One week after rising to the highest of the SEC standings and nationwide rankings, Alabama was humbled in surprising trend following an upset loss at Vanderbilt, the primary win in program historical past over a top-ranked opponent for the Commodores.

Discombobulated on protection and out-coached all through, the defending SEC champions by no means led within the sport and had been blistered on the line of scrimmage by a Vanderbilt workforce that stayed one step forward of Alabama in each essential second, resulting in a doubtlessly program-changing victory for Clark Lea and employees.

Alabama slides from our projected No. 2 to No. 11 this week because the final of 4 SEC at-large choices within the expanded School Soccer Playoff. It should take a minimum of 10 wins to solidify a berth for the Crimson Tide, who nonetheless need to play 4 nationally-ranked opponents this fall.

Miami additionally moved again regardless of erasing a 25-point deficit on the street to beat Cal. That is the second consecutive sport the Hurricanes have dug themselves right into a gap solely to be bailed out by quarterback Cam Ward and favorable selections from officiating crews to remain unbeaten. From the ACC, one-loss Clemson appears to be like just like the extra full workforce in the mean time and these two packages seem like on a crash course to fulfill in Charlotte the primary weekend of December with a league crown on the road.

Projected CFP Rankings

1. Ohio State

Massive Ten champion

Aggressive for a half, the Buckeyes blitzed Iowa within the third quarter with three touchdowns to drag away from the Hawkeyes. It was a check previous to Saturday’s showdown at Oregon and one which Ohio State dealt with with ease. The Buckeyes will doubtless leap Texas within the Week 8 Related Press High 25 in the event that they deal with the Geese, and it is cheap they will get by the common season unblemished. 

2. Texas

SEC champion

Quinn Ewers is again in time for the Purple River Rivalry with Oklahoma and that is nice information for the Longhorns. Arch Manning performed properly instead of the injured starter for Texas, however that is Ewers’ workforce and he is the one seasoned in huge video games with a pair legend-making wins beneath his belt. Texas is the SEC’s lone unbeaten and thus, proper now, is the projected league champion.

3. Clemson

ACC champion

Purple-zone points apart, Clemson dealt with Florida State with one other spectacular efficiency offensively. This group has figured it out for the reason that opening loss to Georgia and appears the half on either side of the soccer. SMU and Pitt are two others — together with Miami — on the high of the ACC difficult the Tigers.

4. BYU

Massive 12 champion

Whether or not you are a believer within the Cougars or not, you need to respect what BYU has achieved by Week 6. This workforce went into final week’s open date with sizable confidence and moved up three spots within the newest AP High 25 after a bevy of upsets in entrance of them. Now, BYU offers with Arizona and quarterback Noah Fifita on Saturday as a marked workforce within the Massive 12.

5. Georgia

The Bulldogs fought off upset-minded Auburn between the hedges and wore down the Tigers in a much-needed bounce again win following the setback at Alabama. Georgia nonetheless performs Texas, Ole Miss and Tennessee this season, so the schedule’s significantly back-loaded with possibilities at high quality wins.

6. Oregon

No workforce in faculty soccer has a much bigger probability at making a convincing assertion in Week 7 than the Geese, who host unbeaten and second-ranked Ohio State at Autzen Stadium. There’s been points up entrance at occasions this fall and Dillon Gabriel tossed two dangerous interceptions final week in opposition to Michigan State, so correcting these errors offensively is crucial in prep for the Buckeyes.

7. Tennessee

Here is the caveat for the Vols at No. 7 on this week’s projection regardless of shedding as a double-digit favourite at Arkansas over the weekend: so long as Tennessee splits upcoming video games with Alabama and Georgia and finishes with 10 wins, Josh Heupel’s workforce is in. That mentioned, Tennessee did squander a golden alternative to maneuver into the highest 5 after stubbing its toe with a disappointing efficiency offensively in Fayetteville.

