Sports
Ranking 134 college football teams after Week 7: Why Oregon’s on top at midseason
Editor’s note: The Athletic 134 is a weekly ranking of all FBS college football teams.
If there’s one lesson to be learned from the first half of this college football season, it’s that the gap between the top teams and the middle-tier teams looks as small as it’s been in a very long time.
It’s a new week, and we have yet another new No. 1 in The Athletic 134. Welcome to the top, Oregon.
The reasoning is straightforward: The Ducks are undefeated and have one of the two best wins of the season after beating Ohio State 32-31 in a thriller in Eugene. It was the first win over a team in the AP poll’s top two in Oregon history and the program’s first real big win under coach Dan Lanning, one that was desperately needed. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel played one of the best games of his career, receiver Evan Stewart looked like the five-star talent he entered college football as, and the defense made enough plays.
The win puts the Ducks in the driver’s seat to reach the Big Ten championship game and get a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. And given the surprises we’ve seen so far this season, having a bye could be massive.
Oregon needed to come back late to beat Boise State and struggled with FCS program Idaho early in the season. Perhaps the gap between No. 1 Oregon and No. 16 Boise State is not that far. Perhaps the gap between Alabama and Vanderbilt is not far. Even Georgia couldn’t bury a Mississippi State team that was plastered by Toledo a few weeks ago. Who are the great, elite teams? I’m not sure there is one this season.
Whether that uncertainty is a product of NIL, transfers, coaching changes or a combination of it all, this has been one of the most fun and unexpected college football seasons in a long time. We’re in store for many more exciting Saturdays, and then perhaps a postseason that will be more open than we initially envisioned.
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College Football Playoff 2024 projections: Texas, Oregon at top; Indiana moves into bracket
Here is this week’s Athletic 134.
1-10
| Rank | Team | Record | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
6-0 |
5 |
|
|
2 |
6-0 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
5-1 |
4 |
|
|
4 |
6-0 |
6 |
|
|
5 |
5-1 |
2 |
|
|
6 |
6-0 |
7 |
|
|
7 |
5-1 |
3 |
|
|
8 |
6-0 |
8 |
|
|
9 |
5-1 |
10 |
|
|
10 |
6-0 |
11 |
Aside from Oregon’s elevation to No. 1, the big move here is Alabama dropping from No. 3 to No. 7. I got a lot of heat for keeping Alabama in the top three after its loss to Vanderbilt. My reasoning was that Alabama and Georgia were still on the same tier, and their head-to-head result informed that ranking. Not anymore. After barely hanging on for a 27-25 win against South Carolina, Alabama is tumbling. The Crimson Tide have now played five consecutive halves of bad football since halftime against Georgia. This team is going in the wrong direction.
You could flip No. 4 Penn State and No. 3 Georgia, as the polls have, and I wouldn’t argue with you. Both teams have one win against a team with a winning record. Georgia’s is No. 9 Clemson, while Penn State’s is a No. 27 Illinois team that nearly lost to Purdue this weekend. Georgia has played two top-10 teams; Penn State hasn’t played a team in my top 25. Both have close wins against .500 teams (Kentucky, USC), and both struggled a bit against weak competition (Mississippi State, Bowling Green).
Ohio State drops to No. 5 because although the Oregon game came down to the final seconds, the rest of the Buckeyes’ resume doesn’t have anything else that jumps out like Georgia’s has. The gap between these top five teams is incredibly small, and we’ve got Texas-Georgia and Ohio State-Penn State coming up in the next few weeks to shake it up again.
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Oregon’s epic win a testament to Dan Lanning’s elite talent-stacking
11-25
Tennessee falls out of the top 10 to No. 12 after needing overtime to beat Florida at home. The Volunteers’ only notable win came against an Oklahoma team that is struggling. It’s clear the Vols offense is not what we thought it was early in the season. Boise State jumps up to No. 16 after a win at Hawaii, mostly thanks to Oregon’s elevation to No. 1 and Washington State’s move up to No. 24. To follow some transitive property tiebreakers here, Arizona State’s win against Utah moves the Sun Devils up, but Texas Tech beat Arizona State, and Wazzu beat Texas Tech.
