Ten Takeaways: Week Seven
Everything is up for grabs this season.
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Ten Takeaways: Week Seven
For my Ohio State subscribers: Check out my full thoughts on Ohio State's 19-15 win at Indiana in Bulletpoints:
Colton Denning
1. A historic day in what's turning into a historic season
Saturday was a historic, "first time in a long time/ever" kind of day:
- Five of the top seven ranked teams lost on the same day for the first time in the history of the AP Poll.
- It's the first time since 2012 that No. 1 and 2 lost on the same day in the regular season.
- Lastly, it's the first time since 1990 that No. 1 has lost to an unranked opponent in consecutive weeks.
I said last week that week six was the "type of weekend we live for as college football fans." After what week seven just gave us, the whole 2026 season is turning into one we'll never forget.
2. Everything is up for grabs
Take a look around the country. Is there any top contender right now you think is unbeatable? Miami just damn-near lost to Florida State. BYU is undefeated, but their top-end talent still isn't on the same level as the majority of other contenders. Ohio State's starting QB might be out for the season. Notre Dame just lost in the first true challenge they faced. Georgia couldn't hold a 14-0 home lead against Auburn. Indiana clearly isn't on the same level they were last year with Fernando Mendoza leading them. Ole Miss has a 24-point loss on their resume. Should I keep going?
That's not to say none of those teams –or anyone else– can't evolve into a truly great team over the next two months. It's just that the top spot feels up for grabs right now more than it has in any season in recent memory.
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3. Breaking down the carnage
Ohio State-Indiana
Was it a bad throw by Josh Hoover, or bad awareness from Nick Marsh to not get his foot down on what should've been a late, go-ahead TD for the Hoosiers? How about both! It's funny that things ended that way, because Indiana's overall execution has been just a notch below what it was last year. That play, plus several other miscues –including from Curt Cignetti– were the difference in their 19-15 loss to Ohio State. The Buckeyes got a rare clean game on a big stage, their defense mostly played lights out, and the Hoosiers couldn't stop Jeremiah Smith on the one play they needed to. The Hoover-Marsh play will be all most people remember, but I think the Buckeyes earned this one more than the Hoosiers fumbled it.
Auburn-Georgia
I have no other way to explain this one than the usual Auburn-Georgia series devil magic. More than anything, the Tigers showed what they're capable of looking like at their best. I think Georgia still has the highest floor of any team this season - they were just done in by a couple of brutal mistakes.
BYU-Notre Dame
I don't feel much different about either of these teams now than I did before. All offseason I thought BYU would finally get the playoff-locking type win they've been searching for against the Irish. I'm impressed that they managed to pull it off despite two turnovers and a horrific fake punt call. I still feel like Notre Dame can go head-up with anyone - they just aren't going to overwhelm any top team. Boubacar Traore's early targeting ejection was a tough break. I'll be honest: Notre Dame should've gotten another play at the end, but their call sucked, and those type of incompletions at the end of the games have almost always been officiated exactly like that. (Except for the end of the 2009 Big 12 Championship, which might be the root cause for the current hell the sport is in.)
Tennessee-Alabama
My main takeaway from this game is that it's jarring how common Alabama getting mashed in the trenches is becoming. Tennessee's defense really fed them up front on what felt like every snap.
Florida-Texas
Tramell Jones Jr.'s third-down conversion to seal Florida's win was the best individual effort play of the weekend:
This year's Gators feel like how Auburn did under Gus Malzahn. They might throw up a stinker one week, then kick ass against a top-ten opponent the next. They're incredibly entertaining, regardless of the outcome.
As for the Longhorns? I think they're toast. The offense that was supposed to be among the nation's best hasn't scored more than 24 points against any of the four power four opponents they've faced. Arch Manning never catches a groove unless they're in hurry-up mode, and his ball security is egregious. Their short-yardage offense is pathetic. A week after going 1-5 on 3rd-and-shorts against Oklahoma, the Longhorns converted just 2-6 against Florida, and were 1-3 on fourth downs. With star DL Colin Simmons now listed as week-to-week, it's hard to imagine the defense holding it down as much as they have already. Texas has major issues I'm not sure they can solve.
Ole Miss-Missouri
You know what you're getting from Ole Miss' offense. It was nice to see their defense finally show up to complement them. They can hang with anyone so long as that group plays adequately. Missouri-Texas on November 7 is now likely a playoff eliminator.
Miami-Florida State
I'm willing to cut Miami a little slack, because you never know what you'll get in a rivalry game. The holding call on the Noles fourth down at the end was as nasty of a flag as you'll see all season:
A trap technique should not be called a hold, but for whatever reason college officials have made it a ridiculous point of emphasis and it absolutely SCREWED FSU. Disgusting.
— Gabe Kuhn (@G_Kuhn71) October 18, 2026
4. Player of the Week: Michael Hawkins Jr. vs. Cincinnati
West Virginia QB Michael Hawkins Jr. continued to show why comparisons to now-Mountaineers Assistant QB Coach Pat White aren't ridiculous. Hawkins threw for 464 yards and three TD, while adding 77 yards and two scores on the ground in WVU's 45-42, last-second win over Cincinnati:
