College football winners, losers in Week 6: UCLA's turnaround continues, while Texas stumbles

UCLA announced itself as a CFP contender, while Georgia staked its claim to college football's top team by taking down Alabama, and Texas came undone in Dallas

Oct 11, 2026 at 12:12 am ET • 6 min read

Texas held firm at No. 1 after a few lackluster performances, but the vibes around the team never seemed to improve after upsetting Ohio State. At the State Fair of Texas, all the question marks came to a head as the Longhorns lost a clunker against Oklahoma to become the biggest loser of Week 6. 

Six AP Top 25 teams fell overall this week, while several more showed weaknesses in key spots. No. 7 Indiana needed a late comeback to survive Nebraska, while No. 15 Tennessee went on a 14-3 run in the fourth quarter to outlast Arkansas. The elite squads of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Miami have been untouchable. The rest of the field? There's lots of parity. 

With that in mind, here are the biggest winners and losers from a hectic Week 6. 

Winner: Georgia

The battle for No. 1 was on the line in Tuscaloosa, especially after Texas lost its stunner to Oklahoma. But not only did Georgia come away victorious, they definitively made their case for being the best team in college football. 

Georgia rushed for 200 yards and put up more than 450 yards of offense, converting more than half of their third downs and holding superstar sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell to only 185 yards. Quarterback Gunner Stockton made all the right plays, completing 18-of-22 passes against a physical Tide defense. 

The Bulldogs have been nearly unimpeachable through the first six games of the year. Now, they'll take over at No. 1 on Sunday. 

Tomorrow's Top 25 Today: Georgia takes over No. 1, Oregon and Florida fall in new college football rankings

Chip Patterson

Loser: Texas

The Longhorns bought the best roster that money can buy in Steve Sarkisian's sixth season, landing numerous blue-chip recruits in the transfer portal. And yet, it was all the things that don't require an ounce of talent that cost Texas in a stunning 27-24 loss to Oklahoma -- penalties, mental mistakes and turnovers. 

Texas blew multiple double-digit leads over the course of the game and allowed both a blocked punt touchdown and a pick-six. They called a timeout that led to the Sooners nailing a 53-yard field goal, and got a late interception from Arch Manning to set up a game-winning field goal. 

Texas has only looked like the No. 1 team in the nation for essentially one total quarter this season. After the troubles caught up to them, they could fall quickly. That Ohio State win sure looks like a fluke. 

Winner: UCLA

When UCLA coach Bob Chesney got to Westwood, the vibe quickly changed. Suddenly, Chesney convinced everyone that this was a place where championships could be won, where big wins were coming. In a way eerily reminiscent of his JMU predecessor, Curt Cignetti, Chesney has quickly gotten the Bruins rolling. 

Despite a rough offensive start, the Bruins beat No. 13 Oregon into submission with their defense to move to 5-0 for the first time since 2022. Several former James Madison players were on the field less than a year after the group lost to the Ducks in the playoff and committed seven turnovers -- including five fumbles by five different players. 

UCLA is built to seriously contend in the Big Ten and has a clear path to the College Football Playoff after the win. The only remaining ranked game comes at home against Lincoln Riley's USC. Get your popcorn ready. 

Loser: Florida

Just six games into the season, the Gators have played their way both into and out of the national conversation. The No. 16 Gators lost a 38-19 beatdown against South Carolina, fully taking the luster off the Jon Sumrall era. 

Running back Jadan Baugh was one of the most dynamic players in the country through four weeks, but South Carolina bottled him up to the tune of 3.9 yards per carry. Making a bowl game will be a decent step forward in Sumrall's first season, but any hope of legitimately competing in the SEC goes by the wayside. 

Winner: Houston

The Cougars looked shaky against Texas Tech and UCF, and needed a positive performance against Kansas State to get back into the Big 12 title conversation. Instead, they went on the road and obliterated the Wildcats 35-16 to make a statement. 

No. 22 Houston jumped all over Kansas State, zooming out to a 28-3 lead. Five of their first seven drives ended in touchdowns, with one other leading to a missed 34-yard field goal in the red zone. Tight end Patrick Overmyer had four touchdowns on his own. Houston looks the part of a serious top 20 team. 

Loser: Oregon

Oregon was regarded as a leading national championship contender after returning the core of a playoff team last season. Instead, after losing 17-15 against UCLA, the Ducks are one of the most disappointing teams of the year. 

With Dante Moore sidelined by a concussion, Oregon backup Dylan Raiola completed a paltry 6-of-19 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions. He was later benched for Brock Thomas, who threw for 156 yards, but it was too late. Oregon's blue-chip defense also got spun around; if not for some miscues on UCLA's end, the game would have been much further out of reach. 

Oregon is still alive as a two-loss team, but a road trip to No. 5 Ohio State essentially makes or breaks their season. 

Winner: Kentucky

At his first media day appearance, Will Stein was asked why he was so confident that Kentucky would get things turned around. He didn't mince words: "Because of me." Now, Stein has his second AP top 10 win after stunning No. 10 LSU 35-34 in overtime to reach 5-1. 

While the offense has been everything expected of a Stein club, the defense has played surprisingly well. The Wildcats held LSU to only 94 yards on 36 carries. Kentucky lost big against Alabama, but the Tide might just be that good. The Wildcats will re-enter the rankings and should continue to run roughshod through the SEC. 

Perhaps just as importantly, Stein's immediate success in the wake of firing Mark Stoops will provide plenty of anxiety for opposing SEC teams that want those kinds of quick results. 

Loser: Texas A&M

The wheels have fallen off in College Station to an astonishing extent. Texas A&M rushed for only 20 yards on 22 carries. Quarterback Marcel Reed had fewer than 100 yards passing until garbage time and threw two interceptions. The defense allowed 222 yards rushing and two touchdowns to running back Jamal Roberts in a 27-6 loss to Missouri. 

The Aggies were a popular pick as the most overrated team nationally coming into the year, but the collapse has been unbelievable. Suddenly, Texas A&M is on the shortlist of worst teams in the SEC, a stunning result for one of the most expensive rosters in the sport. Mike Elko's decision to call out the message board community postgame probably won't buy him much favor. 

Winner: North Carolina

Don't look now, but the Bill Belichick era might have some legs. After going down early against No. 25 Pittsburgh, North Carolina fought all the way back to pick up Belichick's first ranked victory as a college football coach. The Tar Heels have quietly looked the part this season, even playing No. 3 Notre Dame within 11 points and beating Pitt and TCU. Making so many smart portal decisions and managing the defense better has been a pathway to real success for the Belichick era. 

Loser: North Dakota State

The Bison's magical start to FBS membership finally came crashing to a thud after a crushing 13-7 loss against UNLV. North Dakota State played its brand of football, rushing for 176 yards, but three turnovers proved costly against Dan Mullen's squad. There was hope that New Mexico-North Dakota State could be a nationally relevant matchup in the Mountain West, but the Lobos now stand alone as the league's best CFP contender. 

Winner: WR Jesse Legree, Oregon State

Jeremiah Smith is the best receiver in college football. No. 2 is true freshman Jesse Legree -- and it might not be close. Everyone knows that he'll get plenty of targets for 4-2 Oregon State, which just picked up a 66-14 victory over San Diego State. To this point, it hasn't mattered. Against the Aztechs, Legree exploded for 10 catches for 191 yards and three touchdowns. He's closing in on 1,000 receiving yards only six games into his freshman season, and already has 12 touchdowns. After one touchdown, he hit a Heisman pose. Why not?