MY COLLEGE FOOTBALL POWER 5 CONFERENCE POWER RANKINGS AFTER WEEK 8

These rankings are all about rating teams against their conference brethren, but we are also ranking the conferences against each other.

1. SEC

Alabama and LSU, 1 and 2. It's a familiar feeling, even though it wasn't entirely expected this season.

The Crimson Tide continues to cruise and LSU continues to rise after both teams emerged with victories to lead into an off week ahead of their annual high-stakes showdown that will factor in heavily into the College Football Playoff race.

While Georgia, Florida, Texas A&M and South Carolina rested up, Kentucky, Auburn and Missouri got needed wins. The squads at the bottom of the league couldn't quite get it done.

The pecking order in the SEC is beginning to become more clear and just in time: The season's final month isn't far away.

1. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (8-0) 

The Tide didn't just defeat Tennessee; they scored the most points (58) by either team in the 101-game history of the rivalry known as the Third Saturday in October.

2. LSU TIGERS (7-1) 

The Tigers are heading into the off week and have one of college football's best résumés. Losing Devin White for a half versus Alabama, though, will make a tall task even taller.

3. GEORGIA BULLDOGS (6-1) 

An open week comes at the right time as the Bulldogs look to bounce back from the Week 7 loss at LSU.

4. FLORIDA GATORS (6-1) 

Dan Mullen got the week off as he prepares for his first appearance in the Florida-Georgia rivalry as the Gators' head coach.

5. TEXAS A&M AGGIES (5-2) 

The Aggies enjoyed an off week and return to action at a Mississippi State squad that just took it on the chin. Jimbo Fisher's squad looks to be in good position for the stretch run.

6. KENTUCKY WILDCATS (6-1) 

Give Benny Snell Jr. and the Kentucky defense credit by grinding out a win over Vanderbilt, but Terry Wilson must improve at quarterback if the Wildcats hope to give Georgia a run at the SEC East.

7. AUBURN TIGERS (5-3) 

Gus Malzahn needed that victory to get the heat off of him, but don't go overboard, Tigers fans. The offense looked better, but 31 points is actually below average against an Ole Miss defense that gave up 33 points to Arkansas, 45 to LSU and 62 to Alabama.

8. MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS (4-3)

Playing to your strengths is one thing, but to be as dismal throwing the ball as they were vs. LSU -- a performance that included four interceptions -- makes it difficult for this team to win, even with the quality run game and defense MSU possesses.

9. MISSOURI TIGERS (4-3)

Bouncing back from a tough loss to Alabama was big as Drew Lock put on a show, throwing for 350 yards and four touchdowns as Missouri hung 65 points on Memphis.

10. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS (3-4) 

The bad news is the Vols gave up 58 points to Alabama in a game that was never really competitive. But if you're looking for good news, look at the way Jeremy Pruitt's squad competed until the final whistle, mustering 21 points against a top-notch defense.

11. SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (3-3) 

The Gamecocks need the open week to regroup and then close strong with a couple of winnable games coming up against Tennessee and Ole Miss.

12. OLE MISS REBELS (5-3) 

The defense continues to be an Achilles' heel, but what about that high-flying passing game managing just 16 points during a loss at home to Auburn? Jordan Ta'amu & Co. haven't been clicking this season.

13. VANDERBILT COMMODORES (3-5) 

A win was there to be had at Kentucky, but the Commodores came up short yet again, especially on offense. The seat for Coach Derek Mason has to be heating up with an 0-5 record against Power 5 opponents this season.

14. ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS (2-6) 

They needed a convincing win to break a six-game losing streak and put on a show with coveted transfer Kelly Bryant in the house on an official visit, and they got it by shutting out Tulsa 23-0.

2. BIG TEN

The Big Ten provided for an entertaining week, with Michigan and Michigan State sparring, almost literally, Penn State going back and forth with Indiana and Purdue taking down Ohio State in a late-night thriller.

That victory for Michigan and loss for the Buckeyes brings a new leader in the conference and shook up the rest of the list.

1. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (7-1)

The Wolverines delivered an outstanding defensive effort in a big win against rival Michigan State, and seem to be getting better and better each week.

2. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (7-1) 

The Buckeyes defense has had issues all season and it all came to a head against Purdue. Everything is still in front of Ohio State, but any more slip-ups could be devastating.

3. IOWA HAWKEYES (6-1) 

The Hawkeyes shut out Maryland in a convincing victory, and quarterback Nate Stanley seems to have control of this offense right now.

4. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (5-2) 

A back-and-forth game against Indiana looked very similar to the rest of the games this season for Penn State. A tough stretch is coming up with Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin on deck.