Undefeated Pitt moves into the top 25, up to No. 20 after a 17-15 win against Cal. Vanderbilt’s 20-13 win at Kentucky moves the Commodores up to No. 21.
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AP Top 25: Texas still No. 1 as Oregon jumps to No. 2
26-50
| Rank | Team | Record | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
|
26 |
5-1 |
30 |
|
|
27 |
5-1 |
24 |
|
|
28 |
4-2 |
32 |
|
|
29 |
4-2 |
25 |
|
|
30 |
5-1 |
26 |
|
|
31 |
4-2 |
22 |
|
|
32 |
4-2 |
21 |
|
|
33 |
4-2 |
34 |
|
|
34 |
5-1 |
35 |
|
|
35 |
5-1 |
36 |
|
|
36 |
4-2 |
37 |
|
|
37 |
3-3 |
40 |
|
|
38 |
5-1 |
42 |
|
|
39 |
3-3 |
33 |
|
|
40 |
4-2 |
65 |
|
|
41 |
5-2 |
47 |
|
|
42 |
3-3 |
41 |
|
|
43 |
3-3 |
38 |
|
|
44 |
4-2 |
39 |
|
|
45 |
4-3 |
43 |
|
|
46 |
4-2 |
44 |
|
|
47 |
4-2 |
46 |
|
|
48 |
3-3 |
45 |
|
|
49 |
4-2 |
48 |
|
|
50 |
6-0 |
57 |
I really wanted to get Arizona State into the top 25, but the Texas Tech and Washington State situation explained above kept the Sun Devils one spot out. Michigan dropped to No. 29 and was jumped by Iowa due to the last two Washington results (Iowa beat the Huskies 40-16 one week after the Huskies beat Michigan). No. 31 Oklahoma and No. 32 Nebraska also dropped out of the top 25.
No. 39 USC continues to fall. One play in any of those three losses could’ve changed the outcomes, but the Trojans are also 5-8 in their last 13 games. Wisconsin jumps up to No. 40 after a stunning 42-7 win against Rutgers.
Army moves up to No. 50 and is now No. 23 in the AP Poll. I got some criticism about where I had the Black Knights last week. They haven’t trailed all season, but their six wins have come against five teams with one or two wins, plus an FCS team. Navy, meanwhile, has a win against 5-1 Memphis (plus three one-win teams and an FCS team). That’s the difference. The good news is Army still has 5-1 North Texas, Notre Dame and Navy on the schedule, and it’s well-positioned to make the AAC title game. There will be opportunities for good wins.
GO DEEPER
Arizona State’s surprising surge continues, capped by an all-time postgame interview
51-75
Cincinnati jumps up to No. 54 after a 19-13 win at UCF. No. 56 Louisiana-Monroe is now 5-1 after beating Southern Miss. Liberty needed overtime to beat FIU, so the Flames slip to No. 61, but the path to an undefeated season is still very open.
Texas State moves up to No. 66 after beating Arkansas State, and Louisiana is up to No. 67 after beating App State. The two Sun Belt West leaders will play right before Halloween. Oregon State drops to No. 70 after a loss to Nevada, while Northwestern jumps to No. 72 after beating Maryland 37-10. North Texas is up to No. 75 after coming back to beat FAU.
GO DEEPER
Group of 5 mailbag: Where will the Pac-12 and Mountain West look next?
76-100
No. 77 Buffalo has wins against Northern Illinois and Toledo, but the Bulls’ 47-3 loss to UConn two weeks ago helps move the idle Huskies up to No. 76. San Jose State slips to No. 81 after losing to Colorado State.
The three lowest-ranked Power 4 teams all put in solid performances this week. UCLA led Minnesota at halftime and lost in the final seconds; Mississippi State stayed within arm’s length of Georgia in a 41-31 loss; Purdue took Illinois to overtime. They all move up and now sit just behind Florida State, Kansas and Baylor.
In the wildest comeback of the season, No. 82 Georgia Southern overcame a 23-3 deficit with seven minutes left to beat Marshall 24-23.
