Computer Rankings/Week 6 Recap: Ohio State Gets A Turn at No. 1

October 6, 2024 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

Seven teams are no longer undefeated after an upset Saturday, so that '0' (zero) in the loss column is starting to become a major commodity for those teams that can maintain perfections, such as the top four teams in the new FBS Congrove Computer Rankings at CollegeFootballPoll.com, released Sunday morning.

Last week's top four, in order, was Oregon, Ohio State, Texas and Alabama. In that group, Alabama was the only team that lost and Penn State takes its place. But the order has changed as the Buckeyes get their first turn at No. 1 this season, followed by the Longhorns, Ducks and Nittany Lions. The top three teams are all within 1.76 rating points of each other.

Ohio State handled Iowa 35-7, Texas was idle, and Oregon handled Michigan State 31-10.

Meanwhile, Alabama was a stunning 40-35 loser at Vanderbilt after entering the game as a 22.5-point favorite at FanDuel.com and a 27.04-point computer pick.

See all the Picks, Scores and Final Odds.

The Tide only fall to 7, and wind up one spot behind a Georgia team they just knocked off in the prior week. Certainly, a loss to a 27-04 point computer dog (Alabama to Vandy) is going to be more costly than losing to a 3.37-point computer favorite and highly ranked team (Georgia to Alabama).

Georgia bounced back from its loss at the Tide by drubbing Auburn 31-10 in what's hailed as the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, having first been played in 1892.

Ole Miss climbs back up from 7 to 5 after the convincing 27-3 win at South Carolina.

Miami (FLA), Iowa State and Notre Dame round out the top ten.

The Miami Hurricanes found themselves down 35-10 at ACC newcomer Cal, but outscored the Bears 29-3 in the final 18 minutes to salvage a 39-38 win.

Tennessee falls from 6 to 11 after losing 19-14 at Arkansas.

Clemson leaps from 17 to 12 after a 29-13 win at Florida State.

Texas A&M makes an even bigger surge, rising from 23 to 13 after a 41-10 blowout of then-No. 14 Missouri. The Tigers tumbled down to 24.

Idle LSU moves up to 14, while SMU's 34-27 win at Louisville earned the Mustangs a 6-spot climb from 21 to 15.

Joining first-time losers Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri were Rutgers, UNLV, Duke, and JMU, 

The Scarlet Knights lost 14-7 at Nebraska, the Rebels went down to a 44-41 defeat in OT at home to Syracuse, the Blue Devils 24-14 at Georgia Tech, and the Dukes became 21-19 victims at ULM.

Note that ALL of those who lost for the first time did so on the road, with the exception of UNLV.

Even with all the upsets among the higher-ranked teams, Vegas (i.e, the sportsbooks) had a stellar week handicapping outright winners with a 36-13 record.

Michigan, Louisville and Rutgers exit the computer top 25. The Wolverines fall from 15 to 27 after a 27-17 loss at Washington, Louisville drops from 16 to 28 after the home loss to SMU, and the Scarlet Knights drop from 19 to 30 after the loss at Nebraska.

Moving in to the Top 25 are Army at No. 25, along with and Indiana at No. 19.  Utah re-enters the Top 25 at No. 23.

The 16-team SEC and 18-member B1G still own the top seven spots, and 15 of the top 25. The B1G has three of the top four this week.

Overall, the SEC leads all conferences with 9 teams in the Top 25, followed by the B1G with 6, the Big 12 with 4 and the ACC with 3. The MWC gets 1 with Boise State at No. 18, and the American gets a lone entrant with undefeated Army at No. 25. Tenth-ranked Notre Dame is the only independent team in the Top 25.

At No. 40, Toledo is the highest-ranked MAC team, while Liberty (No. 33) leads all Conference USA schools, and Louisiana tops all other Sun Belt squads at No. 44.

FBS vs. FCS

No FBS-FCS games were played over the weekend.

FBS schools are 108-6 in such games this season, and a collective 1,908-158 (.924) since we began tracking this in 2003.

In 2024, there are 121 scheduled scheduled matchups between FBS and FCS schools with 119 schools playing one such game, while Hawaii and UMass each play two.

This year, 15 schools do not play a FCS opponent and 5 are in the B1G (Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, USC and UCLA). Texas is the only school in the SEC that will not play a FCS program. The same is true for Virginia Tech in the ACC. In fact, Texas and Virginia Tech, along with Michigan and Houston, are repeats from last year's list of schools that played all FBS programs.

2024 FCS wins vs. FBS:
August 24: Montana State 35, New Mexico 31
September 7: St. Francis (PA) 23, Kent State 17
September 7: Idaho 17, Wyoming 13
September 7: Southern Utah 27, UTEP 24 (OT)
September 21: Monmouth 45, FIU 42
September 28: UT-Martin 24, Kennesaw 13

In 2023, FBS schools were 114-4. These were the FCS wins last year:
September 9: Idaho 33, Nevada 6
September 9: Southern Illinois 14, Northern Illinois 12
September 9: Fordham 40, Buffalo 37
September 16: Sacramento State 30, Stanford 23

Streaks - Current FBS Longest

MISSOURI - Had over-all winning streak end at 8.
Last: Lost 41-10 at Texas A&M on Saturday, October 5.
Next: Visits UMass on Saturday, October 12.

ARMY - Won 9 straight overall.
Last: Won 49-7 at Tulsa on Saturday, October 5.
Next: Hosts East Carolina on Saturday, October 12.

LIBERTY - Won 16 straight regular season games.
Last: Won 35-24 at home over East Carolina on Saturday, September 21.
The Flames' 9/28 game at App State was canceled due to Hurricane Helene, followed by a bye week.
Next: Visits FIU On Tuesday, October 8 for first game in 17 days. Won't play again until 15 days later (Wednesday, October 23) at Kennesaw State.

GEORGIA - Won 27 straight home games.
Last: Won 31-13 at home over Auburn on Saturday, October 12.
Next: Hosts Mississippi State on Saturday, October 12.

MICHIGAN - Had streaks end at 27 straight conference wins, and 11 straight road wins.
Last: Lost 27-17 at Washington on Saturday, October 5.
Next: Visits Illinois (after a bye week) on Saturday October 19.

TULANE: Won 14 straight conference games.
Last: won 71-20 at UAB on Saturday, October 5.
Next: Hosts Rice (after bye week) on Saturday, October 19.

TEXAS: Won 8 straight road games.
Last: Won Won 35-13 at home over Mississippi State on Saturday, September 28.
Next: Oklahoma in Dallas on Saturday, October 12.

KENT STATE - Lost 14 straight over-all. Lost 6 straight home games.
Last: Lost 52-33 at home to Eastern Michigan on Saturday, September 28.
Next: Hosts Ball State on Saturday, October 12.

VANDERBILT - Had conference game losing streak end at 10.
Last: Won 40-35 at home over Alabama on Saturday, October 5.
Next: Visits Kentucky on Saturday, October 12.

STANFORD - Lost 10 straight home games to FBS foes.
Last: Lost 31-7 at home to Virginia Tech on Saturday, October 5.
Next: Visits Notre Dame Saturday, October 12.

UTEP - Lost 7 straight home games.
Last: Lost 41-21 at home to Sam Houston on Thursday, October 3.
Next: Visits Western Kentucky on Thursday, October 10.

TEMPLE - Lost 17 straight true road games.
Last: Lost 29-20 at UConn on Saturday, October 5.
Next: Hosts Tulsa (after bye week) on Saturday, October 19.