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ESPN staff
We're officially done the midway constituent of the assemblage shot play and it's clip to look backmost implicit the archetypal 7 weeks.
Yes, Alabama and Tennessee played successful the crippled of the season, TCU outlasted Oklahoma State successful a Big 12 classical and Utah upended USC precocious successful assemblage football's Week 7, but with fractional the play down us, what bash we truly cognize astir these teams?
Ohio State, Georgia and present Tennessee harvester to marque a formidable apical 3 portion teams similar Michigan, TCU and Ole Miss are close connected the cusp, waiting to solidify the 4th playoff position.
This week we're looking astatine what we've learned truthful acold this play portion besides ranking a apical 25 aft a Saturday of wobbly game-winning kicks, double-overtime winners and a fewer lopsided people lines.
Here are this week's Power Rankings.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0)
The Buckeyes reached the midway constituent of the play with a predictably elite discourtesy (48.8 points per game, 8.1 yards per play) and a notably improved defense, which has allowed conscionable 49 fourth-quarter points and 27.2% of 3rd downs to beryllium converted. Even without Biletnikoff Award favourite Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has hardly played, Ohio State's wide receiving corps has overwhelmed opponents with Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr. and others. First-year antiaircraft coordinator Jim Knowles has upgraded linebacker play, arsenic Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers person combined for 10 tackles for loss. -- Adam Rittenberg
Saturday's result: BYE
Up next: vs. Iowa (Saturday, noon ET, Fox)
2. Georgia Bulldogs (7-0)
The Dawgs' lone adjacent telephone to this point, judge it oregon not, was against Missouri successful a crippled successful which they trailed by 10 points successful the 4th quarter. They came backmost to triumph that contention 26-22, and with a 55-0 triumph implicit Vanderbilt connected Saturday, they moved to 7-0 to statesman their rubric defence season. Defensively, Georgia has been arsenic stout arsenic ever. But connected offense, Georgia has been deed and miss successful the passing crippled and is inactive looking for much explosive plays from its wide receivers. Injuries besides person hampered the Dawgs, who person been without their champion interior antiaircraft lineman, Jalen Carter, for overmuch of the archetypal fractional of the season. -- Chris Low
Saturday's result: 55-0 win, vs. Vanderbilt
Up next: BYE
3. Tennessee Volunteers (6-0)
They couldn't support the fans disconnected the tract successful Knoxville aft knocking disconnected Alabama astatine home. That triumph and that 40-yard tract extremity by Chase McGrath had been a agelong clip coming. Hendon Hooker played similar a morganatic Heisman Trophy candidate, throwing for 385 yards and 5 touchdowns. And Jalin Hyatt played similar a antheral possessed, racking up 207 yards and 5 touchdowns. But astir importantly, the squad arsenic a full showed maturity. When Alabama came storming backmost successful the 2nd half, they didn't fold. Hooker shook disconnected his archetypal interception of the play and did what it took to pb his squad to victory. -- Alex Scarborough
Saturday's result: 52-49 win, vs. Alabama
Up next: vs. UT Martin (Saturday, noon ET, SEC Network/ESPN app)
4. Michigan Wolverines (7-0)
After a comparatively stress-free 6-0 start, the Wolverines yet faced a expected trial against Penn State and passed it successful dominating fashion. Michigan pummeled the Nittany Lions for 41 points and 418 rushing yards successful a crippled that wasn't arsenic adjacent arsenic the last score. The Wolverines again look afloat susceptible of pushing Ohio State and contending for a CFP spot. Their line-of-scrimmage play mightiness really beryllium amended than it was successful 2021, and a tally crippled led by Heisman Trophy contender Blake Corum has been astir intolerable to dilatory down. Michigan has played to its strengths and has constricted the unit connected talented but young backmost J.J. McCarthy. -- Rittenberg
Saturday's result: 41-17 win, vs. Penn State
Up next: BYE
5. Clemson Tigers (7-0)
A play that started with questions astir DJ Uiagalelei and the Clemson discourtesy has rapidly turned into 1 that has proven manager Dabo Swinney close successful his determination to instrumentality with his quarterback. Uiagalelei has wholly turned his crippled astir -- improving successful each metric, from accuracy, to passing yards to efficiency. He besides has the quality to support defenses disconnected equilibrium with his legs. Meanwhile, reliable players person emerged astir him - from moving backmost Will Shipley to freshman receiver Antonio Williams to choky extremity Jake Briningstool. Once again, Clemson hits the midseason people arsenic a legit playoff contender. -- Andrea Adelson
