For five straight weeks in college football, one of the top two teams in the AP Top Two fell. The streak is now broken, as Georgia dominated Missouri and Utah escaped with a win over Arizona. Still, there are changes in the power rankings. While many of the top teams took wins, much of the second half of the power rankings saw losses.
The chaos of the week started with a massive loss for Houston, as they fell to Colorado. Then an FAA ground stop led to teams not arriving at their destinations when they expected. It also led to Ole Miss and Oklahoma moving their game to Sunday. Texas secured a comeback victory against LSU on Saturday, while South Carolina dropped a stinker of a game against Arkansas.
For the first time since Week 6, the top five of the rankings did not have a change. Overall, three teams jumped into the Top 25, including one team joining for the first time this year.
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1. Georgia (-)
Georgia remains the top team in the power rankings after another stellar performance. This week, it was a domination of Missouri. The defense got things going. On the first play from scrimmage, Austin Simmons was intercepted. Two plays later, Nate Frazier scored to make it 7-0. Gunner Stockton ran in a touchdown on their next drive, before Frazier scored on their third drive of the game, making it 21-0 in the first quarter. Georgia scored points on each of their first five drives of the game, building a 31-7 lead heading into the halftime break. They also scored the first ten points of the second half, on the way to a 48-21 win. Frazier ran for 72 yards and three touchdowns in the contest, while Stockton threw a touchdown and ran one in. Georgia will look to clinch a spot in the SEC Championship game next week when they visit South Carolina.
2. Utah (-)
Utah was one of the teams affected by the FAA ground stop, as their game against Arizona ended up being moved back three hours. The offense showed up even later. Arizona struck first in the game on a Quincy Craig run, as Utah managed just two yards in the first quarter. The offense came alive in the second quarter. After a 53-yard field goal and another Arizona touchdown, Devon Dampier had two touchdown runs before the end of the half, giving Utah the 17-14 lead going into the break. Arizona did not go away. They took the lead in the third quarter, before giving it back. With 3:13 left in the game, Isaiah Mizell caught a Noah Fifita pass for a touchdown, giving the Wildcats the lead. Devon Dampier answered. He hit Creed Whittemore for a 70-yard touchdown as Utah won the game 40-39. Utah will look to clinch a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game when they visit TCU next week.
3. UCLA (-)
UCLA also remains undefeated. The Bruins started strong against Illinois on Friday night. Aidan Mizell took in a 54-yard pass from Ty Dieffenbach to give the Bruins the 7-0 lead. The Bruins would add a field goal, taking the 10-0 lead into the halftime break. The defense got in on the scoring with a safety in the third quarter, but Illinois would hang around. They were never able to take the lead, but kept it tight as UCLA won 22-14. Dieffenbach threw for 232 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Meanwhile, Mizell hauled in six receptions for 176 yards and a score. UCLA will look to punch their ticket to the Big Ten Championship game on Saturday on the road against Michigan.
4. Indiana (-)
The biggest threat to UCLA in the Big Ten is Indiana. The Hoosiers moved to 9-1 on the season with a win over USC on Saturday. Curt Cignetti moved to 25-year-old Grant Wilson at quarterback, and he rewarded his coach for the vote of confidence. He opened the game with a touchdown pass to Brock Schott. Indiana built a lead, but with 21 seconds left in the half, Jayden Maiava threw a touchdown pass to tie the game. The defense stepped up for the Hoosiers in the second half, as they held USC to just three points. Wilson ended up throwing for 305 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in the game as Indiana won 27-13. Indiana can secure a matchup with UCLA in the Big Ten title game next week, when they visit Washington.
5. Notre Dame (-)
Notre Dame continues to beat up on inferior opponents. This week, Boston College was the victim. The defense was phenomenal, holding Boston College to just 136 total yards while they went 2-for-14 on third down. Meanwhile, BC had just 51 yards passing against the strong Irish pass defense. CJ Carr threw for 217 yards with two touchdowns, while the running game was great. Jonaz Walton ran for 141 yards and two scores, while Nolan James ran for 73 yards and a touchdown, on the way to a 41-7 win over Boston College. Notre Dame will host SMU next Saturday.
