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College football risers, fallers: Oregon, LSU's CFP chances take big hits

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You never know how college football might shake out from week to week.

Not many would’ve picked unranked Oklahoma to upset No. 1 Texas in Week 6, or for LSU to fall to Kentucky in overtime. And, though Oregon’s loss was against a ranked opponent, most thought the Ducks would get it done against UCLA — even without starting quarterback Dante Moore.

REQIUIRED READING: UCLA lost quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Where do Bruins go next to stay in CFP race?

But that’s college football in the age of name, image and likeness and the transfer portal: Things can change in an instant, and winning each week becomes harder and harder as the season progresses.

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Here’s a look at the latest risers and fallers heading into Week 7 of the college football season:

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Above, Wayne Knight #3 of the UCLA Bruins runs for a touchdown in the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on October 10, 2026 in Eugene, Oregon.

(Tom Hauck, Getty Images)

Risers

Oklahoma

It was a make-or-break week for Oklahoma against archrival Texas, and the Sooners were able to get back on track after their 27-24 upset win at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Oklahoma’s offense still wasn’t great against Texas’ tough defense — the Sooners scored 14 non-offensive points in the game — but an emotional win could potentially help turn its season around after early-season losses to Michigan and Georgia.

The schedule ahead won’t be easy, starting with an upcoming home game against No. 17 Kentucky. But maybe Oklahoma can prove it’s turning things around, and the rivalry win wasn’t a fluke.

Kentucky

First-year Kentucky coach Will Stein doesn’t mess around. Stein opted to go for game-winning 2-point conversions in overtime wins over South Carolina and LSU the past two weeks, both of which worked.

The Wildcats are 5-1 this season, with their lone loss coming against Alabama (against whom they had a halftime lead). Quarterback Kenny Minchey has been a solid addition, with 1,394 passing yards and 12 total touchdowns to one interception.

UCLA

UCLA upset Oregon 17-15 in a Week 6 rock fight, despite starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava suffering a reported season-ending knee injury in the win.

First-year coach Bob Chesney has the Bruins with a 5-0 record, a year after leading James Madison to the College Football Playoff. Backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, who entered for Iamaleava in the second half, gave UCLA a 17-6 lead on a 9-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarterback.

UCLA’s defense forced Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola into one of the worst performances by a Power Four signal-caller in recent memory. He completed 6 of 19 passes for 43 yards with two interceptions and a fumble before being replaced by third-string quarterback Brock Thomas.

REQUIRED READING: Why James Madison moving to American Conference is big win for both sides | Analysis

Fallers

Oregon

Oregon has no more room for error after the Ducks’ CFP chances took a massive hit with their loss to UCLA, falling to two losses on the season. Oregon can still make the playoff, but it’ll likely have to win out in the regular season, which includes a road matchup against Ohio State on Nov. 7.

Oregon entered the season as one of the top national championship contenders after returning Moore and most of its roster that made the CFP semifinal last season. Things haven’t quite gone to plan so far, though, with losses to Oklahoma State and UCLA.

LSU

LSU was nearly a 10-point favorite against Kentucky on Oct. 10, but the Wildcats played spoiler, upsetting the Tigers 35-34 in overtime.

Turnovers keep plaguing LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, who threw an interception and fumbled in the loss. Leavitt, a high-end transfer from Arizona State, has 17 total touchdowns to nine turnovers this season, as he leads the SEC in interceptions.

LSU’s offense hasn’t quite been as high-powered as expected under first-year coach Lane Kiffin, somewhat due to the uneven play of Leavitt at quarterback.

Florida

Florida was ranked No. 8 in the US LBM Coaches Poll two weeks ago after dominating Ole Miss in a 52-28 win on Sept. 26. After back-to-back losses to Missouri and South Carolina, though, the Gators are now unranked under first-year coach Jon Sumrall.

Florida’s previously high-end rushing attack has struggled the past two weeks, including in its 3.2-yard-per-carry performance against the reeling Gamecocks. South Carolina’s win over Florida was its first in SEC play since its conference opener against Kentucky last season.

The falloff has been steep for Florida, and it doesn’t seem like a win is coming anytime soon with upcoming games against Texas and Georgia.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College football risers, fallers: Oregon, LSU’s CFP chances take big hits

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