Indiana’s B1G statement, Penn State’s shocking setback lead Week 7 winners, losers
College football’s crazy season only continued through Week 7 as more and more heavyweight teams hit the mat. Eight teams in the AP Top 25 are on the verge of losing and several other undefeated players suffered critical losses that will reshape the conference title races.
The biggest win of the day came when No. 7 Indiana stunned No. 3 Oregon in a battle for Big Ten supremacy. However, a Texas bounce-back against No. 6 Oklahoma also gives them a chance to get back into the mix. No. 25 Florida State appears finished after a third straight loss, while No. 14 Missouri nearly upset No. 8 Alabama.
The chaos continued to extend down the slate as No. 5 Texas A&M survived a challenge from Florida and No. 10 Georgia outlasted Auburn. The weather also created strange matchups for No. 18 BYU against Arizona and Utah against No. 21 Arizona State. Here are the biggest winners and losers from Week 7.
It may not be peak Alabama, but this version of the Tide finishes like a
Brandon Marcello
Loser: Wisconsin
The Luke Fickell era has brought plenty of disappointment, but a 37-0 home loss to Iowa marks one of the lowest in program history. The Badgers were held to just 209 yards and less than four yards per play as they fell to 2-4 and 0-3 in Big Ten play. In the next four games, Wisconsin will face No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon and No. 7 Indiana. A 2-10 season is on the line, which would be the worst since 1990 when Barry Alvarez was hired. Fickell has a substantial buyout, but the administration needs to ask itself some tough questions.
Winner: Indiana
It’s time to remove doubt. No one can argue that Indiana failed to beat an elite opponent after outlasting No. 3 Oregon 30-20. Instead, the Hoosiers should wake up Sunday with the highest ranking in program history. A place in the AP’s top 3 seems almost certain, which would surpass the No. 4 mark reached in 1945 and 1967.
It was a big performance from Indiana’s defense, limiting a potential Oregon ground game to 81 yards on 30 carries. The Hoosiers also picked off Ducks quarterback Dante Moore twice and wide receiver Elijah Sarratt bolstered Oregon’s defense with eight catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.
Indiana isn’t just good enough to make the College Football Playoff. There are real national championship aspirations in Bloomington.
The Nittany Lions went from a lackluster season to one of the most disappointing campaigns of the 21st century. Penn State lost a stunning 22-21 to Northwestern to fall to 3-3 and 0-3 in Big Ten play. The defense struggled to get off the field, ultimately leading to a 10-minute possession gap in a devastating loss.
This is a second straight loss as a 20-point underdog, becoming the first team to do so in at least 30 years. The Nittany Lions are also the first preseason No. 2-ranked team to start 3-3 since Oklahoma in 1965. It’s a disaster in State College that could have the Nittany Lions and James Franklin asking serious — and difficult — questions about their future together.
Winner: USC
Last year, Michigan served as a “welcome to the Big Ten” moment for the Trojans, physically intimidating them into a much-deserved victory. This year, USC flipped the script and handed No. 15 Michigan a massive 31-13 defeat thanks to its physical dominance.
USC ran for 224 yards behind a bruising 158 from King Miller. Michigan only mustered 109 on 31 carries, which was significantly diminished after running back Justice Haynes went to the locker room. If USC is willing to play bullyball against the patron saint of bullying, the Trojans could be a bigger factor in the College Football Playoff race than expected. USC still has just one loss in a 5-1 start, a 34-32 decision to Illinois decided at the buzzer.
Loser: SEC referees
There will always be a few controversial decisions during a game, but a pair in Auburn’s loss to Georgia really stood out. The first was a timeout called by Georgia coach Kirby Smart who, oddly, managed to convince the officials that he was just clapping. He received time out, but was not charged for it.
Then there was Jackson Arnold’s controversial canceled touchdown. Instead of leading 17-0, the play ended in a fumble. That moment kicked off a 20-0 Georgia victory that decided the game. The SEC has already had to issue a statement confirming a missed call. More should be on the way.
The Bulls took control of the Group of Six race after a sensational performance against previously undefeated North Texas. South Florida didn’t play its cleanest game, but the Bulls simply managed to bully the Mean Green down the stretch in a 63-36 victory, which hinged on a 28-0 run less than four minutes into the game. Quarterback Byrum Brown was strong again, throwing for 245 yards, rushing for 82 yards and scoring five touchdowns. The defense also forced UNT quarterback Drew Mestemaker’s first three interceptions of the year. USF has so many ways to beat its conference opponents, and this win sets up a Group of Six Super Bowl against Memphis in three weeks.
