The nonstop action of a stellar Week 7 slate is fueling a wild, season-shaking day around college football.
Ohio State picked up a dramatic win at Indiana, while the Arch Manning era at Texas appears to have reached a crossroads after a stunning loss to Florida. And those are simply the highlights of the early window.
The afternoon slate saw Georgia and Alabama fall in rivalries, along with another high-profile QB having a memorable day for the wrong reasons.
And then in prime time, unbeatens Notre Dame and BYU square off as several other ranked Top 25 teams take the field.
This piece will be updated Saturday.
Winner: Florida, With a Backup
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On the heels of losses to Missouri and South Carolina, Florida knew it would be without starting QB Aaron Philo this week.
Yeah, Texas was struggling. But surely the Horns wouldn't lose at home against a backup, right? Late in the second quarter, they held a 17-3 advantage and hadn't surrendered much of anything to Tramell Jones Jr. and the Gators offense.
And then, Florida exploded.
The rushing attack came to life, Jones connected on a bunch of third-down passes and UF's defense slammed the door on Manningโpotentially for good. Fast-forward to the final whistle, and 24 unanswered points led to a 27-24 victory.
In the coming days, expect a conversation around whether Philo, when healthy, should be the starter over Jones. That's less important right now.
The focus, instead, is how UF stopped its slide with a resilient road win.
Loser: Mississippi State Upside
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Well, it was fun while it lasted.
Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor emerged as one of the best stories in September, leading the Bulldogs to a flashy 4-0 start. They climbed to 16th in the AP Top 25, matching the program's second-highest ranking of the last decade and poking into the College Football Playoff discussion.
Two weeks ago, however, MSU fell in 56-23 blowout to Alabama. And on Saturday, a Taylor-less offense failed to dent the scoreboard in a 31-0 loss at LSU.
Don't mistake this for an eulogy; Mississippi State is still 4-2 with a defensible path to seven or eight wins.
Nevertheless, the Dawgs' early dreams of an ascent are formally dashed.
Winner: Ohio State's Escape
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By the slimmest of slim margins, Ohio State went to fifth-ranked Indiana and became the first team since 2024 to defeat the Hoosiers.
A little luck didn't hurt, either.
Clinging to a 19-15 lead in the final minute of regulation, the Buckeyes saw IU receiver Nick Marsh slip beyond any threat of coverage. But as he reeled in a potential game-winning catch, Marsh's left foot touched down out of bounds.
In truly jaw-dropping fashion, Ohio State survived as it snapped a 22-game winning streak for Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers.
The negative news is OSU quarterback Julian Sayin exited the game and returned to the sideline in a sling. He's set to miss several weeks, and true freshman Luke Fahey is expected to take command of the offense.
But that's a problem for another day. Ohio State is now the Big Ten's team to beat.
Loser: Defense in Morgantown
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That's the Big 12 we remember!
During the 2010s in particular, the conference found itself allergic to defense. We regularly saw offenses at Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech hanging 40-some points every game.
Cincinnati and West Virginia put together a throwback performance on Saturday in a chaotic 48-45 affair.
While propelling the Mountaineers to the tight win, WVU quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. threw for 464 yards, rushed for 77 and totaled five scores. The offense racked up 598 yards, its most in an FBS game since 2023โagainst Cincinnati.
West Virginia needed every bit of that outburst, considering the defense ceded 622 yards. At least the unit managed a key three-and-out that set up Jack Cassidy's 35-yard field goal as time expired, so there was some life.
Neither defense is going to love watching the film, though.
Winner: Get-Right Games for Ole Miss, Texas Tech
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The best possible thing that can happen on such a chaotic, upset-filled day is avoiding any shred of drama.
Ole Miss and Texas Tech calmly took care of business.
Star running back Kewan Lacy finally had a big game for Ole Miss, rushing for a season-high 122 yards in a 31-3 rout of 13th-ranked Missouri and former QB Austin Simmons. Makhi Frazier added 101 yards on the ground as Trinidad Chambliss totaled 255 yards and four touchdowns.
Texas Tech, meanwhile, cruised to a 53-25 win opposite an Arizona State program that upset the Red Raiders last season. They roared out to a 33-point halftime lead behind a pick-six and a couple of explosive scores.
Both programs are solidly in the Top 10 at the halfway point, and they won't be lacking confidence after Saturday's comprehensive wins.
Loser: QB Saviors Manning and Underwood
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The hype is not their fault. That's on us.
Simultaneously, the praise existed for good reason. Arch Manning and Bryce Underwood flashed spectacular talent as high schoolers, then headed to big-brand programs Texas and Michigan, respectively.
Texas had struggled to sustain national relevanceโManning would fix that. Michigan had an atrocious offense in 2024โUnderwood would be the solution.
And here we are, 18 games into their tenures as QB1, staring at the end.
Manning's struggles in SEC action have persisted to the point that Texas must seriously consider a change. Michigan hit a breaking point in Week 7, benching Underwood at halftime during an eventual win over Penn State.
The former 5-star quarterbacks, two players tasked with changing the trajectory of their programs, are at risk of losing their jobs for good.
Loser: SEC Powers in Rivalries
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What an afternoon for Auburn and Tennessee, huh? The underdogs pulled off sensational upsets of bitter rivals Georgia and Alabama, respectively.
And the national impact is resounding.
Georgia, which had notched nine straight wins in the series, will leave its perch atop the AP Top 25. The sky is not falling in Athens, given that UGA is still 6-1, but the schedule doesn't get easier with rival Florida, Ole Miss and Mizzou awaiting the Dawgs following an open weekend.
Alabama's outlook is more nerve-wracking since the Crimson Tideโwhich fell to UGA last weekโdipped to 5-2. Although three-loss teams can make the 12-team CFP, that's not a comfortable spot. LSU and Auburn remain on Bama's docket.
Additionally, every team in the SEC has dropped a conference game. The league is headed for a beautiful six-week frenzy to decide the standings.
.jpg?w=2560 "Myles Garrett Got Warning ๐")
.jpg?w=2560 "Caleb Williams Starting Sunday")