For the fifth straight week, the AP No. 1 or No. 2 team has fallen, tying the record set in 2007. We have now seen seven losses by the top two teams this season, and we still have three more weeks of the regular season. These last three weeks, paired with conference championship games, only grow in significance with the 12-team playoff bracket this season.
The College Football Playoff and ESPN agreed to a five-year, nearly $1.7 billion deal that expands the playoff format to 24 teams in the 2027 season, according to ESPN.
This change eliminates the Power Four conference championship games, which were huge money makers for organizations. The expansion leaves fans with many mixed opinions, with more games being played in the final weekends, but now the regular season matchups seem less substantial.
The teams of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) also broke a record of their own when Vanderbilt defeated Mississippi State, officially completing “the circle of chaos.” This refers to the 16-team circle the SEC forms, where every team has now beaten the next in a combined chain.
The continuing upsets also tied the record for the most top 14 losses in a single week since college football rankings began in 2014. All this football frenzy, and there are still three more regular season weeks of it.
Starting off with the biggest game in Utah State history, No. 3 Utah continued their unbeaten streak, knocking off No. 7 BYU, 28-20. The win surged Utah into the No. 2 slot in the AP poll, achieving their highest-ever ranking. As for the Cougars, they slid five spots into No. 12 and face elimination from the playoff rankings.
No. 11 Ohio State was routed by Oregon for their second straight loss and first home loss since 2024. The Buckeyes continue to struggle on offense without quarterback Julian Sayin and ultimately saw their chances of making the postseason squashed in front of their eyes.
Lane Kiffin and No. 15 LSU fell in another SEC battle, this time to No. 9 Alabama. The Tide routed the Tigers 31-13, sending the squad down nine spots to No. 24. Alabama rose two spots to No. 7 facing Vanderbilt on the road next weekend, still in the hunt for an SEC championship appearance.
In another SEC battle, No. 16 Tennessee blew out No. 8 Kentucky, 34-6, preventing the Wildcats from scoring a touchdown. Kentucky fell to No. 13 and the Volunteers rose to No. 9. For the third and final major SEC battle, No. 2 Georgia dismantled No. 12 Ole Miss, 42-7. Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss finished with 170 passing yards and one interception. The win snapped the Rebels’ 16-game home winning streak, falling to No. 19. Georgia claimed the top spot following Miami’s loss.
Miami was the last top-ten team to fall as the undefeated Hurricanes fell 31-24 to No. 4 Notre Dame. Miami had claimed the No. 1 spot for the previous three weeks, but the eventual loss placed the Hurricanes down to No. 5. Still the only undefeated team in the ACC, Miami is still the favorite to win the conference and claim a top spot in the College Football Playoff.
Looking ahead to next weekend’s matchups, more teams face do-or-die situations standing on the edge of elimination.
Utah faces a ranked Arizona side hoping to remain undefeated. No. 22 Arizona stands at (7-2) on the season with both losses coming to ranked Big 12 opponents. The Utes could finish their program’s eighth undefeated season and first since 2008. They end the season against unranked TCU and West Virginia.
Georgia hosts Missouri after reclaiming the top spot and still stands atop the SEC. The Bulldogs are the only one-loss program in the SEC with two harder games to end the season, including the Tigers next week. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is coming off a five-touchdown performance with four through the air. Missouri still has a chance to squeeze into the playoffs if they upset Georgia this week along with a ranked Kentucky the following game.
Kentucky fell following their loss, but they have a chance to re-enter with a matchup against Florida. The Gators have impressive wins over Ole Miss and Texas so far, however, they come into this week following two losses to Georgia and Oklahoma. Florida was outscored 15-50 in the last two weeks, needing a statement win on Saturday.
Another hectic week comes to a close as fans prepare for the next Saturday of college football bedlam.