2026 College Football Season - Week 7 Recap and Top Performers

After a week away, we're back, and we couldn't have picked a better time to return.

With the 2026 college football season rapidly approaching its midpoint, every game from this point forward carries significant weight for teams hoping to secure a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, a field that is expected to expand to 24 teams in the near future.

Week 7 was all about upsets, and no conference felt the chaos more than the SEC, home to the biggest shocker of the season to date.

With that in mind, let's take a look at what we learned from Week 7.

What Did We Learn In Week 7?

Indiana vs. Ohio State. What a game. What an ending.

When people talk about why college football is the greatest sport in America, this is the type of matchup they point to. Two elite programs trading blows for four quarters in a contest worthy of the national spotlight.

The Hoosiers proved they're the real deal. Holding star receiver Jeremiah Smith to just 68 receiving yards while knocking quarterback Julian Sayin out of the game showed exactly why Curt Cignetti's squad belongs in the championship conversation.

But the moment fans will remember came in the closing seconds. Just when it appeared Nick Marsh had hauled in the game-winning touchdown for Indiana, replay revealed he had stepped out of bounds. Instead of a legendary Hoosiers victory, Ohio State escaped with a dramatic win.

If this is a preview of what the College Football Playoff has in store, sign us up.

Auburn Upsets No. 1 Georgia

One of the best things about college football is that on any given Saturday, anything can happen.

Auburn's upset of No. 1 Georgia is not only the biggest shocker of the season so far, but one of the most stunning upsets in recent memory. Quarterback Byrum Brown put the Tigers on his back and delivered a victory few saw coming.

The question now is simple: can Auburn build on this emotional win, or will the Tigers come crashing back to earth?

• Mississippi State got a firsthand look at life without Kamario Taylor, and it wasn't pretty. The Bulldogs looked completely out of sync in their loss to LSU, highlighting just how valuable Taylor is to the programme. If there was ever a reminder of his importance, this was it. Mississippi State needs to do everything possible to keep him in Starkville.

• Everything that could go wrong for Texas seemed to go wrong against Florida. As we've seen so often this season, the Longhorns burst out of the gate before completely fading in the second half. The loss of linebacker Colin Simmons to injury only added to the concerns, but the bigger issue remains quarterback Arch Manning. Too often, he doesn't hit his stride until late in games, and by then the damage has already been done.

  
  

  Based on what we've seen, this Texas team doesn't look like a Top 10 program, and if Manning can't find consistency, even a Top 25 ranking could become difficult to justify.

• The last thing Kalen DeBoer's Alabama squad needed after last week's loss to Georgia was another defeat, but that's exactly what happened against Tennessee. Adding to the concern, true freshman quarterback Keelon Russell continues to experience the expected growing pains that come with leading a program of this magnitude.

Will Alabama fall out of the Top 10? Probably. Can the Crimson Tide still reach the College Football Playoff? Absolutely. But from this point forward, the margin for error is razor-thin.

• A win is a win, but Northwestern came dangerously close to being upset by a struggling Michigan State team. If the Wildcats want to continue climbing the rankings, they'll need more from quarterback Aidan Chiles and the offence as a whole. Surviving is one thing. Convincing voters you're a legitimate contender is another.

• Texas Tech may be the most complete team in the country. The Red Raiders scored on both offence and defence in their win over Arizona State, proving they're far more than just a high-powered attack. Stay tuned.

  
  

• As talented as Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons is, he's not yet on the same level as Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Despite the loss, the Tigers remain firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation and still have a realistic path to stealing a spot in the postseason.

• Yes, BYU, you have our attention. Don't let the final score fool you, the Cougars controlled much of the game against Notre Dame. For the Fighting Irish, it was a disappointing showing in a matchup that offered a chance to prove they belong among the nation's elite. That said, Kalani Sitake has BYU playing at an entirely different level right now.

  
  

• UCLA had the odds stacked against it in Week 7. With quarterback Nico Iamaleava out for the season and a surging Wisconsin team on the schedule, the Bruins faced a major test. Not only did they stay undefeated, but they also showed they deserve serious consideration for a Top 10 ranking.

  
  

• Credit Florida State for nearly pulling off one of the week's biggest upsets. It took overtime for Miami to escape with a victory and remain unbeaten. When you have a playmaker like Malachi Toney, you're never out of a game, even on your worst day.

  
  

• As good as Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker may be, Houston quarterback Conner Weigman deserves far more attention. In Houston's win, Weigman accounted for five touchdowns and outshined his counterpart. Now sitting at 6-1, the Cougars have a strong case for being ranked much higher than No. 20 in the AP Poll.

Week 7 Top 10 Performers

Offense:

1. RB Torrance Burgess Jr. - Texas State

2. QB Michael Hawkins Jr. - West Virginia

3. QB Brad Jackson - Texas State

4. QB Byrum Brown - Auburn

5. QB Conner Weigman - Houston

6. QB Sam Leavitt - LSU

7. RB Caleb Hawkins - Oklahoma State

8. WR Malachi Toney - Miami

9. QB JC French IV - Cincinnati

10. RB J'Koby Williams - Texas Tech and QB Cale Hellums - Army

Defense:

1. LB Colin Simmons - Texas

2. DB Amare Ferrell - Indiana

3. EDGE Patrick Bauer - Cincinnati

4. DL Tyree Weathersby - Tennessee

5. LB Takari Hickle - Oregon State

6. DB Dejuan Lane - Tennessee

7. DL Caden Story - Clemson

8. LB Austin Romaine - Texas Tech

9. S Kevin Adams III - Tulane

10. DB Raion Strader - Pitt

Notable Mentions: DB Isaiah Houi - Oregon State, QB Braden Atkinson - Oregon State, WR Jesse Legree - Oregon State, RB DeSean Bishop - Tennessee, DE Jah'rie Garner - Tulane, QB Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State, WR Amare Thomas - Houston, LB Jeremiah Marcelin - Pitt, DT Will Echoles - Ole Miss, QB Trinidad Chambliss - Ole Miss, LB Ben Roberts - Texas Tech, WR Charlie Becker - Indiana, DL Tobi Osunsanmi - Indiana, LB Davhon Keys - LSU, RB Ryan Niblett - Texas, QB Elijah Brown - Washington, LB Westen Ard - Western Kentucky, CB Delvon Gulley - UAB, WR Maguire Anderson - FIU, DB TJ Smith - Tulane, EDGE Jacob Lane - Washington, CB DJ Pickett - LSU, DB Bo Mascoe - Texas, RB Kendrick Raphael - SMU, WR Landon Wright - Boston College, DL Mario Landino - Indiana, QB Caden Veltkamp - FAU, LB Victor Afolabi - Army, WR DJ Epps - West Virginia, WR KJ Duff - Rutgers, QB Dylan Lonergan - Rutgers, DL A.J. Holmes Jr. - Texas Tech, CB Ashton Hampton - Clemson, LB Yhonzae Pierre - Alabama, LB Tony Rojas - Penn State, LB Troy Bowles - Michigan, LB Elijah Melendez - Auburn, QB Austin Simmons - Missouri, DL Mi'Quise Humphrey-Grace - Kentucky, QB Ashton Daniels - Florida State, LB Brandon Mack II - Houston, and QB Darian Mensah - Miami.