The Week 7 slate was loaded with big games for national title contenders, as only one team (Miami) which entered Saturday with national title odds of +2000 or better was off. As expected, the day brought some clarity to college football’s big picture.
Oklahoma’s title odds plummeted following an ugly 23-6 loss to rival Texas, and Oregon’s odds took a similar plunge amid a home defeat against Indiana. Even a victory couldn’t save one team from sliding down the odds sheet, as Ole Miss dropped a bit following a concerning performance against Washington State.
Although the Rebels escaped with a 24-21 win, a sloppy performance did little to inspire confidence. In the end, No. 1 Ohio State maintained its status as a significant favorite to win another national championship. The Buckeyes cruised past Illinois without much stress to remain among a dwindling group of undefeated squads.
In fact, it’s now a one-loss team that is second on the odds sheet, as Alabama climbed a bit following its 27-24 win at Missouri. The Crimson Tide appear to have fully flushed their Week 1 loss at Florida State and have emerged as a Tier 1 national title contender.
College Football Playoff Vibe Check, Week 7: We’re probably getting a 3-loss team in the field
Tom Fornelli
We are handing out grades evaluating every team that started or ended the day with national championship odds of +2000 or better. No. 2 Miami (+850) had a bye.
2025 national championship odds listed below courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Teams listed in order of their AP Top 25 ranking.
No. 1 Ohio State
Grade: B
Result: 34-16 win at Illinois
Title odds: +360
Give Ohio State credit for handling business on the road against a quality Big Ten opponent. But this outcome was more about the Illini’s disappointing ineptitude than it was about Ohio State’s dominance. Illinois couldn’t get out of its own way, and the Buckeyes made it pay. Ohio State started with the football in enemy territory on five occasions and scored on four of those possessions. The offense wasn’t sharp, but it didn’t need to be in a surprisingly easy win.
No. 3 Oregon
Grade: D
Result: 30-20 loss vs. Indiana
Title odds: +1200
Oregon got bullied into submission on its home field in a way that makes you reevaluate the Ducks’ legitimacy as a national title contender. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore finally plateaued while playing behind a surprisingly shaky offensive line. Consequently, the Ducks did not score an offensive touchdown in the final three quarters. The Oregon defense wasn’t disruptive, and special teams were imperfect. All in all, it was a rough showing for a team that could have established itself in Tier 1A category with a win.
No. 4 Ole Miss
Grade: D
Result: 24-21 win vs. Washington State
Title odds: +2200
A year after an inexplicable home loss to Kentucky likely cost Ole Miss a spot in the College Football Playoff, the Rebels nearly suffered another unthinkable defeat inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Washington State was a 32.5-point underdog but led 14-10 in the third quarter. Ole Miss eventually built a 10-point lead, only to almost choke it away in the final minutes. Penalties and shoddy execution in red zone-adjacent situations were among the most glaring issues for the Rebels, who have a lot to clean up before road games against Georgia and Oklahoma the next two weeks.
Grade: A-
Result: 34-17 win vs. Florida
Title odds: +1200
For the second week in a row, Texas A&M turned a close game into a comfortable victory late in the second half. After the offense carried the Aggies early, the defense got them home by keeping Florida out of the end zone for the final 50+ minutes. The Gators finished a combined 1 of 12 on third and fourth downs. A&M never gave up a sack or tackle for loss, as the Aggies kept the chains moving en route to their first 6-0 start since 2016.
No. 6 Oklahoma
Grade: D
Result: 23-6 loss vs. Texas
Title odds: +2700
There is plenty of blame to go around for Oklahoma’s faulty offensive performance. The offensive line gave up three sacks, pass-catchers had three drops, John Mateer threw three interceptions and running backs didn’t break enough tackles. With no support, a defense which had been elite all season finally cracked after halftime. Even the OU special teams faltered in the second half by surrendering a 75-yard punt return touchdown.
No. 7 Indiana
Grade: A
Result: 30-20 win at Oregon
Title odds: +950
There were no gimmicks, flukes or circumstances that could be used to easily explain this one away. Indiana was just straight up better than Oregon. The Hoosiers’ defense turned in a sterling performance by keeping the Ducks out of the end zone for the game’s final 50+ minutes. While IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza did throw a costly pick-six in the fourth quarter, he responded with three third-down completions on a subsequent go-ahead touchdown drive. The Hoosiers must now be taken seriously as a national title contender.
Grade: B
Result: 30-14 win at Missouri
Title odds: +650
Alabama was not dominant, but it was clutch. The Crimson Tide converted on two critical fourth downs during a late touchdown drive and produced two interceptions in the fourth quarter. Mizzou converted just 1 of 10 third downs, which allowed Bama to own time of possession. It was far from a perfect showing, as pass protection issues reappeared and star receiver Ryan Williams went MIA. But it was a top-15 road win that included some nice moments.
Grade: A-
Result: 42-17 win vs. Kansas
Title odds: +2000
Texas Tech jumped out to a 21-0 lead, allowed 17 unanswered points and then pulled away for a convincing win. The Red Raiders lost starting quarterback Behren Morton to injury but saw their national title odds improve anyway while averaging an otherworldly 9.3 yards per rush. The defense was ruthless, too, as it finished with nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss.
Grade: B+
Result: 20-10 win at Auburn
Title odds: +1000
Georgia’s defense snapped to life after a rough start and held Auburn to a dismal 1.7 yards per play in the second half. The Tigers mustered just three first downs after halftime as the Bulldogs squeezed the life from their border rival. Georgia’s offense made its mark in the fourth quarter with a touchdown drive lasting nearly nine minutes that turned a three-point lead into an insurmountable two-possession edge. UGA nearly tripled Auburn in time of possession during the second half.
Grade: A
Result: 36-7 win vs. NC State
Title odds: +1600
Notre Dame led just 10-7 at halftime before turning on the afterburners and leaving NC State in the dust. Consecutive touchdown drives of 80+ yards in the third quarter broke the game open, and a stifling defense never relented. The Fighting Irish have allowed just two touchdowns over their past 10 quarters, and the offense is looking strong as well.
Texas
Grade: A-
Result: 23-6 win vs. Oklahoma
Title odds: +1600
Texas’ defense carried the day in a must-win rivalry spot, as the Longhorns picked off Oklahoma’s John Mateer three times and kept the Sooners from running the football consistently. By no means was the Texas offense explosive or overpowering, but it was effective and timely in the second half. Arch Manning made a series of third-down plays during consecutive scoring drives in the third quarter as the Longhorns seized control. Ultimately, there were encouraging takeaways from all phases of the game for the Longhorns.
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