Week 7 has the feel of a danger zone for ranked teams, and the warning lights are flashing for more than a few of them.
After six top-25 teams were upset in Week 6 - the third straight weekend with at least five ranked losses - the chaos already has plenty of momentum. Oklahoma’s stunning comeback over No.
1 Texas at the Cotton Bowl headlined the damage, and No. 10 LSU, No.
16 Florida and No. 25 Pittsburgh also got knocked off by unranked opponents.
Texas is right back in the spotlight here, and for all the wrong reasons. The Longhorns just dropped a 27-24 decision to Oklahoma after Arch Manning threw two questionable interceptions in the fourth quarter, and the same kind of volatility has made Texas hard to trust.
When Manning is locked in, he looks like one of the best quarterbacks in the country. But the off stretches keep showing up, and that inconsistency makes it difficult to buy Texas as a legitimate championship team, even with that early-season win over Ohio State.
The offense hasn’t topped 24 points against a P4 opponent, and Florida has the kind of scoring ability that can make things uncomfortable if Texas doesn’t get moving.
Ole Miss is another team that has to stay sharp. The Rebels look back on track after their stumble in Gainesville, and the BYE week clearly helped.
They rolled past Vanderbilt 52-17 last time out, but Missouri is a different kind of problem. The Tigers have cleaned up a shaky start and have put together two eye-opening wins, hammering No.
8 Florida and blowing out Texas A&M. Missouri’s only loss came on the road, and right now this team looks like one of the SEC’s most dangerous groups.
UCLA has turned into one of the more unpredictable stories of the season under Bob Chesney. The Bruins entered the year as an underdog and now find themselves in upset-candidate territory after going into Oregon and beating the Ducks last weekend.
The catch is that they lost starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava in the process. Wisconsin, meanwhile, comes in hot with four straight wins, including a road victory over ranked Penn State.
The Badgers have the chance to hand UCLA its first loss of the season.
Oklahoma is back in the mix too, and not just because of what happened against Texas. The Sooners have some momentum and, despite an unexpectedly rough start, still have the talent to hang in the SEC if John Mateer can get going.
Kentucky is technically the underdog in this matchup, but the Wildcats are the ranked team while Oklahoma is not. Will Stein’s group is 5-1, with the only loss coming against Alabama, though two straight overtime wins have shown just how thin the margins have been.
LSU has its own trouble spot to navigate. Mississippi State may not be favored, but the Bulldogs could still make this more uncomfortable than people expect after downgrading star quarterback Kamario Taylor from questionable to doubtful.
Taylor is dealing with a lower-body injury suffered in the loss to Alabama. LSU, for its part, is coming off that overtime defeat at Kentucky and already has two losses in six games.
That kind of start can create questions inside a locker room. Still, the Tigers have been dominant in their four home games, and Lane Kiffin may have his team ready to answer back in Baton Rouge.
SMU’s season has been messy enough that nothing should be taken for granted. The Mustangs are 4-1, but they’ve had to survive plenty of turbulence along the way.
They escaped Florida State on Labor Day, then were beaten by Louisville by double digits. Since then, things have stayed tight: they trailed Missouri State by double digits before rallying, then had to grind out a narrow win over Boston College.
Virginia has been just as odd in its own way. The Cavaliers were overwhelmed by Florida State, nearly fell apart against Syracuse, and then fought back from a 17-7 deficit.
The rushing attack has been solid enough, and if Beau Pribula gives SMU a lift, this one could turn into another fight.
In Other News...
Mississippi States Halloween Trip To Texas Just Got More Real
Mississippi States trip to Austin for Week 9 now has a little more shape to it. The Bulldogs will face Texas on Halloween night, adding another spotlight game to a stretch that also includes a home date with Oklahoma and the Egg Bowl at Ole Miss, and it will be one of the more prominent SEC matchups on the league calendar.
The timing only sharpens the intrigue around a series that has already taken on some familiarity, with Texas and Mississippi State meeting in each of the last three seasons since the Longhorns joined the SEC. For the Bulldogs, it is another chance to measure themselves against a conference heavyweight on a night when the stakes, the setting and the television audience all line up. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State's Oklahoma Hopes Ride On One Crucial Week 8 Decision
Mississippi State heads into Week 8 trying to steady itself after consecutive losses, and the quarterback situation has become the biggest storyline around a game that already feels pivotal. Kamario Taylor has been dealing with a turf toe injury, leaving the Bulldogs with a real question at the most important position as they prepare to face Oklahoma.
The matchup looks winnable on paper if Mississippi State can get stability under center, especially against an Oklahoma team that has leaned on a strong defense while searching for more consistency on offense. John Mateer has given the Sooners plenty of both promise and frustration with turnovers, but for Mississippi State, the larger concern remains whether Taylor is ready to go, because his availability could shape everything about how this game unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Kamario Taylor's Return Could Change Everything For Mississippi State
Kamario Taylors rise has become one of the defining storylines of Mississippi States early success, and his absence only underscored how much the Bulldogs have been leaning on him. Through five games, the quarterback has thrown for 1,450 yards and 17 touchdowns, production that has helped push him into the conversation around the Heisman Trophy even as the team has had to adjust around a turf toe issue.
Mississippi State has dropped its last two games without Taylor, which makes his upcoming return against Oklahoma especially important for a program trying to regain momentum. Beyond the obvious boost to the offense, the game carries real weight for Taylors individual profile too, since another strong showing would keep his Heisman case moving in the right direction while giving the Bulldogs a much-needed lift. [Read more 🡒]