Georgia rises to No. 1, Texas tumbles after Oklahoma upset shakes up Week 6 college football

Week 6 of the 2026 college football season delivered the kind of Saturday that rewrites the playoff picture: Texas lost to Oklahoma, LSU and Florida also fell, Georgia edged Alabama on a late field goal to claim the No. 1 spot, and two undefeated ACC contenders — Pittsburgh and Duke — both took their first losses. When the dust settled, almost nothing at the top of the rankings looked the same.

Georgia's narrow road win over Alabama was the marquee result, according to Bleacher Report, and it was enough to vault the Bulldogs to the top of the national rankings. Fox Sports was unequivocal: Georgia is the best team in college football, and now they've got the No. 1 ranking to show for it, describing Kirby Smart's team as the most complete and devastating team in the sport.

If maleficent Martians had a death laser pointed at the Earth with a crusty gnarled finger on a button ready to press it unless one of the top-25 teams on this list could beat a hypothetical otherworldly college football squad, and I am tasked with selecting that team, I'm choosing Georgia.— Fox Sports columnist

The most attention-grabbing result of the weekend, however, may have been Oklahoma's 27-24 neutral-site win over previously No. 1-ranked Texas. According to Fox Sports, it was Oklahoma's first win over an AP No. 1 team in 19 years and its first-ever win over Texas when the Longhorns were ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer managed 6.0 yards per attempt and avoided a turnover for the first time since Week 1 — modest numbers, but enough.

The official AP Top 25 and US LBM Coaches Poll results had not been formally released in available sources as of the reporting window following Week 6 action. Projections and independent expert rankings pointed to Georgia at No. 1, with Notre Dame, Miami, and Indiana projected in the top five, according to a multi-source summary drawing on Athlon Sports and other outlets.

In the Big Ten, Indiana remained undefeated after a 20-17 win at Nebraska, though the margin was tighter than expected. The Hoosiers led 17-6 early in the fourth quarter before Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea's 39-yard rushing touchdown, but Indiana's defense held on after the Cornhuskers finished with a punt and two turnovers on downs, per Bleacher Report. Fox Sports noted that Indiana has flirted with disaster against unranked Big Ten teams twice so far and that a coming matchup against Ohio State would be the true test.

Oregon, meanwhile, suffered a damaging 17-15 home loss to UCLA — its second defeat in the first half of the season, the first time that has happened in the Dan Lanning era, according to Fox Sports. Backup quarterback Dylan Raiola completed just 6-of-19 passes for 43 yards, threw two interceptions, and lost a fumble. The Ducks committed seven turnovers and converted just 1-of-13 third downs. Starting quarterback Dante Moore, who suffered a concussion in Oregon's win over USC two weeks earlier, missed the game entirely.

Without him at quarterback, the Ducks are not a top 25 team — let alone a team that can win a national title, which is the bar for success in Eugene this year.— Fox Sports columnist

Iowa kept its footing despite losing starting quarterback Hank Brown to a shoulder injury. Backup Jeremy Hecklinski went 14-of-19 for 202 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Kamari Moulton carried 26 times for 208 yards and two scores in a 41-24 win at Washington, per Bleacher Report.

Outside the power conferences, James Madison moved into the rankings at No. 24 in Bleacher Report's expert poll after going 6-0 with a 27-24 win at Georgia Southern. Fox Sports highlighted that JMU quarterback Camden Coleman has thrown 11 touchdown passes against just one interception through six games. Fox Sports also noted the broader context: the CFP Board of Managers changed its rules in a way that could keep JMU out of the playoff while guaranteeing Notre Dame a spot if it ranks inside the top 12. Billy Napier's first season coaching the Dukes after his departure from Florida has the team already bowl eligible.

Wake Forest was another notable mover, entering Bleacher Report's rankings at No. 21 after quarterback Gio Lopez threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns on 26-of-33 passing in a 38-14 win at NC State. Lopez had two passing touchdowns and one rushing score in the third quarter alone, and NC State managed just 15 rushing yards on 25 attempts.

Northwestern, sitting just outside the top tier in Fox Sports' rankings, has quietly built a case. Quarterback Aidan Chiles has yet to throw an interception this season, and the Wildcats have rushed for a combined 577 yards and six touchdowns over their last two games — their most in a two-game span since 2019, according to Fox Sports, crediting first-year offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

The week's results leave the College Football Playoff picture in genuine flux heading into the second half of the season. Georgia holds the top spot but faces continued pressure from an undefeated Indiana team whose résumé is still being scrutinized. Oklahoma's win over Texas is the biggest result of the season so far, but the Sooners' overall offensive limitations make their staying power in the rankings uncertain. Oregon's path back to contention runs directly through the health of Dante Moore.

Why it matters — With Georgia ascending to No. 1, Texas knocked off, and Oregon's quarterback situation in doubt, the College Football Playoff field is more open than at any point this season — and the next two weeks of matchups will likely set the bracket's shape.

Reported by yahoo.com, tennessean.com, athlonsports.com, freep.com, usatoday.com, bleacherreport.com, foxsports.com, on3.com