GO DEEPER
Mandel’s Final Thoughts: Dillon Gabriel’s legend grows, and more from Week 7
101-134
We had a lot of matchups within this group.
Rice beat UTSA in the final seconds, sending Rice up to No. 117 and UTSA down to No. 118. No. 120 Louisiana Tech got a 48-21 win against No. 127 Middle Tennessee, No. 111 San Diego State beat No. 122 Wyoming, No. 114 Jacksonville State beat No. 124 New Mexico State, No. 115 New Mexico beat No. 123 Air Force, and No. 113 Western Michigan beat No. 131 Akron.
Kent State played Ball State close but ultimately remains at the bottom.
The Athletic 134 series is part of a partnership with Allstate. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo: Ali Gradischer / Getty Images)
Sports
Police report details Zachariah Branch’s arrest days before NFL Draft over sidewalk incident
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New details have emerged surrounding the arrest of former Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who is facing two misdemeanor charges following a run-in with law enforcement just days ahead of the NFL Draft.
Branch, who is a projected second-round pick, was arrested early Sunday morning in Athens, Georgia, and charged with two counts of obstructing public sidewalks/streets – prowling and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Nov. 28, 2025. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)
He was released after more than two hours in jail after posting $39 in bonds.
The NFL Network obtained the police report from Branch’s arrest, which described an encounter over an alleged sidewalk incident with law enforcement, in which police alleged that the former Bulldogs star failed “to comply with multiple verbal lawful commands.”
“A male, later identified as Zacharia Branch, continued to stand on the sidewalk without making an attempt to move. I continued to give Zacharia Branch verbal commands to move from blocking the sidewalk and advised that if he did not, he would receive a citation for blocking the sidewalk,” the excerpt from the report read.
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch runs during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
TOP NFL DRAFT PICK ZACHARIAH BRANCH ARRESTED IN GEORGIA ON TWO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES
“Zacharia Branch smirked, then stepped backwards and to the right, then remained standing upon the public sidewalk, so as to obstruct, hinder, and impede free passage upon the sidewalk as well as impede free ingress/egress to or from the adjacent places of business,” the report continued.
“Due to those actions and Zacharia Branch’s failure to comply with multiple verbal lawful commands, he was placed under arrest for misdemeanor Obstruction of LEO and received a citation for Obstructing Public Sidewalks.”
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch celebrates with wide receiver Colbie Young after scoring a touchdown against Ole Miss during the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Jan. 1, 2026. (IMAGN)
Branch transferred after two seasons at Southern California and immediately became quarterback Gunner Stockton’s favorite target. He finished the season with a team-high 811 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.
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His status as a projected second-round pick was bolstered after an impressive showing at the combine, where he clocked a 4.35-second 40-yard dash.
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Sports
Quick final pit stop helps Alex Palou win Long Beach Grand Prix
For two-thirds of Sunday’s Long Beach Grand Prix, Alex Palou bided his time … waiting for the one break he needed.
It came in the form of a caution on the 58th lap, allowing him to overtake front-runner Felix Rosenqvist exiting pit lane and hold the lead the rest of the way, taking the checkered flag by 3.96 seconds for his third triumph in five IndyCar Series races this season and his first at Long Beach.
Right after being showered with applause and confetti at victory lane, the 29-year-old Spaniard thanked his crew, whose quick work on the last pit stop proved to be the difference.
“Everyone was coming in on that yellow and they did an incredible job,” he said. “We were either going to win it or not win right there.”
Rosenqvist settled for second and Scott Dixon, Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate, was third.
It was the 11th win over the last 22 races dating to 2024 for the Barcelona native and the 22nd win of his career, tying Tony Bettenhausen and Emerson Fittipaldi. It also vaulted Palou to the top of the series standings as he chases his fourth series championship in a row and fifth overall. Palou won the opener March 1 in St. Petersburg (also a street course) and the fourth race March 29 in Alabama.
Palou led for only 32 of the 90 laps Sunday and acknowledged it would have been difficult to catch Rosenqvist if not for the stoppage.
