College football has a way of reminding us that rankings cannot win games. Texas entered Week 6 sitting atop the Sportsvival Top 25, but Oklahoma had other ideas. Georgia survived its biggest test, UCLA delivered a statement in Eugene, Kentucky knocked off LSU, and Pitt watched its unbeaten season slip away at home. When the smoke cleared, the Sportsvival rankings had a new leader and plenty of movement behind it.
Oklahoma 27, No. 1 Texas 24
The Red River Rivalry delivered the weekend’s biggest rankings shakeup. Tate Sandell drilled a 47-yard field goal as time expired to send Oklahoma past Texas, handing the Longhorns their first loss. Texas led 17–7 at halftime, but Oklahoma scored 17 fourth-quarter points to finish the upset. Arch Manning threw for 260 yards, while Cam Coleman had 110 receiving yards, but the Longhorns could not close the door. Texas falls to 4–1, Oklahoma improves to 3–2, and the Sooners earn their way into our new Top 25.
No. 2 Georgia 20, No. 5 Alabama 17
Georgia earned the top spot the hard way, walking into Tuscaloosa and leaving with a three-point victory. The Bulldogs trailed 14–10 at halftime, but held Alabama to three second-half points and shut out the Crimson Tide in the fourth quarter. Gunner Stockton passed for 249 yards, and Dwight Phillips Jr. supplied 120 rushing yards. Georgia improves to 6–0, while Alabama falls to 5–1. For the Bulldogs, this was the kind of road victory that gives a championship résumé some serious weight.
No. 4 Notre Dame 58, Stanford 7
Notre Dame left little room for suspense, overwhelming Stanford by 51 points to remain unbeaten at 6–0. On a weekend when several ranked teams struggled just to survive, the Irish handled their business emphatically. Notre Dame moves into our Top 3 and continues to look like a team capable of staying in the national championship conversation.
No. 6 Ohio State 45, Maryland 16
Julian Sayin threw four first-half touchdown passes, including two to Jeremiah Smith, as Ohio State built a 31–10 halftime lead. Bo Jackson added 107 rushing yards and two second-half rushing touchdowns. The Buckeyes improve to 5–1, and Smith once again gives us reason to mention him when discussing the Impact HVAC Player of the Week candidates. Defenses know where the football is going, but stopping him remains another matter.
No. 7 Indiana 20, Nebraska 17
Indiana’s unbeaten season was in serious trouble when Nebraska took a 17–6 fourth-quarter lead. Josh Hoover and Nick Marsh changed everything. Marsh caught a 75-yard touchdown pass, then added a 44-yard scoring reception to put the Hoosiers ahead. Indiana improves to 6–0 after showing the ability to respond when a road game starts getting away. Championships require some comfortable wins, but they also require afternoons like this one.
No. 8 BYU 24, Iowa State 10
BYU kept its unbeaten season rolling Friday night behind a strong performance from Bear Bachmeier. The quarterback passed for 329 yards and two touchdowns while adding 109 rushing yards. BYU led 21–3 entering the fourth quarter and finished the job to improve to 5–0. Bachmeier’s ability to hurt defenses through the air and on the ground continues to make the Cougars a difficult assignment.
No. 10 Ole Miss 52, Vanderbilt 17
Ole Miss delivered the response it needed following its loss to Florida. Trinidad Chambliss passed for 213 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, while the Rebels turned four Vanderbilt turnovers into 24 points. A 42–3 halftime lead effectively settled the outcome. Ole Miss improves to 4–1 and remains in our Top 10, with a much stronger performance to build upon.
Kentucky 35, No. 11 LSU 34 (OT)
Kentucky refused to settle for extending the game. After LSU scored first in overtime and C.J. Baxter answered with a touchdown, the Wildcats went for two. Kenneth Minchey ran in the conversion to finish the upset. Kentucky had forced overtime with a field goal with 12 seconds remaining in regulation. The Wildcats improve to 5–1 and enter our rankings, while LSU drops to 4–2 and takes one of the week’s biggest tumbles.
No. 12 Utah 41, Kansas 24
Utah stayed unbeaten by taking control in the fourth quarter. The Utes led 27–24 entering the final period, then scored 14 unanswered points to pull away. Utah rushed for 287 yards, produced 545 total yards and held the ball for more than 39 minutes. At 5–0, the Utes continue to apply pressure near the top of the Big 12 race.
No. 21 UCLA 17, No. 13 Oregon 15
UCLA went into Autzen Stadium and came away with the kind of victory that changes how a team is viewed. The Bruins carried a 10–6 lead into the fourth quarter and did enough to withstand Oregon’s late scoring. UCLA improves to 5–0, while Oregon falls to 3–2. The Bruins make a major jump in our new poll, and the Ducks drop out after another damaging loss.
