The biggest shakeup in the Week 7 AP Top 25 came at the very top, where Texas’ loss to Oklahoma blew the No. 1 spot wide open and sent Georgia back into familiar territory.
Texas came into the weekend looking safe at No. 1, but the Longhorns’ three-point loss to an unranked rival changed everything. Arch Manning threw two interceptions, Oklahoma turned those mistakes into the points it needed, and the AP voters quickly moved on from the previous top team.
Georgia was the beneficiary. The Bulldogs picked up 60 first-place votes and climbed into No. 1, a spot they know well - their 40 appearances at No. 1 in this decade are the most of any program in college football. After the win at Alabama, Georgia suddenly looks like one of Kirby Smart’s title-era teams again.
There were other notable movers across the poll. Kentucky made the biggest leap of the week, jumping 11 spots after its overtime win against LSU. The Wildcats improved their vote total from 160 to 655 and now sit at 5-1 heading to Oklahoma next.
UCLA also surged, moving up nine places after a tight 17-15 win at Oregon. The Bruins stayed unbeaten and put themselves in strong position for a playoff run. Bob Chesney is in his first season as coach, and the start has been a sharp one.
Texas did not fall far, at least by the standards of a No. 1 team losing to an unranked opponent. The Longhorns dropped six spots, but the questions around the offense remain real as they try to keep their SEC championship hopes on track with Arch Manning at quarterback.
Oregon’s slide was much harsher. The Ducks are out of the rankings after a second loss, tumbling all the way to effectively No.
- Their vote total collapsed from 831 last week to just 86, and one of the Big Ten’s national title favorites is suddenly in trouble.
LSU also took a major hit, falling 12 places after the overtime loss at Kentucky. That was the biggest drop in the Week 7 poll and dealt a serious blow to the College Football Playoff hopes that followed Lane Kiffin’s hiring.
Behind the ranked teams, the next group in the voting was Wisconsin with 92 points, followed by Oregon with 86, Arizona with 82, Nebraska with 65, Oklahoma with 44, James Madison with 29, Florida with 9, Duke with 5, New Mexico with 3 and Oregon State with 1.
In Other News...
Oregon's Quarterback Crisis Just Got Harder To Ignore
Oregons quarterback situation was already under a bright enough spotlight with Dante Moore sidelined by a concussion, and the fourth quarter against UCLA only sharpened the concerns. After Dylan Raiola struggled with turnovers, Dan Lanning turned to Brock Thomas, a move that underscored how little margin the Ducks had as the offense searched for a rhythm. Even with a touchdown and a field goal on the board, the Ducks were still chasing the game late.
The trouble was not just the score, but the way the offense kept putting itself in difficult spots. Multiple turnovers and other offensive issues left Oregon trailing 17-9 entering the fourth quarter, and the shuffle under center made the depth chart feel unsettled at a moment when stability mattered most. For a team built to compete at the top of the conference, the quarterback conversation is suddenly becoming impossible to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Win Now Comes With A Big Ten Question For Bear Alexander
Oregons win over UCLA is already producing a bigger aftershock than the final score, because a viral clip from the game has put defensive tackle Bear Alexander in the middle of a possible Big Ten review. The video appears to show Alexander striking Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava during a tackle, and Iamaleava later left with a lower body injury, leaving the play under fresh scrutiny as the conference weighs its next step.
The Big Ten has a sportsmanship policy that can allow for discipline in cases like this, and Oregon is waiting to see whether the league decides to act. The situation also lands in a sensitive spot for Dan Lanning, who recently condemned a similar incident involving another player, making the conferences response to Alexanders case the next development that could shape how the aftermath of the game is remembered. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Heads To Nebraska With A Quarterback Problem And Bigger Questions
The late push from Brock Thomas gave Oregon something to hang onto after a 17-15 loss to No. 21 UCLA, but it also left the Ducks with a familiar kind of uncertainty as they head to Nebraska. Thomas stepped in for starter Dylan Raiola in the fourth quarter and helped lead scoring drives, yet the bigger picture was hard to ignore: turnovers, penalties and offensive line problems kept the offense from ever finding a steady rhythm, even as the defense did enough to keep the game within reach.
Now the attention shifts to the quarterback picture, and it is not getting any clearer. Oregon could also be waiting on the possible return of Dante Moore from injury, which only adds another layer to a situation already made messy by the loss to UCLA. The Ducks leave with a hard-earned defensive performance to build on, but with the offense still searching for answers, the trip to Nebraska feels like a test of both depth and direction. [Read more 🡒]