NCAA College Football Top 25 Power Rankings - Week 7 (2023)

Do you ever look at the AP Poll or some other poll and wonder which college football team they were watching to have them ranked where they do? Me too. We have a feature here at RotoBaller this year in which we will have a rundown of the NCAA college football power rankings every week. This is just like a top-25 poll anywhere else except I probably watch more football than most of them. Take that for what you will.

This is also going to be far different than traditional polls because I will only look at what has been done on the field so far, not what is expected of a specific team. The rankings are starting to stabilize a little now that we are in conference play. They still differ from the "experts" though since I don't blindly anoint Georgia as the number-one team.

We lost eight more unbeaten teams last week, so we are down to 14. That means more one-loss teams will jump back into my rankings. Only if they deserve it, of course. You won't find any two-loss ESPN favorites here either.

(25) Wyoming (5-1) (NR)

Last week: W 24-19 vs. (23) Fresno State

The Cowboys beat Fresno and Texas Tech and put up a fight in Austin for three quarters. Don't tell me that they don't belong here. Andrew Peasley played his best game last week. If this is a sign of things to come, they are a threat to James Madison as the best Group of Five team.

(24) Kentucky (5-1) ⇓4

Last week: L 13-51 at (12) Georgia

Well...if you're going to lose, make sure you lose to a really good team.

(23) James Madison (5-0) ⇔

Last week: Bye

The Dukes have wins in Charlottesville and Troy. Both are tough places to play. James Madison has already thrown down the gauntlet for the best team in the Fun Belt.

(22) Kansas (5-1) (NR)

Last week: W 51-22 vs. Central Florida

Kansas steamrolled the Knights without Jalon Daniels. They should probably get used to life without him. As opposed to last year, Kansas has a good enough team around him to stay ranked.

(21) Maryland (5-1) ⇑1

Last week: L 17-37 at (4) Ohio State

We are at the point in the rankings where looking good on the road against a really good team moves you up. There was carnage this week.

(20) Missouri (5-1) ⇓12

Last week: L 49-39 vs. LSU

Missouri gave this game away in ways that usually don't plague them. Can they get past this loss in a game they had a really good chance of winning?

(19) Duke (4-1) ⇔

Last week: Bye

A bye couldn't have come at a better time for Duke. Riley Leonard is likely to miss a game or two, but the injury thankfully isn't as bad as it looked. Duke is now in the same boat as Utah. They just have to survive until their quarterback returns.

(18) Mississippi (5-1) ⇑7

Last week: W 27-20 vs. Arkansas

A win is a win and their only loss was to Alabama.

(17) Washington State (4-1) ⇓15

Last week: Bye

That was a rough loss to UCLA. I don't care if it was on the road. The Cougars' defense was exposed.

(16) UCLA (4-1) (NR)

Last week: W 25-17 vs. (2) Washington State

This was a dominant performance by Carson Steele and the UCLA defense.

(15) Utah (4-1) ⇑3

Last week: Bye

Wow, the Utes need more byes! Actually, they just really, really, REALLY need Cameron Rising.

(14) Oregon State (5-1) ⇑2

Last week: W 52-40 at California

Anyone else worried about Cal dropping 40 on the Beavers? No? Okay then...

(13) Louisville (5-0) (NR)

Last week: W 33-20 vs. (16) Notre Dame

The Georgia Tech win is looking better and they didn't just squeak past the Irish. That was a dominant final third of the game for the Cardinals. Defense can take you a long way.

(12) Alabama (5-1) ⇑3

Last week: W 26-20 at Texas A&M

Tide fans need to take a chill pill. Jalen Milroe can throw when he needs to. Just in case you forgot. Not to mention that he threw for over 300 yards in a tough conference road game.

(11) Texas (5-1) ⇓8

Last week: L 30-34 vs. (14) Oklahoma

Texas still has the best win of any one-loss team and it's not close.

(10) Michigan (4-0) ⇑2

Last week: W 52-10 at Minnesota

Wake me up when Michigan plays somebody. We're almost halfway through the season and their best win is probably this one against a down Minnesota team.

(9) USC (6-0) ⇑1

Last week: W 43-41 vs. Arizona (3 OT)

A win is a win, even if you should have lost.

(8) Washington (5-0) ⇑1

Last week: Bye

Washington/Oregon really makes me want to go to Seattle for the weekend. It might be the game of the year. One thing is for sure: It's another playoff game in the middle of the season! Next year? Not so much...

(7) North Carolina (5-0) ⇔

Last week: W 40-7 vs. Syracuse

This was another dominant win over a so-so team that we thought was good in Chapel Hill. When will they take this show on the road (no...Pitt doesn't count)?

(6) Georgia (6-0) ⇑7

Last week: W 52-10 vs. (20) Kentucky

You dominate a ranked team, and you move up quickly. That's how it works in my universe.

(5) Penn State (5-0) ⇑1

Last week: Bye

Penn State is one of the few teams that also shuts out teams when not on bye.

(4) Oregon (5-0) ⇑1

Last week: Bye

It's not every week you get a bye and move up in the rankings. Duck U is still hanging onto the rout of Colorado to stay up here.

(3) Oklahoma (6-0) ⇑11

Last week: W 34-30 vs. (3) Texas

Other teams with big wins lost. Oklahoma turned Texas over more than a hotel waffle maker.

(2) Ohio State (5-0) ⇑2

Last week: W 37-17 vs. (22) Maryland

Some other teams are picking up big wins, but the win in South Bend keeps the Buckeyes hot on the heels of Florida State. Notre Dame's loss to Louisville could eventually hurt the Buckeyes though.

(1) Florida State (5-0) ⇔

Last week: W 39-17 vs. Virginia Tech

This is what Florida State needs to look like to hang onto this spot. The Pac-12 is a bear and FSU only has one more ranked team on the schedule. They dodge Louisville and North Carolina in the regular season.

Others Receiving Votes

• Liberty
• Air Force
• Miami (FL)
• Tennessee
• BYU

Stay tuned for the college football rankings here at RotoBaller throughout the entire season!

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