the seventh week of the 2025 college football season

introductory comments

it is the midpoint of the season, and it has been a strange one. between american teams running up the score, a few interesting upsets, and this finally being the first week with no games against fcs teams, there is quite a bit to look at, so let us begin.

the top 25

1. south florida - 233 pts. (5-1, +96)
2. texas a&m - 223 pts. (6-0, +86)
3. vanderbilt - 204 pts. (5-1, +143)
4. mississippi state - 191 pts. (4-2, +83)
5. miami - 184 pts. (5-0, +107)
6. oklahoma - 181 pts. (5-1, +116)
7. ole miss - 174 pts. (6-0, +112)
8. usc - 173 pts. (5-1, +145)
9. old dominion - 170 pts. (4-2, +84)
10. northwestern - 169 pts. (4-2, +34)
11. virginia - 166 pts. (5-1, +115)
12. indiana - 164 pts. (6-0, +201)
13. washington - 162 pts. (5-1, +117)
14. ohio state - 161 pts. (6-0, +180)
15. tennessee - 158 pts. (5-1, +113)
16. georgia tech - 154 pts. (6-0, +94)
17. missouri - 154 pts. (5-1, +150)
18. texas tech - 150 pts. (6-0, +212)
19. utah - 149 pts. (5-1, +154)
20. georgia - 147 pts. (5-1, +91)
21. lsu - 147 pts. (5-1, +84)
22. tcu - 144 pts. (4-2, +64)
23. ucla - 142 pts. (2-4, -38)
24. baylor - 141 pts. (4-2, +40)
25. nebraska - 140 pts. (5-1, +134)

the bottom 25

1. liberty - -91 pts. (2-4, -20)
2. army - -87 pts. (3-3, +6)
3. toledo - -68 pts. (3-3, +112)
4. middle tennessee - -55 pts. (1-5, -75)
5. umass - -47 pts. (0-6, -163)
6. texas state - -37 pts. (3-3, +37)
7. south alabama - -26 pts. (1-5, -40)
8. northern illinois - -19 pts. (1-5, -57)
9. eastern michigan - -12 pts. (2-5, -58)
10. virginia tech - -8 pts. (2-5, -44)
11. louisiana - -8 pts. (2-4, -30)
12. akron - -5 pts. (2-5, -86)
13. rice - -4 pts. (3-4, -54)
14. sam houston - 0 pts. (0-6, -135)
15. arizona state - 0 pts. (4-2, +8)
16. oregon state - 5 pts. (0-7, -125)
17. colorado state - 7 pts. (2-4, -24)
18. penn state - 7 pts. (3-3, +103)
19. air force - 8 pts. (1-5, -10)
20. buffalo - 8 pts. (3-3, +23)
21. san jose state - 15 pts. (2-4, -31)
22. florida atlantic - 18 pts. (3-3, -3)
23. connecticut - 20 pts. (4-2, +86)
24. california - 22 pts. (4-2, +10)
25. boston college - 24 pts. (1-5, -32)

adjustments

the return of windiana: indiana @ oregon

the committee was hesitant to place indiana at the highest tier preseason for obvious reasons. but this year, they clearly haven't given up on their playoff hopes by any means. and now that they're halfway done with their schedule and survived oregon to qualify for the bowls, it looks like they might make a return. if they can survive giant killer ucla and killed giant penn state, they even have a shot at going undefeated in the regular season. they have earned their spot in the top tier, so the committee has promoted indiana to s tier. enough said. do not disappoint us.

indiana 16, oregon -16

i said do not disappoint us: washington state @ ole miss

ole miss, however, decided to make a close game out of something that really should not be a close game. missing the spread by 35 points against a team four tiers below you is not really a win, so this game is a moral loss for ole miss. instead of gaining one point they have lost three. they didn't even bother with a fun score. but at least they very technically won this game. there are some below on this list who could not even do that.

