ESPN shakes up Top 25 Power Rankings after Week 6 of College Football

Week 6 of the college football season didn’t have as many AP Top 25 matchups on paper as some weeks, but it turned out to be even more chaotic. With several massive upsets the sport was shaken up. Unsurprisingly, it also shook up ESPN’s Top 25 Power Rankings for college football.

Within the Top 10 of ESPN’s Power Rankings, there is only one new team moving in this week. At the same time, the chaos around college football made for plenty of movement in the back half of the rankings. That includes three new teams that weren’t ranked a week ago.

These Power Rankings represent a snapshot of where the season is right now. There will be plenty more movement as the season goes along. For the time being, however, here’s how the ESPN College Football Power Rankings shake out.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State hasn’t moved off the top spot in ESPN’s Power Rankings. This comes after the Buckeyes dominated Minnesota to the tune of a 42-3 conference win over the weekend. That would move the defending national champions to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in Big Ten play heading into a showdown with Illinois.

What’s most impressive about Ohio State is its defense. The Buckeyes have yet to allow double-digit points in any game this season. They’re first nationally in scoring defense, giving up 5.0 points per game. On top of that, the Buckeyes are third in total defense, allowing just 215.8 yards per game.

2. Miami Hurricanes (+1)

The Miami Hurricanes added a massive win against rival Florida State over the weekend, holding on to avoid a comeback attempt. Now, the Hurricanes have the inside track on making it to the ACC Championship Game. They also have the No. 2 spot in ESPN’s Power Rankings.

Miami likely jumped up with the big win over Florida State, which added another line on their already impressive resume. Now, they’ll have a bye week to his the reset button. After that, they’ll have one of their biggest remaining games against Louisville.

3. Oregon Ducks (-1)

The Oregon Ducks slipped a game in the ESPN Power Rankings. That’s as the Ducks come off a bye week and prepare for another marquee test. This time, they’ll host Indiana, another power within the Big Ten.

Indiana is the lone remaining team on Oregon’s schedule currently ranked in the AP Top 25 poll. That makes it one of the easier second-half schedules in college football. It also means that, without some upsets, the Ducks are going to be in a good position for the postseason.

4. Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss was off in Week 6, resting on its laurels after taking care of business against LSU the week before. Now, head coach Lane Kiffin and company are going to be ready to take on Washington State before getting back into SEC play.

The big question for Ole Miss is, who’s the quarterback moving forward? Trinidad Chambliss came into the season as the backup, but after an injury to Austin Simmons, he came in and has been excellent. However, how healthy Simmons is and if going back to him is what Lane Kiffin wants to do remains to be seen.

5. Texas A&M Aggies

It’s year two for the Texas A&M Aggies under Mike Elko, and now they’re one of the best teams in the country. That’s behind quarterback Marcel Reed, who has been having a breakout season. That continued last week in a win over Mississippi State.

Ultimately, there was no movement from the Aggies in the ESPN Power Rankings. Still, they’re positioned well, especially if they keep winning. Next week, they’ll be home once again, ready to host Florida, who has proven capable of pulling off upsets.

6. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma just got its first taste of life without John Mateer at quarterback. In a shutout win over Kent State, the quarterback didn’t ultimately matter. Still, it was good to see backup Michael Hawkins throw for three touchdowns and rush for another.

Next week, it’s going to be a much tougher test. The Sooners are set to take on the Texas Longhorns. Even coming off an upset loss, the Longhorns are dangerous and both teams are going to be incredibly excited for the rivalry game.

7. Indiana Hoosiers

A year removed from making the College Football Playoff, most experts predicted Indiana wouldn’t make it back. Now, they’re firmly in the Top 10 of the ESPN Power Rankings. That comes as they’ve proven to be a dominant force in the Big Ten once again, with several massive wins amid an unbeaten start.

Next up, Indiana has its biggest challenge of the season. The Hoosiers are set to travel to Eugene to take on Oregon. That battle is likely to be a reason for ESPN to shake up its Power Rankings. Regardless, it’s a chance to make a massive statement.

8. Texas Tech Red Raiders (+1)

The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the highest ranked Big 12 team in the ESPN Power Rankings. They’re moving up with each subsequent win too. The most recent of those was a 35-11 win over Houston.

It seems as though Texas Tech is now in the driver’s seat in the Big 12. At the same time, in a conference now for parity, the Red Raiders are going to be tested weekly. That continues next week against a talented Kansas team.

9. Alabama Crimson Tide (+1)

Alabama avoided a hangover game after beating Georgia by taking care of business against Vanderbilt. Now, any issues this team seemed to have early in the season can firmly be put behind them as they look to compete for an SEC Championship.

Of course, in the SEC, there are plenty of traps to avoid. Four of Alabama’s next five opponents are currently ranked in the AP Top 25. So, the Crimson Tide need to stay vigilant to avoid any more upsets that could cost them down the line.

10. Georgia Bulldogs (+1)

Georgia is the only new team in the Top 10 of ESPN’s Power Rankings. They made the jump up from No. 11 a week ago, having taken care of business against Kentucky. That would act as a nice bounce back from their previous loss to Alabama.

Next up for Georgia is a rivalry matchup with Auburn. Never an easy game, the Bulldogs need to avoid getting upset if they want to keep climbing the rankings. That also means avoiding looking ahead to their game against Ole Miss a week later.

11. Tennessee Volunteers (+2)
12. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+7)
13. LSU Tigers (+4)
14. Missouri Tigers (+2)
15. Michigan Wolverines (+5)
16. BYU Cougars (+6)
17. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+4)
18. Illinois Fighting Illini (+5)
19. Virginia Cavaliers (NR)
20. Vanderbilt Commodores (-2)
21. Memphis Tigers (+3)
22. Arizona State Sun Devils (NR)
23. Iowa State Cyclones (-8)
24. Cincinnati Bearcats (NR)
25. Texas Longhorns (-13)