The College Football Hangover: BYU, Tennessee and Texas Tech Fall

One week, you're celebrating a victory that changes the conversation around your football program.

The next, you're trying to explain how everything went wrong.

Welcome to college football in 2026.

Saturday, October 24, delivered another reminder that momentum can disappear just as quickly as it arrives. Three nationally ranked teams entered the weekend with championship ambitions, but BYU, Tennessee and Texas Tech all suffered defeats that significantly changed their postseason outlooks.

No. 2 BYU fell to UCF 39-31 in double overtime. No. 11 Tennessee lost a heartbreaker to South Carolina 27-24. No. 8 Texas Tech was overwhelmed by Cincinnati 37-24.

Different conferences. Different circumstances. Similar consequences.

And perhaps the most fascinating part?

BYU and Tennessee were celebrating some of their biggest victories of the season just seven days earlier.

The college football hangover is real.

BYU: From Beating Notre Dame to Falling at UCF

Last Saturday, BYU was on top of the college football world.

The Cougars defeated then-No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24, showcasing quarterback Bear Bachmeier's versatility and a defense capable of making critical stops.

That victory elevated BYU to No. 2 in the national rankings, the highest AP ranking in program history.

The Cougars were undefeated, their College Football Playoff résumé was growing stronger, and the Big 12 championship appeared increasingly within reach.

Then came a trip to Orlando.

UCF entered the matchup unranked, but the Knights refused to play the role of an overmatched opponent.

They challenged BYU physically, disrupted its rushing attack and capitalized on mistakes.

The result was a stunning 39-31 double-overtime victory that ended BYU's perfect season.

The Rushing Game Disappeared

One of BYU's biggest strengths entering Saturday was its ability to establish the ground game.

The Cougars averaged nearly 224 rushing yards per contest.

Against UCF, they managed only 116.

That difference mattered.

Without consistent rushing production, BYU was forced to rely more heavily on Bachmeier's passing ability.

The sophomore finished with 257 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and an interception. He also contributed a rushing touchdown.

But the Cougars never consistently controlled the contest.

UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins repeatedly created problems for BYU's defense, while the Knights answered whenever the Cougars appeared ready to take control.

BYU had opportunities to win the game in regulation.

Instead, missed chances and late-game confusion helped send the contest into overtime.

The Cougars struck first in the opening overtime when Bachmeier connected with Legend Glasker for a touchdown.

UCF answered immediately.

In the second overtime, Jenkins found Grayson Brousseau for a touchdown, and the Knights converted the required two-point attempt.

BYU couldn't respond.

Its undefeated season was over.

The Bigger Question for BYU

The loss doesn't erase what BYU accomplished against Notre Dame.

That victory remains one of the strongest results in college football this season.

However, Saturday exposed an important challenge.

Can BYU maintain its standard when the opponent isn't nationally ranked and the atmosphere surrounding the game is different?

The Cougars had the talent to defeat Notre Dame.

But talent wasn't enough against UCF.

The Big 12 championship remains within reach, and BYU is still positioned to compete for a College Football Playoff berth.

However, the Cougars no longer control the national conversation the way they did entering Saturday.

They must respond.

And they must prove their Notre Dame victory wasn't the peak of their season.

Tennessee: The Alabama Celebration Didn't Last Long

Tennessee entered Columbia riding one of the biggest victories of its season.

The Volunteers had defeated Alabama 26-10, producing a dominant defensive performance that appeared to establish them as serious SEC championship contenders.

Josh Heupel's program was gaining momentum.

Then South Carolina delivered a reality check.

The Gamecocks defeated Tennessee 27-24 on Malik Orsan's 48-yard field goal as time expired.

The result was especially painful because Tennessee appeared positioned to escape with another victory.

The Volunteers held a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter.

South Carolina refused to surrender.

The Gamecocks scored 10 points in the final four minutes, taking advantage of Tennessee's offensive mistakes and creating an opportunity for the winning kick.

Tennessee Failed to Finish

A week after controlling Alabama, Tennessee couldn't close out South Carolina.

That is the most concerning part of the defeat.

The Volunteers had demonstrated that they could play disciplined, physical football against one of the SEC's most recognizable programs.

But against South Carolina, critical mistakes allowed the Gamecocks to seize momentum.

A late strip-sack helped create the opportunity for South Carolina's comeback.

Tennessee's inability to protect its lead ultimately proved costly.

The Volunteers fell to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play.

For a team hoping to reach the conference championship game, a second SEC loss makes the remaining schedule considerably more difficult.

Was Tennessee Looking Past South Carolina?

It's tempting to blame the defeat on the emotional aftermath of beating Alabama.

But that explanation alone would overlook South Carolina's performance.

The Gamecocks deserve credit for continuing to compete, forcing mistakes and executing when the game was on the line.

Tennessee didn't simply lose because it celebrated the previous week's victory.

It lost because South Carolina made the decisive plays.

Still, the contrast between the two Saturdays is impossible to ignore.

Against Alabama, Tennessee controlled the game.

Against South Carolina, Tennessee lost control when it mattered most.

That inconsistency separates a talented team from a reliable championship contender.

Texas Tech: Cincinnati Exposes the Red Raiders

Texas Tech's defeat was different from those suffered by BYU and Tennessee.

The Red Raiders weren't coming off an emotional victory over a top-ranked opponent.

They entered Cincinnati undefeated and ranked eighth nationally, hoping to continue building their Big 12 championship résumé.

Instead, the Bearcats delivered one of the most convincing upsets of the weekend.

Cincinnati defeated Texas Tech 37-24 at Nippert Stadium, handing the Red Raiders their first loss of the season.

