Week 7 did something college football fans don’t see often: it knocked out both the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country on the same day for the first time in 14 years.
No. 1 Georgia and No.
2 Notre Dame both went down, turning the weekend into chaos near the top of the rankings. Five of the top seven teams lost, but the biggest beneficiaries were No.
3 Miami and No. 4 Ohio State, who came out of the mess standing tall.
Georgia’s loss was the louder shock, a stunner against unranked Auburn. Notre Dame’s defeat was a little different, coming in a controversial finish in Provo that left the Fighting Irish just short. Either way, the top of the sport took a hit.
According to Stewart Mandel, the last time No. 1 and No. 2 both lost on the same day was Nov. 17, 2012.
As Mandel noted, that was one of the final BCS-era “your season is over” days, when No. 1 Oregon fell to Stanford and No.
2 Kansas State lost to Baylor in back-to-back fashion.
Notre Dame and Georgia are still in decent position for the College Football Playoff, but the margin for error just got a lot smaller.
Notre Dame still has Miami on the schedule, and that matchup is set for Week 10 in South Bend. It’s the second of three legitimate tests remaining for the Irish, with No. 24 SMU also waiting in Week 12.
Georgia, meanwhile, looked like it had a straightforward road before Week 7 reminded everybody how quickly things can tighten up. The Bulldogs can’t slip up much more with Florida, Ole Miss and Missouri still ahead. Florida just beat Texas, Ole Miss just spanked Mizzou, and Missouri comes to Sanford Stadium.
Week 7 set a tough standard. Now the rest of the season has to try to keep up.
In Other News...
Georgia Suddenly Faces A Brutal Reality After Auburn Shocker
Georgias loss to Auburn at home landed with the kind of thud that lingers through a bye week, especially because it snapped a run of success against its in-state rival that had held since 2017. The game turned on a costly late fumble by Gunner Stockton, and Auburn made the most of the opening with a game-winning field goal, leaving the Bulldogs with a result they rarely have to confront on their own field.
Now the focus shifts to what comes next, and it is not forgiving. Georgia comes out of the bye staring at a stretch that will test how quickly it can steady itself, reset the mood and get back on track for the bigger goals that still matter, including the SEC Championship and a path to the College Football Playoff. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Fans Can't Ignore One Worry After Gunner Stockton's Auburn Game
Gunner Stocktons day against Auburn had the kind of mixed bag that can stick with a quarterback long after the final whistle. He completed 22 of 34 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but the game also included a costly fumble that helped set up Auburns game-winning field goal. Georgia fans could see the production, but they could also see why the afternoon left plenty of unease.
What made the reaction even sharper was the hit Stockton absorbed on the first play of the game, then staying in from there. Even without any official confirmation of a concussion, plenty of Georgia supporters came away wondering whether the quarterback looked fully right after that early collision. For a team already sorting through the aftermath of a frustrating loss, the concern around Stocktons health may end up being just as important as the turnovers on the stat sheet. [Read more 🡒]
No. 1 Georgia Suddenly Faces Big Questions After Rivalry Shock
Auburns 27-24 win over top-ranked Georgia was the kind of rivalry jolt that lingers well beyond the final whistle. It snapped Georgias nine-game winning streak in the series and handed the Bulldogs their first home loss to an unranked team since 2019, a reminder that even in a familiar setting, the margin for error in this matchup can disappear fast. Gunner Stockton did enough to keep Georgia in it, throwing for 272 yards and two touchdowns, but the game kept tilting back and forth as both defenses made timely plays.
For Georgia, the numbers only tell part of the story. Auburn moved the ball for 366 yards and kept finding answers whenever the Bulldogs threatened to pull away, turning the afternoon into a test of execution, composure and missed chances. The loss leaves the Bulldogs with bigger questions than usual after a game that featured multiple lead changes and a finish that should keep this one on the staffs mind for a while. [Read more 🡒]