What’s Next For No. 1 Texas And Eight Other Unbeaten Power Four Teams
by Tom Layberger · ForbesThe number of undefeated power conference teams was trimmed from 12 to nine Saturday. First it was Missouri getting blown out in College Station by Texas A&M. Then it was Alabama falling at Vandy, which recorded its first-ever victory over a top five team after losing each of the previous 60 such matchups. More noise was made in the SEC and throughout the national landscape when Arkansas limited Tennessee to 14 points in pulling out the upset.
Would Miami be the fourth top 10 team to fall in Week 6? Those who stayed up well past midnight in the east might have thought the ‘Canes were doomed. Alas, Mario Cristobal’s team rallied from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit – Miami trailed by 25 in the third quarter — and escaped Strawberry Canyon with a one-point win over Cal.
Without moving too far down the schedule, here is a look what is on tap in the next couple of weeks for the nine P4 teams that remain unblemished heading into Week 7.
No. 1/1 Texas (5-0/1-0 SEC)
The Longhorns are coming off a bye ahead of their annual showdown with No. 18T/16 Oklahoma (4-1/1-1 SEC) in Dallas. The rivals, of course, are meeting for the first time as SEC members. In fact, thanks to what transpired Saturday, Steve Sarkisian’s team is the only one in the conference that remains undefeated. Quinn Ewers (shoulder) should be back at quarterback after Arch Manning did yeoman’s work – he is second nationally in pass efficiency — in his two-plus games running the offense. The Longhorns follow their date with OU by hosting No. 5/4 Georgia (4-1/2-1 SEC) in a potential battle for No. 1.
No. 2/2 Ohio State (5-0/2-0 Big Ten)
The Buckeyes outscored Michigan State and Iowa by a combined 73-14 in their two conference wins. Do not expect such lopsidedness between Oregon (below) and Ohio State on Saturday in Eugene, where OSU last visited in 1967. What we should expect is an entertaining game between two of the P4 unbeatens and, depending on how the chips fall elsewhere Saturday, the winner could find itself as the No. 1 team in the land. The Buckeyes follow their date with the Ducks with a bye before hosting Nebraska (5-1/2-1 Big Ten) on Oct. 26.
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No. 3/3 Oregon (5-0/2-0 Big Ten)
Following the aforementioned visit from Ohio State, the Ducks have a short week as they travel to West Lafayette for a Friday night affair against Purdue (1-4/0-2 Big Ten) on Oct. 18. Oregon has opened its initial Big Ten slate by defeating Michigan State and UCLA by a combined 65-23, though turning the ball over twice – both Dillon Gabriel INTs — against the visiting Spartans might bite them against OSU.
No. 4/5 Penn State (5-0/2-0 Big Ten)
The Nittany Lions have allowed only two touchdowns in their last three games, including conference victories against Illinois and UCLA. On Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles, they will attempt to stifle a USC (3-2/1-2 Big Ten) offense that turned the ball over three times in a 24-17 loss at Minnesota. In fact, the Trojans have committed eight turnovers in their first three Big Ten matchups. Penn State follows USC with a bye before traveling to Wisconsin (3-2/1-1 Big Ten) on Oct. 26. Ohio State visits Happy Valley on Nov. 2. First things first.
No. 6/6 Miami (6-0/2-0 ACC)
The Hurricanes returned home from Berkeley 6-0 for the first time since 2017, which was the last time they attained a ranking as high as No. 6. They get to catch their breath at the season’s midway point with a bye before traveling to Louisville (3-2/1-1 ACC) on Oct. 19. That will be followed by a visit from Florida State (1-5/1-4 ACC), whose struggles will be thrown out the window in an always entertaining in-state rivalry.
No. 11T/13 Iowa State (5-0/2-0 Big 12)
The Cyclones fell behind Iowa by 13 last month and trailed Baylor by 11 on Saturday. They came back both times and resoundingly so (43-21) against the visiting Bears. A trip to Morgantown to take on West Virginia (3-2/2-0 Big 12) is on tap. The Mountaineers’ two losses were to what were long-time rivals Penn State and Pitt, both of which are on this list. An Oct. 19 visit from UCF (3-2/1-1 Big 12) follows.
No. 14/15 BYU (5-0/2-0 Big 12)
The Cougars have matched their conference win total from a year ago, their first in the Big 12 following a dozen years of independence. Their 100th season of football has been a celebratory affair so far and includes a 38-9 win over what was No. 13 Kansas State and an 18-15 victory over currently ranked SMU that came down to the final couple of minutes. BYU comes out of a bye with visits from Arizona (3-2/1-1 Big 12) and Oklahoma State (3-3/0-3 Big 12) the next two weeks. The latter is on a Friday night, Oct. 18.
No. 18T/No. 20 Indiana (6-0/3-0 Big Ten)
What might be most impressive about the Hoosiers matching their best start since John Pont’s squad in 1967 is they have won each game by at least 14 points. They have scored more than 40 points in each of the last five games. Curt Cignetti’s first season in Bloomington has already resulted in bowl eligibility, no small detail for a program that has had two winning full seasons (IU went 6-2 in pandemic-wreaked 2020) in the past 28. Indiana heads into its bye having already attained a three-game improvement over last year’s 3-9 showing. The Hoosiers have a bye ahead of visits from Nebraska (5-1/2-1 Big Ten) on Oct. 19 and Washington (4-2/2-1 Big Ten) the following week.
No. 22/24 Pitt (5-0/1-0 ACC)
Pat Narduzzi’s Panthers have been winning close games, including Saturday’s 34-24 decision at North Carolina that was tied going into the fourth quarter. The result is Pitt’s first five-for-five start since 1991 under Paul Hackett. 6-0? The last time was under Foge Fazio in 1982. A Week 7 win over visiting Cal (3-2/0-2 ACC) would match that mark and send the Panthers into a bye feeling mighty good. They follow their off week with a Thursday night (Oct. 24) visit from Syracuse (4-1/1-1 ACC), which might have the opportunity to knock off another unbeaten after winning at UNLV.