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College football analyst Josh Pate provided his top 25 rankings ahead of Week 7. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Josh Pate names No. 1 team in college football ahead of Week 7

Originally posted on CFB-HQ on SI | By Matt De Lima | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 9:20 AM ET

The latest edition of Josh Pate’s College Football Show arrived Thursday with one of the sport’s most consistent debates: who deserves to be No. 1? Pate’s updated JP Poll placed the Ohio State Buckeyes atop the national picture entering Week 7, continuing a run that’s made Ryan Day’s program the sport’s most complete force through the first half of the season.

“Top five is pretty much what it’s been. We got Georgia five, Bama four, Miami is up to three, Oregon’s two, and Ohio State’s one,” Pate said. “Right now, neutral field, the model would make Ohio State about a 4.5-point favorite against Oregon.”

That hierarchy reflected the dominant balance Ohio State has shown on both sides of the ball. While the Buckeyes’ offense has become one of the nation’s most efficient with freshman quarterback Julian Sayin, their defense has turned into a statistical wall, holding opponents to just two touchdowns all season.

Josh Pate Discusses Chaos Potential in the SEC

Beyond Ohio State’s hold on No. 1, Pate’s analysis zeroed in on a chaotic reality forming within the Southeastern Conference. Seven SEC programs currently sit inside his top 15, and many already have a loss.

“There’s so much disaster scenario because you’re looking, like one, two, three, four, five, six, there are seven SEC teams in the top 15,” Pate explained. “Almost all of them already have losses. I think aside from Ole Miss and A&M, most of them do have losses. But the point is they’re all going to play each other. There are going to be some three and four loss teams. It’s inevitable.”

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pate warned that the conference’s depth will likely create confusion and controversy down the stretch, suggesting fans and media need to recalibrate their perspective to account for the new reality of a 16-team league with no truly elite program separating from the rest.

“It’s just pretty good to really good,” Pate continued. “There are no elite teams, which means, like, you watched what happened to Penn State last week and everyone laughs at them. I wouldn’t laugh too long. That’s the first one. That’s not the last one.”

Ohio State Prepares for Road Test Against Illinois in Week 7

As Pate’s poll crowned Ohio State the top team in college football, Ryan Day’s group heads to Champaign for a matchup with the No. 17 Illinois Fighting Illini. Day downplayed Illinois’ early season blowout loss at Indiana, calling it an outlier, and praised Illini head coach Bret Bielema’s resilience.

“I can’t explain that game,” Day said. “You have to throw out the film because that’s not who we’re playing. Bret is one of the best coaches in the country.”

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Illinois, led by quarterback Luke Altmyer and wide receiver Hank Beatty, has bounced back with wins over Southern California and Purdue. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin leads the nation in completion percentage at 80.2, and the Buckeyes’ defense has given up only 25 points all season.

The Illini have won three of 16 all-time matchups against No. 1 teams, most recently upsetting top-ranked Ohio State in 2007. For Bielema’s program, this week’s challenge is both a test and an opportunity to measure how far Illinois has come under his leadership.

The Buckeyes will face Illinois on the road Saturday at noon ET.

This article first appeared on CFB-HQ on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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