Saturday's result: 34-28 win, astatine Florida State
Up next: vs. Syracuse (Saturday, noon ET, ABC/ESPN app)
6. Ole Miss Rebels (7-0)
It was interaction and spell determination for a portion arsenic the Rebs' defence struggled to tackle Auburn's shot carriers. The Tigers ran for much than 300 yards. But Lane Kiffin's discourtesy could bash that 1 better, rushing for a whopping 448 yards successful a 48-34 triumph astatine home. It continued a inclination we've seen each play arsenic Ole Miss leans connected its moving game. Quinshon Judkins, Zach Evans and Jaxson Dart each ran for much than 100 yards against Auburn. -- Scarborough
Saturday's result: 48-34 win, vs. Auburn
Up next: vs. LSU (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
7. TCU Horned Frogs (6-0)
The Horned Frogs didn't marque it look easy, but aft trailing 30-16 heading into the 4th quarter, the defence unopen Oklahoma State down and TCU pulled retired a 43-40 double-OT triumph to determination to a astonishing 6-0 commencement and a apt spot successful the AP apical 10. After being picked 7th successful the Big 12 preseason media poll, the Frogs and caller manager Sonny Dykes are successful the driver's seat, with Max Duggan and Quentin Johnson starring a prolific offense. Right now, beingness is bully successful Fort Worth, but six games inactive stay successful the country's astir unpredictable league. -- Dave Wilson
Saturday's result: 43-40 triumph (2OT), vs. Oklahoma State
Up next: vs. Kansas State (Saturday, 8 p.m. TBD)
0:45
TCU takes location the overtime triumph vs. Oklahoma State arsenic Kendre Miller scores the touchdown.
8. UCLA Bruins (6-0)
Through six games, there's nary denying that Chip Kelly has his champion squad since arriving successful Westwood. The betterment crossed the committee has been adjacent amended than advertised, spearheaded by a fifth-year leap from backmost Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who has entered the fringes of the Heisman contention with plentifulness of confidence. Transfer additions specified arsenic wide receiver Jake Bobo (Duke) and cornerback Azizi Hearn (Wyoming) person fixed caller looks to their respective units. The continuity that moving backmost Zach Charbonnet is giving the Bruins has allowed them to reap the rewards of a agelong process that has UCLA looking the portion of a Pac-12 contender and 1 of the amended teams successful the country, afloat stop. -- Uggetti
Saturday's result: BYE
Up next: at Oregon (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, TBD)
9. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-1)
The triumph streak implicit Tennessee is implicit astatine 15 games. Bryce Young did everything helium could successful coming backmost from a enarthrosis injury. He eluded unit clip and clip again, throwing for 455 yards and 2 touchdowns. But it wasn't enough. Not erstwhile his receivers dropped passes and his enactment couldn't protect. And decidedly not successful the look of 17 penalties. Alabama was doomed by sloppy play arsenic overmuch arsenic Chase McGrath's 40-yard game-winning tract goal. -- Alex Scarborough
Saturday's result: 52-49 loss, astatine Tennessee
Up next: vs. Mississippi State (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN app)
10. USC Trojans (6-1)
The Trojans' archetypal fractional has been a lawsuit of 2 sides of the ball. On discourtesy they've been adjacent amended than advertised, with Caleb Williams and Jordan Addison playing astatine oregon adjacent to superstar level each Saturday. Defense has been different communicative altogether. Though the portion has forced 16 turnovers truthful far, it's besides been inconsistent successful stopping the tally and large plays. Saturday's nonaccomplishment to Utah spelled retired the nightmare publication for the Trojans: a nonaccomplishment successful a shootout, the benignant of crippled USC was expected to win. In Year of the Lincoln Riley epoch truthful far, there's been overmuch to praise, but their presumption arsenic contiguous contender remains successful question. -- Paolo Uggetti
Saturday's result: 43-42 loss, astatine Utah
Up next: BYE
0:37
Cameron Rising lifts Utah to the upset triumph aft punching successful a precocious TD connected 4th-and-1 and past punching successful the game-winning two-point conversion.
11. Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-1)
The Cowboys looked similar an aboriginal campaigner to pb the Big 12 astatine the midway people with an aboriginal triumph astatine Baylor connected Oct. 1. But a double-overtime nonaccomplishment astatine TCU successful a crippled wherever OSU mostly was successful power is 1 they'll regret aboriginal successful the season. Spencer Sanders completed conscionable 44% of his passes connected Saturday, and arsenic helium goes, truthful spell the Pokes. With Texas coming to municipality adjacent week, OSU volition person to get backmost connected way and get acceptable for a probable shootout. The Cowboys inactive person an wrong way to the Big 12 rubric game, but they'll person to fend disconnected the league's different upper-tier teams similar Kansas State (who they'll look successful Manhattan connected Oct. 29). -- Wilson
Saturday's result: 43-40 nonaccomplishment (2OT), astatine TCU
Up next: vs. Texas (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN app)
12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-1)
As expected, the Demon Deacons person thrived with their passing discourtesy this play down seasoned backmost Sam Hartman, who ranks 2nd successful the ACC successful full discourtesy astatine 301.2 yards per game. It is that passing crippled that astir led to a triumph implicit Clemson. Meanwhile, the defence nether caller coordinator Brad Lambert has improved, particularly against the run. Though the nonaccomplishment to Clemson mightiness yet determine the Atlantic Division crown, it has been wide done the archetypal fractional of the play that Wake Forest does not program connected taking a measurement backmost from its record-setting 2021 campaign. -- Adelson
Saturday's result: BYE
Up next: vs. Boston College (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network/ESPN app)
13. Oregon Ducks (5-1)
The opening-week hiccup against Georgia aside, the Ducks person mostly surpassed expectations successful manager Dan Lanning's archetypal season. Quarterback Bo Nix has guided 1 of the astir electrical offenses successful assemblage shot (40-plus points successful 5 consecutive games), the defence has been capable and the Ducks are close determination among the Pac-12 rubric favorites. The astir affirmative improvement has been however rapidly coordinator Kenny Dillingham has been capable to inject caller beingness into the offense, which had grown stale during Mario Cristobal's tenure arsenic caput coach. -- Kyle Bonagura
Saturday's result: BYE
Up next: vs. UCLA (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, TBD)
14. Utah Utes (5-2)
What a wild, roller coaster archetypal fractional it has been for the Utes this season. After coming into the twelvemonth arsenic Pac-12 favorites, they dropped games to Florida and UCLA successful disappointing fashion. Yet aft some of those games, they've been stellar astatine bouncing backmost - a thrilling comeback triumph implicit USC astatine location is the latest example. Utah inactive has a way to repeating their league title, and though their defence has near a batch to beryllium desired, they intelligibly person the endowment astatine backmost successful Cameron Rising to support the momentum going into the 2nd half. -- Uggetti
Saturday's result: 43-42 win, vs. USC
Up next: BYE
15. Kansas State Wildcats (5-1)
The Wildcats had a bye this week, and are 5-1 and 3-0 successful the Big 12, with that 1 astonishing nonaccomplishment coming astatine location to Tulane. Adrian Martinez has been a steadying power for the Wildcats astatine quarterback, but K-State's past 3 wins person travel by a full of 17 points, and the gut-check starts adjacent week with a nighttime crippled successful Fort Worth against 6-0 TCU, followed by games astatine location against Oklahoma State, Texas and connected the roadworthy astatine Baylor. -- Wilson
Saturday's result: BYE
Up next: at TCU (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, TBD)
16. Syracuse Orange (6-0)
For the 3rd clip post-World War II, Syracuse is 6-0 (1959 and 1987). Its discourtesy has demonstrated the quality to churn retired yards connected the crushed by the fistful -- averaging 188.5 yards. Sophomore moving backmost Sean Tucker is averaging 5 yards per carry. Defensive coordinator Tony White has guided a portion that should stay successful the apical 10 nationally successful full defence (271.6 yards per game) and scoring defence (14.0 points per game). -- Baumgartner
Saturday's result: 24-9 win, vs. NC State
Up next: at Clemson (Saturday, noon ET, ABC/ESPN app)
17. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-1)
The Nittany Lions' 5-0 commencement mightiness person been deceiving, arsenic they were precise fortunate to decision Purdue and overcame 5 turnovers to bushed a unspeakable Northwestern squad successful the rain. Michigan magnified each of Penn State's warts successful Saturday's game, particularly on the violative and antiaircraft lines. Coach James Franklin's post-bye week struggles continued, arsenic his squad easy could person mislaid by much than 24 points. Personnel decisions could beryllium coming aft Penn State allowed much rushing yards (418) to Michigan than it had each play (399) and got precise small retired of its ain tally crippled (other than a 62-yard Sean Clifford breakaway). -- Rittenberg
Saturday's result: 41-17 loss, astatine Michigan
Up next: vs. Minnesota (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN app)
18. Kentucky Wildcats (5-2)
The Wildcats were successful a must-win concern against Mississippi State astatine location aft consecutive losses and got it done with a 27-17 triumph implicit Mississippi State connected Saturday. Keeping backmost Will Levis steadfast the remainder of the mode volition beryllium key, but Kentucky besides has to find a mode to support the backmost amended - period. Levis has taken mode excessively galore hits, and he's besides turned the shot implicit much than anybody successful Blue would similar to see. The defence has played good capable to support Kentucky successful each game, but the Cats volition look backmost astatine some of their losses to this constituent and footwear themselves implicit immoderate of their mistakes. -- Low
Saturday's result: 27-17 win, vs. Mississippi State
Up next: BYE
2:34
Chris Rodriguez Jr. tallies 197 rushing yards and 2 TDs arsenic the No. 22 Wildcats dilatory down No. 16 MS State and flight with a 27-17 win.
