Just when you think you’re beginning to figure out who the best teams in the country are, a week like this can come in and shatter your expectations. Multiple top-10 losses, an emerging power from the Midwest and a continued disaster in State College: read about all of that and more below!
Top 10 Headlines
● We were all expecting a low-scoring game in the Red River Rivalry, and that definitely held true for one side. #6 Oklahoma was stymied all afternoon long by an unranked Texas team that finally resembled their preseason #1 ranking. UT’s offense was sluggish in the first half, but they were able to figure out their running game in the second half to control the clock and whittle down the Sooners’ intimidating defensive front. Arch Manning played mistake free football for the Horns and was electric on 3rd down passes, while OU counterpart John Mateer threw three interceptions in his return from a thumb injury. It’s the third time in the last four games between the two teams that OU has failed to find the end zone, getting outscored 106-9 in those losses. It’s a disheartening loss for an OU team that looked to have righted the wrongs of their first SEC season, while the Horns will climb back into the rankings and have plenty of reasons to be optimistic for the rest of their season.
● Is the world ready for a top-3 team from the Hoosier State not named Notre Dame? We better get ready for it, because #7 Indiana is the real deal. They waltzed into Eugene and calmly took down #3 Oregon by double digits in a 30-20 road win, Oregon’s first regular season Big Ten loss. The Hoosiers pushed the Ducks around on the line of scrimmage, and their poise after Fernando Mendoza threw a game-tying pick-six was mighty impressive. Curt Cignetti has Indiana ready to play wherever and whenever, and though it’ll break people’s minds since they’re not a blue blood, these Hoosiers are as dangerous as anyone in the country right now. Oregon still has plenty to play for, but maybe we were too quick to crown them after their road win at Penn State. More on that disaster later…
● #8 Alabama picked up their third win in a row over a ranked team after knocking off #14 Missouri on the road. It wasn’t the most impressive day statistically for the Crimson Tide, but they overcame a rowdy crowd in Columbia thanks to a defense that held the SEC’s leading rusher Ahmad Hardy to a mere 52 yards on the ground. Tigers QB Beau Pribula wasn’t sharp against his toughest competition to date, overthrowing his final pass right to a Bama defender to seal the game.
● #1 Ohio State has given us no reason to remove them from the top spot in all the major rankings. They thoroughly dominated #17 Illinois on the road in a 34-16 win, forcing three turnovers and never really allowing the Illini to make this a game. The Buckeyes did allow two touchdowns though, which doubled their season total! The team right behind them in the rankings, #2 Miami, was idle.
● Uh… what was that, #4 Ole Miss? You let a Washington State team that lost by 49 to UNT earlier this season hold you to 24 points? You let them score 21 and only won by three? It was a weird day at the Grove, where the Rebels outgained the Cougs by almost 100 yards, were better on 3rd down, and still only won by a field goal. Maybe it was a weird game time (11:45 start) or a weird opponent in the middle of the season. Whatever the reason, it’s a surprisingly close win for a team that’s looked dominant all year long. It gives me reason to think #5 Texas A&M could jump them in the polls after they grinded out another win, this time against Florida. The Aggies are 6-0 and off to their best start since 2016.
● Have you ever known the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry to not be weird? #10 Georgia and Auburn always bring out the worst in each other, and in Auburn’s case, the worst in the referees. The Tigers went from a potential 17-0 lead before halftime to a controversial fumble that gave the Dawgs the ball back, which they scored a FG off of. The third quarter featured multiple 4th down failures by both teams, as well as UGA’s Kirby Smart duping the officials into giving him a free timeout. He was clapping, he swears! In the end, Auburn's offense disappeared in the second half, and the Dawgs won their 9th straight game in the rivalry, tied for the longest streak in its history.
● #9 Texas Tech found themselves in an early dogfight with Kansas at home, and there’s concern for QB Behren Morton’s health after he left the game with an injury and didn’t return. But backup Will Hammond proved more than capable a few weeks ago in Salt Lake City, and he again guided the Red Raiders to another double-digit victory. Tech still looks like the best team in the Big 12 by far. Will anyone challenge them?
Best of the Weekend
● If you told me USC would beat #15 Michigan this weekend, I might have believed you. If you told me the Trojans would win by running down the Wolverines’ throat, I might’ve called your bluff. I’d have been wrong, because USC’s running game was strong in a 31-13 home win. USC QB Jayden Maiava played well again, as did stud WR Makai Lemon. Bryce Underwood looked shaky in his third road start and was unable to get his team out of an early deficit. It’s an important win for USC as they get ready to head to South Bend next week to take on #16 Notre Dame, who has looked dangerous over the last month.