ole miss -3, washington state -1

a sobering lesson: northwestern @ penn state

let all who behold penn state having been brought low never forget what this ranking system holds most dear: by default, absolutely nothing matters but the number that you put on the scoreboard at the end of the night and whether the other number is bigger or smaller. penn state's point differential being in the triple digits does not counteract that twelve of the points scored against them have now resulted in three consecutive embarrassing losses. they have given away all their points and playoff hopes and have nothing left. the committee has demoted them to b tier so as not to spoil what the a tier represents. and for those who think optimistically about rock bottom, there is still a half season left to fall. and yet another we must talk about this week is even lower than them.

northwestern 37, penn state -32

the dud rocket: toledo @ bowling green

bowling green has delivered another one-point loss to embarrass a team deeper into the bottom 25. toledo has likewise been robbed of more than what they started with by three teams this year, and so the committee has demoted toledo to d tier. their very last saving grace is that liberty and army already started the race to the bottom before they even showed up.

further notes

our number one for a reason: south florida @ north texas

nobody i have talked to about this game understands why north texas was given the spread in this game, except for the possible reason that it was a home game. either way it was decided emphatically in the third quarter and brutally finished with the fourth, as this game which was tied at halftime ended 63-36. eviscerating teams is certainly worth points in this table, and that is why the bulls have yet again been able to keep the aggies out of first place.

the schooner seems to have crashed again: oklahoma @ texas

this game was the long-anticipated battle of the teams that thought they deserved a spot in the sec so hard that they actually got one. many around me claimed arch manning would be proven to be fraudulent this week, and all of them forgot that oklahoma is not barred by the rules from putting in a quarterback that is even worse. 23 unanswered points later, texas has stolen the title of the more deserving sec team and apparently the rightful owners of the red river.

bowl eligibility: qualification

the flood of bowl teams has been let in through the gates, and many more teams were able to get that all-important sixth qualifying win this week. congratulations to:

• the ohio state buckeyes
• the indiana hoosiers
• the ole miss rebels
• the georgia tech yellow jackets
• the unlv rebels
• the navy midshipmen
• the texas a&m aggies
• the texas tech red raiders
• the byu cougars

bowl eligibility: elimination

seven losses, however, eliminate you from the race for so much as a hearty pat on the back. this unfortunate mark has been met by one team this week. they are:

• the oregon state beavers

scorigami recognition

this list is surprisingly dominated by the american. there is no discernible reason for it, but good job anyway. congratulations to:

• south florida (63 vs north texas)
• utsa (61 vs rice)
• florida atlantic (53 vs uab)
• unlv (51 vs air force)
• colorado state (49 vs fresno state)
• air force (48 vs unlv)
• marshall (48 vs old dominion)
• troy (48 vs texas state)
• san diego state (44 vs nevada)
• hawaii (44 vs utah state)
• kent state (42 vs umass)
• western michigan (42 vs ball state)
• texas tech (42 vs kansas)
• utah (42 vs arizona state)
• kansas state (41 vs tcu)
• appalachian state (41 vs georgia state)
• clemson (41 vs boston college)
• texas state (41 vs troy)
• boise state (41 vs new mexico)
• houston (39 vs oklahoma state)
• wake forest (39 vs oregon state)
• north texas (36 vs south florida)
• notre dame (36 vs nc state)
• navy (32 vs temple)
• jacksonville state (29 vs sam houston)
• missouri state (22 vs middle tennessee)
• northwestern (22 vs penn state)
• ucf (11 vs cincinnati)

the belt

the belt remains dormant again. miami begins their seven-game defensive run against louisville next week. if they win out, the belt likely goes to the playoffs. if they lose any of these games, the belt will likely miss again.

finishing up

tuesday night games begin this week. unfortunately, this does not count as tuesday night maction due to the lack of mid american teams. we are forced to settle for tuesday night cusaction with conference usa teams. games tuesday through saturday, article sunday. enjoy.