5. WISCONSIN BADGERS (5-2) 

The Badgers bounced back after the loss to Michigan and handled Illinois easily. There are still some big games left, and it will be a challenge to stay at one conference loss to end the season.

6. PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (4-3) 

The Boilermakers put together a near-perfect performance against the Buckeyes, turning out a huge victory for Purdue and potentially spoiling Ohio State's playoff hopes.

7. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (4-3) 

The offense had a ton of struggles against Michigan and injuries continue to plague the Spartans.

8. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (4-3) 

The Wildcats were in a nail-biter against Rutgers, but despite having a lot of close games this season, they still have only one conference loss.

9. INDIANA HOOSIERS (4-4) 

The Hoosiers' record doesn't really show how close some of their games have been this season, but they haven't had their signature victory just yet.

10. MARYLAND TERRAPINS (4-3) 

The Terps ran into a buzz saw in Iowa and were held to 115 total yards. The schedule doesn't get any easier from here.

11. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (1-6) 

Scott Frost and the Huskers got their first win and seem to be gaining momentum each week. This team is on the way up.

12. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (3-4) 

They are struggling in the latter half of the season. A 53-28 loss to Nebraska is a tough pill to swallow.

13. ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (3-4)

The struggles continue for Illinois after getting beaten handily by Wisconsin, which keeps the Illini at one conference win.

14. RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (1-7) 

they had the lead against Northwestern at halftime, but couldn't come away with the victory. Rutgers is still winless in Big Ten play.

3. BIG 12

It was a light Saturday in the Big 12.

But in the league's two games, Oklahoma and Texas Tech both delivered convincing victories.

In a rout of TCU, the Sooners rebounded from the Texas defeat behind -- don't look now -- their strongest defensive half of the season. On top of that, OU might have also found its answer at running back with Rodney Anderson out for the season -- redshirt freshman Kennedy Brooks, who ran for a career-high 168 yards.

The Red Raiders, meanwhile, reeled off yet another victory, setting up potentially the biggest November in Lubbock in years, with Oklahoma and Texas set to visit on back-to-back weekends. First, though, they must escape a treacherous trip to Iowa State this weekend in a showdown nobody could've guessed before the season would've held major Big 12 title game implications.

1. TEXAS LONGHORNS (6-1) 

The open weekend couldn't have come at a better time for the league-leading Longhorns and QB Sam Ehlinger, who is nursing a first-degree sprain to his throwing shoulder.

2. OKLAHOMA SOONERS (6-1) 

A week after firing defensive coordinator Mike Stoops, the Sooners held TCU to a single field goal after halftime. Improved defense under interim coordinator Ruffin McNeill is going to be paramount to OU making a run back into the playoff conversation.

3. WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (5-1) 

The open week gave the Mountaineers an opportunity to rediscover their offense, which went AWOL in Ames, Iowa.

4. TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (5-2) 

Freshman QB Alan Bowman looked sharp in his return from a collapsed lung, completing 36-of-46 passes for 408 yards and three TDs. His return comes just in time, with the meat of Tech's schedule looming.

5. IOWA STATE CYCLONES (3-3) 

After knocking off Oklahoma State and West Virginia, the Cyclones have emerged into a real threat to make the Big 12 title game. They can take another big step at home against Texas Tech.

6. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS (3-4) 

Following a dreadful start to the season, K-State finally has a little momentum after throttling Oklahoma State. Next, the Wildcats head to Norman, where they've won two of the past three against the Sooners.

7. TCU HORNED FROGS (3-4) 

Backup QB Michael Collins gave the scoring-starved Horned Frogs a boost before being shut down by the Sooners in the second half. With Shawn Robinson's ongoing struggles, Collins figures to be the guy going forward, for now.

8. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (4-3) 

Despite the team's recent free fall, Mike Gundy says he's still sticking with Taylor Cornelius at quarterback. The Cowboys, however, desperately need a jolt, and freshman Spencer Sanders was the top QB signee out of the state of Texas this year. If OSU's struggles continue against the Longhorns, will Sanders finally get a shot?

9. BAYLOR BEARS (4-3) 

The Bears are quietly one of the more improved teams in college football this season. And reaching bowl eligibility would be a huge accomplishment for second-year coach Matt Rhule.

10. KANSAS JAYHAWKS (2-5) 

Firing coordinator Doug Meacham did little for the Kansas offense in Lubbock. The Jayhawks' first TD didn't come until the final play of the third quarter.

4. PAC-12

Essentially out of the College Football Playoff discussion, the Pac-12 still landed five teams in the AP Top 25 this week. The Conference of Parity, indeed.

1. WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (6-1) 

An epic scene at College GameDay was followed by an impressive win against Oregon, leaving the Cougars as the Pac-12's only one-loss team. The Rose Bowl is looking more and more likely each week.

2. UTAH UTES (5-2) 

In a three-game span in September, Utah managed a total of just 48 points. Since then, the Utes topped the 40-point mark three consecutive times. The Utes' win against USC makes them the clear favorite in the South.

3. WASHINGTON HUSKIES (6-2) 

The Huskies have been underwhelming of late, but a trip to Cal this week should help the offense get back on track.

4. OREGON DUCKS (5-2)

After getting first-year coach Mario Cristobal a signature win last week, the Ducks came out as flat as possible against Wazzu and couldn't quite recover.

5. STANFORD CARDINAL (5-2) 

At 3-1 in conference play, the Cardinal is still very much a threat to win the North and another conference title, but over the past month they haven't looked like a team to be optimistic about.

6. USC TROJANS (4-3) 

They have an ineffective passing game, no rushing game to speak of and commit a lot of penalties. They also have as many conference losses as UCLA, and each week brings more heat for Clay Helton.

7. COLORADO BUFFALOES (5-2) 

It would have been a lot of fun to watch Laviska Shenault Jr. against Washington's secondary, and even without him the Buffs hung around long enough to not feel terrible about the loss.

8. ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS (3-4) 

At this point a bowl is possible, but unlikely.

9. UCLA BRUINS (2-5) 

One hopes any Bruins fans tempted to panic about the 0-5 start are breathing easier. UCLA has the same number of losses in Pac-12 play as USC.

10. ARIZONA WILDCATS (3-5) 

Would anyone be surprised if Arizona went winless the rest of the way?

11. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (4-3) 

There was time, not too long ago, in fact, when Cal was undefeated and ranked in the AP poll.

12. OREGON STATE BEAVERS (1-6) 

They seem destined to finish without a FBS win for the second straight season.

5. ACC

Here's how the conference looks after Week 8:

1. CLEMSON TIGERS (7-0) 

Since trailing Syracuse at the half three weeks ago, Clemson has outscored its opposition 124-17. The Tigers are clicking on all cylinders.

2. NC STATE WOLFPACK (5-1) 

The blowout at the hands of Clemson is going to be tough to swallow, but this still has a chance to be a turning-point season for the Wolfpack if they don't let the loss linger.

3. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (5-2) 

This is far from a perfect team, but Bryce Perkins has opened up the offensive game plan and the secondary is as good as there is in the ACC. That's potentially a recipe for a Coastal Division title.

4. VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (4-2) 

It's tough to know quite what to make of a team that lost to Old Dominion and nearly fell to North Carolina, but the Hokies are 3-0 in league play and in control of their destiny.

5. BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES (5-2) 

Suddenly the loss to Purdue doesn't look so bad, and BC gets AJ Dillon back for this week's showdown against Miami. The Eagles might be the ACC's last hope of dethroning Clemson.

6. MIAMI HURRICANES (5-2) 

The defense is elite. The offense is a giant question mark, and finding an answer has to start with picking a quarterback and an identity and sticking with it.

7. SYRACUSE ORANGE (5-2)

Going to overtime against Pitt (a loss) and UNC (a win) doesn't necessarily inspire confidence, but this team has plenty of weapons and is now just one win away from going bowling for the first time since 2013.

8. DUKE BLUE DEVILS (5-2)

Daniel Jones was the latest to learn that it's really tough to throw against Virginia, and Duke is just too banged up to overcome that.

9. FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES (4-2) 

Don't look now, but Willie Taggart might not have forgotten how to coach after all. FSU has won three of four, with the lone loss a one-point defeat to Miami on the road, and Deondre Francois is playing really well.

10. PITTSBURGH PANTHERS (3-4) 

Pitt needs to win three of its final five to make a bowl, and that won't be an easy task, with road trips to Virginia, Wake and Miami.

11. GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (3-4)

Thursday's showdown with the Hokies might be make-or-break for Georgia Tech's season. A win makes a bowl reachable. A loss makes it next to impossible.

12. WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS (3-4) 

The tempo offense that worked so well last season is working against Wake now because of how badly the defense is struggling. The Deacs are now 0-3 in conference play, and they've been outscored 101-20 the past two games.

13. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (5-1) 

For the second straight week, UNC snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. It's easy enough to see progress if you're looking for it, but Larry Fedora's team really needs a win.

14. LOUISVILLE CARDINALS (2-5) 

Is it time to back up the Brinks truck for Jeff Brohm? Is Louisville even a better job than Purdue right now? It's hard to believe how bad things have gotten there in the past year.