Ohio State took charge early in the contest, jumping out to a 20-0 lead before finally allowing Illinois to chip away at it. The Fighting Illini managed to cut that deficit in half, but the Buckeyes responded late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to put it away for good.<\/p>\n
Ryan Day<\/a> and his squad have stood up to every test so far this season, though there haven\u2019t been too many overly stiff ones just yet. Some of that is a product of the schedule, some is Ohio State being really good. A test against an extremely desperate Penn State in three weeks will tell us more. Maybe.<\/p>\n RESULT: BYE The Hurricanes are arguably the most complete team in the country, and it starts in the trenches. Until someone can hold their own up front, Miami could continue to cruise.<\/p>\n RESULT: 34-17 win vs. Florida<\/a> The Aggies really don\u2019t have many weaknesses, and they seem to be improving on a weekly basis. That\u2019s what legitimate top 25 teams do, and Texas A&M is very much legitimate at this point. Maybe even one of the favorites to win it all.<\/p>\n RESULT: 24-21 win vs. Washington State<\/a> But the Rebels answered as Trinidad Chambliss<\/a> came through when needed. And then they clung to the lead at the end of the game and managed to avoid any flukiness on the final play of the game to seal the win.<\/p>\n RESULT: 30-20 win at Oregon<\/a> It wasn\u2019t even a perfect game for the Hoosiers, and that\u2019s perhaps the most impressive thing about the win. It was just a flat-out dominant performance by a very solid team all the way around.<\/p>\n RESULT: 27-24 win at Missouri<\/a> The resume for Alabama is looking excellent at this point, with three straight wins over ranked opponents. The loss to Florida State is looking a bit more suspect, but that won\u2019t matter if the Crimson Tide keep taking care of business.<\/p>\n RESULT: 42-17 win vs. Kansas<\/a> The program rolled up more than 300 yards on the ground, led by a monster outing from Cameron Dickey<\/a>. Dickey broke off a 71-yard run and finished with 263 yards in the contest. Up next: a road trip to take on a top 25 Arizona State team.<\/p>\n RESULT: 30-20 loss vs. Indiana<\/a> Oregon was held to just 267 total yards of offense in the contest, unable to generate much on the ground. Quarterback Dante Moore<\/a> was picked off twice, compounding matters. Oregon has no remaining top 25 teams left on the schedule, so everything is still in front of it.<\/p>\n RESULT: 20-10 win at Auburn<\/a> From there, Kirby Smart<\/a>\u2018s squad buckled down and pitched a second-half shutout, grabbing a huge road win. Now it\u2019s a meeting with undefeated Ole Miss in a game that could determine the top of the pecking order in the SEC.<\/p>\n RESULT: 20-10 win<\/a> vs. South Carolina<\/a> Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier<\/a> threw two interceptions, but he also finished with 254 yards and two touchdowns in the win. LSU\u2019s schedule is about to get very difficult, with games against ranked Vanderbilt<\/a>, Texas A&M<\/a> and Alabama<\/a> squads up next.<\/p>\n Rest of the AP Top 25 Projections<\/p>\n Tennessee Volunteers<\/a> (5-1)<\/p>\n Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets<\/a> (6-0)<\/p>\n Oklahoma Sooners<\/a> (5-1)<\/p>\n Notre Dame Fighting Irish<\/a> (4-2)<\/p>\n BYU Cougars<\/a> (6-0)<\/p>\n Missouri Tigers<\/a> (5-1)<\/p>\n Virginia Cavaliers<\/a> (5-1)<\/p>\n Vanderbilt Commodores<\/a> (5-1)<\/p>\n Memphis Tigers<\/a> (6-0)<\/p>\n USF Bulls<\/a> (5-1)<\/p>\n Texas Longhorns<\/a> (4-2)<\/p>\n USC Trojans<\/a> (5-1)<\/p>\n Michigan Wolverines<\/a> (4-2)<\/p>\n![\"Carson](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Carson-Beck-Miami-FL-1024x538.jpg\")
(Photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
Miami was on a bye this week after surviving a then-tricky road test at Florida State<\/a>. Of course, with Florida State now having lost three straight games, that win has lost a little luster. Still, you can only win the games they put in front of you.<\/p>\n
Texas A&M took charge early on against Florida and though it took a while to put the game away for good, the Aggies did just that. Another impressive win in conference play for Mike Elko<\/a> and company.<\/p>\n
Ole Miss entered as an absolutely massive favorite over Washington State, but it got everything it wanted and then some. The Cougars had the lead at various points in the contest, including for much of the third quarter.<\/p>\n![\"Curt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Untitled-design-10-11-1024x538.png\")
Rich Janzaruk\/Herald-Times \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Indiana needed a signature result after rolling through the first half of the schedule mostly untested (though there was a top 25 blowout of Illinois<\/a> in there). It got one in a major way, going to Eugene, Ore., and coming out with the most impressive win of the weekend.<\/p>\n
Alabama knew it would have a tough test on the road against a top 25 Missouri team, and that\u2019s how it played out. The Crimson Tide led the majority of the way but was still pushed until the final minute, when Beau Pribula<\/a> was picked off by Dijon Lee<\/a> to seal the game.<\/p>\n
Texas Tech rolled up 18 points in the first quarter against Kansas and then cruised from there. Once again, the Red Raiders were absolutely dominant in the trenches on both sides of the ball.<\/p>\n![\"Oregon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Dan-Lanning-17-1024x538.jpg\")
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning against the Indiana Hoosiers. (Photo by: Eric Becker\/ScoopDuckOn3)<\/p>\n
For the first time all year, Oregon ran up against a team that was able to match its physicality in the trenches. Indiana showed early on that it wasn\u2019t going to be bullied in the matchup, asserting itself on the road.<\/p>\n
Georgia struggled to move the football for most of the first half against Auburn. It very nearly went down 17-0 until a controversial call on a fumble at the goal line<\/a> by the Tigers gave the Bulldogs life.<\/p>\n
LSU still hasn\u2019t looked like a dominant team, and Saturday was more of the same. Yet it was another win for the Tigers against a conference foe. The Tigers will come away feeling good about the win but knowing there\u2019s work to be done.<\/p>\n