6. Alabama (-)
Alabama was not sure who would be the starting quarterback this week. Keelon Russell was dealing with an injury, but Russell got the start despite an ankle injury. His mobility was limited, and the offense got off to a slow start. The first points of the game came from a field goal by Vanderbilt, before a Russell touchdown pass with six seconds left in the first half gave Alabama the lead. Russell opened the second half with another touchdown pass, before Vanderbilt added their second field goal of the day. Russell answered with his third touchdown pass of the game, as Alabama won 21-6. The Crimson Tide quarterback threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns, and could be sitting next week to get fully healthy. Alabama will host Chattanooga next Saturday.
7. Texas Tech (-)
After Texas Tech lost to Cincinnati earlier this year, they made a change at quarterback. Will Hammond was shown the bench, and Tommy Castellanos was named the starter. That decision has paid off huge for the Red Raiders. Facing Oklahoma State this week, he completed 12 of 23 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 38 yards. Since becoming the starter, he has thrown 11 touchdowns, while running for over 200 yards and another score in three games. Meanwhile, the defense was able to pick off Drew Mestemaker twice on the way to a 52-27 victory. The Red Raiders control their own destiny in the Big 12. They will visit Baylor next week, before finishing the season against TCU.
8. Miami (-)
Darian Mensah got a chance to face his former team on Saturday as Miami hosted Duke. It was a back-and-forth first half, with Mark Fletcher scoring the only touchdown for Miami in the first half. Still, two field goals gave Miami the 13-10 lead going into the halftime break. Javian Mallory would be the story of the second half. He hauled in a 63-yard touchdown pass from Mensah before rushing two touchdowns in, including one from 39 yards. Mallory ran for 71 yards and two scores while hauling in three receptions for 79 yards and a score. Meanwhile, Mensah completed 30 of 41 passes for 382 yards and a touchdown. Miami went on to win the game 36-25. The Hurricanes will host Virginia Tech, and with a win, will be heading to the ACC Championship Game.
9. Wake Forest (-)
Wake Forest has just one loss this year. That came against Miami in the third week of the season. Since then, they have been great. It continued against SMU this past weekend. Wake Forest was dominant. They scored touchdowns on six of seven first-half drives. Jake Dickert, who got a contract extension this week, made sure to leave no doubt in the game. With Wake Forest up 35-0, Dickert called for a little bit of trickery. Caleb Carlson kicked the ball on the next kickoff into an open area on the field in front of the returners. The ball took a favorable bounce as Wake Forest recovered. They would score on the next drive to make it 42-0. The Demon Deacons went on to win the game 49-7. Gio Lopez was a star. He threw for 201 yards and a touchdown, while also running in two more scores. Wake Forest can secure a rematch with Miami in the ACC Championship game if they knock off Georgia Tech on the road next week.
10. Texas (-)
Texas looked like they would be the lone top-ten team to take a loss this week. Arch Manning gave Texas the lead over LSU on a touchdown run in the first quarter, but two Sam Leavitt touchdown passes to Jackson Harris allowed LSU to take the lead into the half. LSU extended the lead on a Dilin Jones touchdown run in the third quarter. Texas responded with two field goals, but trailed 21-16 with just 2:16 left in the game. That is when Arch Manning put the Longhorns on his back. He led Texas down the field and capped it with a four-yard touchdown pass to Raleek Brown with three seconds left. Texas would win the game 22-21. Texas will host Arkansas next week.
11. Tennessee (-)
Tennessee is now 8-2 on the year. The Volunteers hit the road to face Texas A&M this past Saturday. It was a struggle on offense to start the game. Cooper Ranvier hit three field goals in the first three quarters of the game, but the defense held Texas A&M, leading to the Vols holding a 9-7 lead going into the final quarter of play. The only touchdown of the game came in the fourth quarter. Faizon Brandon came in and threw just one pass in the game, but it was a touchdown to DaSaahn Brame. Meanwhile, Ranvier hit two more field goals in the fourth quarter on the way to the 22-7 win. Tennessee will host LSU next week.
