Miami Takes Over Top Spot in ESPN Week 7 Power Rankings

Miami has taken over the top spot in ESPN's latest college football power rankings after a Week 7 that saw five of the seven teams in the AP Top 25 poll lose, the most among that group in the poll's history dating to 1936, according to ESPN. Two teams also joined the top 25 for the first time this season, the network reported.

ESPN's staff called the day "Shakeup Saturday," noting that the results reordered the sport's hierarchy in a single afternoon.

Why Did Georgia and Texas Both Lose on Last-Play Field Goals?

Georgia lost on a walk-off field goal to Auburn, the same way Texas fell the week before, ESPN reported. The outcomes marked the first time in AP poll history that the No. 1 team lost on the final play in consecutive weekends. The repetition — two different No. 1 programs, two identical endings a week apart — became one of the defining story lines of the season's seventh week.

What Role Did the Carr Brothers Play in Week 7?

Tommy Carr started the day as Michigan's backup quarterback and helped the Wolverines secure what ESPN described as a season-saving win over Penn State. His older brother, CJ Carr, could not deliver for Notre Dame in a loss at BYU. The split outcome for the Carr family ran alongside Notre Dame's slide and Michigan's rebound in the same Saturday window.

How Did Ohio State Beat Indiana Despite Losing Its Starting Quarterback?

Ohio State lost starting quarterback Julian Sayin to injury during the game but still handed Indiana its first loss since the 2024 playoff, according to ESPN. The finish turned on a replay-reviewed play: Hoosiers wide receiver Nick Marsh stepped out of bounds on what would have been the winning touchdown catch, ESPN reported. The injury to Sayin leaves Ohio State's immediate outlook uncertain even after the win.

How Severe Are the Losing Streaks for Texas and Alabama?

Texas dropped consecutive games for the first time this season, and head coach Steve Sarkisian said the program must "evaluate everything," according to ESPN.

"Evaluate everything." — Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, on his team's back-to-back losses, via ESPN

Alabama lost back-to-back contests for the first time since 2007, ESPN reported — the year that marked Nick Saban's first season in Tuscaloosa. The comparison underscores how rare the current skid is for a program that spent nearly two decades at the top of the sport under Saban.

What's Happening With Teams Like UCLA, Kentucky and Florida?

First-year coaches Bob Chesney at UCLA and Will Stein at Kentucky continued what ESPN called spectacular debut seasons. Florida's Jon Sumrall, whose team had been blown out in consecutive games earlier in the year, was also part of the week's broader coaching storylines, though ESPN's dispatch did not detail Florida's specific Week 7 result.

A Week by the Numbers

• 5 of 7: AP Top 25 teams that lost in Week 7, the most in poll history since 1936, per ESPN.
• 2: Consecutive weekends in which the No. 1-ranked team lost on the final play — Texas, then Georgia.
• 2007: The last time Alabama lost back-to-back games before this season, coinciding with Nick Saban's first year as head coach.

ESPN's full rankings, along with its breakdown of which two teams entered the top 25 for the first time, are available in the original Week 7 Power Rankings report.

What Comes Next for the Playoff Picture?

With Texas, Georgia and Alabama all absorbing losses in the same stretch, and Ohio State dealing with a quarterback injury even in victory, the national picture heading into the back half of the season remains unsettled. ESPN's coverage frames Miami's rise to the top of its power rankings as a direct consequence of that volatility rather than a sign of long-term separation from the rest of the field.

For readers tracking the shifting contenders, ESPN's Week 7 package also includes related reporting on bowl and playoff projections tied to the same results.

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