If Week 7 of the college football season was a Game of Thrones episode, it would undoubtedly be “The Rains of Castamere.” Without spoiling anything for those who haven’t had their hearts broken by a television show, basically, everything we thought we knew and expected to happen was shockingly flipped upside down.
Well that about sums up what happened Saturday. Five of the top seven ranked teams lost, which has never happened. For a second straight week, the top-ranked team stumbled. It was absolute chaos and no one, I mean no one, was safe.
After such carnage, the AP Top 25 somehow has to be determined come 2 p.m. ET Sunday. Here’s my attempt at forecasting what it could look like.
Projected the AP Top 25 rankings after Week 7
1. Miami Hurricanes (6–0, 4–0 ACC)
Week 7: Beat Florida State, 43–35
Week 8: Vs. Pittsburgh, noon ET Saturday
Wow, did Miami live dangerously in this one. The pass rush didn’t get home often enough, making life difficult for a secondary that was torched after the catch and downfield. Miami had some costly first-half penalties that led to points for the Seminoles. But the second half saw a familiar hero throw on his cape—Malachi Toney caught 11 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns, including the eventual go-ahead score in double overtime—and a new hero don his—freshman Javian Mallory ran for 108 yards and two scores with Mark Fletcher Jr. banged up.
And while it wasn’t his best day, Darian Mensah made some big-time throws when it mattered, such as the back shoulder to Toney for the go-ahead score.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (6–1, 4–0 Big Ten)
Week 7: Beat No. 5 Indiana, 19–15
Week 8: Bye
Ohio State and Indiana battered each other in a Big Ten battle that left both starting quarterbacks dealing with injury. Unfortunately, Julian Sayin was unable to return to the game—and will miss several weeks, making the Buckeyes’ road to the College Football Playoff a bit more treacherous. Fortunately, an Ohio State defense teeming with talent completely took away Indiana’s running game and made just enough plays to win, benefiting from an all-time heartbreaker for the Hoosiers when wideout Nick Marsh’s foot was out of bounds on the potential go-ahead touchdown on fourth down with 1:02 remaining.
For much of the game, the Hoosiers made anyone but Jeremiah Smith beat them, until Smith stepped up and beat them on a pivotal fourth-down play in the fourth quarter. Smith will make life easier for freshman fill-in Luke Fahey, as will a much-needed bye week and a Halloween date with a toothless USC defense that isn’t scaring anyone.
3. BYU Cougars (6–0, 3–0 Big 12)
Week 7: Beat No. 2 Notre Dame, 28–24
Week 8: At UCF, TBD Saturday
In the wildest week of college football yet this season, BYU authored its biggest win of the year, stunning the Fighting Irish and setting off a field-storming at LaVell Edwards Stadium. This was a gritty, hard-fought win for Kalani Sitake’s bunch, as the stout front seven held a vaunted Notre Dame rushing attack to just 3.8 yards per carry.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier continues to be a grinder—and sneaky Heisman candidate—accounting for three touchdowns and making some big-time throws. Shout-out to BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick for a sick trick play call in the second quarter. Another shout-out to Crumbl Cookies for backing up the Brink’s truck to keep Sitake in town. Welcome to the top five, BYU.
4. Georgia Bulldogs (6–1, 4–1 SEC)
Week 7: Lost to Auburn, 27–24
Week 8: Bye
After a thrilling road win over Alabama, Georgia was drunk on euphoria and talk of its newfound status as national title favorites. Enter Auburn, aka the pounding headache and wicked hangover that made the Bulldogs’ stay at No. 1 much shorter than they would have liked.
Of the several signs the Bulldogs weren’t feeling their best? Quarterback Gunner Stockton, who last week was arguably the reason Georgia won, this week may have been the reason they lost, with three turnovers, including a back-breaking fumble with 58 seconds left that helped set up the game-winning field goal for the Tigers. Plus, a week after keeping contain on game-breaking Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell, the Bulldogs’ front wasn’t able to do the same against Auburn’s Byrum Brown, who made the Dawgs pay with his legs time and time again in the most impactful performance of his career to date.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, the perfect hangover cure awaits: a bye week.
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6–1)
Week 7: Lost to No. 8 BYU, 28–24
Week 8: Bye
This was a weird first half for Notre Dame, which lost its best pass rusher Boubacar Traore on the first drive of the game after a blatant targeting call, then left multiple touchdowns on the board on a couple missed throws from quarterback CJ Carr, as well as a spike gone wrong.
Facing a double-digit deficit at the half, the Fighting Irish, as they’ve done so often this season, responded, forcing a punt and a turnover on downs on BYU’s first two drives of the second half, chipping in field goals. Carr was magical in the fourth quarter and nearly led a game-winning touchdown drive in a very tough road environment. Potential pass interference call or not, Notre Dame likely should have gotten a better shot at the win than a low percentage throw to the back corner of the end zone.
6. Ole Miss Rebels (5–1, 3–1 SEC)
Week 7: Beat Missouri, 31–3
Week 8: At Texas, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday
We saw flashes of what the presence of a healthy Kewan Lacy can do for this offense in a 52–17 pasting of Vanderbilt last week. In a Week 7 dismantling of Missouri, we fully saw what a healthy Lacy can do for this team. The star halfback accounted for 122 of a season-high 242 rushing yards, averaging nearly a first down per carry while helping to set things up for Trinidad Chambliss and his three passing scores.
But the biggest development for the Rebels? Pete Golding’s defense has yielded just 20 points, forced five turnovers and has tightened up against the run in two games since the bye week.
