Texas will head into this week’s Red River Showdown against Oklahoma as the nation’s top-ranked team after securing the No. 1 spot in the AP poll on Sunday. This shift followed Alabama’s loss to Vanderbilt in Week 6, causing the Crimson Tide to drop from first to seventh place in the rankings.
The Longhorns, who had a bye on Saturday, capitalized on a chaotic week in college football during which five of the top eleven teams suffered defeats. Ohio State moved up to No. 2 after their impressive 35-7 victory over Iowa, garnering nine first-place votes, while Texas received 52 first-place votes.
This marks Texas’ second time being ranked No. 1 this season. They first achieved this ranking after a commanding Week 2 win against Michigan and maintained it for two weeks. However, they fell to No. 2 last week when Alabama took the top spot after defeating Georgia in Week 5.
While Texas climbed in the rankings, it was a challenging week for other highly ranked SEC teams, including Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri. Meanwhile, the top teams from the Big Ten emerged from the tumultuous weekend in a strong position, with Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State all featuring in the top five of the new poll. Oregon’s rise to No. 3 sets the stage for a highly anticipated match when the Ducks host Ohio State in a key Week 7 clash.
Below is the complete AP Top 25 Poll following Week 6, including first-place votes.
Week 7 AP Top 25
1. Texas (52)
2. Ohio State (9)
3. Oregon
4. Penn State
5. Georgia
6. Miami
7. Alabama
8. Tennessee
9. Ole Miss
10. Clemson
11. Iowa State
12. Notre Dame
13. LSU
14. BYU
15. Texas A&M
16. Utah
17. Boise State
18. Kansas State
18. Indiana
18. Oklahoma
21. Missouri
22. Pitt
23. Illinois
24. Michigan
25. SMU
Also receiving votes: Southern Cal 98, Nebraska 51, Navy 43, Army 33, Vanderbilt 26, Arkansas 17, Washington State 8, Iowa 8, Texas Tech 7, Syracuse 6, Washington 4, Louisville 4, Colorado 3, Kentucky 1.