USA Today Coaches Poll Top 25 released after Week 7 of college football
The latest USA Today Coaches Poll top 25 rankings were released after Week 7 of the 2023 college football regular season.
The biggest shakeup in the top 10 occurred when Washington knocked off Oregon from the ranks of the unbeaten. Not only that, the Pac-12 took another hit with USC‘s loss to Notre Dame.
Without further ado, let’s dive into a new look top 10 rankings and beyond, via the coaches poll.
1. Georgia
Georgia had some problems with Vanderbilt early on but eventually pulled away in the second quarter and coasted from there. The Bulldogs have a habit of playing with their food, no pun intended.
Carson Beck threw for 261 yards, one touchdown and one interception. But Daijun Edwards was solid on the ground with 20 carries for 146 yards and one touchdown.
2. Michigan
Guess what, Michigan trailed Indiana Saturday at home in the Big House. However, that was only after the first quarter and the Wolverines ended up winning 52-7 over another Big Ten foe.
The win improved Michigan to 7-0 on the season and it was, once again, a blowout victory for Jim Harbaugh’s crew. This has been the theme all season long.
3. Ohio State
The Buckeyes decided they didn’t want to let Purdue hang around, so it turned into a blowout victory for Ohio State on the road. That’s exactly what they needed to improve to 6-0.
Kyle McCord looked pretty good, throwing for 276 yards and three touchdowns while Dallan Hayden finally got his shot this year. He ran for 76 yards and a touchdown.
4. Florida State
Another top team that didn’t let an underdog hang around at any point. Florida State put its foot on the proverbial gas and didn’t let up at all.
The 41-3 win over Syracuse was led by Jordan Travis and Keon Coleman. Travis had 284 passing yards and a touchdown while Coleman couldn’t be stopped: nine catches for 140 yards and a score.
5. Washington (+1)
The Huskies earned arguably the biggest win of the weekend by knocking off Pac-12 rivalry Oregon. In a battle of undefeated teams, Washington got the last laugh.
Michael Penix Jr. overcame a first half pick and threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Dillon Johnson added 20 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown. This should propel Washington to the top tier of national title contenders.
6. Penn State (-1)
Penn State returned from a week off with a 63-0 win over UMass to get warmed back up. It’s nothing against UMass, but this game was virtually no contest from the first whistle.
Drew Allar tossed three touchdowns during an easy day. He’ll have to carry it over next week for the biggest game of the year: going to Ohio State.
7. Oklahoma
A week off after winning Red River was either a good thing for rest or a bad thing for momentum. Either way, Oklahoma remained a top 10 team and the best in the Big 12.
The Sooners get back in action this coming weekend when UCF comes to town for the Knights’ first game as a Big 12 opponent. Look for them to keep it rolling.
T-8. Texas (+3)
Texas had, maybe, a much needed week off following the loss to Oklahoma in Red River. This is still one of the better teams in the country but there’s a slim margin for error.
Out in Austin, the Longhorns have to reset for the rest of the Big 12 schedule. However, it sets up nicely to make a run to the Big 12 Championship for a potential rematch with Oklahoma.
T-8. Alabama (+2)
Whoa, a close call there for Alabama with a 24-21 win over Arkansas at home. It looked like the Crimson Tide were going to roll to a victory but then, they didn’t.
Nick Saban’s defense couldn’t contain KJ Jefferson forever, as the Arkansas quarterback willed his team back. It wasn’t enough and Alabama improved to 6-1 on the season.
10. North Carolina (+2)
North Carolina took care of business at home against ACC foe Miami and gave the Hurricanes their second loss. Drake Maye went off for the Tar Heels to keep UNC undefeated.
He threw for 273 yards and four touchdowns and guess who he found? He found transfer Tez Walker, who had six catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns. Welcome back to football.
Rest of Coaches Poll Top 25
11. Oregon (-3)
12. Ole Miss (+1)
13. Oregon State (+1)
14. Utah (+2)
15. Tennessee (+2)
16. USC (-7)
17. Duke (+1)
18. Notre Dame (+3)
19. LSU (+1)
20. Missouri (+5)
21. Louisville (-6)
22. Air Force (NR)
23. Iowa (NR)
24. Tulane (NR)
25. UCLA (-3)
Dropped out: No. 19 Washington State Cougars; No. 23 Kentucky Wildcats; No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks
Others receiving votes: James Madison 67; Clemson 54; Florida 29; Fresno State 21; Washington State 20; Arizona 13; Wyoming 12; Oklahoma State 12; Miami (FL) 12; Maryland 11; Kentucky 9; Liberty 5; Kansas State 5; UNLV 4; Texas A&M 4; West Virginia 3; Memphis 1; Kansas 1;
Another weekend is in the books as we turn our attention to mid-October and beyond. Things are really heating up and we’re getting closer to the College Football Playoff rankings. Buckle up!