“I wasn’t giving up but it would’ve been tough to get him today,” Palou acknowledged. “He was already three seconds ahead. I was happy with my car but I was struggling more on the soft tires than the hards so I’d say my chances were low. The feeling was great seeing all the open space coming out of pit lane because when you spend 60 laps behind a car it disturbs you. I tried to match him on soft tires but it wasn’t working.”
Alex Palou speeds through a curve of the track.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
In six starts at Long Beach, Palou never has finished lower than fifth.
There is little room to maneuver on the 1.968-mile course with 11 tight turns, but after starting in the third position next to defending champion Kyle Kirkwood, Palou managed to sneak past Pato O’Ward into second place heading into the first turn on Lap 2.
“Making that move on the straightaway was big because I knew it was one of our only chances to get a pass on Pato,” Palou said. “I got that good run on that last corner and he didn’t expect it.”
This year marked the 51st edition of the longest-running major street race in North America, which started in 1975 as part of the Formula 5000 Series, switched to the CART/Champ Car World Series in 1984 and joined the IndyCar Series in 2009.
The top four qualifiers started on softer, high-grip “alternate” tires to establish position while the rest of the grid started on harder, more durable “primaries” to manage degradation on the 110-degree track surface. Of the 25 starters, 24 completed the 177.12 miles.
“We were going to make the two-stop strategy work but didn’t know if it would be doable or not,” Palou added. “As soon as I saw I couldn’t get Felix it was all about patience, fuel and waiting for the right time. I owe this win to my team. Without that pit stop I probably wouldn’t be sitting here now. It only takes one mistake to go from second to seventh, but they’re great under pressure.”
Cars make their way down a straightaway during Long Beach Grand Prix.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Past winners Will Power and Josef Newgarden moved into the top two positions after Rosenqvist pitted, but the Swede regained the lead when Newgarden pitted for the first time on Lap 37 and dropped back to 14th.
The first 45 laps were caution-free as Rosenqvist, Palou, Kirkwood, David Malukas and O’Ward held the top five spots. Newgarden’s chances declined upon discovering a flat spot on his left front tire, and he dropped back to 14th.
Rosenqvist’s three-second lead was erased when debris on the track exiting the Aquarium Fountain drew the only yellow flag all afternoon and narrowed the gap. Capitalizing on favorable pit position, Palou emerged from the lane just ahead of Rosenqvist.
Rosenqvist. who won the pole position with a lap time of 1 minute 7.4625 seconds in qualifying, had mixed emotions as the runner-up after leading for 51 laps with no win to show for it.
“You want to win when you have an opportunity, but I’m proud of today,” Rosenqvist said.
“We weren’t as good as Alex on the blacks … the last pit cycle was the defining moment. We had to come around 14, he had more of an opening, and his crew nailed it. That happens.”
Kirkwood, who was vying for his third win in four years, finished right where he started in fourth.
“I had a good cushion and figured even with a bad stop I’d probably stay ahead but I knew there’d probably be a yellow at some point and there it came,” Rosenqvist lamented. “Considering Alex had primary [tires], also I think we would’ve been able to hold him off. It’s definitely disappointing when you can’t wrap it up.”
Dixon, who started in the sixth position, was third and earned his first podium this season and the 136th of his career.
Fans watch with two laps left in the race.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
“The race itself was a bit blah — I sat in the same position for most of it,” Dixon said. “Luckily for us we had it easy out of that last stop.”
Al Unser Jr. holds the record for most wins at Long Beach, chalking up six in eight years, including an unmatched four in a row from 1988 to 1991.
Tom Sargent is becoming a fan of street circuits after two wins this weekend. Driving the Porsche 911 Cup for GMG Racing in the Mobil Pro Class, the 22-year-old Australian led from start to finish in Race 1 of the Carrera Cup North America on Saturday. In Race 2 on Sunday morning, he again started from the pole and claimed a 0.965-second victory over Aaron Jeansonne to complete the double.
In his last bid at Long Beach three years ago, he hit the wall on Lap 2 but still finished second.
“Momentum in sports is critical and the past few weeks have been really cool for me,” Sargent said. “I didn’t do any street circuit racing before I came to the States. Maybe it fits my driving style.”
Sports
‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.
As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.
The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.
Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.
JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.
The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.
Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.
As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.
Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.
Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.
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