What a week for the teams at the top of my rankings—and what a mess they left behind. Seven of last week’s top nine in my FBS power ratings lost in Week 7. Georgia, Alabama, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, Indiana, Missouri and Texas all took losses. Miami and Kentucky were the only teams in that group to add a win, and the result is a very different set of rankings.
Georgia’s stay at No. 1 lasted one week. The Bulldogs fall to eighth, while Miami moves into the top spot in both power and Elo at 6–0. BYU makes the biggest move among the new leaders, jumping from 18th to second in power and from 15th to second in Elo. LSU and Ole Miss climb into the power top five, and Tennessee goes from 21st to sixth. This was more than a change at No. 1: three of this week’s top five were outside the top ten a week ago.
A Rough Week at the Top
Four of last week’s top five lost, and Georgia, Notre Dame and Indiana all saw their unbeaten records disappear. Here is how the losses changed the power rankings:
| School | Last Week | This Week | Current Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 1 | 8 | 6–1 |
| Alabama | 2 | 5 | 5–2 |
| Notre Dame | 4 | 7 | 6–1 |
| Mississippi State | 5 | 16 | 4–2 |
| Indiana | 6 | 15 | 6–1 |
| Missouri | 8 | 20 | 5–2 |
| Texas | 9 | 12 | 4–2 |
Missouri takes the largest fall in this group, dropping 12 spots, with Mississippi State down 11 and Indiana down nine. Alabama hangs on to a top-five position despite a second loss, while Notre Dame falls to seventh in power and actually moves up one spot to third in Elo despite losing. When so many teams near the top get beat, a loss does not necessarily mean a lower ranking in every system.
The field is also much tighter. Last week, Georgia led the power ratings at 148.452. This week, Miami leads at 142.165, just 0.459 ahead of BYU, and the entire top ten sits within 2.678 points of first place. Miami has taken the lead, but nobody has much breathing room.
FBS Power Ratings Top 25
Miami moves from third to first at 142.165, with a 6–0 record and 291 points scored against 84 allowed. BYU makes the biggest jump near the top, climbing from 18th to second at 141.706. Just 0.459 rating points separate the two unbeaten teams.
| Rank | School | W | L | T | PF | PA | Power | SOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Miami (FL) |
6 | 0 | 0 | 291 | 84 | 142.165 | 125.992 |
| 2 |  BYU |
6 | 0 | 0 | 201 | 91 | 141.706 | 128.451 |
| 3 |  LSU |
5 | 2 | 0 | 283 | 111 | 140.474 | 132.742 |
| 4 |  Ole Miss |
5 | 1 | 0 | 225 | 143 | 140.187 | 131.837 |
| 5 |  Alabama |
5 | 2 | 0 | 275 | 150 | 140.154 | 134.852 |
| 6 |  Tennessee |
6 | 1 | 0 | 234 | 103 | 140.134 | 128.592 |
| 7 |  Notre Dame |
6 | 1 | 0 | 288 | 94 | 140.001 | 130.383 |
| 8 |  Georgia |
6 | 1 | 0 | 301 | 111 | 139.763 | 128.115 |
| 9 |  Kentucky |
6 | 1 | 0 | 229 | 181 | 139.628 | 133.446 |
| 10 |  Ohio State |
6 | 1 | 0 | 275 | 94 | 139.487 | 128.867 |
| 11 |  UCLA |
6 | 0 | 0 | 213 | 97 | 139.191 | 129.253 |
| 12 |  Texas |
4 | 2 | 0 | 181 | 107 | 138.749 | 135.058 |
| 13 |  Texas Tech |
6 | 0 | 0 | 227 | 106 | 138.668 | 126.007 |
| 14 |  Florida |
5 | 2 | 0 | 277 | 198 | 138.262 | 133.367 |
| 15 |  Indiana |
6 | 1 | 0 | 256 | 90 | 137.552 | 126.212 |
| 16 |  Mississippi State |
4 | 2 | 0 | 195 | 171 | 137.483 | 133.327 |
| 17 |  Utah |
6 | 0 | 0 | 241 | 89 | 137.408 | 125.593 |
| 18 |  Auburn |
4 | 2 | 0 | 161 | 131 | 137.129 | 132.362 |
| 19 |  Wake Forest |
6 | 1 | 0 | 262 | 136 | 136.687 | 128.685 |
| 20 |  Missouri |
5 | 2 | 0 | 218 | 137 | 136.590 | 128.711 |
| 21 |  Houston |
6 | 1 | 0 | 275 | 147 | 136.346 | 127.678 |
| 22 |  Iowa |
5 | 1 | 0 | 186 | 87 | 136.287 | 127.917 |
| 23 |  South Carolina |
3 | 3 | 0 | 226 | 153 | 136.177 | 130.252 |
| 24 |  Clemson |
4 | 2 | 0 | 134 | 129 | 135.311 | 130.015 |
| 25 |  Oregon |
4 | 2 | 0 | 222 | 124 | 135.248 | 130.772 |
LSU rises from 12th to third, Ole Miss from 17th to fourth, and Tennessee from 21st to sixth. Georgia falls from first to eighth after its first loss, while Alabama drops from second to fifth at 5–2. These ratings adjust for opposition across the entire schedule, so record alone does not determine the order.