12. BYU (-)
BYU got back on track on Saturday, rebounding from their loss to Utah. The Cougars hosted Baylor this past weekend. Bear Bachmeier was stellar once again. He ran in three first-half touchdowns, building the 21-0 lead. The defense did not give up points until the fourth quarter on a touchdown pass from DJ Lagway. Still, Bachmeier responded, throwing a touchdown pass, as BYU won the game 28-7. Bachmeier threw for just 104 yards, but he threw one touchdown pass and ran in three more in the victory. Meanwhile, the defense held Baylor to just 238 total yards. BYU still has a chance at the Big 12 championship game, but will need a loss from Texas Tech. They also need to keep winning. Next up is a visit to Kansas next week.
13. Boise State (+1)
The first change in the Top 25 comes after a loss for Kentucky and Boise State moving up a spot. This week, they faced off with Oregon State. The Beavers took the lead on a Jesse Legree touchdown reception, but Boise State responded with a touchdown of their own. A Travis Anderson pick-six gave Boise State the lead. It would go on to be a high-scoring first half, with Boise State leading 32-20. Oregon State kept making it close. They scored the only points of the third quarter, but Boise answered. The Beavers scored twice in the fourth quarter, but Boise State did as well, going on to win the game 46-41. The Broncos will be playing for the Pac-12 title, and this week will host San Diego State.
14. Oregon (+2)
The only team to beat Boise State this year is Oregon, way back in Week 1. Oregon was ranked number two in the nation at the time and had national title hopes. They went on to lose to Oklahoma State the next week, and would later lose to UCLA and Illinois. Since the loss to Illinois, Oregon has won three straight. First, they beat Northwestern, then Ohio State on the road. This past week, the Ducks dominated Michigan. Dylan Raiola completed 20 of 28 passes against the stout Michigan defense, while also having four touchdown passes. The defense held Michigan to just six of 20 passing for 71 yards. They also forced two turnovers in the 31-7 win. The Ducks visit Michigan State on Friday night this week.
15. Iowa (+3)
Iowa quietly keeps winning games. They just took a third straight victory facing off with Purdue. Hank Brown opened up the scoring, with a one-yard touchdown run to cap off an 80-yard drive. He would also throw a touchdown pass in the first half, as Iowa led 21-7 going into the break. Xavier Williams had the only points of the second half, on a 48-yard touchdown run. Iowa ran for 246 yards overall, led by L.J. Phillips Jr., who ran for 123 yards in the 28-7 win. At 8-2, Iowa still has a chance to make the College Football Playoff. They need to keep winning, though, and that starts with a win over Illinois on the road next week.
16. Ole Miss (+5)
Ole Miss moves up because of all the losses in front of them. They may not hold onto this ranking for long. The Rebels dropped last week after being embarrassed by Georgia, their third loss of the year. Due to the FAA ground stop, the game this week between Ole Miss and Oklahoma was moved to Sunday. They are currently playing, but Oklahoma is leading 21-7 in the third quarter. The Rebels should be able to rebound next week. They will face off with Wofford before hosting Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl to end the season.
17. Kentucky (-4)
A second straight loss has Kentucky dropping. The Wildcats were riding high. After losing in Week 2 to Alabama, they had rolled off six straight wins. Then, they fell to Tennessee on the road. This week, it was a loss to Florida. Kenny Minchey gave Kentucky the lead on a first-quarter touchdown pass. After a safety, Kentucky still led 7-2 going into the halftime break. Then, Jadan Baugh opened the second half with a touchdown. Minchey responded with a touchdown of his own. Still, they would not find points again. Florida made it a one-point game with a third-quarter field goal, and then took the lead on an Aaron Philo run. Florida went on to win the game 21-14. Kentucky's playoff chances are likely dead, but they will look to get back into the win column next week, when they visit Missouri.
18. USC (-1)
USC drops just one spot this week after the loss. They held tight with Indiana in the first half, sitting tied at ten. Still, the offense stalled out in the second half, as USC fell 27-13. Jayden Maiava did not have a great game. He completed 26 of 42 passes for 311 yards and a touchdown, but also threw three interceptions. Meanwhile, the run game struggled. Waymond Jordan and King Miller combined for 25 carries, but for just 98 yards and did not find the end zone. USC has a chance to get back to winning this upcoming Saturday, hosting Maryland.
