2023-24 College Football: Week 6 Review

While there were plenty of high-caliber matchups on the schedule this week, there was only one that most people cared about. The Red River Rivalry is one of the best rivalry games in the country, and this year's installment was no different. There were three other Top 25 matchups, including two in the SEC. The action was exciting, with many tight finishes going down to the wire. 

Game of the Week- #12 Oklahoma 34, #3 Texas 30 (Dallas, TX)

The Red River Rivalry rarely disappoints. This year was no exception. The two best teams in the Big 12 battled at the Cotton Bowl, and emotions were running high. It was not an ideal start for Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns. Ewers threw interceptions on Texas' first two possessions. Oklahoma turned the first pick into a touchdown but had their punt blocked and returned for a touchdown with the second. The scoring picked up in the second quarter, with a last-second field goal giving Oklahoma a 20-17 lead at the break. An early touchdown in the third quarter gave the Sooners a ten-point lead, their largest of the game. Sensing they were in danger, Texas ramped it up. With ten unanswered points, the Longhorns took a three-point lead with 1:17 left in the game, putting Oklahoma's back against the wall. Needing a minor miracle, it took five plays for Dillon Gabriel to drive the Sooners down the field, finding Nic Anderson in the back corner of the endzone with 15 seconds left to retake the lead. With little time left, Ewers' last-second Hail Mary didn't connect as Oklahoma pulled off the upset, getting revenge for last season's embarrassing loss. 

Upset of the Week- Georgia Tech 23, #17 Miami 20 (Miami Gardens, FL)

This is the Miami I'm used to seeing. After four wins to begin the season, it was only a matter of time before they reverted to their old ways. Opening as a 19-point favorite at home against Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes managed just a field goal in the first half, but their defense shut out the Yellow Jackets, making it 3-0 at the break. A touchdown in the third quarter made it 10-0, but Georgia Tech scored 17 unanswered points to the lead early in the fourth quarter. Miami struck back with a field goal and a touchdown, taking a 20-17 lead. They looked to be on their way to a win until they decided to run a play instead of taking a knee. The ball would hit the ground, and Georgia Tech jumped on it, giving them 26 seconds to march down the field and score. Haynes King threw a beautiful 44-yard pass to Christian Leary with one second left to steal the win, sending shockwaves through the Miami faithful. 

Other Notable Games

#9 USC 43, Arizona 41 (3OT) (Los Angeles, CA)

USC struggling with Arizona was not on my Bingo card on Saturday, especially with starting quarterback Jayden de Laura missing the game. Backup Noah Fifita stepped up and carried the load for the Wildcats, helping them get out to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter. Caleb Williams helped the Trojans claw their way back, running for a touchdown and throwing for another to trail by three at halftime. In the second half, the Trojans controlled most of the play. MarShawn Lloyd ran for a touchdown, and Williams ran for his second of the game to give USC a 28-20 lead early in the fourth quarter. Fifita immediately drove down the field and threw his third touchdown, then got the two-point conversion to tie the game. USC had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but a high snap ruined their field goal attempt, sending it to overtime. Both teams scored in the first overtime, then scored and failed to earn a two-point conversion in the second overtime, leaving it to alternating two-point attempts. Williams was able to walk the tightrope to get USC a two-point lead, and the defense got a huge stop to shut down Arizona's attempt to tie the game, allowing them to escape with a win. 

#25 Louisville 33, #10 Notre Dame 20 (Louisville, KY)

Notre Dame has flirted with fire a lot in their last few games. They were burnt against Ohio State, losing in the final seconds. They got a scare last week against Duke, winning the game in the final minute. This week against Louisville, they got what they deserved. After making it to the break tied 7-7, Louisville outscored the Fighting Irish 26-13 in the second half behind four field goals and two touchdown runs by Jawhar Jordan. Turnovers were also a big problem, with Sam Hartman throwing three interceptions and fumbling the ball twice. This was a massive win for the Cardinals, getting them their sixth win and making them a legitimate threat in the ACC Championship picture. 