Loser: Florida State
It’s been an eternity since the No. 25 Seminoles pulled off a monumental upset of Alabama in Game 1. Today, the problem of the State of Florida is solved. The program lost a stunning 34-31 to Pittsburgh, its third straight loss to open ACC play. The Panthers scored 13 straight points in the fourth quarter to put the game away as FSU’s offense fell flat. The defense gave up 476 yards.
The Seminoles have been miserable in ACC play the last two years, losing 10 of their last 11. The loss effectively eliminates them from consideration for the ACC title and the playoffs as the program falls to 3-3. A bounce-back season was enough to quell the rumors surrounding Mike Norvell, but road games against Clemson and Florida could bring even more trouble.
Few programs have had a tougher year than Kent State. The Golden Flashes lost their head coach for off-field reasons before the season and were in the midst of a 26-game losing streak to FBS opponents. Ultimately, it came to an end when Kent State routed UMass 42-6 in a stirring victory. Quarterback Dru DeShields threw for four touchdowns and wide receiver Da’Realyst Clark added a 91-yard return for a touchdown to finally earn a victory. The Golden Flashes have spent most of the last three years at the bottom of the CBS 136 rankings. Eventually, that will change.
Loser: Oklahoma
Oklahoma was fortunate to magically recover quarterback John Mateer from hand surgery after just 17 days. Physically he looked great, showing a lot of dynamism on the ball. However, he threw three interceptions that cost the Sooners big time in a 23-6 loss.
But even worse, the No. 6 Sooners were bullied in all areas of the field. Texas put together back-to-back drives of 13-plus plays to take control of the third quarter. The Sooners averaged just 1.8 yards per carry. Oklahoma was unable to create any significant explosives.
Suddenly, a season that seemed promising is on the brink of collapse. The Sooners still have five games remaining against top-15 AP opponents. Their playoff record is already losing steam.
Two weeks ago, UCLA was well on its way to a winless season. What a difference Tim Skipper makes. The interim coach led the Bruins to their second straight victory, a road decimation of Michigan State 38-13, an incredible turnaround. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava had another great game with three passing touchdowns. As a result, the Bruins are 2-1 in the Big Ten with a few more winnable games on the schedule. This roster has never been as bad as its 0-4 start, but Skipper has found something the program can build on.
Loser: Big 12 hopefuls
It’s well established that No. 9 Texas Tech is poised to run away with the Big 12. Second place in the Big 12 title game is up for grabs. After a weird weekend of college football, it’s hard to know if anyone wants to smoke.
No. 22 Iowa State was the early seed after a strong non-conference slate, but the Cyclones lost a surprising game to Colorado. TCU was excited to start the year, but the Frogs are now 1-2 in conference after struggling Kansas State beat them up. No. 21 Arizona State is losing big to Utah as of press time.
In fact, the only other undefeated team in the Big 12 is Cincinnati. The Bearcats showed some interesting upside after beating UCF 20-11. It goes without saying that the race is wide open.
Over the last 20 years, Bowling Green was 0-75 in games after trailing by at least 21 points. Against MAC pillar Toledo, the Eagles reversed the trend. Bowling Green scored 28 unanswered points between the end of the first half and the fourth quarter as both legs of the two-quarter system found success. Receiver Cameron Pettaway scored two touchdowns on two catches, including a 73-yard strike. As a result, Bowling Green is on its first winning streak against Toledo since 2009. It was a good start to the Eddie George era.
Winless Sam Houston pulled out all the stops against Jacksonville State, by far their best performance of the season. However, stupid decisions by the Bearkats’ defensive staff cost them a stunning 29-27 loss to the Gamecocks. Sam Houston had Jax State dead on rights, facing fourth-and-2 from its own 25-yard line with 15 seconds left. Cam Cook broke off an 18-yard run. Immediately afterward, the Bearkats gave up drives of 17 and 5 to set up a 52-yard field goal as time expired. There is no reason why Jacksonville State would have even attempted such an attempt. Instead, the miserable season continues for Sam Houston coach Phil Longo.