● #13 Georgia Tech became the first ACC team to get to bowl eligibility this weekend after taking care of business against Virginia Tech. The Yellow Jackets remain an underrated team, even with the top-15 ranking. Who between them and #19 Virginia (who was off this week) will challenge for a spot in the ACC title game?
● The good vibes for UCLA have continued since shocking Penn State last weekend. The Bruins looked like a wagon on the road, hammering Michigan State to get their second win of the year. Could UCLA actually become bowl eligible after their dreadful start?
● Over in the MAC, the rivalry between Toledo and Bowling Green has been a fun one for a few years now. In this year’s edition, BGSU came back from a 21-0 deficit to knock off the Rockets 28-23. HC Eddie George (yes, that Eddie George) gets his first big win at Bowling Green. Oh, and hapless Kent State picked up their first win against an FBS team since 2022(!) with a victory over equally-hapless UMass.
Worst of the Weekend
● Before the Week 7 games kicked off, I asked Dave Revsine of the Big Ten Network on Fan University if Penn State losing to UCLA would signal the end of the James Franklin era in State College. He said he wasn’t ready to have that conversation just yet. I wonder if he’s ready to have it now after seeing the Nittany Lions lose their third straight game, and second to a Big Ten bottom feeder. With all due respect to Northwestern, this is the kind of team Franklin has never had any problem with dispatching. Now that PSU has started to lose to the teams they should beat in addition to the top-ranked teams they haven’t been able to beat, I really wonder if the university and Franklin will find a way to mutually part ways after the season. It’s one that began with national title hopes, but now looks like one where Penn State will be fighting for bowl eligibility. Oh, and QB Drew Allar is out for the rest of the season with an injury he suffered late in this one.
● One of the most anticipated Group of 5 games of the season was a barnburner… for one half of football. Both #24 South Florida and North Texas played even in the first half in both points (21 a piece) and turnovers (3 a piece). But within seven minutes of the second half starting, USF burst out to a 49-28 after two more UNT turnovers and some busted coverage. The Mean Green got manhandled on the lines of scrimmage and had no answer for the USF rushing attack, with Bulls QB Byrum Brown accounting for 5 total touchdowns and atoning for those early turnovers. His counterpart Drew Mestemaker threw his first three interceptions of the season as UNT’s big moment on a national stage ended in a nightmare 63-36 defeat.
● The longer we go on in the 2025 season, the more inexplicable it seems that #25 Florida State beat freaking Alabama to begin the season. The Seminoles lost their third straight game on Saturday, this time to Pitt at home. FSU led this game at halftime, but let the lead slowly and painfully slip away. It’s FSU’s 8th straight ACC loss dating back to last season, and what looked like a turnaround year in Tallahassee has turned into a mess yet again.
● #22 Iowa State is not the Big 12 contender they were last year. They lost their second straight game on the road, this time to a Colorado team that didn’t have a Big 12 victory on the season. Then, TCU lost on the road to mediocre Kansas State. Is anyone in the Big 12 going to step up and challenge Texas Tech?
● For all the sickos out there: we are a few weeks away from potentially seeing 0-8 Sam Houston State travel to Corvallis to take on 0-9 Oregon State. The Beavs are already ineligible for a bowl after their loss to Wake Forest dropped them to 0-7.
Fun Corner
● Oklahoma State’s terrible season continued on the field with a listless home loss to Houston, but these shirtless dudes in the stands made the most of it.
● Have you ever seen an interception off of a wide receiver’s butt? Now you have.
● North Texas did sell out their stadium for the first time ever, with an announced attendance of 31,386 showing up for their Friday night blackout against South Florida. At least the fans got half of a good game.
● We saw a 3rd down QB punt in Friday night’s Harvard/Cornell matchup.
● Who doesn’t love beignets? Would you bob for beignets like these Tulane students did?
Week 7 Heisman Standings
1. Carson Beck, Miami QB: Beck probably didn’t mind sitting at home watching some of the other Heisman contenders like John Mateer and Dante Moore struggle. His numbers are still great, and the fact that his Hurricanes blew out a USF team that’s looking great otherwise is a boost to his resume.
2. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana QB: The Cal transfer guided the Hoosiers to their first ever top-5 road win, and has them in position for an undefeated regular season.
3. Ty Simpson, Alabama QB: The Crimson Tide signal caller didn’t have the biggest day stats wise, but made some impressive throws and didn’t turn the ball over as he guided his team to a 3rd straight win over a ranked team.
4. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M QB: It’s time to give the A&M quarterback his dues. He’s been at the forefront of the team’s resurgence this season, shaking off mistakes to get his team to a 6-0 start.