8. Penn State

This isn’t one among faculty soccer’s sexiest unbeatens, however James Franklin is just not making an attempt to win Miss Universe so long as his workforce continues to maintain enterprise week after week. The Nittany Lions journey to USC subsequent to battle a Trojans workforce that is licking wounds after falling flat at Minnesota for his or her second Massive Ten loss.

9. Miami

The Hurricanes might be favored in each sport the remainder of the way in which and are the ACC’s lone unbeaten remaining by six weeks, however is that this squad upset-proof? Miami has proven some warts on protection the final couple of video games after permitting a number of explosive performs and far of the rationale the Hurricanes are No. 1 within the convention proper now on that facet of the soccer is because of its success in early-september earlier than the league slate started. Ward’s been careless at occasions with the soccer, too.

10. Iowa State

The Cyclones transfer up a spot on this week’s playoff projection after dealing with Baylor to remain unbeaten. BYU stays the Massive 12 favourite at this level in response to our predictions the remainder of the way in which, however Matt Campbell’s group has an excellent shot within the coming weeks to leap the Cougars if there are any surprising stumbles. At any price, they will have an excellent at-large resume if they don’t win the convention. 

11. Alabama

Take every little thing you thought you knew concerning the SEC Championship race this season and toss it within the trash. Alabama’s loss at Vanderbilt reset how we’re wanting on the second half of the marketing campaign for the Crimson Tide, who’re at risk of lacking the playoff regardless of the nation’s greatest win up to now (Georgia). There’s soul-searching this week in Tuscaloosa previous to Saturday’s bout with South Carolina.

12. Boise State

Preserve giving the soccer to Heisman favourite Ashton Jeanty and good issues will occur for the Broncos. Boise State is again on the high of the Group of 5 ranks and inside the highest 20 nationally after destroying Utah State on the street. Jeanty was solely wanted for a half because the nation’s dashing chief continues his season-long assault on opposing defenses.

Projected CFP first-round video games

• (12) Boise State at (5) Georgia — Winner performs (4) BYU
• (11) Alabama at (6) Oregon — Winner performs (3) Clemson
• (10) Iowa State at (7) Tennessee — Winner performs (2) Texas
• (9) Miami at (8) Penn State — Winner performs (1) Ohio State

Opening-round matchups at campus websites primarily based on this Week 7 projection options Boise State at Georgia, Alabama at Oregon, Miami at Penn State and Iowa State at Tennessee. That is two first-round dwelling video games every for the SEC and Massive Ten.

Winners of these 4 video games would transfer on to the School Soccer Playoff quarterfinals at bowl websites together with the Fiesta (Dec. 31), Rose (Jan. 1), Sugar (Jan. 1) and Peach (Jan. 1). Amongst notable tie-ins within the expanded playoff, the Sugar Bowl robotically will get the highest-ranked SEC or Massive 12 workforce within the quarters, so second-seeded Alabama could be enjoying in New Orleans.

Ole Miss stays alive in SEC

With their backs in opposition to the wall, the Rebels put collectively a virtually flawless effort throughout a 24-point win at South Carolina and successfully turned the web page on an upset loss to Kentucky. Ole Miss performs at top-15 LSU this weekend in a sport that is not getting as a lot nationwide consideration as maybe it ought to given how loaded the slate is. 

Prime alternatives forward for unbeatens Military, Navy

Did anybody have these two service academies unblemished heading into Week 7? Navy has the very best win of the 2 after beating Memphis a couple of weeks again, however each the Midshipmen and Black Knights have alternatives forward to get into the highest 25 and playoff dialog. Each play Notre Dame within the coming weeks, one other workforce in charge of its playoff future regardless of the early-season loss to NIU.

It was going to take an unbeaten common season and convention championship for the Dukes to be within the playoff dialog given this season’s schedule, however final weekend’s street loss to Louisiana-Monroe flatlines these possibilities. First-year coach Bob Chesney and the Dukes, who’ve been our projected Group of 5 champion the final two weeks, want excessive chaos from Boise State, UNLV and others to get there at this level.