7. Indiana Hoosiers (6–1, 3–1 Big Ten)
Week 7: Lost to No. 4 Ohio State, 19–15
Week 8: At Michigan, noon ET Saturday
After 22 straight wins and a national title, Indiana and its fans may have forgotten how to lose. Boy, was the Hoosiers’ Week 7 defeat to Ohio State a painful reminder. Kicker Nico Radicic had missed just three career field goals in three years entering the game. Perhaps bothered by the wind, he missed a pair of kicks, a 32-yarder and 55-yarder, and the six points left off the board would have netted the Hoosiers a win. Marsh came alive in the fourth quarter and appeared to haul in the go-ahead touchdown reception, but was out of bounds by mere inches.
Give Josh Hoover credit for (again) toughing through injury and give the Hoosiers defense for figuring out a way to slow down Smith and the Buckeyes. But with self-inflicted mistakes and missed opportunities, the Hoosiers let one slip away in Bloomington, Ind. They’ll look to get back into the winner’s circle against Kyle Whittingham’s Wolverines.
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders (6–0, 3–0 Big 12)
Week 7: Beat Arizona State, 53–25
Week 8: At Cincinnati, TBD Saturday
Texas Tech played like a team that heard all week about the chatter that it was seemingly the weakest of the top-10 teams and remembered that its lone regular-season loss last year was to Arizona State. After a fumble on the goal line on its first offensive drive, the Red Raiders defense had the offense’s back, coming up with a pick-six courtesy of talented linebacker Ben Roberts. Led by an explosive J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech never looked back, taking a 43–10 lead into the halftime locker room.
The defense took its foot off the gas in the second half, but all in all, this was the best game Texas Tech played this season. The Red Raiders defense came up with six sacks and two takeaways while the offense averaged nearly a first down per play.
9. Tennessee Volunteers (6–1, 3–1 SEC)
Week 7: Beat No. 6 Alabama, 26–10
Week 8: At South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday
When the question, “Who has the best defense in the SEC?” was posed, answers such as Texas, Georgia or Alabama were often offered. On Saturday, Tennessee made its case, punishing the Crimson Tide to the tune of 10 points allowed, five sacks, four takeaways and just two conversions on 13 third downs. Call it the Jim Knowles effect.
Offensively, Tennessee left points on the board but, aside from one George MacIntyre interception, avoided mistakes and kept the train on the track, dominating time of possession. Junior halfback DeSean Bishop quietly continues to dominate SEC run defenses, with 517 rushing yards and six scores on the ground in his last three contests. In a day of havoc in the SEC, Tennessee was one of the few teams left standing.
10. UCLA Bruins (6–0, 4–0 Big Ten)
Week 7: Beat Wisconsin, 17–7
Week 8: Vs. Michigan State, TBD Saturday
UCLA football fans are smiling through it all and can’t believe this is their life. A year after going 3–9, UCLA is the last undefeated Big Ten team in a conference where the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers and 2024 national champion Ohio State Buckeyes reside. While it’s surprising that the Bruins are top-10 relevant, at the same time, no one should be surprised, given this is what Bob Chesney has done in his career.
Despite being held to just 120 yards rushing and turning the ball over twice, the Bruins offense, thanks to a solid showing from Ty Dieffenbach, amassed 384 total yards and converted 13 of 20 third downs to keep the chains moving and the clock rolling. The defense turned the water off on the Badgers’ passing game, holding them to just 66 yards passing while forcing five punts and a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter. In their wildest dreams, Bruins fans probably didn’t think the top 10 would be beckoning so soon, but here it is.
11. Alabama Crimson Tide (5–2, 3–2 SEC)
Week 7: Lost to No. 14 Tennessee, 26–10
Week 8: Vs. Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m. ET
12. Kentucky Wildcats (6–1, 4–1 SEC)
Week 7: Beat Oklahoma, 21–13
Week 8: Vs. Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday
13. Utah Utes (6–0, 3–0 Big 12)
Week 7: Beat Colorado, 27–24
Week 8: Vs. Houston, TBD Saturday
14. Texas Longhorns (4–2, 1–2 SEC)
Week 7: Lost to Florida, 27–24
Week 8: Vs. Ole Miss, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday
15. Iowa Hawkeyes (5–1, 2–1 Big Ten)
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: At Minnesota, TBD Saturday
16. LSU Tigers (5–2, 2–2 SEC)
Week 7: Beat No. 16 Mississippi State, 31–0
Week 8: At Auburn, noon ET Saturday
17. Houston Cougars (6–1, 3–1 Big 12)
Week 7: Beat No. 18 Oklahoma State, 35–32
Week 8: At Utah, TBD Saturday
18. USC Trojans (6–1, 3–1 Big Ten)
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: At Wisconsin, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday
19. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (6–1, 4–1 ACC)
Week 7: Beat California, 41–7
Week 8: Bye
20. Missouri Tigers (5–2, 2–2 SEC)
Week 7: Lost to No. 9 Ole Miss, 31–3
Week 8: Bye
21. SMU Mustangs (5–1, 3–1 ACC)
Week 7: Beat Virginia, 23–13
Week 8: Vs. California, noon ET Saturday
22. Northwestern Wildcats (5–1, 2–1 Big Ten)
Week 7: Beat Michigan State, 24–21
Week 8: Vs. Rutgers, noon ET Saturday
23. Boise State Broncos (5–1, 2–0 Pac-12)
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: At Washington State, 6 p.m. ET Saturday
24. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4–2, 2–1 Big 12)
Week 7: Lost to No. 20 Houston, 35–32
Week 8: Vs. Colorado, TBD Saturday
25. Florida Gators (5–2, 3–2 SEC)
Week 7: Beat No. 7 Texas, 27–24
Week 8: Bye
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