Five Top-8 Teams Fall in Historic College Football Upsets

Five of the top eight teams in the AP Top 25 lost on Saturday, marking the first time that has happened in the 90-year history of the poll. No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 6 Alabama and No. 7 Texas all fell to unranked or lower-seeded opponents, while No. 5 Indiana dropped a defensive struggle to No. 4 Ohio State.

Georgia’s 27-24 loss to Auburn ended the Bulldogs’ 53-game winning streak against unranked teams. It also marked the first time in AP Top 25 history that the top-ranked team lost on the final play of a game in consecutive weeks, following Texas’ defeat by Oklahoma last weekend. A top-ranked team has now lost to an unranked opponent in back-to-back weeks for the first time since 1990. For Alabama, the 26-10 loss to Tennessee represented the program’s first back-to-back regular-season defeats in 220 attempts. The last time Georgia, Alabama and Texas all lost on the same day was 1996.

Ohio State moved into the top spot after holding Indiana to 15 points. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s unit limited the Hoosiers’ two primary running backs to fewer than 70 yards combined and held quarterback Josh Hoover to a 50% completion rate. The Buckeyes paid a steep price. Quarterback Julian Sayin left the game with a throwing arm injury and emerged from the locker room in the fourth quarter wearing an arm sling. Head coach Ryan Day indicated Sayin will miss several weeks.

BYU climbed to No. 2 behind quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who accounted for every yard on a 10-play, 55-yard game-winning touchdown drive to beat Notre Dame 28-24. Bachmeier threw for 224 yards, rushed for 45 and scored four touchdowns, including one he caught as a receiver. The Cougars won without starting running back L.J. Martin, who remains sidelined with an injury.

UCLA stands as the only remaining undefeated team in either the Big Ten or the SEC. First-year head coach Bob Chesney’s Bruins beat Wisconsin 17-7 despite running back Wayne Knight being held to a season-low 23 yards. Quarterback Ty Dieffenbach passed for 264 yards while the defense restricted Wisconsin to 214 total yards.

Miami survived a double-overtime scare against three-win Florida State, escaping with a 43-35 victory. Seminoles quarterback Ashton Daniels threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns, nearly connecting on back-to-back Hail Mary passes in overtime before the second attempt was ruled an interception upon review. Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney finished with 11 catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

Tennessee’s defense dismantled Alabama, sacking Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell five times and forcing two interceptions. Running back DeSean Bishop carried the ball 32 times for 159 yards, pushing his three-week total past 500 rushing yards and six touchdowns under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

Texas Tech entered the rankings after routing Arizona State 53-25. Running back J’Koby Williams rushed for 165 yards and two scores, giving the Red Raiders a combined 82-32 margin of victory over their last two Big 12 opponents.

Kentucky improved to 6-1 under first-year head coach Will Stein, making him the first rookie Wildcats coach to reach that mark since Alpha Brumage in 1913. Kentucky beat Oklahoma 21-13 in Norman by intercepting Sooners quarterback John Mateer three times, returning one for a touchdown.

Ole Miss routed Missouri 31-3. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for 241 yards and three touchdowns while the Rebels converted 64% of their third-down attempts. After allowing a 75-yard opening drive, the defense forced seven punts on Missouri’s next eight possessions.

Outside the top tier, North Carolina defeated Duke to give Bill Belichick a 4-2 record. Northwestern reached 5-1. Tommy Carr replaced benched starter Bryce Underwood to secure Michigan’s first Big Ten win of the season, handing Penn State its fourth consecutive loss. Arkansas snapped a 14-game SEC losing streak with a victory at Vanderbilt.