Oklahoma State’s rise in the AP poll finally hit a wall.
After climbing from No. 19 to No. 18 during the off week, the Cowboys stayed right where they were in this week’s AP Top 25 despite handling UCF 42-28. The win was enough to keep Oklahoma State steady, but not enough to nudge it any higher in the eyes of AP voters.
There was better news elsewhere for the Cowboys. Oklahoma State cracked the US LBM Coaches Poll for the first time this season, landing at No. 20 after spending the previous two weeks as the first team out.
Around the Big 12, the rest of the league’s ranked teams mostly held serve. BYU stayed put at No. 8 after beating Iowa State 24-10.
Texas Tech moved up one spot from No. 11 to No. 10 while on a bye, and Utah climbed from No. 12 to No. 11 after defeating Kansas 41-24. Houston also gained ground, rising from No. 22 to No. 20 after its 35-16 win over K-State, setting up a Top 20 matchup with Oklahoma State next weekend.
The full AP ranking again had Georgia at No. 1, followed by Notre Dame, Miami (FL), Ohio State, Indiana, Alabama, Texas, BYU, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Utah, UCLA, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Iowa, Oklahoma State, USC, Houston, Wake Forest, LSU, Boise State, SMU and Northwestern.
The biggest shakeup came at the top. Unranked Oklahoma knocked off No.
1 Texas in the Red River Showdown, but the Sooners still missed the Top 25 and checked in as the fifth team out at 3-2. Texas tumbled from No. 1 to No.
- Georgia benefited from that opening, moving from No. 2 to No. 1 after its win over Alabama, while the Crimson Tide stayed at No.
The SEC shuffle kept rolling from there. Florida dropped out of the Top 25 after a second straight rough week, falling from No. 8 to No. 16 in Week 5 after a loss to No.
25 Missouri. The Tigers jumped from No. 25 to No. 14 then, and after beating 3-2 Texas A&M, moved up again to No.
- LSU slid from No. 10 to No. 22 after losing to unranked Kentucky, and Kentucky climbed from outside the rankings all the way to No.
In Other News...
Oregon State Rolled But Two Concerns Still Followed The Beavers
Oregon States 66-14 win over San Diego State at Reser Stadium looked like the kind of complete performance a coach wants to bottle up and save for later. The Beavers controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides, with the offense rolling and the defense delivering a steady answer whenever the Aztecs tried to settle in. Jesse Legree was among the players who stood out, and the overall feel was of a team that dictated the game rather than reacting to it.
Still, the cleanest wins usually leave a few things to sort through, and this one was no exception. The return of Pac-12 referees added its own layer, with a handful of officiating mistakes mixed into the afternoon, while Oregon State also had some issues to clean up in the kicking game and at cornerback. After a lopsided result like this, those are the kinds of details that matter most, because better opponents tend to find every crack. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Now Faces A New Problem In Washington State Game
Washington State is adding a fresh wrinkle for Oregon State to sort out this week, with coach Kirby Moore turning to Owen Eshelman at quarterback. Eshelman redshirted last year and has been preparing as the starter, so the Beavers will now have to game-plan for a quarterback they have not seen in college action yet.
The move comes after Caden Pinnick struggled through the first six games, leaving Washington State in search of a spark on offense. For Oregon State, it means another layer of uncertainty in a matchup where the Cougars are trying to reset the position and make the Beavers adjust on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Gets Needed Reinforcements As One Injury Concern Grows
Oregon State is getting some welcome signs of help as the season moves along, even if the injury picture is still uneven. Receiver Xayvion Noland is expected to be available this week after missing the previous game, which gives the Beavers another option as they try to steady the offense and keep some rhythm going around a line that has been shorthanded.
The bigger concern remains on the defensive side, where linebacker Kord Shaw is not close to a return and appears unlikely to be back this season. Along the offensive front, there is some movement in the right direction: left tackle Josiah Timoteo has been practicing again, and interior lineman Carter Guillaume is edging nearer to being ready, giving Oregon State at least a little hope that its front could get healthier soon. [Read more 🡒]