Oh So Clutch: Five Things We Learned in College Football's Week Eight

Now this is getting interesting in college football.

At this point, six of the top 10 teams in the BCS standings are undefeated, including two mid-major schools that ironically played each other a year ago (Boise State and TCU).

As we head into the month of November with all types of big matchups on the horizon, including the Florida-Georgia game and USC-Oregon, fortunes should begin to reveal themselves.

The time has finally come to separate the contenders from the pretenders.

That said, here are five more lessons taken from the eighth week of college football.

1. Iowa is just that clutch

With slim national title hopes on the line, Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi hit WR Marvin McNutt with no time left to stay unbeaten against Michigan State.

The Hawkeyes have now won a dozen in a row, dating back to last season, including two wins over Penn State, one over South Carolina, and one over Michigan.

But it's the way that they win that is really turning a lot of heads. Anytime the clock goes under two minutes, it seems that the Hawkeyes get every small break imaginable, from two blocked field goals to a final play touchdown pass.

The only thing that stands between the Hawkeyes and a possible shot at a national title is Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State in Columbus on Nov. 14. If they can beat the Buckeyes, Iowa truly deserves to finish the season undefeated.

2. TCU leapfrogging Boise State is not a fluke

One of the other discrepancies of the recent BCS standings is the Horned Frogs of TCU jumping over Boise State. But with what TCU did against a BYU team that puts up a lot of points, the rankings should come as no surprise.

The Horned Frogs blew away BYU in Provo 38-7 behind a fantastic defensive effort and a great day from QB Andy Dalton.

This TCU defense could be just as good as any in the country, and they have a good enough offense to create separation, something important in the eyes of the BCS computers.

DE Jerry Hughes might be the best defensive player that no one has heard of, and he anchors a defense which has given up fewer points per game than teams such as Ohio State, LSU, and Texas.

The last tough game separating TCU from the BCS is at home against last year's MWC champ Utah. If they get the job done, the Frogs could make some big noise in January.

3. Tim Tebow is just not himself since the concussion

Not everything seems well in Gainesville, as Tim Tebow's return has not brought the big points that we're used to seeing from the Gators.

In the past three games, Florida has not hit the 30-point mark at any point, and Tebow has as many turnovers as touchdowns from his position.

One has to wonder if Tebow is just not himself, if Dan Mullen made that much of a difference, or if they do miss Percy Harvin.

This has to be a cause for concern for the Gators, but their defense is plenty good enough to win games by itself.

Tebow has plenty of time to work out the cobwebs in the final leg of his finale tour through the SEC. They still have as good a chance as anyone left undefeated to run the table, but their play offensively is not quite where it could be.

4. At this point, no one deserves the Heisman Trophy

The college season is two-thirds of the way through, and honestly, there is no one that looks like he deserves the Heisman Trophy at this point of the year.

There have been some good players and good performances, but nothing that has truly made people stop in awe. We haven't had that one special performance that clinches a trophy, like Troy Smith against Michigan and Sam Bradford in the last month of 2008.

This year, there is a long list of candidates, but none that consistently stands out and gets the job done week in and week out.

If I had to pick a favorite right now, I would have to go with Colt McCoy of Texas. The way the Longhorns started the Missouri game on Saturday just ended the notion within 20 minutes that the Tigers had a shot.

But next week, we could have a new favorite, or McCoy could slip up.

This is probably the most difficult year to make any picks for title games or trophies at this point. But that's why there is another month to make things easier for us all.

5. The ACC continues to be the enigma of college football

It seems like the ACC this year is like the iPod Shuffle: You never know what you will get from one day to the next.

But quickly, Georgia Tech is starting to bring some more clarity to the big picture of the ACC title. A win over Virginia gives the Jackets a comfortable lead in the ACC Coastal Division.

The norm continues to be a mystery, as Miami fell in overtime to Clemson in a stunning final play, and Florida State rallied to their first ACC win of 2009 over North Carolina, still looking for their first conference win.

The ACC could once again see a lot of bowl-eligible teams in 2009.

But outside of Miami, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech, there's not much to be sure of in the ACC other than to be prepared for the unexpected.