FBS Elo Ratings Top 25
Miami and BYU also occupy the top two Elo spots at 1712.370 and 1707.497. Miami was second last week; BYU was 15th. Notre Dame, LSU and UCLA complete the top five.
| Rank | School | W | L | T | PF | PA | ELO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami (FL) |
6 | 0 | 0 | 291 | 84 | 1712.370 |
| 2 | BYU |
6 | 0 | 0 | 201 | 91 | 1707.497 |
| 3 | Notre Dame |
6 | 1 | 0 | 288 | 94 | 1699.455 |
| 4 | LSU |
5 | 2 | 0 | 283 | 111 | 1697.806 |
| 5 | UCLA |
6 | 0 | 0 | 213 | 97 | 1696.946 |
| 6 | Ole Miss |
5 | 1 | 0 | 225 | 143 | 1696.069 |
| 7 | Alabama |
5 | 2 | 0 | 275 | 150 | 1695.797 |
| 8 | Tennessee |
6 | 1 | 0 | 234 | 103 | 1694.926 |
| 9 | Ohio State |
6 | 1 | 0 | 275 | 94 | 1694.904 |
| 10 | Kentucky |
6 | 1 | 0 | 229 | 181 | 1693.905 |
| 11 | Georgia |
6 | 1 | 0 | 301 | 111 | 1692.837 |
| 12 | Texas Tech |
6 | 0 | 0 | 227 | 106 | 1692.549 |
| 13 | Texas |
4 | 2 | 0 | 181 | 107 | 1689.556 |
| 14 | Florida |
5 | 2 | 0 | 277 | 198 | 1686.139 |
| 15 | Indiana |
6 | 1 | 0 | 256 | 90 | 1685.366 |
| 16 | Utah |
6 | 0 | 0 | 241 | 89 | 1683.317 |
| 17 | Wake Forest |
6 | 1 | 0 | 262 | 136 | 1682.446 |
| 18 | Mississippi State |
4 | 2 | 0 | 195 | 171 | 1681.655 |
| 19 | Houston |
6 | 1 | 0 | 275 | 147 | 1681.031 |
| 20 | Auburn |
4 | 2 | 0 | 161 | 131 | 1679.071 |
| 21 | Iowa |
5 | 1 | 0 | 186 | 87 | 1676.872 |
| 22 | Missouri |
5 | 2 | 0 | 218 | 137 | 1676.801 |
| 23 | Oregon |
4 | 2 | 0 | 222 | 124 | 1675.420 |
| 24 | South Carolina |
3 | 3 | 0 | 226 | 153 | 1673.655 |
| 25 | Clemson |
4 | 2 | 0 | 134 | 129 | 1672.892 |
Notre Dame is third in Elo but seventh in power, while UCLA is fifth in Elo and 11th in power. Georgia falls from first to 11th in Elo. The two systems agree on the leading pair but offer different views of the teams just behind them.
