What happened: Cincinnati closed out an upset victory over undefeated No. 8 Texas Tech on Saturday after the Red Raiders trimmed an earlier deficit to 24-15. The contest also unfolded without transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby following his earlier split from the Red Raiders.

Why it matters: Dropping from the unbeaten ranks halts the momentum the Red Raiders carried since edging Houston 28-26 on Sept. 19. Securing a top-10 victory despite missing a key backfield option reshapes Cincinnati's trajectory for the rest of the schedule.

What to watch: Updated national polls will reflect the Red Raiders' first defeat when the new rankings release.