College football’s 3 teams rising and falling after Week 7, starring Indiana, Michigan, Alabama, and more

The fall of James Franklin at Penn State dominated the headlines this weekend in college football.

But that was not the only story.

From Indiana going into Eugene and knocking off Oregon, to Texas getting a win in a huge rivalry game, to Florida State landing in the ACC basement, it was a stunning week in college football.

Let’s look at three teams trending up and three teams trending down, after Week 7.

Blowing out Illinois at home and securing a five-point win over Iowa in Kinnick Stadium were good wins for Indiana.

But going into Autzen Stadium and knocking off the No. 3 team in the nation?

That is the kind of win that turns your program from a fascinating story to national championship contender. Yet as Week 8 of the 2025 college football season begins, that is exactly what the Hoosiers are. Indiana’s 30-20 win over Oregon was the program’s first win over a top-five team since Lyndon B. Johnson was in the Oval Office, back in 1967 when the Hoosiers knocked off No. 3 Purdue.

“Well, it depends on what we do with it from here,” said head coach Curt Cignetti. “You know, it’s a great win against the (No. 3 ranked) team in the country on the road who had an 18-game home winning streak, right? And it puts us in position, if we can continue to be successful, which means we have to show up to work on Monday as a team, humble and hungry.”

As things stand, Indiana does not face a ranked opponent again this regular season.

Last year’s run to the College Football Playoff looks like it was just the start for the Hoosiers.

Michigan’s loss to USC on Saturday night not only dropped the Wolverines out of the Top 25 but also exacerbated some of the issues that have plagued them this season. On the offensive side of the football, the line struggled to protect Bryce Underwood, allowing several pressures as well as three sacks.

Defensively, Wink Martindale’s unit gave up 224 rushing yards to the Trojans, the most allowed by a Michigan defense since their game against Wisconsin in 2020.

The Wolverines are now 4-2, and while they do not see another ranked opponent until Ohio State at the end of November, they’ll need a special run down the stretch to get back into the playoff mix.

After Alabama’s dismal season-opening loss to Florida State, fans were ready to give up the season, and perhaps use lottery winnings to pay Kalen DeBoer’s buyout.

All the Crimson Tide have done since then, however, is win. Alabama rattled off their third straight win over a ranked opponent on Saturday, outlasting a tough Missouri squad by a final score of 27-24. Quarterback Ty Simpson bolstered his Heisman Trophy resume by throwing for three touchdowns in the win, as Alabama moved to 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in the SEC.

The challenges do not end there, as this week brings us the Third Saturday in October and the annual clash with Tennessee. Alabama still has dates with LSU and Oklahoma left on their schedule, as well as the Iron Bowl to close out the season.

But after a tough start, the Tide are right back in the national conversation.

Florida State tumbled out of the Top 25 after their third consecutive loss, as they fell 34-31 at home against Pittsburgh to fall to 3-3 overall, and 0-3 in the ACC.

It has been a stunning fall for the Seminoles after they began the season with an impressive win over Alabama, and climbed as high as No. 7 in the rankings. But an overtime loss to Virginia, a loss to Miami, and now this defeat at the hands of the Panthers have the Seminoles at the bottom of the conference.

After the loss to Pittsburgh, head coach Mike Norvell vowed to “get it right” in Tallahassee.

“You should be frustrated with the results. We lost three straight games. I’m frustrated with the results. Ultimately, we got to get it fixed. We got to go make it better and show the potential of what this team is, you know, on a consistent basis,” Norvell said.

“Yeah, every bit of frustration, and no fan out there is more frustrated than I am,” Norvell added. “There has been a lot of work and investment and push with this team, and we got to get the job done. That’s what it comes down to. But I understand their frustrations. We’re going to fix it and going to get it right.”

The Seminoles do not have a ranked opponent left on their schedule, but they have a lot of work to do if they want to get back to the ACC title game.

Last Saturday’s dismal loss to Florida sent Texas -- the preseason No. 1 team in the nation -- tumbling out of the Top 25. The loss to the Gators dropped the Longhorns to 3-2 on the season, and to 0-1 in the SEC.

But a rebound performance in the Red River Rivalry, knocking off then-No. 6 Oklahoma by a final score of 23-6, has the Longhorns back in the rankings and dreaming of a late-season run.

Arch Manning quieted the critics for at least one week, completing 21-of-27 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown, and a huge punt return from Ryan Niblett in the fourth quarter helped the Longhorns seal the deal.

“We learned how to fight today,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “We saw the true character of the men in that locker room.”

Texas has several huge games left on their schedule, including a trip to Athens in November and a date with No. 4 Texas A&M to close out the season. Yes, those are more chances to stumble ... but they are also more chances to climb in the rankings.

With starting quarterback Sam Leavitt out with a right foot injury, the Sun Devils struggled on Saturday, scoring just ten points in a 42-10 loss to Utah.

“They just outcoached us, outplayed us, absolutely whooped (us). It was the first time we got whooped like that in a long time. I’m glad it’s only worth one game,” ASU coach Kenny Dillingham said after the game.

Now the Sun Devils face what might be a must-win game against No. 7 Texas Tech next Saturday. With Arizona State now 2-1 in the Big 12 -- looking up at BYU, Texas Tech, and Cincinnati in the conference standings -- their hopes of a repeat as Big 12 Champions hang in the balance. Arizona State has a favorable schedule after Saturday, but a loss to one of the top teams in the nation likely dooms their playoff hopes.