NCAA Football 2018 Rankings: Texas Surges, Auburn Plunges in AP Poll
Sam Ehlinger secured a place in Red River lore with a five-touchdown showing to stun Oklahoma, and his Texas team enjoyed a rapid rise in the latest AP Top 25.
And the Longhorns weren't the only Texas program that made a significant move.
Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M upended No. 13 Kentucky in overtime to re-enter the Top 25. Florida failed to beat the Wildcats earlier this season, but an upset victory against rival LSU was enough to propel the Gators up the rankings.
The busy Saturday in the SEC continued with Auburn losing to Mississippi State and tumbling from its No. 8 spot, too.
As a wrap-up to an exciting slate of action, we're exploring the biggest changes in the AP Top 25 entering Week 7.
Auburn Takes a Nosedive
1 of 6
Wasted opportunities plagued Auburn in a 23-9 loss to Mississippi State, which took advantage of two game-altering plays: Jarrett Stidham missing a wide-open target on a trick play and JaTarvious Whitlow's fumble that resulted in a touchback.
As a result, the 4-2 Tigers exited the Top 10, fell to No. 21 in the AP poll and are left searching for answers on offense.
"We're kind of flat right now," said wideout Ryan Davis, per Justin Ferguson of The Athletic. "I don't know what it is. We've got to somehow figure it out. We've got to get back into a rhythm."
One thing is certain: They better figure it out quickly. Otherwise, November trips to Georgia and Alabama could get ugly.
Florida Continues Its Rise
2 of 6
Four weeks ago, Florida lost to Kentucky and waved goodbye to the Top 25. Considering the horrible defensive showing that day, there was no guarantee of a return.
How quickly things change in college football.
Saturday, the Gators defeated a ranked opponent for the second straight week and earned a boost from No. 22 to No. 14. Florida knocked off LSU 27-19 thanks to three takeaways and limiting the visiting Tigers to a 5-of-19 mark on third and fourth down combined.
Holding a 3-1 record in conference action, Dan Mullen's team still has a chance to steal the SEC East. If the Gators hold off Vanderbilt in Week 7, they'll have a bye week to prepare for rival Georgia in a battle for front-runner status in the division.
What a difference a month makes.
Texas Is Back...in the Top 10
3 of 6
The most recent time Texas held a Top 10 ranking in Week 7 or later, Colt McCoy was the quarterback. Following a thrilling 48-45 upset of Oklahoma, the Longhorns finally cracked the mark.
After checking in at No. 19 last week, Tom Herman's squad climbed to No. 9 in the latest release. So, is Texas back?
"It's irrelevant to us, is the best way to put it," the head coach told reporters, per Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated. "We're concerned about where we ... the people in that locker room are the people whose opinion matter the most to us."
That answer will arrive soon enough. But after knocking off both TCU and Oklahoma already, the Longhorns sure are getting closer.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Hello Again, Texas A&M
4 of 6
It wasn't pretty. But it was effective.
Texas A&M outlasted a tenacious Kentucky defense to earn a 20-14 overtime win against the 13th-ranked visitors. As a result, the Aggies rejoined the back end of the Top 25.
Trayveon Williams capped the victory with a leaping touchdown, finishing the game with 138 yards. Kellen Mond tossed a couple of scores for Texas A&M, which improved to 4-2—and the only losses are to No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Clemson.
Over the next four weeks, the Aggies travel to South Carolina, Mississippi State and Auburn. They deserve the No. 22 ranking now, but this three-game stretch will shape the perception of A&M's season.
See You Later, Friends!
5 of 6
Virginia Tech and Oklahoma State opened the season in the Top 25, fell out, re-entered in Week 6 and didn't last long.
Although the No. 24 Hokies put up a commendable fight against No. 6 Notre Dame, a second-half letdown doomed them. Virginia Tech surrendered 28 points after the break and lost 45-23.
No. 25 Oklahoma State scored first, but Iowa State notched a safety and a touchdown in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead. The Cyclones received an enormous effort from freshman quarterback Brock Purdy, who accounted for 402 yards and five touchdowns in the first meaningful action of his career.
Michigan State, which was ranked No. 20, fell 29-19 to Northwestern, and No. 14-ranked Stanford rounded out the AP departures of Week 7 with a 40-21 loss to Utah.
South Florida Makes a Move
6 of 6
Last season, South Florida spent a program-best 15 weeks in the AP poll. After losing star quarterback Quinton Flowers, though, only select voters have tabbed the Bulls.
After four weeks in "Others Receiving Votes," they cracked the rankings at No. 23, joining along with AAC foe Cincinnati.
During a 58-42 victory at UMass, Jordan Cronkrite basically doubled his season rushing total. The Florida transfer entered the contest with 304 rushing yards and then proceeded to set school and conference records with 302—and scored three touchdowns.
While the schedule will get decidedly tougher in late October (at Houston) and beyond, USF has a good chance to reach 7-0 and continue creeping up the AP Top 25 in the meantime.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
