College football rankings: ESPN crowns a new No. 1 team after Week 7

Week 7 reminded everyone why college football is so much fun to follow. The rankings never stay settled for long, and one wild Saturday can completely change the look of the season. With several top teams taking damaging losses and a new No. 1 emerging, the latest shake-up gave fans plenty to debate heading into the next round of games.

That's the beauty of this sport: Reputations only go so far. Every Saturday brings another chance for a contender to stumble, and the teams waiting in the wings are always ready to make their move.

Week 7 turned the college football landscape on its head, with losses piling up among some of the nation's highest-ranked teams. The fallout leaves ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) with a new look, including a change at the top as the rankings adjust to a Saturday that delivered major consequences for the national picture.

Unlike a poll based solely on wins and losses, FPI uses a computer model to measure how teams stack up and estimate what lies ahead. Its projections draw on 20,000 simulations of the season and individual games. The latest rankings reflect those calculations, along with the latest results on the field.

Ohio State moves up, but takes a major hit for the future

There's a new No. 1 in town. Ohio State came away from its trip to Indiana with a valuable win, and thanks to that victory, the Buckeyes have moved up two spots to No. 1. But they didn't leave unscathed. Quarterback Julian Sayin is expected to miss several weeks with a shoulder injury he suffered in the game. That's a problem for an offense that has relied heavily on his connection with Jeremiah Smith.

Notre Dame fell just one spot to No. 2 after its loss to the BYU Cougars. Find the full tally below.

ESPN's College Football Power Index 2026 After Week 7:

1. Ohio State
2. Notre Dame
3. Georgia
4. Miami
5. Indiana
6. Alabama
7. Texas
8. LSU
9. Texas Tech
10. Oregon
11. Ole Miss
12. Tennessee
13. Utah
14. BYU
15. Nebraska
16. Wake Forest
17. USC
18. Houston
19. Florida
20. Texas A&M
21. Auburn
22. Oklahoma
23. Louisville
24. Northwestern
25. Iowa