Bear Bachmeier led BYU to a win over archrival Utah in the Holy War (Photo by BYU Athletics)
Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Miami, UNLV, and Memphis were all knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten, while the top-ranked teams of Ohio State, BYU, Indiana, Navy, Texas A&M, and Georgia Tech are still undefeated.
1. Ohio State (7-0) (Last Week #1) (Ranked #1 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Ohio State has won 11 straight games now, the longest active winning streak in the nation. Their defense is still lights out. They’re the 1st-ranked scoring defense in the country, allowing only 5.9 points per game. The offense isn’t as good, but Julian Sayin and his star wide receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith are a lethal combination. The Buckeyes are off until they host Penn State on November 1st.
2. BYU (7-0) (Last Week #2) (Ranked #11 and #10 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
BYU is 7-0 for the second straight season. It’s the first time the Cougars have started consecutive seasons 7-0. One of only six undefeated teams left, the Cougars just keep finding a way to win—this time in a slugfest of a game in a top ten rivalry game. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier and star running back LJ Martin led BYU to a 24-21 victory in the Holy War over Utah.
3. Indiana (7-0) (Last Week #4) (Ranked #2 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Indiana and Fernando Mendoza just kept marching on in their 38-13 win over Michigan State. Mendoza continued his Heisman campaign, going 24 of 28 for 332 yards and four touchdowns. They host UCLA next week, and the Bruins have won three straight since they changed coaches.
4. Navy (6-0) (Last Week #5) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Navy had the week off, but is still one of only six undefeated teams left in college football. There is something wrong with being undefeated halfway through the season and still snubbed by the major polls. They’ll host Florida Atlantic this coming Saturday.
5. Texas A&M (7-0) (Last Week #6) (Ranked #3 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
It was an old Southwest Conference shoot out in Fayetteville and A&M won 45-42. The Aggies are the best team in the SEC this year and are winning games that in years past would have eluded them. They stay on the road to play at LSU next week.
6. Georgia Tech (7-0) (Last Week #7) (Ranked #7 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Tech is off to their best start since a 9-0 beginning back in 1966. They are a gritty team that can win the tough way. Haynes King had another good game with 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing, keeping his name alive in the Heisman race. They welcome Syracuse to Atlanta next week.
7. Virginia (6-1) (Last Week #12) (Ranked #16 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Like Ole Miss before them, Virginia almost fell at home to Washington State, but prevailed with a 22-20 win. While their win over Florida State isn’t aging well, the win over Louisville is. I still probably have them a little, high but I stick with my criteria. They’ll hit the road to play Bill Belichick and North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Virginia has positioned themselves to be leading the charge for the ACC Championship.
8. Alabama (6-1) (Last Week #13) (Ranked #4 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
As good as Alabama has played, that loss to Florida State that is aging like warm milk on a summer’s day matters. But Bama is on an astronomical trajectory of recovery from that loss. They walloped Tennessee. Almost every time the Vols did anything positive, Alabama would respond with a touchdown. They play at a hurting South Carolina next week.
9. Georgia (6-1) (Last Week #14) (Ranked #5 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Georgia is near unbeatable when they’re playing anyone not named Alabama. I do laugh that the narrative, if there was a 43-35 game in the Big Ten, ACC, or Big 12 between ranked teams, the media would not shut up about that particular conference not playing defense, but in the SEC, it’s just that everyone is that good. Still, give Kirby Smart for credit for how good Georgia is. At least, when they’re not playing Bama.
10. Cincinnati (6-1) (Last Week #18) (Ranked #21 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Bearcats would love to go back and play Nebraska again. They are thrilled to be with BYU at the top of the Big 12 and won their sixth straight by crushing Oklahoma State 49-17. UC’s defense will have a tall task against Baylor next week, but the Bearcats have their own high-powered offense with Brendan Sorsby to take on any team in the Big 12.
11. South Florida (6-1) (Last Week #22) (Ranked #18 and #20 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
If Cincy would like their Nebraska game back, USF would like their Miami game back. Also like the Bearcats, the Bulls are at the top of their conference and control their own destiny for a conference championship and a playoff berth. South Florida needs to strike while they can because a lot of these big schools that are letting coaches go will be talking with Alex Golesh soon. They play at 6-1 Memphis next week.
12. Oregon (5-1) (Last Week #24) (Ranked #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Ducks took out their frustrations on Rutgers, leading them 56-3 at the end of the third quarter before taking their foot off the gas. Dante Moore had four touchdown passes and Oregon won, 56-10. They’ll host a reeling Wisconsin team that is 2-5 this Saturday.
13. Louisville (5-1) (Last Week #25) (Ranked #19 and #22 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I’m going to brag a little bit about how I believed in Louisville from the beginning of the season. I had them at #25 coming into this game against Miami, had them get as high as #9 before their loss to Virginia. Jeff Brohm is undeniably a good coach. Usually, his teams have great offenses, but they got it done with defense in their win over Miami. The Cards host Boston College next week. On a side note, it is levels of sheer stupidity that has Miami ranked above Louisville in the major polls with the same record and Louisville having just beaten them.
14. Houston (6-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Connor Weigman and Willie Fritz are leading the resurgent Houston Cougars back to prominence. They’re bowl eligible and in the thick of the race for the Big 12 and will have another challenge next week on the road against Arizona State.