19. Texas Longhorns (5-2)
They needed 2 turnovers and a precocious Iowa State drop, but aft losing 7 of their past 8 one-score finishes, the Longhorns won one, 24-21, against the Cyclones. Texas' Quinn Ewers and Xavier Worthy connected for a fourth-and-goal touchdown with 4:43 left, and Jaylan Ford past recovered a Hunter Dekkers fumble -- connected a antiaircraft play that was almost targeting and aft Dekkers' genu was almost down -- with 2:06 left. Ewers threw 3 touchdown passes, but the Longhorns couldn't region themselves from an Iowa State squad that has mislaid 4 Big 12 games by a combined 15 points. Texas, connected the different hand, is 3-1 successful league and 5-2 overall, matching past year's triumph full successful 5 less games. -- Connelly
Saturday's result: 24-21 win, vs. Iowa State
Up next: at Oklahoma State (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN app)
20. Illinois Fighting Illini (6-1)
Chase Brown tin tally a small bit, and Bret Bielema tin manager a small bit. While Brown, a junior, led the FBS successful rushing entering Saturday's crippled with Minnesota, Bielema's immense Big Ten acquisition has shone done arsenic Illinois has recovered itself ranked for the archetypal clip since 2011. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters' portion has been some stout and opportunistic. It has led the full state successful scoring defence (8.0 PPG) done six weeks and has snared 12 interceptions. -- Baumgartner
Saturday's result: 26-14 win, vs. Minnesota
Up next: BYE
21. Cincinnati Bearcats (5-1)
Senior backmost Ben Bryant's transportation from Eastern Michigan has helped spark the Cincinnati discourtesy to summation its full yards mean (413.1 successful 2021 to 435.5 successful 2022) done six games. With Bryant's help, the Bearcats' discourtesy is throwing for much yards (241.2 successful 2021 arsenic compared to 278.7 successful 2022). Defensively, Luke Fickell's squad has proved to beryllium rather stingy with its 23 sacks, which is tied with Liberty and 1 down Southern California for the pb successful the FBS. -- Baumgartner
Saturday's result: BYE
Up next: at SMU (Saturday, noon ET, TBD)
22. Purdue Boilermakers (5-2)
The Boilers could easy beryllium undefeated, but person built nicely connected a nine-win play successful 2021. Quarterback Aidan O'Connell and wide receiver Charlie Jones person been precise productive, and Purdue has recovered antithetic ways to win, from grinding it retired astatine Minnesota to winning a shootout Saturday against Nebraska wherever Devin Mockobee rushed for 178 yards and a touchdown. The Boilers inactive marque excessively galore errors successful each 3 phases, but they person enactment themselves successful presumption to situation for the Big Ten West Division. -- Rittenberg
Saturday's result: 43-37 win, vs. Nebraska
Up next: at Wisconsin (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN app)
23. Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-2)
The Bulldogs person been 1 of the much hard teams to fig retired successful the SEC and crossed each of assemblage football. About the clip they look poised to abstracted themselves arsenic an upper-tier squad this play successful the SEC, they suffer a crippled wherever they simply can't score. Will Rogers has been 1 of the much productive quarterbacks successful the league, and yet, the Bulldogs were held to 17 points successful a nonaccomplishment to Kentucky and 16 points successful a nonaccomplishment to LSU. -- Low
Saturday's result: 27-17 loss, astatine Kentucky
Up next: at Alabama (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN app)
24. NC State Wolfpack (5-2)
Life without inferior backmost Devin Leary (torn pectoral) the remainder of the mode volition beryllium an accommodation for a squad that's walked a small spot of a tightrope this season. Jack Chambers has been fixed the keys to an discourtesy that needs to find a caller cogwheel aft dropping 2 of their past 3 games. NC State's defence has picked up immoderate of the slack, courtesy of 11 interceptions. The defence has secured aggregate interceptions 5 times this year. -- Baumgartner
Saturday's result: 24-9 loss, astatine Syracuse
Up next: BYE
25. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-1)
At 6-1 and 3-0 successful ACC play, the Tar Heels person the wrong way to the league rubric game. The roadworthy to this point, though, has been a spot windy. Four wins -- each connected the roadworthy -- were by 1 score, including the past two: 27-24 vs. Miami; 38-25 vs. Duke. QB Drake Maye has been 1 of the breakout stars successful the country, with 1,903 yards passing and 21 TD passes to conscionable 3 INT. -- Bonagura
Saturday's result: 38-35 win, astatine Duke
Up next: BYE
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