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Week 6 brought surprises that few were prepared for, making this week’s college football power rankings a tough puzzle to piece together. Five top-10 teams suffered road losses to unranked AP poll teams, and three more in the top 25 also went down.
No one saw most of these upsets coming, but that's the beauty and chaos of college football — anything can happen in any given week. With that said, here are our most challenging power rankings yet after an eventful Week 6.
1. Texas Longhorns (previously 1)
Texas football had the luxury of a Week 6 bye to avoid any potential upset, but that doesn’t change their status as the top team in our rankings. However, next week brings the highly anticipated Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (previously 3)
The Buckeyes did not let Iowa and their stout defense trip them up in a crucial Big Ten conference game, cruising to a 35-7 victory. Emeka Egbuka accounted for three of Ohio State’s five touchdowns, solidifying their rise in the rankings.
3. Georgia Bulldogs (previously 5)
While Georgia's win over Auburn may not have been the most impressive, they avoided letting last week’s loss to Alabama snowball into a second defeat. The Bulldogs' return to the top three is due in part to their bounce-back win and the missteps of other ranked teams.
4. Oregon Ducks (previously 7)
Any rust Oregon showed in the season's first two weeks seems to be gone, as they cruised past Michigan State with a commanding 31-10 victory. The timing couldn't be better, as the Ducks now prepare for a massive Big Ten matchup against Ohio State next weekend. This win propels Oregon back into the top 5 of our college football power rankings.
5. Penn State Nittany Lions (previously 8)
The Nittany Lions receive a significant boost in this week's college football power rankings. They easily handled UCLA in Big Ten play at home. Next week, they head to sunny Los Angeles to face a two-loss USC team.
6. Ole Miss Rebels (previously 11)
Ole Miss could have gone into South Carolina and laid an egg, but instead, they defeated the Gamecocks 27-3, keeping their SEC title and College Football Playoff hopes alive.
7. Miami Hurricanes (previously 6)
Does Miami even deserve to be in the top 10? It's certainly debatable, even with a 6-0 record. The Hurricanes survived yet another nail-biter, overcoming a 25-point second-half deficit to beat Cal on the road by one point. Considering how many top teams lost on the road in Week 6, maybe that says something for Miami — they certainly traveled the furthest.
8. Tennessee Volunteers (previously 4)
In Tennessee's first three games, the Volunteers averaged 63.6 points per game. In their last two, however, they've managed just 19.5, scoring only 14 against Arkansas. The Volunteers were stunned by a late touchdown from the Razorbacks, which gave Arkansas a five-point lead with just over a minute remaining. Nico Iamaleava was less than stellar, throwing for fewer than 200 yards and failing to record a touchdown. With all the other chaos, they hang on in the top 10 in our power rankings.
9. Alabama Crimson Tide (previously 2)
For the first time in SEC history, two top-five teams lost to unranked opponents. Alabama set the tone for this historic moment against, of all teams, Vanderbilt, one of the least likely squads to beat the mighty Crimson Tide. In fact, it marked the first time Vanderbilt had ever defeated a top-five team in program history. The Crimson Tide certainly didn't look like a top-10 team on Saturday, but given the talent level and Kalen DeBoer's coaching, Alabama still has plenty ahead of them.
10. LSU Tigers (previously 12)
All LSU had to do in Week 6 was sit back and watch as teams in the SEC and beyond fell by the wayside, allowing the Tigers to move up in the polls and our power rankings. LSU still holds just one loss, which came against USC in Week 1. They'll host Ole Miss next weekend.
College football power rankings post-Week 6 teams 11-25
Because of all the chaos that took place with seven teams in the AP Top 25 losing, there was bound to be a significant shuffle this week. Clemson had to take a backseat, not because of anything they did wrong, but due to the events that unfolded above them. Tennessee and Alabama are still very much alive in the SEC and in the playoff race. Despite their significant losses, they still get the edge over Clemson in the power rankings … for now.
However, some teams did receive big boosts. Texas A&M soared up the ranks after crushing No. 9 Missouri. Meanwhile, this week's newcomers include SMU, which defeated No. 22 Louisville, as well as three 5-0 teams: Army, Navy, and Pitt.
