playESPNMultiple AuthorsOct 12, 2026, 08:00 AM ETOpen Extended ReactionsWas something in the air this weekend? We saw four unranked teams upset their ranked opponents, plus then-No. 21 UCLA upset No. 13 Oregon in Eugene in a matchup that included 10 turnovers. You heard that right, 10. And No. 2 Georgia earned a huge road victory over No. 6 Alabama.Following the most chaotic week of college football so far, there are plenty of questions that need answers as we get close to the midpoint of the regular season.In one of the biggest games of the week, Oklahoma took down No. 1 Texas in the Red River Rivalry game for the first time since 2023 as the Sooners walked it off on a 47-yard field goal by Tate Sandell.
Following this big loss for the Longhorns, where does coach Steve Sarkisian think his team needs the most improvement going forward?In his first year as UCLA’s head coach, Bob Chesney has led the Bruins to a 5-0 record for the first time since 2022. It wasn’t the prettiest game, with Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola being benched in the second half, UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava having to leave the game with a lower leg injury and a slew of costly turnovers, seven of which were forced by UCLA’s defense. But with this outcome, should the Bruins be in the playoff conversation?Here’s the latest top 25 from our college football experts, who take a look at what we learned from each team following a wild Week 6. 1. Georgia BulldogsPrevious ranking: 2Despite popular belief, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is talented enough to carry the offense when needed.
Two of the Bulldogs’ top tailbacks (Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens) and a red zone target (Isiah Canion) missed Saturday’s 20-17 win at Alabama because of injuries, and Stockton stepped up when needed most. He completed 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards, scored both of his team’s touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) and had one interception. Stockton turned in what coach Kirby Smart called the play of the game when he fired a 17-yard pass to tight end Elyiss Williams on third-and-7 from the Georgia 10 with about 2:20 left. That first down helped the Bulldogs run out the clock for their first win in Tuscaloosa since 2007.
Stockton is completing 76.6% of his attempts for 1,298 yards with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions this season. He’s 18-3 as Georgia’s starter. — Mark Schlabach2. Miami HurricanesPrevious ranking: 3The Hurricanes had an open date to get healthy before heading into their rivalry game against Florida State. Though coach Mario Cristobal said he was not going to change anything about the way Miami approached this past week, he did say the week gave his injured players extra time to heal prior to an important stretch.
Multiple offensive linemen and starting defensive end Marquise Lightfoot were all injured last time out against Clemson. There is a chance starting defensive back Xavier Lucas returns for the Florida State game after he worked his way back into practice during Clemson week. Other players, including Malachi Toney, have been playing through injuries. So we will see how the time off helped the Hurricanes. — Andrea Adelson 3.
Notre Dame Fighting IrishPrevious ranking: 5The Irish spent the first month of the season looking for some stability in the ground game. They appear to have found it in freshman Jonaz Walton. After a breakout game against North Carolina in Week 5, Walton put on a show against Stanford on Saturday, carrying 13 times for 181 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 58-7 win. Nolan James Jr. added 73 yards and two scores as well, while CJ Carr was near flawless once again.
Walton might not fill the lead back role at this point, but he has clearly become a legitimate weapon with more than 300 yards on the ground in the past two games. — David Hale 4. Ohio State BuckeyesPrevious ranking: 6As many of the top quarterbacks around the country have suffered an injury or struggle, Jeremiah Smith is putting more daylight between himself and the rest of the Heisman Trophy field. Smith had just three receptions in the first half of a 45-16 victory over Maryland, but they were all dazzling. After two catch-and-run touchdowns, Smith reached back across his body for an acrobatic one-handed grab to convert a third down and give the Buckeyes possession in the red zone.
Smith has another opportunity for a showcase performance next weekend at Indiana against the defending national champs in a rematch of last year’s Big Ten title game. — Jake Trotter 5. Alabama Crimson TidePrevious ranking: 4The middle of the Alabama defense was consistently gashed by Georgia on Saturday, in both the run game and throwing the football. That has to get cleaned up against Tennessee on Saturday. The Vols might not have the most explosive offense, but they will run the football between the tackles.
How Alabama bounces back from a tough loss against Georgia will be a test of a young team’s emotional maturity, especially quarterback Keelon Russell, who settled in after a rough start but ultimately didn’t get the job done. Watch the injury report this week, though, with starters Ryan Coleman-Williams, Racin Delgatty and Terrance Green all banged up. — Alex Scarborough6. Indiana HoosiersPrevious ranking: 7Coach Curt Cignetti’s squad trailed for the first time all season Saturday and had to overcome a two-score deficit on the road. The way his Hoosiers responded in the fourth quarter made quite a statement about their toughness and composure.
Josh Hoover and Nick Marsh connected on 75- and 44-yard touchdowns to take back the lead late, and Indiana’s defense had enough left in the tank to get critical fourth-down stops despite playing 39 more snaps than its offense. Cignetti will find a lot on tape from this one that he won’t love, and there’s a tougher test up next in Ohio State, but the way his players dug deep and escaped with a tough one-score win over an undefeated opponent was highly encouraging for this team’s continued growth. — Max Olson 7. BYU CougarsPrevious ranking: 8After an underwhelming offensive performance last week, the Cougars responded with a better showing in a 24-10 win against Iowa State. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier completed 22 of 30 passes for 329 yards with a pair of touchdowns and also ran for 109 yards on nine carries.
Without running back LJ Martin, the Cougars needed to find a way to evolve, and it appears that leaning back into Bachmeier’s strengths — like they did for much of the 2025 season — is one of the solutions. But Martin’s injury looms as a massive loss ahead of Notre Dame’s trip to Provo this week. — Kyle Bonagura8. UCLA BruinsPrevious ranking: 16The Bruins are not fading in any way. The 4-0 start was supposed to finally meet its match as they traveled to Eugene, where few teams have escaped with a win.
Instead, Bob Chesney’s team buckled in and grinded its way to a 17-15 win that did not tell the full story. UCLA’s defense was relentless and forced a whopping seven turnovers on the day, while the offense didn’t need to do much but survive with backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach under center. It was a signature win — an important one — but also another statement that continues to back up what is becoming a college football adage: Wherever Chesney goes, wins seem to follow. The Bruins’ turnaround is not just remarkable; it also has quickly transformed a program from an underdog into a team that has a real shot to make it to the College Football Playoff. — Paolo Uggetti9.
Ole Miss RebelsPrevious ranking: 10After surrendering 302 rushing yards in a 52-28 loss to Florida two weeks ago, the Ole Miss defense performed much better Saturday in a 52-17 rout of Vanderbilt on the road. The Rebels allowed only 2.8 yards per carry, forced four turnovers that led to 24 points and had three sacks. There weren’t as many breakdowns in the secondary and missed tackles overall. Rebels coach Pete Golding wanted his defense to be more violent at the point of attack and win o
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