A new No. 1 is coming in the AP Top 25, and it all starts with one kick.
Tate Sandell’s last-second field goal in the Cotton Bowl knocked off No. 1 Texas and forced another round of upheaval at the top of college football.
The Longhorns had climbed to No. 1, and now they’re set to hand that spot back after losing in brutal fashion to their underdog rivals on the final play of the game. Arch Manning gave Texas a strong first half, hitting two long touchdown passes to build a 10-point lead, but things unraveled after halftime.
He threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a pick-six and the other that set up Oklahoma’s game-winning kick.
The late collapse only deepens the concern around Manning. The hype around him has always been massive, but his uneven play in big moments just cost Texas in the worst possible way.
Texas’ offense never found much rhythm down the stretch, stringing together drives of 24, 8, 9, 2, and -3 yards before a 75-yard touchdown march. There’s been some growth, but not the kind of steady progress the Longhorns were expecting.
Georgia, meanwhile, is about to move into the top spot after a 20-17 win at Alabama. The reigning SEC champions pulled out a physical road victory and, in the process, finally got the crimson elephant off Kirby Smart’s back in his first regular season win against the Tide.
Georgia trailed 14-10 at halftime, then leaned into the kind of toughness that has defined its national championship teams. Alabama had cruised through its first five games and looked like one of the sport’s elite teams, but it couldn’t handle the most important test.
The Tide came close, but defensive issues against Georgia’s passing game and run game proved costly.
Even with the loss, Alabama may not take a massive hit. This looks like the kind of “good loss” pollsters tend to soften on, and a drop outside the top ten seems unlikely. In fact, the Tide could land around No. 10, the spot that may soon open up because of Lane Kiffin’s team.
That would come after LSU fell by one point at Kentucky, a result that leaves Kiffin 13-13 in road games as head coach at Ole Miss and LSU. The road struggles could become a real problem for the Tigers’ College Football Playoff chances. Kiffin wasn’t around for most of LSU’s eight straight road losses to SEC opponents, but this group still looked sloppy enough away from home that it’s hard to trust them in upcoming games against Mississippi State, Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee.
Florida’s fall has been even more dramatic. Two weeks ago, the Gators were the hottest team in the country and the biggest riser in the AP poll after pounding Ole Miss.
Then came a blowout loss to Missouri, followed by an ugly defeat at South Carolina, which had been winless in SEC play before that game. Jon Sumrall had been getting Coach of the Year buzz, but now the Gators are back at the drawing board after back-to-back blowout losses to SEC opponents and 83 combined points allowed.
At this point, they could be out of the poll altogether.
UCLA, on the other hand, keeps climbing in a hurry. Winning at Oregon is rare enough on its own, but Bob Chesney’s Bruins are now 5-0 in his first season, something no one had done before him.
They left room for even more margin with some of their own mistakes, but the result still puts them squarely in the playoff conversation. They should be favored in every remaining game on their schedule.
Oregon’s second loss of the season creates a mess in the Big Ten title race and the College Football Playoff picture. Pollsters are likely to come down hard on a home favorite losing to a lower-ranked opponent, especially in a game where the Ducks turned it over seven times. Ball security and consistency remain major problems, and both are chipping away at Oregon’s postseason hopes.
In Other News...
Lane Kiffin's Daughter Just Gave LSU Fans An Awkward Texas Twist
Lane Kiffins family is already adding a little extra spice to LSUs looming matchup with Texas. Landry Kiffin, the daughter of the Tigers head coach, was headed to Dallas for the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma and showed up in Longhorns gear, then joked on social media that she was scouting the competition before LSUs game with Texas.
The timing makes it an easy topic around Baton Rouge, where the Tigers and Longhorns are set to meet Nov. 14 at Tiger Stadium. For LSU fans, it is the kind of small but combustible detail that turns a regular trip to a rivalry game into another reminder that the Texas prep work is already underway. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Freshman WR Is Forcing A Rethink Before Kentucky
LSUs receiver room already had plenty of moving parts before Corey Barber Jr. made himself harder to ignore. Under coach Lane Kiffin, the Tigers have brought in nine wide receivers through the transfer portal, and that kind of depth usually means every snap has to be earned. But the true freshmans standout showing against McNeese gave LSU something it could not fake in a crowded rotation: a young player forcing his way into the conversation.
Now the focus turns to Kentucky, where Barber and Kansas State transfer Jayce Brown are both in line to battle for playing time. Brown arrived with the kind of rsum that typically buys a longer look, but Barbers emergence has added a new wrinkle to how LSU may handle the position group going forward. For a team already sorting through a loaded receiver mix, the next game will say a lot about how quickly the freshmans rise can turn from a one-game spark into a real role. [Read more 🡒]
Ed Orgeron Just Took A Big Step In His LSU Return
Ed Orgerons return to LSU has taken another noticeable step, as the former Tigers head coach and current special assistant joined the football team on its road trip to Kentucky. It was his first trip with the program since a health issue in August kept him away, and it adds another layer to a reunion that has already had a real football purpose, with Orgeron involved in recruiting as LSU continues to lean on a familiar face.
Lane Kiffin confirmed Orgeron is back around the program and spoke about both his health and his presence with the Tigers. Even so, Orgeron is not expected to be on the sideline for the Kentucky game, leaving his return in a sort of middle ground for now: close enough to matter, not quite complete enough to answer every question about how this comeback will look moving forward. [Read more 🡒]