Week 6 turned the AP Top 25 into a mess, and that’s exactly what makes the next poll so interesting. Three of the 10 highest-ranked teams lost, including two from the top six, and that kind of shake-up always sends voters back to the tape and the resume sheets with a fresh headache. The biggest domino falls at the very top: Texas is almost certain to vacate No. 1 after its three-point loss to rival Oklahoma, opening the door for Georgia after the Bulldogs’ own statement win.
Georgia looks set to seize the top spot, while Notre Dame’s 51-point demolition of Stanford still won’t be enough to jump all the way to No. 1. Miami, meanwhile, was idle and should still benefit from the chaos around it before returning to action against Florida State.
Texas’ fall, though, is only part of the story. The Longhorns’ loss to unranked Oklahoma was fueled by two costly giveaways from Arch Mannings, but the win over Ohio State remains a major piece of their profile. Ohio State itself handled Maryland 45-16, yet the Buckeyes also took a hit from the way Texas and Oregon fell around them, and now they head into a difficult three-game stretch.
Alabama should hold firm despite a three-point loss to Georgia. The Tide won’t be punished too harshly by voters, and the same logic applies to the playoff picture if they keep stacking wins.
Indiana also stays in the mix after a road comeback against Nebraska, though the Hoosiers are not rolling through teams the way they did last season. And Ole Miss delivered a 52-17 beatdown of Vanderbilt, even if its win over LSU doesn’t carry quite the same shine after the Tigers’ latest setback.
LSU is headed for a major drop after falling out of the rankings in one shot. That’s unusual for a team with just two losses, both on the road and by slim margins, but the Tigers’ victories over Texas A&M and Clemson no longer look like heavyweight wins.
Kentucky, by contrast, is climbing. The Wildcats probably should have stayed ranked last week, and after upsetting LSU, they’re due to move up. Houston should rise too after scoring 21 unanswered points in a 35-16 win at Kansas State to improve to 2-1 in Big 12 play.
The Cougars’ next test comes against Oklahoma State, which also picked up a win Saturday. Drew Mestemaker threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns as the Cowboys beat UCF with 18 points in the fourth quarter, though their earlier win over Oregon looks less impressive now.
USC earned a significant road win at Penn State, with its defense stepping up in the second half to close it out. Iowa also made noise, as Jeremy Hecklinski passed for more than 200 yards and three touchdowns in a dominant win at Washington that boosts the Hawkeyes’ playoff hopes.
UCLA is one of the weekend’s biggest movers after going to 5-0 with a road win over ranked Oregon, the kind of result voters usually reward with a leap. Wake Forest has a case too: three road Power Four wins, a closer game against Miami than anyone else has managed this season, Pittsburgh’s loss, and the fact the Deacons were just 20 points away from the poll last week should be enough to get them in.
SMU was off in Week 6 and returns against Virginia next. Oregon, on the other hand, may be in danger of falling out after a second loss, this one at home to undefeated UCLA, though there may not be another team outside the rankings with enough support to replace the Ducks.
Mississippi State was idle and comes back next weekend at LSU. Tennessee survived a shaky afternoon at Arkansas, where a struggling offense and three turnovers made things far tighter than it should have been, but DeSean Bishop’s 138 rushing yards helped the Vols escape with a seven-point win. Tennessee heads to Alabama next.
Missouri also keeps moving, with Jamal Roberts turning in a personal-best rushing performance in a win over Texas A&M that lifted the Tigers to 5-1. Utah pulled away from Kansas behind two fourth-quarter touchdowns, even if Devon Dampier was off-target in the first half.
Texas Tech was off this week and returns home next Saturday against Arizona State. BYU stayed unbeaten in Big 12 play, but it needed Bear Bachmeier to shoulder more of the offense with LJ Martin out in a win over Iowa State. The next assignment is much bigger: Notre Dame.
And finally, the projected bottom of the poll has a new look. Oregon could drop out after that home loss to UCLA, while Wake Forest appears ready to break in, with SMU sitting just ahead of the cutoff after its idle week.
In Other News...
ManningCast Keeps Ole Miss Tied To A National Football Spotlight
Jim Nantz is set for his first appearance on the ManningCast during Monday Night Football, adding another familiar voice to a broadcast that has become one of the NFLs most-watched side attractions. Peyton Manning personally invited Nantz to join the ESPN2 telecast for the Bills-Rams game, giving the alternate feed another notable crossover moment while the regular game broadcast runs on ABC and ESPN.
For Ole Miss fans, it is another reminder of how closely the Manning family keeps the program connected to the biggest stages in football. The ManningCast has already turned into a national showcase for Peyton and Eli Manning, and Nantzs stop by the show only extends that reach, especially with his own schedule already carrying him through a CBS NFL game on Sunday before he heads into Monday night. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Already Faces A Familiar Test Against Vanderbilt
Ole Miss is back in SEC play with a matchup that already feels like a measuring stick, especially after both teams came in looking to steady themselves from recent losses. The Rebels got a welcome boost with Kewan Lacy returning from injury, while Vanderbilt brought its own intrigue with Jared Curtis expected back at quarterback, setting up a game that has plenty of familiarity and just enough uncertainty to matter.
The early action has matched the tone of the matchup, with Ole Miss finding the end zone and Vanderbilt answering with a field goal to keep the pressure on. For a Rebels team trying to reassert itself in conference play, the challenge is less about the opening sequence than what comes next, because Vanderbilt has already shown enough to make this one feel like it could turn on a handful of critical snaps. [Read more 🡒]