#23 LSU 49. #21 Missouri 39 (Columbia, MO)

This was a tale of two halves. In the first half, Missouri was looking impossible to stop. Brady Cook threw two touchdowns to help get Missouri to a 25-17 lead at the break. In the second half, the game was back and forth. The lead switched a few times, but a 29-yard strike from Jayden Daniels to Malik Nabers gave LSU the lead with 2:58 left, then iced the game on a Major Burns interception return to help LSU bounce back from their tough loss to Ole Miss. Despite the loss, this wasn't a terrible showing for Missouri, who suffered their first defeat of the season. 

#1 Georgia 51, #20 Kentucky 13 (Athens, GA)

After two close conference victories by Georgia, I had concerns about whether they were the best team in the country. With Kentucky coming to town, this would be their first big test of the season. The Bulldogs passed it with flying colors. Georgia's offense finished with over 600 yards, while the defense held the Wildcats to 168 yards. Carson Beck played the best game of his college career, throwing for 389 yards and four touchdowns and outdueling Devin Leary, who struggled with accuracy the entire game. The game was never close, allowing Georgia to show they are still the team to beat. 

#11 Alabama 26, Texas A&M 20 (College Station, TX)

Alabama is another team that hasn't found its footing this season. Despite consecutive wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, there are still plenty of people who don't see Alabama as a legitimate threat, myself included. While I'm not quite convinced yet, this was an excellent game for Jalen Milroe and the Crimson Tide. Milroe threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns as the Crimson Tide outscored the Aggies 16-0 in the second half to avoid another upset. 

UCLA 25, #13 Washington State 17 (Los Angeles, CA)

This is not the Washington State team we've seen to begin the season. Cam Ward and the Cougars' offense never found its stride against UCLA. If not for an 88-yard interception return at the end of the first half, Washington State would be trailing at halftime. Ward did help his team lead after three quarters, throwing a touchdown pass late in the quarter. The fourth quarter was all about Keegan Jones. He ran for two touchdowns, putting UCLA back ahead for good.

Wyoming 24, #24 Fresno State 19 (Laramie, WY)

The race in the Mountain West isn't being talked about enough. Saturday saw a huge battle between two of the conference's best as Fresno State took its 14-game win streak to Wyoming. Unfortunately, the streak went to die. The Cowboys scored all 24 of their points in the first half, then held on to complete the upset, 24-19. The loss gave Fresno State its first loss in the conference, while Wyoming moved to 2-0 in conference play, keeping pace with Air Force. 

What We Learned About Each Power 5 Conference in Week 6

ACC- The Louisville Cardinals continue to shock the world, moving to 6-0. At 3-0 in the ACC, they, along with Florida State (3-0), North Carolina (2-0), and Duke (1-0), are among the remaining undefeated teams in conference play. Duke has the most challenging schedule ahead of those four teams, facing Florida State, Louisville, and UNC on the road over the next five weeks, and they'll likely play most of it without Riley Leonard. Georgia Tech has started to creep up the standings, earning its second conference win against Miami. 

Big Ten- The East is holding true to form, with Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State still undefeated. The intrigue in the West will ramp up this Saturday as Wisconsin and Iowa meet. They're the two best teams in the division, so the winner will have the inside track to face the winner of the East. It's especially big for Wisconsin. The Badgers are currently 2-0, while Iowa is 2-1. If Wisconsin wins, they will hand Iowa its second loss, with Ohio State being its toughest game remaining. 

Big 12- Oklahoma's victory makes them the odds-on favorite to win the Big 12, barring a massive stumble in the second half of the season. Texas is far from out of it, making a Red River Rivalry rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game a possibility. They'll have to contend with a slew of 2-1 teams and 2-0 West Virginia. It's likely we'll see Oklahoma and Texas meet again, as long as Texas doesn't allow this loss to define their season. 

SEC- Saturday's win over Kentucky was the first big hurdle the Georgia Bulldogs needed to clear. They still have plenty of competition left, with Tennessee, Florida, Missouri, and Ole Miss remaining. However, Tennessee is the only team they'll face away from Athens. The SEC West remains tight, but Alabama did a good job separating from the rest of the group. They already hold head-to-head victories over Ole Miss and Texas A&M, making LSU their last big obstacle. Like Georgia, they still have work to do, especially with Kentucky and Tennessee on their cross-division schedule. 

