Oregon and Penn State saw their standings improve in the latest college football rankings released on Sunday, following intense victories in notable competitions. For the first time since 1960, both Navy and Army have entered the Top 25 together, marking a significant moment in the sport’s history.
Texas solidified its top position in the rankings with a commanding 31-point win over Oklahoma. The Longhorns secured 56 out of 62 first-place votes, which is four more than the previous week, marking their peak since they were unanimously ranked No. 1 back in October 2008.
Unlike the previous week, which featured numerous upsets among the top-ranked teams, the excitement in Week 7 came from some fiercely contested matches. Oregon triumphed over Ohio State with a nail-biting 32-31 victory at home, which included a series of seven lead changes. This victory propelled the Ducks to the No. 2 spot, earning them the other six first-place votes available. It’s their highest ranking since finishing the 2014 season at No. 2 after a loss to Ohio State in the first College Football Playoff championship game.
Penn State climbed to the No. 3 position following their 33-30 overtime win against Southern California, marking the Nittany Lions’ highest rank in seven years. Their matchup against USC was one of four overtime games this Saturday involving teams in the AP Top 25, with three of those games featuring teams in the top ten.
Ohio State fell two spots to No. 4 after the loss to Oregon, while Georgia continued to hold steady at No. 5. Rounding out the top ten are Miami, Alabama, LSU, Iowa State, and Clemson. Notably, Army’s victory over UAB, 44-10, alongside Navy’s bye week, signifies the first time both teams have been ranked at the same time since October 3, 1960.
In that 1960 season, Army held a 3-0 record and stood at No. 18 before they dropped two consecutive games, finishing the season with a 6-3-1 record. Meanwhile, Navy entered the rankings the week prior at No. 17 and ended their campaign with a 9-2 record, concluding at No. 4. This year, Army boasts an impressive record of 6-0, while Navy stands at 5-0, a scenario that hasn’t occurred for either team since 1945, a time when service academies dominated collegiate football.
In terms of notable shifts in the rankings, LSU and Mississippi made significant moves following the Tigers’ 29-26 overtime win. LSU climbed from No. 13 to No. 8, marking their first top-10 appearance since starting at No. 5 in the preseason rankings. Conversely, Mississippi, after losing its second game in three attempts, fell from No. 9 down to No. 18.
Iowa State, boasting a 6-0 record for the first time since 1938, achieved its highest ranking since September 2021, landing at No. 9. Tennessee, previously in the top 10 for four straight weeks, slipped to No. 11 following a challenging 23-17 overtime win against Florida.
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) continues to dominate the rankings with eight teams present, while the Big Ten holds three teams in the top five—Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State—and six teams within the overall Top 25.
This week’s poll only welcomed Army and Navy as new entrants. Utah was unable to maintain its position due to a 27-19 defeat against Arizona State and subsequently dropped out of the rankings. Additionally, Oklahoma, which was ranked No. 18 prior to its loss against Texas, is now out of the AP Top 25 for the first time since the close of the 2022 season.
As for conference representation, the SEC boasts eight spots (1st, 5th, 7th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 18th, 19th), followed by the Big Ten with six positions (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 16th, 22nd, 24th), the ACC with four (6th, 10th, 20th, 21st), the Big 12 with three (9th, 13th, 17th), the American with two (23rd, 25th), the Mountain West with one (15th), and one independent (12th).
Looking ahead, the upcoming ranked matchups feature No. 5 Georgia visiting No. 1 Texas. This will mark the third top-five matchup in four weeks following contests involving Georgia against Alabama and Ohio State against Oregon. The Bulldogs will hope for a better outcome compared to their previous encounter with ‘Bama. Additionally, No. 7 Alabama will face No. 11 Tennessee; however, the excitement around this matchup has dimmed following recent struggles for both teams. Lastly, No. 24 Michigan will compete against No. 22 Illinois, marking the first time both schools are ranked in the same AP Top 25 ahead of their game since 2001.
