College Football Rankings After Week 6: Coaches Top 25 Poll Names New No. 1 Team

USA Today Sports | IMAGNWatching the No. 1 team go down over the weekend means that Coaches Poll voters are faced with the biggest decision of any ballot, deciding who now becomes the most important team in the college football rankings.

Watching the No. 1 team go down over the weekend means that Coaches Poll voters are faced with the biggest decision of any ballot, deciding who now becomes the most important team in the college football rankings.

Top-ranked Texas couldn’t do the job against rival Oklahoma, as Arch Manning’s two interceptions led directly to the Sooners’ game-winning points, and now the coaches are faced with giving another team a promotion to the top spot in the polls heading into Week 7.

Top-ranked Texas couldn’t do the job against rival Oklahoma, as Arch Manning’s two interceptions led directly to the Sooners’ game-winning points, and now the coaches are faced with giving another team a promotion to the top spot in the polls heading into Week 7.

Looking at the various candidates, one team clearly sticks out. But that wasn’t the only change made in this week’s Coaches Poll.

Looking at the various candidates, one team clearly sticks out. But that wasn’t the only change made in this week’s Coaches Poll.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectFirst-place votes in parentheses

Texas (Down 5) didn’t suffer too harshly from losing to unranked Oklahoma, dropping to No. 6 from the top spot, but that game revealed still lingering questions around the development of Arch Manning and if this offense can really contend.

Texas (Down 5) didn’t suffer too harshly from losing to unranked Oklahoma, dropping to No. 6 from the top spot, but that game revealed still lingering questions around the development of Arch Manning and if this offense can really contend.

For the second time, Lane Kiffin walked off a road field as a loser and LSU (Down 11) emerged as the second-biggest faller in this week’s Coaches Poll, sinking the coach to 13-13 on the road at both LSU and Ole Miss, and his playoff ambitions are in tatters.

For the second time, Lane Kiffin walked off a road field as a loser and LSU (Down 11) emerged as the second-biggest faller in this week’s Coaches Poll, sinking the coach to 13-13 on the road at both LSU and Ole Miss, and his playoff ambitions are in tatters.

A surprise in the Big Ten, as UCLA (Up 10) upset Oregon on the road in an ugly 17-15 result that could have been more dominant had the Bruins not made so many mistakes. But a win is a win, and their future schedule bodes well for their playoff hopes.

A surprise in the Big Ten, as UCLA (Up 10) upset Oregon on the road in an ugly 17-15 result that could have been more dominant had the Bruins not made so many mistakes. But a win is a win, and their future schedule bodes well for their playoff hopes.

The biggest negative mover was indeed Oregon (Down 12), which clings to a place in the poll after a second loss, and the road doesn’t get much easier, with that road test against Ohio State coming in a few weeks.

The biggest negative mover was indeed Oregon (Down 12), which clings to a place in the poll after a second loss, and the road doesn’t get much easier, with that road test against Ohio State coming in a few weeks.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectBoise State finally gets the nod from the coaches after a solid performance on the road against Fresno State, particularly behind a strong rushing game.

Boise State finally gets the nod from the coaches after a solid performance on the road against Fresno State, particularly behind a strong rushing game.

Welcome, Wake Forest into the national rankings, sitting on a good 5-1 record that includes a dominant win at NC State, and the Deacons gave Miami their toughest test this season, too.

Welcome, Wake Forest into the national rankings, sitting on a good 5-1 record that includes a dominant win at NC State, and the Deacons gave Miami their toughest test this season, too.

No. 15 Florida. Maybe no other college football team has seen so many violent shifts in the rankings the last few weeks. The Gators were the biggest riser, then the biggest faller, and are now out after a second-straight blowout loss that is forcing a sudden reassessment of the Jon Sumrall regime.

No. 15 Florida. Maybe no other college football team has seen so many violent shifts in the rankings the last few weeks. The Gators were the biggest riser, then the biggest faller, and are now out after a second-straight blowout loss that is forcing a sudden reassessment of the Jon Sumrall regime.

No. 23 Duke. The coaches put the Blue Devils in the poll a week ago, but a three-point loss to Georgia Tech thanks to a missed field goal put them out again the week after.

No. 23 Duke. The coaches put the Blue Devils in the poll a week ago, but a three-point loss to Georgia Tech thanks to a missed field goal put them out again the week after.

No. 24 Pittsburgh. The loss of quarterback Mason Heintschel proved too much for the Panthers to overcome in a loss to North Carolina, dropping out of the rankings after getting in them last week.

No. 24 Pittsburgh. The loss of quarterback Mason Heintschel proved too much for the Panthers to overcome in a loss to North Carolina, dropping out of the rankings after getting in them last week.

These teams got votes in the Coaches Poll, but not enough to make the top 25 rankings.

These teams got votes in the Coaches Poll, but not enough to make the top 25 rankings.

Northwestern 107; Arizona 92; Nebraska 74; Oklahoma 50; Wisconsin 39; Duke 35; James Madison 33; Florida 32; Pittsburgh 25; New Mexico 16; UTSA 10; Baylor 9; Memphis 6; Oregon State 2; North Carolina 1.

Northwestern 107; Arizona 92; Nebraska 74; Oklahoma 50; Wisconsin 39; Duke 35; James Madison 33; Florida 32; Pittsburgh 25; New Mexico 16; UTSA 10; Baylor 9; Memphis 6; Oregon State 2; North Carolina 1.

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JAMES PARKSJames Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He has covered football for a decade, previously managing several team sites and publishing national content for 247Sports.com for five years. His work has also been published on CBSSports.com. He founded College Football HQ in 2020, and the site joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022 and the On SI network in 2024.