 10-3 Conference champion, with the 18th toughest schedule, is hard to ignore.

They control the C-USA west, and a 10-3 Conference champion, with the 18th toughest schedule, is hard to ignore. Oregon (6-2): After dropping two close games, the Ducks made a statement win against UCLA. They are in the driver’s seat of an extremely close PAC-12 North, and with 4 in-conference games remaining, they need to win out or be out.

After dropping two close games, the Ducks made a statement win against UCLA. They are in the driver’s seat of an extremely close PAC-12 North, and with 4 in-conference games remaining, they need to win out or be out. UNLV (6-2): UNLV needs to just hang on in the MW West, win the MW championship, and they’ll be in. Can they do it? We will see.

UNLV needs to just hang on in the MW West, win the MW championship, and they’ll be in. Can they do it? We will see. Ohio (6-2): Running the table will secure a spot in the MAC championship for Ohio. Win out, and they are in.

Running the table will secure a spot in the MAC championship for Ohio. Win out, and they are in. UCF (6-2): UCF controls the American east. and with seemingly no competition, the War On I-4 against USF will determine how things end up.

Need Some Help

UTEP (5-3): UTEP needs some chaos in the C-USA to have a shot at the championship. But a 10-3 C-USA Champ would be hard to ignore.

UTEP needs some chaos in the C-USA to have a shot at the championship. But a 10-3 C-USA Champ would be hard to ignore. Virginia (5-3): UVA needs some coastal chaos, but they can’t get caught looking ahead to week twelve against VT. They take on the Number 4 Offense in the league in Troy next week. and Virginia is not a defensive team by any means, with the 110th ranked D in the country.

UVA needs some coastal chaos, but they can’t get caught looking ahead to week twelve against VT. They take on the Number 4 Offense in the league in Troy next week. and Virginia is not a defensive team by any means, with the 110th ranked D in the country. Arkansas State(6-2): Arkansas State needs a Texas State collapse, but they also need some other 6-2 and 5-3 teams to lose, because they have a pretty weak resume.

Arkansas State needs a Texas State collapse, but they also need some other 6-2 and 5-3 teams to lose, because they have a pretty weak resume. Iowa (6-2): Iowa’s only path to the playoff has to include a B1G Championship game. Week Ten is their shot to take down Purdue and get back in it. They also need Wisconsin to collapse late season.

Iowa’s only path to the playoff has to include a B1G Championship game. Week Ten is their shot to take down Purdue and get back in it. They also need Wisconsin to collapse late season. Ball State (5-3): Ball State needs some help from CMU to lose, and some chaos to happen around the country, but they are hanging on by a thread.

Ball State needs some help from CMU to lose, and some chaos to happen around the country, but they are hanging on by a thread. Memphis (5-3): Memphis needs some chaos, and they NEED a win against number 4 MTSU to keep their hopes alive.

Memphis needs some chaos, and they NEED a win against number 4 MTSU to keep their hopes alive. TCU (5-3): TCU needs chaos in the Big 12 to hang on to their hopes. A win against Oklahoma State will keep them in it.

TCU needs chaos in the Big 12 to hang on to their hopes. A win against Oklahoma State will keep them in it. LSU (5-3): LSU controls their destiny in the SEC, but they need chaos around the world to try to sneak in as an 8 or 7 seed.

LSU controls their destiny in the SEC, but they need chaos around the world to try to sneak in as an 8 or 7 seed. Central Michigan (5-3): CMU needs some MACtion chaos to happen, and they might be able to sneak in as a conference champ.

CMU needs some MACtion chaos to happen, and they might be able to sneak in as a conference champ. Kent State (5-3): Exact same situation as CMU.

Exact same situation as CMU. Wyoming (5-3): Wyoming needs absolute anarchy in the stacked MW to have a chance of getting in. Shoutout to the MW because they are absolutely STACKED this year.

Wyoming needs absolute anarchy in the stacked MW to have a chance of getting in. Shoutout to the MW because they are absolutely STACKED this year. Arkansas(5-3): Arkansas needs help in the SEC, and around the country to try to sneak in.

