Week 7 didn’t just shake up the AP Top 25 - it blew the thing open.
Five of the top eight teams lost on the same day, which had never happened in the 90-year history of the AP poll. That kind of carnage is exactly what sends the rankings into chaos, and this week’s reshuffle starts at the very top.
The biggest headline came when Auburn knocked off No. 1 Georgia, 27-24, with a walk-off field goal at home to stun the Bulldogs.
Another jolt landed when No. 8 BYU beat No.
2 Notre Dame, 28-24. The Fighting Irish had one last chance, but an incomplete end-zone pass ended the comeback attempt.
Miami was the team that managed to steer clear of the wreckage. The Hurricanes beat Florida State 43-35 in overtime, and that win pushed them to No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time since 2002.
BYU moved up to No. 2, Ohio State is No.
3, Notre Dame slid to No. 4, and Georgia dropped to No. 5.
The rest of the top 25 also reflects just how much Week 7 scrambled the picture.
AP Top 25 Poll before Week 8
- Miami (Fla.)
- BYU
- Ohio State
- Notre Dame
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Ole Miss
- Texas Tech
- UCLA
- Utah
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- Alabama
- Houston
- Iowa
- USC
- Wake Forest
- LSU
- Texas
- Florida
- Boise State
- Missouri
- SMU
- Northwestern
- Arizona
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Gave Vols Fans New Ammo Against Alabama
Week 7 delivered one of those Saturdays that reshapes the conversation around the SEC, and Tennessee had plenty to do with it. The Vols backed up a strong performance from running back DeSean Bishop with a defense that made life miserable for Alabama, giving their fans a fresh reason to revisit the rivalry and point to the Crimson Tides flaws after a game that felt more like a statement than a one-off upset.
It was also part of a broader shake-up across college football, with top-ranked Georgia and Notre Dame both going down in a chaotic slate. BYU knocked off Notre Dame without its star running back, Texas slipped again in a loss to Florida under Steve Sarkisian, and Oklahoma State continued to struggle, but Tennessees win stood out for the way it was built: physical, opportunistic and hard to dismiss no matter how the rest of the season plays out. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Is Suddenly At The Center Of An SEC Debate
The SEC conversation has gotten louder this week, and Georgia is right in the middle of it after another rough stretch for the leagues biggest names. Recent losses by top teams such as Georgia and Texas have fueled the familiar debate over whether the conference is as deep and dominant as it has been billed, while fans and observers continue to argue over how much weight to give one conferences bruising schedule.
Dan Wolken pushed back on the idea that the SEC has somehow become ordinary, arguing the league is still punishingly difficult from week to week. From Georgias perspective, that only adds to the scrutiny, because every stumble by a contender seems to become evidence in someone elses argument about the conference, and the latest round of reactions has left plenty of room for the debate to keep going. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Bowers Is Back At The Center Of A Heated NFL Feud
Brock Bowers found himself at the center of an ugly NFL flashpoint in Week 6 when Bills safety CJ Gardner-Johnson was ejected after spitting at the former Georgia star during Buffalos game against the Raiders. The moment quickly spilled beyond the field, drawing attention not just because of the act itself but because it involved one of the leagues most recognizable young tight ends and a player whose reputation has long been tied to confrontation.
The debate only grew on a recent episode of First Take, where Stephen A. Smith argued Gardner-Johnson should be suspended for what happened. For Georgia fans, Bowers is once again in the middle of a storyline that has nothing to do with catches or touchdowns and everything to do with the kind of target he has become as his NFL profile keeps rising. Gardner-Johnsons track record has already made him a familiar name in controversial moments, which only adds another layer to the conversation now hanging over this one. [Read more 🡒]