FBS Adjusted Offense Top 25
Alabama remains first in adjusted offense at 17.079, with Notre Dame second at 16.740. Miami moves from fifth to third at 16.327, followed by Georgia and Florida. These are opponent-adjusted scoring values, rather than raw points per game.
| Rank | School | Offense |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama |
17.079 |
| 2 | Notre Dame |
16.740 |
| 3 | Miami (FL) |
16.327 |
| 4 | Georgia |
16.022 |
| 5 | Florida |
15.450 |
| 6 |  Boise State |
15.440 |
| 7 |  USC |
14.740 |
| 8 | Ohio State |
13.607 |
| 9 | LSU |
13.483 |
| 10 | Texas Tech |
13.180 |
| 11 |  South Alabama |
11.630 |
| 12 |  North Texas |
11.453 |
| 13 |  West Virginia |
11.417 |
| 14 | Utah |
11.250 |
| 15 |  Nebraska |
10.900 |
| 16 | Ole Miss |
10.533 |
| 17 | Houston |
10.467 |
| 18 | Indiana |
10.431 |
| 19 |  Louisville |
10.172 |
| 20 |  Oregon State |
10.008 |
| 21 |  James Madison |
9.733 |
| 22 |  Northwestern |
9.600 |
| 23 |  Florida State |
9.383 |
| 24 |  Purdue |
9.189 |
| 25 | Mississippi State |
8.672 |
USC rises from 11th to seventh, LSU from 14th to ninth, and Texas Tech from 15th to tenth. Alabama retains the lead even as its rating drops from 22.389 last week; the gap over Notre Dame is now just 0.339.
FBS Adjusted Defense Top 25
Indiana keeps the adjusted defense lead at 19.944, with Texas second at 17.417. BYU moves from fourth to third, LSU from 11th to fourth, and TCU from 12th to fifth. Higher values are better: this measure rewards holding opponents below their scoring benchmark.
| Rank | School | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana |
19.944 |
| 2 | Texas |
17.417 |
| 3 | BYU |
16.800 |
| 4 | LSU |
15.075 |
| 5 |  TCU |
14.020 |
| 6 |  Wisconsin |
13.207 |
| 7 | Missouri |
12.625 |
| 8 | Ohio State |
12.493 |
| 9 | Tennessee |
12.344 |
| 10 | Oregon |
12.180 |
| 11 | Alabama |
12.143 |
| 12 |  Oklahoma |
11.617 |
| 13 |  North Dakota State |
11.125 |
| 14 | Nebraska |
10.553 |
| 15 | Notre Dame |
10.524 |
| 16 | Miami (FL) |
10.467 |
| 17 | Iowa |
9.733 |
| 18 | Houston |
9.633 |
| 19 | UCLA |
9.508 |
| 20 |  Tulane |
9.408 |
| 21 | Auburn |
9.200 |
| 22 |  Liberty |
9.000 |
| 23 |  Penn State |
8.526 |
| 24 |  South Florida |
8.392 |
| 25 | Wake Forest |
8.057 |
LSU now ranks ninth on offense and fourth on defense alongside its No. 3 power rating. Ohio State climbs from 14th to eighth on defense, giving it eighth place on both adjusted lists. Indiana remains the defensive leader despite dropping from sixth to 15th in power.
FBS Wins Above Average Top 25
Kentucky moves from third to first in wins above average at 4.160. BYU rises from tenth to second at 3.692, and UCLA moves from fifth to third at 3.507. Alabama and Ole Miss round out the top five.
