The biggest shakeup in the Coaches Top 25 Poll came right at the top, where Texas’ loss to Oklahoma opened the door for a new No. 1 heading into Week 7.
Texas, which started the week atop the rankings, fell five spots to No. 6 after Arch Manning threw two interceptions that directly led to the Sooners’ game-winning points. The loss didn’t bury the Longhorns, but it did leave enough doubt to push them out of the top spot and raise fresh questions about Manning’s development and whether this offense can truly contend.
That vacancy at No. 1 was one part of a wider movement across the poll. LSU was the second-biggest faller, dropping 11 spots after Lane Kiffin walked off a road field as a loser for the second time. The setback left him 13-13 on the road at both LSU and Ole Miss, and the article described his playoff ambitions as in tatters.
The biggest jump belonged to UCLA, which climbed 10 spots after upsetting Oregon on the road in a messy 17-15 win. The Bruins were far from clean, but they made enough plays to leave with the result, and the path ahead looks favorable for their playoff push.
Oregon took the hardest hit of anyone near the top, tumbling 12 spots after its second loss of the season. The Ducks are still in the poll, but they’re hanging on, and a road trip to Ohio State in a few weeks looms as another tough test.
There was movement in the back half of the rankings, too. Boise State finally earned a spot in the poll after a strong road showing against Fresno State, powered especially by its rushing game.
Wake Forest also entered the rankings, coming in with a 5-1 record that includes a dominant win at NC State. The Deacons also gave Miami its toughest test of the season.
Several teams disappeared from the poll after short stays. Florida was the biggest name to drop out, falling out after a second straight blowout loss. Duke also exited after a three-point loss to Georgia Tech on a missed field goal, and Pittsburgh dropped out after losing quarterback Mason Heintschel and then losing to North Carolina.
The coaches’ votes that fell just short of the top 25 included Northwestern with 107, Arizona with 92, Nebraska with 74, Oklahoma with 50, Wisconsin with 39, Duke with 35, James Madison with 33, Florida with 32, Pittsburgh with 25, New Mexico with 16, UTSA with 10, Baylor with 9, Memphis with 6, Oregon State with 2, and North Carolina with 1.
In Other News...
Florida Just Got A Needed Recruiting Boost After That Ugly Loss
Floridas Week 6 loss to South Carolina stung on the field, but the Gators needed something positive quickly and got it on the recruiting trail. Five-star wide receiver Easton Royal, the No. 1 receiver in the 2027 class, flipped his commitment from Texas to Florida shortly after the defeat, giving the program a jolt at a time when the margin for good news felt pretty thin.
Royals decision matters beyond the headline because he is one of the most coveted prospects in the country and is expected to wrap up his recruitment soon. For Texas, it is a notable miss in a class that had been building momentum, while Florida gets a major boost as it tries to steady itself after slipping to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the SEC. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Has A Discipline Problem Sarkisian Can't Ignore
The loss to Oklahoma brought Texas back to a familiar and frustrating theme: the Longhorns again hurt themselves with flags at the worst possible moments. They were penalized eight times for 61 yards, and the numbers fit the broader concern Steve Sarkisian has been trying to push to the front of the conversation. Even with a modest dip in penalties per game from last season, the Longhorns have not shaken the kind of mistakes that can swing a tight rivalry game.
Sarkisian has already pointed to penalties as the biggest issue the staff has to clean up, and he described the problem as a mix of effort-based plays and mental miscues. That makes the fix harder than simply preaching discipline in practice, because the issue is not coming from one place or one player group. Texas can outplay an opponent in stretches and still leave the door open if it keeps layering avoidable mistakes on top of itself. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Must Fix One Frustrating Problem After Red River Loss
The Red River loss left Texas with more than a blemish in the rivalry column. It also put a spotlight on the kind of offensive inconsistency that has followed the Longhorns at times this season, even with plenty of individual talent on the roster. Senior offensive lineman Trevor Goosby and coach Steve Sarkisian both pointed to the same basic task afterward: put the disappointment behind them and get the unit executing better.
Sarkisian also owned the responsibility for the offenses struggles, a notable admission from a coach who knows the standard in Austin does not leave much room for uneven Saturdays. The Longhorns have shown enough ability to suggest the ceiling is still there, but the next stretch will be about turning that talent into steadier production. For Texas, the frustration is not just the loss itself, but the feeling that the offense still has to prove it can hold up when the stage gets biggest. [Read more 🡒]