We are at the halfway point of the 2022 college football season, and we've seen it all. Upsets, blowouts, big plays and crazy finishes have filled the first six weeks, and we can expect more of the same as we enter the midst of the season. However, we still have not seen any of the top teams fall.
Ohio State has cruised, and while Georgia and Alabama have been tested, they still remain unbeaten. But sneaking up on those three are the likes of Tennessee and Ole Miss in the SEC, and Michigan and Penn State in the Big Ten, that seek to give each of those teams a loss over the next two months. Those games and plenty more are going to reshape the College Football Playoff and the AP rankings.
But first, let's see how this past weekend's slate of games changed this week's AP Top 25.
Biggest Jumps
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No. 11 UCLA Bruins (Up 7 Spots)
UCLA has made the jump from unranked to being one spot away from being in the top 10 following two back-to-back wins against ranked conference opponents.
No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs (Up 7 Spots)
The Bulldogs got a statement win Saturday in their victory over Arkansas and let everyone in the country know they are indeed good.
Biggest Drops
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No. 22 Kentucky Wildcats (Down 9 Spots)
With quarterback Will Levis out, back-to-back losses have Kentucky tumbling toward the bottom of the Top 25.
No. 20 Utah Utes (Down 9 Spots)
The Utes suffered loss No. 2 Saturday in a tough conference defeat; but while their playoff hopes are slim, they still have plenty of chances to win the PAC-12.
New to Top 25 Poll
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No. 22 Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns took down Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry 49-0 on Saturday. I really have to believe this team would be undefeated if quarterback Quinn Ewers hadn't been injured.
The Mullet ? The golden hat@QuinnEwers | #HookEm pic.twitter.com/N1bFLWDD9f
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) October 8, 2022
No. 24 Illinois Illini
Coach Bret Bielema has something brewing at his new home, and the Illini are the current favorite to come out of the wide-open Big Ten West.
No. 25 James Madison Dukes
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JMU makes its debut in the @AP_Top25, coming in at #25 after a 5-0 start to the year.
? https://t.co/rUvbqbBeTE#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/ntew9K4p5A
— JMU Football (@JMUFootball) October 9, 2022
In their first year on the FBS level of college football, the Dukes have already made a debut in the AP Top 25 Poll.
Dropped out of Top 25 Poll
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RELATED: LSU's "Neck" Chant: Why the Controversial Song Was Banned
BYU Cougars (Previously No. 16)
The Cougars New Year's Six hopes are in shambles after losing to Notre Dame.
Washington Huskies (Previously No. 21)
The Huskies followed up last week's loss with another, but this time to an Arizona State team that was 1-4 entering Saturday's matchup.
LSU Tigers (Previously No. 25)
One and done for the Tigers after they get manhandled by Tennessee. (They should not have been ranked in the first place.)
What to Watch for in Week 7
This weekend will be all about the ranked matchups, as we have six games that each feature teams ranked in the current AP Top 25 Poll. Also, check out my Top 10 Teams!
- Fresh off its bye, Penn State goes on the road to play Michigan.
- Tennessee hosts Alabama, which could be without quarterback Bryce Young for a second straight game.
- TCU hosts Oklahoma State in a Big 12 matchup between two undefeated teams.
- Syracuse wants to prove that it belongs in the rankings as it takes on NC State.
- Kentucky looks to end its two-game skid as Mississippi States comes into town.
- USC has its biggest game of the year (so far) as they goes on the road to play Utah.
