No new No. 1 is coming in the AP Top 25 this week, and that was never really in doubt once the weekend slate lined up with so many ranked-on-ranked matchups.
Texas held onto the top spot by surviving a major road test at No. 14 Tennessee, and the way the Longhorns won said plenty about where this team is right now.
The attention naturally drifted toward Arch Manning, but the Texas defense drove the result, piling up 10 sacks against a Tennessee offensive line that never found its footing. Colin Simmons matched a single-game school record with five of those sacks himself.
Even with the win, Texas still has work to do in the passing game, in pass protection and in cutting down the penalties that keep showing up.
Florida made the loudest statement of the weekend. Jadan Baugh kept looking every bit like the best running back in college football, and the Gators backed it up with a 52-28 rout of No.
4 Ole Miss. Baugh ran for 154 yards and scored three times as Florida improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2019, when the program went 11-2 and won the Orange Bowl.
That start puts a real runway in front of Florida. It’s not far-fetched to imagine the Gators entering the Texas game on Oct. 17 at 6-0, or even heading into the Cocktail Party against Georgia at 7-0. That meeting could finally look like a matchup between equals.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, has plenty to sort through during its idle week. The biggest question entering the season was how the transfer-portal additions on defense would hold up, and Florida’s 302 rushing yards and six touchdowns made the answer look grim. Trinidad Chambliss had a solid day with 342 total yards and three scores, but the absence of Kewan Lacy left the Rebels without the steadying presence they needed to keep Florida’s offense on the sideline.
Oregon also came through a difficult spot after starting quarterback Dante Moore left Saturday’s game following a violent late hit to the head. Even with that setback, the Ducks were still facing USC, and that matters. Dylan Raiola stepped in and guided six scoring drives as Oregon pulled away from the Trojans and kept its playoff case intact.
USC took another hit, and the reason is becoming familiar. The Trojans still cannot tackle at the level required against their better opponents.
At this point, the pattern under Lincoln Riley is hard to miss: the defense breaks down, and even a talented offense eventually can’t keep pace. This time it happened against a backup quarterback.
Texas Tech also had to grind through a difficult night against Tennessee. The Longhorns’ offense was smothered by the Texas defense, Faizon Brandon was forced to scramble repeatedly even when pockets were clean, the ground game managed just 1.6 yards per carry, and Tennessee’s late push unraveled with penalties, another sack and poor throws.
Then came the kind of finish that sticks in the rankings conversation. Iowa beat Michigan 20-19 on the road when Hank Brown hit Reese Vander Zee for the game-winning touchdown to finish off a 91-yard drive at the Big House.
That result gave Iowa a set of notable marks: its first win against a ranked team on the road since 2021, its first win at Michigan since 2010 and its first road win over a ranked Big Ten team since 2015. That should be enough to nudge the Hawkeyes up a bit more in this week’s AP ballot.
Michigan still had reasons to feel good about parts of its offense. Bryce Underwood was asked to show he could handle the vertical passing game, and the Wolverines produced two 100-yard receivers in a home game for the first time since 2002. Underwood’s 49-yard strike to JJ Buchanan looked like the winner late, but the defense has plenty to answer for after allowing Iowa to march the length of the field for the decisive score.
In Other News...
Oregon Suddenly Has A Bigger Quarterback Question After Beating USC
Dylan Raiolas primetime debut gave Oregon a timely burst of stability in a game that briefly tilted toward uncertainty. After starting quarterback Dante Moore left with an injury, Raiola stepped in and delivered a poised performance, completing 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions as the Ducks pulled away for a 41-27 win over USC.
Dan Lanning came away impressed with the way Raiola handled the moment, especially the confidence he showed in a spotlight game that could have unraveled quickly. Still, the bigger question for Oregon now is Moores health, and the Ducks will spend their bye week sorting out how serious the injury is and what it might mean for the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Sent Lincoln Rileys USC Problem Into Overdrive
USCs loss to Oregon did more than hand the Trojans a damaging defeat in the standings. It also reopened the conversation around Lincoln Rileys tenure, with Paul Finebaum using an ESPN First Take appearance to press on the bigger issue hanging over the program: whether Riley has actually moved USC forward in a meaningful way.
The critique landed because the game itself offered USC plenty of offense, but not enough balance to survive Oregons pressure. Defensive problems again loomed large, and Rileys overall record has started to draw uncomfortable comparisons to Clay Heltons time in charge. Add in the shifting College Football Playoff prediction market and the margin for error is shrinking fast, leaving USC with more questions than comfort after this one. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Mariota Just Gave Ducks Fans A Reason To Pay Attention
Marcus Mariota got another turn under center Sunday, and the former Oregon star made it matter. Starting for the Washington Commanders in place of injured quarterback Jayden Daniels, Mariota helped guide Washington to a 33-31 win over the Seattle Seahawks, delivering a steady performance in a game that stayed tight throughout.
Mariota completed 19 of 31 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns, a line that will resonate with Ducks fans who still keep one eye on his NFL stops. Seattle got big production from Sam Darnold in his return from injury, as he threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns, but also turned it over twice, leaving Mariota and Washington with the final edge in a high-scoring finish. [Read more 🡒]