PAC-12- Every week, the frontrunners in the PAC-12 become clearer. With UCLA's win over Washington State, only three teams remain undefeated in conference play. USC is 4-0, but they've struggled on defense the last two weeks against Colorado and Arizona. Oregon and Washington are both 2-0 and will meet next weekend, so one will suffer its first loss of the season. That's good news for all of the one-loss teams behind them. While the leaders are becoming more defined, the picture remains blurry. 

 

My Top 25

1. Georgia (6-0, W 51-13 #20 Kentucky) (+1)

2. Michigan (6-0, W 52-10 Minnesota) (-1)

3. Ohio State (5-0, W 37-17 Maryland) (+1)

4. Florida State (5-0, W 39-17 Virginia Tech) (+1)

5. Oklahoma (6-0, W 34-30 #3 Texas) (+5)

6. Penn State (5-0, OFF) (-)

After swapping my Top 2 last week, I've flipped them back around. After dismantling #20 Kentucky, Georgia is back at the top of my rankings. To Michigan's credit, they destroyed Minnesota, but Georgia's win over Kentucky is the best win between the two teams. Texas' loss also allowed me to move Ohio State and Florida State up a spot, rounding out my College Football Playoff. Oklahoma made the jump into the Top 5 with their Red River victory. Penn State, who was off this weekend, remains at #6. 

7. Washington (5-0, OFF) (+1)

8. Oregon (5-0, OFF) (+1)

9. USC (6-0, W 43-41 (3OT) Arizona) (-2)

The hierarchy in the PAC-12 got a solid shake-up this weekend without Washington and Oregon needing to play. With USC struggling against Arizona, I'm slowly losing my confidence in them. Next weekend against Notre Dame will be a big test to prove whether my concern is validated. 

10. Texas (5-1, L 34-30 #12 Oklahoma) (-7)

11. Alabama (5-1, W 26-20 Texas A&M) (+1)

12. Oregon State (5-1, W 52-40 California) (+2)

13. Ole Miss (5-1, W 27-20 Arkansas) (+3)

Texas' loss to Oklahoma makes them the best one-loss team in the country, edging out Alabama based on head-to-head success. The Crimson Tide played an excellent second half to ensure victory over Texas A&M, keeping them as the favorites in the SEC West. Oregon State and Ole Miss saw decent jumps, largely based on teams in front of them falling. 

14. North Carolina (5-0, W 40-7 Syracuse) (+3)

15. Louisville (6-0, W 33-20 #10 Notre Dame) (+8)

16. Utah (4-1, OFF) (-1)

17. Tennessee (4-1, OFF) (+1)

There's a sizable gap between Florida State and the rest of the ACC, but North Carolina and Louisville are starting to emerge as Florida State's biggest competition. Neither will face the Seminoles during the regular season nor will they face each other. Utah and Tennessee were both idle this week, so there is little movement for either of them. 

18. Notre Dame (5-2, L 33-20 #25 Louisville) (-7)

19. Duke (4-1, OFF) (-)

20. UCLA (4-1, W 25-17 #13 Washington State) (+8)

21. Washington State (4-1, L 25-17 UCLA) (-8)

As Texas is now the best one-loss team in the country, Notre Dame is the best two-loss team. Their loss to Louisville destroyed their odds of making the playoff, so now they're playing for a New Year's Six game. Duke, who Notre Dame beat last weekend, holds steady at #19 after having a week off. UCLA and Washington State find themselves on different trajectories now, with the Bruins jumping into the Top 25 and the Cougars starting to fall down after a poor offensive showing. 

22. LSU (4-2, W 49-39 #21 Missouri) (+2)

23. Air Force (5-0, OFF) (NR)

24. Iowa (5-1, W 20-14 Purdue) (+6)

25. Missouri (5-1, L 49-39 #23 LSU) (-3)

I didn't have the heart to knock Missouri out of my Top 25 after their loss to LSU. It was a tight game, and Mizzou put up a great fight against an LSU team trying to stay afloat in the SEC West. Joining UCLA as the newest members of the Top 25 are Air Force and a returning Iowa. The Falcons sit atop the Mountain West, with Wyoming on their tails after upsetting Fresno State. Iowa seems to be in and out of my Top 25, thanks to everyone at the bottom of my rankings losing this week. 