Arkansas needs help in the SEC, and around the country to try to sneak in. Duke (5-3): Duke needs coastal chaos to get in at this point.

Duke needs coastal chaos to get in at this point. Arizona(6-2): After a loss by UCLA, Zona is in the passenger’s seat of the Toyota RAV 4 that is the PAC-12. They need to run the table and have a UCLA loss to get in.

After a loss by UCLA, Zona is in the passenger’s seat of the Toyota RAV 4 that is the PAC-12. They need to run the table and have a UCLA loss to get in. SMU (5-3): SMU needs a win against Memphis and some chaos to sneak in as an eight seed.

SMU needs a win against Memphis and some chaos to sneak in as an eight seed. Kansas State (5-3): KSU needs chaos in the Big Twelve to sneak in.

KSU needs chaos in the Big Twelve to sneak in. Akron (6-2): Akron, even at 6-2, needs some MAC chaos to get in somehow.

Akron, even at 6-2, needs some MAC chaos to get in somehow. Notre Dame (5-3): Notre Dame has the lowest chance to make it, but they still have a shot if absolute anarchy and nuclear annihilation occurs,

Eliminated

Washington State (3-5): Wazzou would have been eliminated last week, but with 5 losses it is an easy elimination.

Wazzou would have been eliminated last week, but with 5 losses it is an easy elimination. Minnesota (5-3): Minnesota has 3 losses to top 15 teams, and they’ve proven they just can’t show up in big games. With no clear path to a B1G Championship, things don’t look great.

Minnesota has 3 losses to top 15 teams, and they’ve proven they just can’t show up in big games. With no clear path to a B1G Championship, things don’t look great. Baylor (4-4): 4 losses doesn’t cut it here.

4 losses doesn’t cut it here. Kansas(4-4): Ditto.

Ditto. Louisiana Tech (4-4): A 4 loss skid ended it for LA Tech.

A 4 loss skid ended it for LA Tech. Charlotte (5-3): With no possibility of making the C-USA Championship, I struggle to see a path forward for Charlotte.

With no possibility of making the C-USA Championship, I struggle to see a path forward for Charlotte. Old Dominion (3-5): No explanation needed. Better than their record, they are indeed.

No explanation needed. Better than their record, they are indeed. Tulane (4-4): 4 bad losses ends it for Tulane.

4 bad losses ends it for Tulane. Vanderbilt(5-3): A poor schedule and 3 really bad losses, unfortunately, end it for the new and improved Commodores.

A poor schedule and 3 really bad losses, unfortunately, end it for the new and improved Commodores. Syracuse (4-4): 4 losses doesn’t cut it. They are still very much in the coastal race.

4 losses doesn’t cut it. They are still very much in the coastal race. Indiana (4-4): With a difficult path to the B1G Championship and 4 losses, Indiana is out.

With a difficult path to the B1G Championship and 4 losses, Indiana is out. Temple (4-4): Temple came completely off the rails, having a very poor second half of the season.

Temple came completely off the rails, having a very poor second half of the season. Western Kentucky (4-4): It pains me deeply to write this. May thy bowl be blessed.

It pains me deeply to write this. May thy bowl be blessed. Boston College (5-3): A difficult path to the ACC Championship and 0-2 against Top 50 doesn’t look great nowadays.

A difficult path to the ACC Championship and 0-2 against Top 50 doesn’t look great nowadays. Maryland (3-5): 5 losses in a row for the Terrapins. RIP

5 losses in a row for the Terrapins. RIP Cincinnati (3-5): 4 losses in a row is certainly hard to overcome.

4 losses in a row is certainly hard to overcome. Georgia (4-4): The second worst schedule and 4 losses end UGA’s hopes.

The second worst schedule and 4 losses end UGA’s hopes. Western Michigan (4-4): Essentially eliminated from MACtion and 4 losses.

Essentially eliminated from MACtion and 4 losses. Louisville (4-4): It would be absolute chaos if a 4 loss team made the playoff, but if anyone can do it, it’s Louisville. For now, they are way out of it.

39 Teams Remain. Who’s in?