No. 14 Missouri 27, Texas A&M 6
Jamal Roberts apparently enjoyed winning our Week 5 Impact HVAC award so much that he decided to make another strong case. Missouri’s running back carried 34 times for a career-high 222 yards and two touchdowns, powering the Tigers past Texas A&M. His late 54-yard touchdown run finished the job. Missouri improves to 5–1, and Roberts continues to turn productive Saturdays into attention-grabbing performances.
No. 15 USC 31, Penn State 23
USC handled the White Out atmosphere and left Penn State with a valuable road victory. The teams were tied 17–17 at halftime, but the Trojans scored touchdowns in both second-half quarters to create the difference. USC generated 430 total yards and limited Penn State to 68 rushing yards. At 6–1, the Trojans remain firmly in the conversation, while Penn State falls to 3–3.
No. 16 Tennessee 24, Arkansas 17
DeSean Bishop delivered when Tennessee needed him most. His 59-yard fourth-quarter run set up an eight-yard touchdown with 1:57 remaining, giving the Volunteers the winning margin. Bishop finished with 138 yards on 19 carries. Tennessee improves to 5–1 after escaping Fayetteville, another reminder that a conference road win does not have to look pretty to matter.
South Carolina 38, No. 17 Florida 19
Florida’s slide continued with a second consecutive loss, this time against South Carolina. The Gators fall to 4–2 and drop out of our Top 25. After looking like a team on the rise just a few weeks ago, Florida now needs to stop the bleeding before the losses become a larger story than its early-season promise.
No. 18 Houston 35, Kansas State 16
Houston’s passing game featured a remarkable connection: quarterback Conner Weigman threw four touchdown passes to tight end Patrick Overmyer. The Cougars finished with 475 total yards, including 233 rushing yards, and controlled possession for nearly 35 minutes. Houston improves to 5–1 after a convincing road performance that gives the Cougars another reason to believe they belong in the Big 12 discussion.
No. 19 Boise State 38, Fresno State 31
Boise State survived a difficult road test, generating more than 500 yards of offense and snapping a three-game losing streak against Fresno State. The Broncos led 25–20 at halftime and maintained their advantage through the second half. Boise State improves to 5–1 and 2–0 in conference play, keeping its season moving in the right direction.
No. 20 Oklahoma State 42, UCF 28
Oklahoma State pulled away in the fourth quarter to improve to 4–1. The Cowboys entered the final period leading 27–21, then scored 15 points to create the separation they needed. The result keeps Oklahoma State moving forward in the Big 12 race and holding a place in our Top 20. College Football at
No. 23 Iowa 41, Washington 24
Iowa’s running game delivered a big Friday night. Kaleb Johnson’s successor in the backfield, Kamari Moulton, rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, while quarterback Jaron Hecklinski passed for 202 yards and three scores. Iowa built a 27–3 halftime advantage and improved to 5–1. A 41-point road performance provides plenty of reason for the Hawkeyes to climb.
North Carolina 21, No. 24 Pitt 17
This one hurts for Pitt. The Panthers led 10–7 at halftime and regained the lead early in the fourth quarter on La’Vell Wright’s second rushing touchdown. North Carolina answered immediately, with Billy Edwards Jr. hitting Shamar Easter for a 75-yard touchdown just 11 seconds later. Pitt never recovered the lead and falls to 5–1. An unbeaten start gave the Panthers momentum, but this was a home game they needed to finish.
Ranked teams on a bye
No. 3 Miami (5–0), No. 9 Texas Tech (5–0), No. 22 Mississippi State (4–1) and No. 25 SMU (4–1) did not play. All four remain in our Week 7 rankings.
When the smoke cleared, Georgia had earned the throne, UCLA had made one of the weekend’s strongest statements, and Kentucky and Oklahoma had played their way into our rankings. Arizona also enters after beating West Virginia 52–31 to improve to 5–1. Oregon, Florida and Pitt fall out, opening the door for a different-looking Sportsvival Top 25 heading into Week 7.
Sportsvival Week 7 Top 25
1. Georgia (6–0): 100 votes (4 first-place votes)
2. Miami (FL) (5–0): 95 votes
3. Notre Dame (6–0): 93 votes
4. Indiana (6–0): 86 votes
5. Ohio State (5–1): 85 votes
6. BYU (5–0): 74 votes
7. Alabama (5–1): 74 votes
8. Texas Tech (5–0): 72 votes
9. Texas (4–1): 71 votes
10. Ole Miss (4–1): 61 votes
11. UCLA (5–0): 60 votes
12. Utah (5–0): 59 votes
13. Missouri (5–1): 55 votes
14. USC (6–1): 43 votes
15. Tennessee (5–1): 41 votes
16. Houston (5–1): 35 votes
17. Iowa (5–1): 31 votes
18. Kentucky (5–1): 29 votes
19. Boise State (5–1): 27 votes
20. Oklahoma State (4–1): 25 votes
21. Mississippi State (4–1): 12 votes
22. LSU (4–2): 12 votes
23. Oklahoma (3–2): 11 votes
24. SMU (4–1): 11 votes
25. Arizona (5–1): 10 votes