| Rank | School | GP | W | Expected W (No HFA) | Expected W (HFA) | WAA (No HFA) | WAA (HFA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky |
7 | 6.000 | 1.758 | 1.840 | 4.242 | 4.160 |
| 2 | BYU |
6 | 6.000 | 2.314 | 2.308 | 3.686 | 3.692 |
| 3 | UCLA |
6 | 6.000 | 2.438 | 2.493 | 3.562 | 3.507 |
| 4 | Alabama |
7 | 5.000 | 1.428 | 1.630 | 3.572 | 3.370 |
| 5 | Ole Miss |
6 | 5.000 | 1.792 | 1.840 | 3.208 | 3.160 |
| 6 | Wake Forest |
7 | 6.000 | 3.121 | 2.857 | 2.879 | 3.143 |
| 7 | Notre Dame |
7 | 6.000 | 2.642 | 2.859 | 3.358 | 3.141 |
| 8 | Tennessee |
7 | 6.000 | 2.993 | 2.903 | 3.007 | 3.097 |
| 9 | Florida |
7 | 5.000 | 1.812 | 1.954 | 3.188 | 3.046 |
| 10 | Miami (FL) |
6 | 6.000 | 2.947 | 2.955 | 3.053 | 3.045 |
| 11 | Houston |
7 | 6.000 | 2.912 | 2.990 | 3.088 | 3.010 |
| 12 | LSU |
7 | 5.000 | 1.709 | 1.992 | 3.291 | 3.008 |
| 13 | Georgia |
7 | 6.000 | 2.898 | 3.055 | 3.102 | 2.945 |
| 14 | Texas Tech |
6 | 6.000 | 3.211 | 3.223 | 2.789 | 2.777 |
| 15 | Texas |
6 | 4.000 | 1.039 | 1.251 | 2.961 | 2.749 |
| 16 | Mississippi State |
6 | 4.000 | 1.437 | 1.385 | 2.563 | 2.615 |
| 17 | Ohio State |
7 | 6.000 | 3.188 | 3.398 | 2.812 | 2.602 |
| 18 | Utah |
6 | 6.000 | 3.417 | 3.523 | 2.583 | 2.477 |
| 19 | Indiana |
7 | 6.000 | 3.548 | 3.637 | 2.452 | 2.363 |
| 20 | Iowa |
6 | 5.000 | 2.719 | 2.716 | 2.281 | 2.284 |
| 21 |  North Carolina |
6 | 4.000 | 1.982 | 1.721 | 2.018 | 2.279 |
| 22 | Missouri |
7 | 5.000 | 2.795 | 2.799 | 2.205 | 2.201 |
| 23 | Oregon |
6 | 4.000 | 1.844 | 1.928 | 2.156 | 2.072 |
| 24 | Auburn |
6 | 4.000 | 1.692 | 1.928 | 2.308 | 2.072 |
| 25 | USC |
7 | 6.000 | 3.720 | 3.984 | 2.280 | 2.016 |
This measure compares actual wins with the wins an average FBS team would be expected to earn against the same schedule. Expected wins come from 25,000 Monte Carlo simulations, and this table is ranked with home-field advantage included. An average team would be expected to win 1.840 games against Kentucky’s schedule; the Wildcats have won six, producing 4.160 WAA. BYU also has six wins, against an expected 2.308. Kentucky’s one loss does not prevent it from leading this schedule-adjusted measure.
Strength of Schedule Through Week 7
These lists use the SOS column from the October 18 FBS power ratings. They measure schedules played through Week 7, not remaining schedules. Higher values indicate tougher opposition, and the values can change as more results come in.
Top 5 Toughest Schedules
| Rank | School | Record | Power Rank | SOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas |
4–2 | 12 | 135.058 |
| 2 | Alabama |
5–2 | 5 | 134.852 |
| 3 | Kentucky |
6–1 | 9 | 133.446 |
| 4 | Florida |
5–2 | 14 | 133.367 |
| 5 | Mississippi State |
4–2 | 16 | 133.327 |
Texas has the toughest schedule played at 135.058, with a 4–2 record and a power ranking of No. 12.
Top 5 Easiest Schedules
| Rank | School | Record | Power Rank | SOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Massachusetts |
4–3 | 123 | 115.882 |
| 2 | Appalachian State | 4–2 | 105 | 117.792 |
| 3 |  New Mexico |
5–1 | 61 | 118.267 |
| 4 | Connecticut | 3–3 | 111 | 118.331 |
| 5 | Liberty |
5–1 | 83 | 118.984 |
Massachusetts has the easiest schedule played at 115.882, with a 4–3 record and a power ranking of No. 123.
All rankings can be found on the 2026 FBS rankings page.