CFB Week 6 winners, losers: Stunning victories define weekend

Pavia also had an incredible 36-yard touchdown completion on a fourth-and-one in the third quarter, barely evading the Bama pass-rush and finding wide receiver Junior Sherrill for the score.

It was a surreal three hours in Nashville. Afterward, Lea put it best in his postgame interview, telling SEC Network's Alyssa Lang, "I'm going to enjoy the dream." 

Loser: Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer's honeymoon

172-13. That was the combined score of Alabama's four wins against Vanderbilt in the Nick Saban era. The Tide outgained the Commodores 2,095-629. 

It only took one offseason without Saban for Vanderbilt to close the gap.

Vanderbilt not only beat Alabama; it went toe-to-toe with the college football heavyweight, taking every punch Bama threw at it and delivering ones that landed twice as hard.

The Commodores outgained the Tide 418-394, including 166 rushing yards to Bama's 84, while winning the time of possession battle, 42:08-17:52.

It was bad enough for DeBoer that Vanderbilt was competitive against Alabama; the last time the Tide trailed in a game against the Commodores prior to Saturday was in 2006.

But losing to the Commodores evaporates any goodwill DeBoer had accumulated during Alabama's 4-0 start.

Winner: Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty

At this rate, Jeanty will have run away with the Heisman by November. In No. 21 Boise State's 62-30 romp over Utah State (1-4, 0-1 in MWC), Jeanty gained 186 yards and scored three touchdowns on 13 carries.

His numbers through five games are staggering. He has 95 carries, 1,031 yards (10.9 yards per attempt) and 16 touchdowns. While it's still early, Jeanty is currently outpacing Barry Sanders' historic 1988 season. 

In Sanders' first five games that season, he had 130 carries for 1,002 yards. He averaged a ridiculous 271 rushing yards per game over his final six regular season games to set the single-season rushing record (2,628 yards).

That seems like an impossible record to break. However, Jeanty's already shown that when he touches the ball, anything is possible.

Loser: Missouri

The (paper) Tigers were blown out at Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0 in SEC), 41-10. The Aggies jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead and added a 75-yard touchdown run from running back Le'Veon Moss on the first play of the third quarter to seal the blowout.

Alabama's loss to Vandy ensured No. 9 Missouri (4-1, 1-1 in SEC) didn't suffer the week's worst loss. But for a team with playoff aspirations, a 31-point loss gives Missouri little margin for error the rest of the season.

Winner: Indiana

Congratulations are in order for the Hoosiers, who became the first bowl-eligible team of the season with a 42-24 win over Northwestern (2-3, 0-2 in Big Ten).

Indiana (6-0, 3-0 in Big Ten) has been one of the best stories of the season's first half, and ESPN's Football Power Index suggests it could get even better.

The Hoosiers have a 38.1 percent chance to reach the CFP in head coach Curt Cignetti's first season leading the program. With the offense averaging 47.5 points per game and quarterback Kurtis Rourke playing the position as well as anyone in the country, Indiana is a force to be reckoned with.

Loser: Temple

The Owls invented an excruciating way to lose against UConn (4-2). Facing a fourth-and-goal from the Huskies' one-yard line with three seconds left, Temple attempted a quarterback sneak for the go-ahead score. 

Pretty simple, right? Not for a 1-5 team.

Temple quarterback Tyler Douglas fumbled, and UConn defensive back Jordan Wright recovered the football and returned it 96 yards for a meaningless touchdown. Well, meaningless for everyone besides those who bet on the game's over-under (48.5).

They might be the only people more sore over the game's ending than Temple.

Winner: Ole Miss defensive tackle J.J. Pegues

The Rebels got back on track with an emphatic 27-3 road win over South Carolina (3-2, 1-2 in SEC). Fifth-year senior defensive tackle J.J. Pegues was the unexpected offensive star. The 308-pound lineman scored two goal-line touchdowns.

For a team that was bullied in a 20-17 home loss to Kentucky the previous week, it was refreshing to see Ole Miss flex its own muscles in an effort to reassert its dominance.

Loser: Michigan quarterback job security

The 2023 CFP Championship Game rematch went to Washington, 27-17. Michigan may have lost more than the game, however.

Head coach Sherrone Moore might not have a quarterback.

He benched starter Alex Orji after an ugly start, and backup Jack Tuttle wasn't much better.

Orji started 3-of-7 for 15 yards (2.1 yards per attempt), while Tuttle was 10-of-18 for 98 yards (5.4 yards per attempt), one touchdown and one interception.

Michigan (4-2, 2-1 in Big Ten) has thrown for 231 yards over its past three games. Until Moore finds a quarterback who can throw for 100 yards in a game, the losses will likely pile up on the Wolverines. 

Winner: Arkansas

How about that for a nightcap? Arkansas made sure Vanderbilt wasn't the only unranked SEC team to beat a top-five opponent. The Razorbacks stunned Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 in SEC) in a 19-14 win.

Arkansas (4-2, 2-1 in SEC) outgained Tennessee 431-332. The defense was excellent, limiting Vols quarterback Nico Iamaleava to 158 yards on 29 pass attempts (5.4 yards per attempt).

The Razorbacks' two losses were by a combined 12 points in games they held fourth-quarter leads. On Saturday, Arkansas showed that if it doesn't beat itself, it can hang with anyone in the SEC.

Loser: Oklahoma State

The Cowboys suffered their ugliest loss of the season, falling to West Virginia (3-2, 2-0 in Big 12) at home, 38-14.

The season has quickly turned into a disaster for Oklahoma State, which is one of the country's biggest disappointments.

The Big 12 media ranked Oklahoma State third in the conference before the season, with the Cowboys receiving 14 of a possible 61 first-place votes.

Instead, the Cowboys are the first Big 12 team with three conference losses. They've been outscored by 49 points (18.3 points per game) in its winless Big 12 start. 

Oklahoma State has a bye next Saturday before a road trip to No. 17 BYU (5-0, 2-0 in Big 12) in Week 8.

As bad as head coach Mike Gundy's squad has looked early in conference play, things can get much worse.