Eliminator Week 8: Maybe next year for Miami, Houston

MARK SCHLABACH via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>

October 25, 2016, 9:41 AM ET

13 min read

— -- The U. is back -- near the bottom of the ACC Coastal Division standings.

After opening the Mark Richt era with four straight victories, the Hurricanes have lost three consecutive games, including an ugly 37-16 loss at Virginia Tech last week.

The Hurricanes play three of their final five regular-season games on the road, starting with Saturday's trip to reeling Notre Dame, which meant a lot more in the 1980s and '90s than it means right now.

Miami and Houston were the only teams eliminated from the College Football Playoff race this week by The Eliminator, which is trimming the 128-team FBS field to four teams for the four spots in the playoff.

Through eight weeks, 106 of the 128 FBS teams have been eliminated from the College Football Playoff race, leaving 22 teams in contention for the four spots.

Here's where the FBS stands after Week 8:

Jump to sections: Who's in? | Still in contention | On the fence | Better luck next season | Previously eliminated

Who's in?

Ohio State's stunning 24-21 loss at unranked Penn State on Saturday night shook up the top four spots in the CFP race. No. 1 Alabama remains in the top spot after winning its 20th consecutive game and 12th straight over a ranked foe, 33-14 over No. 6 Texas A&M at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. Michigan, which is 7-0 for the first time since 2006, moves into the No. 2 spot, and Clemson is No. 3 after taking the weekend off. Washington, which beat Oregon State 41-17 to improve to 7-0, moves into the No. 4 spot. The Buckeyes are still alive in the playoff race, but they'll have to win their final five regular-season games, including a Nov. 26 showdown against the Wolverines at the Horseshoe, which figures to be a winner-take-all finale in the Big Ten East.

Still in contention

Alabama Crimson Tide

Trending: UP

Baylor Bears

Trending: EVEN

Clemson Tigers

Trending: EVEN

Louisville Cardinals

Trending: UP

Michigan Wolverines

Trending: UP

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Trending: DOWN

Washington Huskies

Trending: EVEN

West Virginia Mountaineers

Trending: UP

On the fence

Auburn Tigers

Trending: UP

Boise State Broncos

Trending: UP

Florida Gators

Trending: EVEN

LSU Tigers

Trending: UP

North Carolina Tar Heels

Trending: EVEN

Ohio State Buckeyes

Trending: DOWN

The Buckeyes are going to need some help if they're going to get back into the playoff race, but history shows they're probably going to rebound quickly. Urban Meyer's teams have lost consecutive games only four times in his 15-year career and only once at Ohio State, when the Buckeyes dropped back-to-back games against Michigan State and Clemson at the end of the 2013 season.

Oklahoma Sooners

Trending: DOWN

Pittsburgh Panthers

Trending: EVEN

The Panthers are probably going to need North Carolina to lose twice to win the ACC's Coastal Division. But they can stay in the race by upsetting No. 25 Virginia Tech on Thursday night.