2024 college football rankings: Oregon takes top spot after defeating Ohio State

RJ Young

FOX Sports National College Football Analyst

College football Fans across the country had October 12th marked on the calendar as a day full of must-see games. It lived up to the hype as the day featured outstanding games at the top of the sports hierarchy and, for me, a new team at No. 1 in the rankings.

The State of OhioOregon This game saw six lead changes throughout the game, while four other games involving top 25 teams required overtime to determine a winner.

And while there are still nine undefeated teams in the sport at the halfway point of the season, no team feels unbeatable and no team has emerged with a resounding performance that suggests success will be found in November, let alone the second half October.

The only thing that is certain is the uncertainty that makes this sport the best in the world, and the second college football axiom applies: Anything that can happen, will happen. Just add water – or 2024 Vanderbilt.

Here's a look at my top 25 rankings after Week 7 College football Season:

1. Oregon (6-0)

Result week 6: Defeated Ohio State 32-31

The Ducks outlasted the Buckeyes at Autzen Stadium, marking their first win against a top-five opponent as a member of the Big Ten. The Ducks have won 35 of their last 36 games in Autzen, scoring 32 points on a defense that had given up just 6.8 points per game before their first loss of the season.

2. Texas (6-0)

Result week 6: Defeated Oklahoma 34-3

In the short term, it looked like Oklahoma was set for a fight with an early takeaway, but the Longhorns began to overwhelm the Sooners with 21 points in the second quarter and 34 points not scored at the end of the game. Quinn Ewers returned from injury and threw for 199 yards and a touchdown while adding another score on the ground.

3. Ohio State (5-1)

Result week 6: Lost to Oregon, 32-31

The Buckeyes didn't do what most do during their visit to Eugene: win. But Ohio State still appears to be one of the top four teams in the sport and could still contend for the Big Ten title.

4. Penn State (6-0)

Result week 6: Defeated USC, 33-30

The Nittany Lions rallied from a 14-point deficit to pick up their first road win since August 31 and become one of just three undefeated teams left in the Big Ten.

Tight end Tyler Warren enjoyed a potentially Mackey Award-winning performance with 17 catches for 224 yards and a touchdown in the win.

5. Georgia (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Mississippi State 41-31

The Dawgs failed to cover the 33.5-point spread, but they secured the win, setting up a monster top-five showdown in the SEC next week. They travel to Austin, Texas to play the undefeated Longhorns. Carson Beck threw for 459 yards in the win, but the Dawgs gave up 306 passing yards to Michael Van Buren Jr., which is concerning as they prepare to play against a top-10 Texas offense.

6. Miami (Florida) (6-0)

Result week 6: idle

7. Clemson (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Wake Forest 49-14

Since scoring just three points against Georgia in Week 1, Clemson has scored 40 or more points in four of its five wins and at least 29 points in all five. The Tigers have appeared to be the best team in the ACC since Week 2.

8. Iowa State (6-0)

Result week 6: Defeated West Virginia 28-16

Matt Campbell's team just keeps winning. Rocco Becht completed 18 of 26 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown, while Carson Hansen ran it 20 times for 96 yards and three scores.

#11 Iowa State Cyclones vs. West Virginia Mountaineers highlights

9. BYU (6-0)

Result week 6: Defeated Arizona 41-19

The Cougars forced four turnovers against the Wildcats and improved to 6-0 for the first time since 2020. The win keeps BYU atop the Big 12 standings in a tight race for first place. Cougars QB Jake Retzlaff threw for 218 yards with two touchdowns in the win.

Arizona Wildcats vs. No. 14 BYU Cougars highlights

10. LSU (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Ole Miss, 29-26 (OT)

Garrett Nussmeier hit Kyren Lacy for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage in overtime, giving the Bayou Bengals a walk-off win. Nussmeier finished the game with 337 passing yards, three TDs and two INTs, in what could be a crucial season win for the Tigers as they look to separate themselves in a loaded SEC.

11. Tennessee (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Florida 23-17

For the third straight game, Tennessee's passing attack looked anemic. But against a depleted and humiliating Florida team, the Vols did enough to secure their second win in SEC play, and have a huge game coming up against Alabama next week.

Quarterback Nico Iamaleava hasn't passed for more than 200 yards since the Vols' Week 2 win over NC State.

12. Alabama (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated South Carolina 27-25

Alabama survived this game thanks to a missed field goal and a mismanaged final possession by the Gamecocks. Things haven't looked good for the Tide for two and a half games – as they proved with a loss to Vanderbilt – and are now stumbling against a South Carolina team that will struggle to win eight games this season. One bright spot is that Alabama's defense recorded four takeaways and four sacks against the Gamecocks.

13. Notre Dame (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Stanford 49-7

The Fighting Irish scored 35 points in the second and third quarters and got their best performance ever from QB Riley Leonard, who completed 16 of 22 passes for 229 yards and four total touchdowns.

14. Texas A&M (5-1)

Result week 6: idle

15. Missouri (5-1)

Result week 6: UMass defeated, 45-3

Welcome back, Mizzou. Wideout Luther Burden totaled 127 yards on just seven touches against the Minutemen, including a 61-yard rushing touchdown.

16. Boise State (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Hawaii 28-7

It's the Ashton Jeanty show in Boise, and it was on again Saturday. The all-rounder rushed for 217 yards and a touchdown while also scoring another score through the air in the Broncos' win over Hawaii.

17. Kansas State (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Colorado 31-28

The Wildcats escaped Boulder with a win, but it wasn't easy. Chris Klieman's team relied on the running game and halfback DJ Giddens, who carried the rock 25 times for 182 yards in the win.

18. Illinois (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Purdue 50-49

Luke Altmyer threw for 379 yards with three touchdowns, becoming an instant Big Ten classic. A game that featured more than 1,000 yards of offense, including more than 600 yards through the air, ended with a two-point conversion attempt that the Illini stopped to keep their Big Ten title hopes alive.

Highlights of Purdue Boilermakers vs. No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini

19. Indiana (6-0)

Result week 6: idle

20. Pitt (6-0)

Result week 6: Defeated Cal, 17-15

With the win, Pitt improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1982 and established itself as a legitimate contender in the ACC title race. And the Panthers managed it without much offensive distance. They totaled just 277 yards — nearly 250 below their average through the first five games of the season.

21. Ole Miss (5-2)

Result week 6: Lost to LSU, 29-26 (OT)

Lane Kiffin's team racked up 464 yards on offense, but the Rebels defense couldn't slow LSU's offense when it mattered most. Jaxson Dart passed for 284 yards and a score, but he completed just 24 of 42 passes in the game, which likely killed his Heisman chances as well as the Rebels' SEC title chances.

22. Arizona State (5-1)

Result week 6: Defeated Utah, 27-19

When you need to create tough yards, give the ball to Cam Skattebo. That's what the Sun Devils did on Friday night as the senior running back rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns in an upset win over Utah. With the win, the Sun Devils surpassed their win total from the previous season (4.5).

“For those of you who won,” ASU coach Kenny Dillingham said, “put the money back into the NIL collective.”

23. SMU (5-1)

Result week 6: idle

24. army (6-0)

Result week 6: Defeated UAB 44-10

Quarterback Bryson Daily accounted for five total touchdowns in a loss that began with a 20-point score for the Black Knights in the first quarter. The win makes Army 6-0 for the first time in 28 years and extends the team's winning streak to 10 games, dating back to last season.

25. marine (5-0)

Result week 6: idle

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and host of the podcast “The number one college football show.“Follow him around @RJ_Young And Subscribe to The RJ Young Show on YouTube.

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