19. Ohio State (+3)
Ohio State just got their first win without Julian Sayin. The Buckeyes hosted Northwestern this past Saturday, and the defense was strong. They held Northwestern to two first-half field goals, as Ohio State scored two touchdowns, with a Bo Jackson touchdown run and a Luke Fahey touchdown pass. Northwestern made it a one-point game in the third quarter, but Fahey would throw two more touchdowns in the second half, including one to Jeremiah Smith. Northwestern scored a touchdown as time expired, but Ohio State won the game 28-19. While Fahey was better than in past weeks, Ohio State still struggled with turnovers. Fahey threw an interception while the Buckeyes lost two fumbles in the win. They will visit Nebraska next week.
Article Continues Below20. Liberty (+5)
New Mexico lost to UNLV this past week, moving Liberty closer to contending for a spot in the College Football Playoff. They hosted Middle Tennessee this past week. Liberty scored first on a Jaylon Coleman run, but Middle Tennessee answered with a field goal and touchdown of their own. Still, a Jaylin Belford touchdown run gave Liberty the lead going into the half. Kam Davis added a touchdown run in the third quarter, but once again, Middle Tennessee answered. Both teams would score in the fourth quarter, as Liberty won the game 28-23. They have won nine straight games and look to make it ten in a row when they host Western Kentucky next week.
21. Florida (+5)
Florida returns to the Top 25 this week. The Gators' offense was solid, especially on the ground. They ran for 211 yards against Kentucky. Aaron Philo ran for 102 yards and a score, while Jadan Baugh added 69 yards and a touchdown. Duke Clark also accounted for 42 yards in the contest. Florida moved to 6-4 on the year, making them bowl-eligible in the first year under Jon Sumerall. Florida will host Vanderbilt next week.
22. Louisville (+4)
Louisville also returns to the Top 25. It was a slow start for Louisville on the season. After an opening week loss to Ole Miss, Louisville beat Villanova and SMU. They then dropped games to Wake Forest and NC State. Since then, they have won five straight games. This week it was a win over North Carolina. The Cardinals were down 7-3 in the first quarter, but a field goal and a touchdown from Lincoln Kienholz made it 13-7 going into the halftime break. Louisville added just three more points in the second half. UNC scored on a Benjamin Hall touchdown to make it a two-point game. They had the ball with a chance to win, but backup quarterback Travis Burgess threw an interception that sealed the win for Louisville. After the game, Louisville and North Carolina had to be separated as a fight broke out. Louisville will host Pitt next week.
23. Memphis (+3)
Memphis joins the power rankings this week and has moved into contention for the Group of Six spot for the playoffs. They have two losses on the year, with one of them to Boise State. Since dropping a head-scratcher to Tulane, they have won three straight. This week, it was on the road against South Florida. Quarterback Marcus Stokes was a star. He completed 15 of 31 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 73 yards and two scores in the 52-41 win over South Florida. Still, Memphis needs to keep winning to have a chance to make a run at a playoff spot. They will visit Navy next week.
24. Arizona (-4)
Arizona has yet to prove they can play with the top contenders in the Big 12. They have three losses on the year, but all three are to the only ranked teams they have faced this year. It was an early-season loss to BYU on the road, and then a loss to Texas Tech on the road late in the year. This week, they were at home, facing Utah, but the result was the same. Arizona put up 415 yards of offense, while they also forced three turnovers. Still, they gave up 500 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown pass with just 2:35 left in the game to give Utah the win. Arizona will look to rebound this upcoming week, as they visit Kansas State.
25. Houston (-10)
Houston takes the big tumble this week, and had it not been for other losses, would have likely dropped out of the Top 25. The Cougars had just two losses coming into the day, losing on the road to Texas Tech and Utah. They visited Colorado on Friday night. The Cougars had a dominant start, with touchdowns for Makhi Hughes and Amare Thomas. They led 20-7, but allowed two touchdowns in the last two minutes of the first half, and would trail 21-20 going into the halftime break. They then allowed two touchdowns in the third quarter and never made the comeback. Houston lost to Colorado 42-32. They will hit the road next week, visiting West Virginia.
Dropped from the Top 25: New Mexico, South Carolina, LSU
Just Missed Out: LSU, UTSA, South Carolina, North Dakota State