Five Top-Eight Teams Fall on Chaotic Saturday

College football’s recent chaos has included a wave of major upsets, fueled in part by a more balanced competitive landscape as name, image and likeness spending gives more programs the ability to attract players. The volatility has intensified debate about whether teams with multiple losses could still reach the College Football Playoff, while putting greater emphasis on coaching and game-week preparation. But the sport’s intensity has also turned dangerous: after Georgia beat Alabama, a fan struck and shoved Georgia linebacker Raylen Wilson, and Alabama later banned the fan from athletic events. The incidents underscore the need to distinguish passionate support from behavior that threatens players’ safety.