And unlike BYU's double-overtime defeat or Tennessee's last-second heartbreak, Texas Tech spent much of Saturday trying to recover from a disastrous first half.

Cincinnati Controlled the Game Early

The Bearcats established the tone immediately.

Cincinnati's defense forced turnovers, disrupted Texas Tech's offense and repeatedly prevented the Red Raiders from finishing drives.

By halftime, Cincinnati led 24-6.

That advantage reflected more than a few fortunate plays.

The Bearcats were winning important situations on both sides of the football.

Quarterback JC French threw four touchdown passes, completing 19 of 30 attempts for 172 yards.

Running back Cole Tabb provided the balance, rushing for a career-high 173 yards on 16 carries.

His 58-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter effectively ended Texas Tech's comeback hopes.

Cincinnati's defense forced four turnovers and limited the Red Raiders' offense to four field goals and one late touchdown.

Texas Tech finished with 24 points, but the final score didn't fully reflect how thoroughly Cincinnati controlled the contest.

The Bearcats improved to 5-2, securing one of the program's most significant home victories in years.

Texas Tech's Warning Signs

The Red Raiders entered the season with considerable expectations following their success in 2025.

Their undefeated start suggested another championship-caliber campaign was developing.

But Cincinnati exposed problems that Texas Tech must address.

The offense struggled to sustain productive possessions.

Turnovers created favorable opportunities for the Bearcats.

And the defense couldn't consistently contain Cincinnati's balanced attack.

Texas Tech remains 6-1 and 3-1 in Big 12 play.

The season is far from over.

However, the Red Raiders must recognize that a strong record doesn't automatically mean every part of the team is performing at a championship level.

Against Cincinnati, those weaknesses were difficult to hide.

The Big 12 Race Just Became More Interesting

BYU and Texas Tech entered Saturday as two of the conference's most prominent championship contenders.

Both lost to unranked conference opponents.

Meanwhile, No. 10 Utah defeated No. 14 Houston 21-13, remaining undefeated.

That creates a fascinating situation in the Big 12.

BYU and Texas Tech are still legitimate contenders, but neither can assume the conference championship race will unfold according to expectations.

Utah continues to strengthen its position.

Cincinnati has demonstrated that it can challenge highly ranked opponents.

UCF has proven it can defeat one of the nation's best teams.

The conference has become increasingly competitive, and the margin for error is shrinking.

For BYU and Texas Tech, the challenge is no longer simply accumulating victories.

It's responding to adversity while competing against opponents that have shown they're capable of changing the championship race.

The next several weeks will reveal which teams are built to handle that pressure.

The Difference Between a Statement Win and Sustained Success

There's a common thread connecting BYU and Tennessee.

Both programs delivered significant victories on October 17.

BYU defeated Notre Dame.

Tennessee defeated Alabama.

Those performances deserved recognition.

But one impressive Saturday doesn't establish a championship team.

The best programs find ways to maintain their level of execution regardless of the opponent, the venue or the previous week's result.

That's what makes sustained success so difficult.

The emotional investment required to defeat an elite opponent can be enormous.

But college football doesn't allow teams to celebrate indefinitely.

The next opponent is already preparing.

UCF and South Carolina demonstrated exactly what happens when that opponent executes well enough to challenge a favored team.

Texas Tech's loss offers a related lesson.

Even without a major emotional victory the previous week, an undefeated record can create expectations that become difficult to meet when an opponent exposes underlying weaknesses.

The rankings don't win football games.

Execution does.

What These Losses Mean for the College Football Playoff

The expanded College Football Playoff gives talented teams opportunities to recover from setbacks.

But the losses suffered by BYU, Tennessee and Texas Tech will carry consequences.

BYU still owns a signature victory over Notre Dame, but its loss to UCF complicates its case among the nation's top teams.

Tennessee now has two conference defeats, creating additional pressure in an increasingly competitive SEC race.

Texas Tech remains in the Big 12 championship picture, but its performance against Cincinnati raises questions about how the Red Raiders would fare against elite postseason competition.

None of these teams should be dismissed from the playoff conversation.

However, each has lost some control over its path.

The response matters now.

Can BYU rediscover the physicality and execution that helped it defeat Notre Dame?

Can Tennessee eliminate the late-game mistakes that allowed South Carolina to steal a victory?

Can Texas Tech develop greater offensive consistency and protect the football against quality opponents?

Those answers will determine whether Saturday becomes a temporary setback or the beginning of a larger decline.

The Playmaker's Final Take: Yesterday's Victory Means Nothing Next Saturday

College football has a way of humbling teams.

One week, you're celebrating a signature victory.

The next, you're watching an opponent celebrate on your field or in your stadium.

BYU experienced that reality after defeating Notre Dame.

Tennessee experienced it after dominating Alabama.

Texas Tech discovered that an undefeated record offers no protection against a prepared and determined opponent.

But there's another side to Saturday's story.

UCF, South Carolina and Cincinnati deserve recognition.

These weren't simply three ranked teams playing poorly.

They were three unranked opponents that took advantage of their opportunities and earned significant victories.

UCF challenged BYU's physicality and won in double overtime.

South Carolina forced critical mistakes and delivered when the game was on the line.

Cincinnati controlled Texas Tech from the opening half and refused to surrender its advantage.

That's what makes college football compelling.

Reputations don't determine results.

Rankings don't guarantee victories.

And last week's celebration doesn't provide an advantage when the next game begins.

BYU, Tennessee and Texas Tech learned that lesson the hard way.

In 2026, the college football hangover might be just as dangerous as the opponent waiting on the other sideline.