The Next 5

26. Kentucky (5-1, 51-13 #1 Georgia) (-5)

27. Wyoming (5-1, W 24-19 #24 Fresno State) (NR)

28. Maryland (5-1, L 37-17 #4 Ohio State) (-3)

29. Miami (4-1, L 23-20 Georgia Tech) (-9)

30. Kansas (5-1, W 51-22 UCF) (NR)

Week 7 Preview

1. #8 Oregon at #7 Washington (Seattle, WA)

Two of the best in the PAC-12 will battle to determine the new frontrunner in the conference. Oregon and Washington have been two of the more consistent teams in the country, getting off to perfect 5-0 starts, but someone's fun ride is going to become an uphill battle as College Gameday rolls into town. 

Prediction- #7 Washington 37, #8 Oregon 35

2. #10 USC at #21 Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN)

This game would feel a lot more important if Notre Dame hadn't lost on Saturday, and it hadn't felt like USC lost in their 3OT win. These are two of the most storied programs in the country, so there will always be some level of interest when two titans clash. 

Prediction- #10 USC 38, #21 Notre Dame 27

3. #18 UCLA at #15 Oregon State (Corvallis, OR)

While the battle in Seattle is more significant for the playoff picture, the meeting between Oregon State and UCLA is just as crucial for the conference title picture. With one of Oregon and Washington guaranteed to lose, one of these one-loss teams could catapult into a good spot. 

Prediction- #15 Oregon State 30, #18 UCLA 27

4. #25 Miami at #12 North Carolina (Chapel Hill, NC)

This is another game that'd be more interesting if one of its combatants hadn't fallen short on Saturday. Drake Maye had one of his best games of the season on Saturday against Syracuse and is primed to keep it going as North Carolina contends with Louisville at the top of the ACC. 

Prediction- #12 North Carolina 41, #24 Miami 31

5. Texas A&M at #20 Tennessee (Knoxville, TN)

I've been higher on Tennessee than most of the AP voters, so I'm hoping they can make a statement against Texas A&M after their tight loss to Alabama. Tennessee is still alive in the SEC East, needing a boost before they face Georgia later in the season. 

Prediction- #20 Tennessee 38, Texas A&M 24

6. Missouri at #24 Kentucky (Lexington, KY)

Both Missouri and Kentucky lost on Saturday, but they did so in very different ways. Missouri came down to the wire with LSU, while Kentucky was blown out of the water by Georgia. Both will be looking to rebound from their first losses of the season. 

Prediction- Missouri 27, #24 Kentucky 20

7. NC State at #17 Duke (Durham, NC)

In their first game since losing to Notre Dame and losing Riley Leonard with a high-angle sprain, this is an important game for Duke. With Florida State and Louisville on the horizon, the Blue Devils must take advantage of a struggling NC State team that has failed to meet expectations this season. 

Prediction- #17 Duke 28, NC State 17

8. Liberty at Jacksonville State (Jacksonville, AL)

One of the more surprising stories of the season thus far has been the inaugural FBS season for Jacksonville State, which has opened the year 5-1. While they're ineligible to play in the postseason, they'll battle undefeated Liberty in a battle of teams no one is talking about. 

Prediction- Liberty 31, Jacksonville State 28

9. Tulane at Memphis (Memphis, TN)

With the early struggles for most of the teams in the AAC, Tulane and Memphis have emerged as two of the best. With both teams currently 4-1, they'll look to gain an early advantage in the conference race and potentially push for a big bowl game in late December. 

Prediction- Tulane 30, Memphis 24

10. Georgia Southern at James Madison (Harrisonburg, VA)

The Sun Belt is another conference few people are keeping a close eye on, but there's a nice battle going on in the East Division. Georgia Southern and James Madison are both at the top, with the Dukes starting the season 5-0 with two conference victories. 

Prediction- James Madison 42, Georgia Southern 34