College Football Week 7: A Shifting Landscape

Week 7 of the college football season brought significant upsets, standout performances, and a shifting landscape of contenders. From established programs facing unexpected challenges to rising teams making their mark, the week was filled with drama and excitement.

The Dawn of the Cignetti Era

The most significant result of the week was No. 7 Indiana's 30-20 victory over No. 3 Oregon. This win served as an announcement of a new era, one where the "Unchallenged Prestige Brand" is giving way to the "Smart Spender," regardless of history. Coach Curt Cignetti has transformed Indiana from a 3-9 team into a national championship contender in just two years. Cignetti's team-building model, validated over and over, relies on talent acquisition through transfers. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza (California), running back Roman Hemby (Maryland), and wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (James Madison) all started elsewhere, but now contribute significantly to Indiana's success.

Franklin's Precarious Position

Penn State's struggles continued as they suffered a 22-21 loss to Northwestern. James Franklin, already under pressure after a loss to UCLA, now faces an even more awkward coaching situation. The loss was compounded by an injury to quarterback Drew Allar, who is out for the year, leaving Franklin to navigate a challenging season without his starting quarterback. Penn State sunk millions and millions of dollars into retaining key veterans for 2025, aiming to repeat Ohio State's success in 2024. Barely into what we can call mid-October, it's officially a failure. Franklin's job security has plummeted from "generally OK" to "highly questionable" to "hanging on by a thread" in a matter of eight days. And the Nittany Lions' championship-or-bust season is a bust.

DeBoer's "Black Hoodie of Death"

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, sporting his signature "Black Hoodie of Death," led his team to a 27-24 victory over No. 14 Missouri. The Crimson Tide knocked off a third straight top-20 team, solidifying their College Football Playoff credentials. Despite Missouri outgaining Alabama, the Crimson Tide emerged victorious. Alabama's reward is No. 12 Tennessee Saturday; whether DeBoer will continue aura farming on the sidelines remains to be seen.

Oklahoma's Setback

The return of Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer from hand surgery was disastrous, as the Sooners collapsed in a loss to Texas. The offense was only able to muster 26 yards in the third quarter, while Texas outrushed Oklahoma 136-48 for the game. Mateer completed 20 of 38 passes for 202 yards but threw three interceptions. Five top-15 teams remain on the Sooners' daunting schedule.

Skipper's Impact at UCLA

Tim Skipper, the ex-Fresno State linebacker, has made a significant impact as interim coach for UCLA. After beating the Nittany Lions, Skipper's outfit destroyed Michigan State 38-13 on the road. A 418-253 yardage differential can't be construed as anything other than a team effort.

Oklahoma State's Struggles Continue

Oklahoma State's struggles persisted after parting ways with coach Mike Gundy. Houston crushed the Cowboys 39-17, adding to their woes. The Cowboys are pacing for their worst winning percentage since going 0-10-1 in 1991.

Manning's Efficient Performance

Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning set out to rebuke a highly public article from Will Leitch forThe Athletic calling him "college football's first flop". Manning did not burn down the house against Oklahoma but was coldly efficient-21-for-27 for 166 yards and a touchdown, four carries for 34 yards on the ground, a 23-6 victory. This scans as an accomplishment after his topsy-turvy start to the season and will be screamed out thusly.

North Carolina's Off-Field Drama

North Carolina spent the week warding off critical coverage from The Athletic and WRAL-TV in Raleigh-as well as scattershot reports that Belichick may walk away altogether. If Penn State and the Tar Heels played right now for the first time since 1943, the universe would probably implode.

Kent State's Victory

Kent State secured its first FBS win since 2022, defeating Massachusetts 42-6. Quarterback Dru DeShields tossed four touchdowns as the Golden Flashes blew out the Minutemen.

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Florida State's Fall

Florida State's season has taken a turn for the worse with three straight losses. Hopes of a return to the team's 2023 form have been almost entirely dashed. Quarterback Tommy Castellanos's volatile style of play helped do Florida State in against the Cavaliers and Hurricanes, and when Castellanos cooked against the Panthers, the Seminoles' defense seemingly decided to take a vacation.

South Florida's Impressive Offense

South Florida's offense has been on a tear, amassing 582 yards in a 63-36 victory over North Texas. Dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown has steered a powerful offense, one that amassed 582 yards in a 63-36 victory over North Texas on Friday night. It marked the third straight game in which the Bulls scored at least 54 points. The victory gave USF a critical conference win, pushing the Bulls to 5-1 while handing UNT its first loss of the campaign.

Demond Williams Jr.'s Standout Performance

Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. had a stellar performance in a 38-19 victory over Rutgers, connecting on 21-of-27 passes for 402 yards and rushing for 136 yards. He totaled four touchdowns.

Illinois' Playoff Hopes Diminish

Illinois' College Football Playoff dream took a hit with a 34-16 loss to Ohio State. The once-optimistic Illini have relinquished all margin for error in their pursuit of a national surge in 2025.

UCLA's Resurgence

UCLA, after an extremely non-competitive 0-3 start to the season, is on fire! After last weekend's incredible upset of Penn State, the Bruins proceeded to wreck Michigan State 38-13. Nico Iamaleava passed for 180 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense held MSU to 253 yards.

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Missouri's Missed Opportunity

Missouri's upset opportunity slipped away in a 27-24 loss to Alabama. The Tigers had a real opportunity to spring the upset. While the defense wasn't perfect, it recovered from a slow start-17 points in three drives-to keep them in the game. The offense struggled, though, and the unbeaten label no longer accompanies Mizzou.

Mike Norvell's Hot Seat

Mike Norvell finds himself on the wrong side of another embarrassing result. Florida State-at home-lost to Pitt 34-31, falling to 3-3 on the season with an 0-3 mark in the ACC.

Colorado's Upset Victory

Colorado toppled 22nd-ranked Iowa State on Saturday. The upset should provide a much-needed spark for the Buffs, who hadn't yet managed a conference win.

Oregon's Front-Runner Status Dented

Indiana threw a wicked dagger into the narrative, holding Oregon to just 267 yards and silencing the hometown crowd. Dante Moore, a top Heisman contender, threw for just 186 yards with two interceptions in the 30-20 loss.

Texas' Recovery

Texas silenced his impact by allowing 5.3 yards per pass attempt and intercepting three passes. Throw in a 75-yard punt return touchdown from Ryan Niblett, and the Horns made it easy on beleaguered QB Arch Manning. He only passed for 166 yards but didn't have a turnover in the 23-6 triumph.

USC's Big Ten Statement

USC earned a resounding 31-13 victory over the Wolverines. It's an enormous game-for both programs, really, but especially-for the Trojans as they aim to regain a national footing.

Late-Night SEC Upsets Averted

Several teams in the SEC escaped late-night disasters.

Other Noteworthy Games

Utah pummels No. Although ranked, No. The final score proved that, as Utah downed the Sun Devils, 42-10, in a contest where ASU struggled to get anything going on both sides of the ball. The defense couldn't stop the Utes' rushing attack, allowing 279 yards on the ground. Arizona State's lone score came in the third, and they kicked a field goal in the first. Sixth-year quarterback Jeff Sims went 18 for 38 with 124 passing yards and no touchdowns.

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