15. Vanderbilt (6-1) (Last Week Unranked (Ranked #10 and #12 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Diego Pavia is leading Vanderbilt on a historic run. What Vanderbilt and Indiana are doing are once-in-a-century turnarounds, so enjoy them! Pavia had 246 passing and rushing yards and three touchdowns in their 31-24 win over LSU. Vandy hosts Mizzou next week.
16. Oklahoma (6-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Ranked #13 and #11 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Sooners rebounded from their loss to Texas with a win over South Carolina. John Mateer is still recovering from his injury, but the 26-7 win is a step in the right direction. They have a big game at home next week against a fellow 6-1 team in Ole Miss. This should be a good game, and one that will likely eliminate one of them from winning the SEC title.
17. Missouri (6-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Ranked #15 and #14 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Mizzou bounced back from their loss to Alabama with a 2OT win over the hard-luck Auburn Tigers. Missouri needed that win before they have to visit Vanderbilt, who is fresh off beating LSU in the same building, and then the Tigers will return home to play Texas A&M. It’s a tough slate, but Eli Drinkwitz, Beau Pribula, and Ahmad Hardy are up to the challenge.
18. Texas Tech (6-1) (Last Week #8) (Ranked #14 and #15 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Arizona State paid Texas Tech back for the Red Raiders beating them in Lubbock last year in a classic game that came down to the wire. Unlike some undefeated teams that got their first loss this week, Texas Tech didn’t go quietly and battled to the very end. They’ll try to bounce back against Oklahoma State in Lubbock next week.
19. Ole Miss (6-1) (Last Week #9) (Ranked #8 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
It’s tough for anyone to have to play at Georgia and then the very next week at Oklahoma. But that’s what Lane Kiffin’s Rebels have to do. After a battle of a game against Kirby Smart and Georgia, they have to go to another tough road environment and play a Heisman candidate in John Mateer. No rest for Ole Miss.
20. Tulane (6-1) (Last Week #23) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Tulane had a battle with Army, and was down well into the fourth quarter. Army led 17-10 with less than six minutes to go. Jake Retzlaff then ran Tulane’s offense with a mixture of guts and luck. Retzlaff led Tulane on two touchdown drives that got two passing touchdowns and gave Tulane the 24-17 win.
21. Miami (5-1) (Last Week #2) (Ranked #9 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Hurricanes’ loss to Louisville was bad on many levels. Their offense just sank themselves with four interceptions. Their quarterback was a little careless with his words in the postgame interviews. Beck made it sound like he was blaming his receiver for the game-ending interception (I think he meant to say ‘we’ and not ‘he’). And finally, they have to fight the feeling of ‘here we go again.’ The good news is that it’s better to have this kind of a hiccup in October than late November. Miami plays Stanford next.
22. James Madison (6-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The leaders of the Sun Belt won big on Saturday. They beat in-state and division rival Old Dominion 63-27! While the Mountain West and the American Conference are rightfully leading for the Group of Five playoff berth, JMU can put pressure on them. Curt Cignetti left the Dukes in almost as good a shape as he has his Hoosiers.
23. North Texas (6-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Mean Green bounced back from their loss to USF with a big win over UTSA, beating the Roadrunners 55-17. North Texas had nearly 600 yards of total offense to go along with those 55 points. Next, they’ll play at Charlotte, who is currently last in the conference.
24. San Diego State (5-1) (Last Week Unranked) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Aztecs had the week off but are at the top of a very good and very competitive Mountain West. They’re right there with Boise State in their last season in that conference. They’ll play at rival Fresno State next week.
25. Memphis (6-1) (Last Week #10) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Tigers might have stumbled by looking ahead to their big game against South Florida. Their ten-game winning streak may have ended, but they’re still one of only 26 teams with one loss or less in college football. They also have a chance to rebound well if they can upset USF.
Games of the Week
Playoff Projection
First Round
7. Alabama (11-2) vs. 10. Ohio State (11-1)
Friday, December 18th, 2025 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
5. Georgia (11-1) vs. 12. Navy (12-1)
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – Athens, Georgia
8. Notre Dame (10-2) vs. 9. Texas Tech (11-2)
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – South Bend, Indiana
6. Oregon (11-2) vs. 11. Louisville (11-2)
Saturday, December 19th, 2025 – Eugene, Oregon
Quarterfinals
1. Indiana (13-0) vs. 8. Notre Dame (11-2)
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – Pasadena, California
4. Georgia Tech (12-1) vs. 5. Georgia (11-1)
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – Miami, Florida
2. Texas A&M (13-0) vs. 10. Ohio State (12-1)
Thursday, January 1st, 2026 – New Orleans, Louisiana
3. BYU (12-1) vs. 6. Oregon (12-2)
Wednesday, December 31st, 2025 – Arlington, Texas
Semifinals
3. BYU (13-1) vs. 10. Ohio State (13-1)
Thursday, January 8th, 2026 – Glendale, Arizona
4. Georgia Tech (13-1) vs. 8. Notre Dame (12-2)
Friday, January 9th, 2026 – Atlanta, Georgia
National Championship
10. Ohio State (14-1) vs. 8 (Notre Dame 13-2)
Monday, January 19th, 2026 – Miami, Florida
2025 National Champions
The Ohio State Buckeyes are 15-1 and repeat and are your 2025 National Champions
