Georgia just seized the No. 1 spot in college football, bumping Texas down a full six spots to No. 7 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. This comes after the Longhorns took a brutal 27-24 loss to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. Ouch.
Longhorns Lose the Golden Hat, Drop Hard in Rankings
That Red River Rivalry game was a battle, but ultimately Oklahoma walked away with the Golden Hat trophy after that 27-24 win in Dallas. Texas wide receiver Ryan Wingo was making plays, getting away from Oklahoma defensive back Peyton Bowen in the third quarter, but it wasn’t enough to secure the victory. Even with the huge upset win, the Sooners only received a few votes, not enough to crack the Top 25 themselves. For Texas, dropping six spots from the top feels like a gut punch, and it immediately puts pressure on them to bounce back. Head coach Sark has publicly said “no” to making changes on offense or special teams, despite concerns raised after their first loss.
The Rest of the Nation Is Shaking Things Up
While Texas was busy falling, other teams were climbing. Georgia’s move to No. 1 came after they beat SEC rival Alabama, who held steady at No. 6. But the real stunner has to be Will Stein’s Kentucky Wildcats. They rocketed up 11 spots to No. 15 after an overtime win against LSU, which saw LSU drop down to No. 22. It wasn’t just them, either. Northwestern busted into the Top 25 for the first time, landing at No. 25 after a dominant 45-14 victory over Ball State. Meanwhile, Oregon dropped completely out of the rankings after losing 17-15 to UCLA, who themselves jumped nine spots in the process.
What’s Next for the Longhorns?
Texas now heads home to Royal Memorial Stadium to host Florida this Saturday at 11 a.m. This is a massive game for the Longhorns after taking a fall like that. Dropping to No. 7 means they can’t afford another slip up if they want any shot at climbing back towards the top of the college football world. Florida received a few votes in the poll, so they won’t be a pushover. Texas needs to dig deep and show everyone they’re still a top-tier team, or this early season stumble could define their whole year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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