Five top-seven teams lost on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, marking the first time in the history of the AP Poll that five programs inside the top seven fell on the same day, while Georgia, Alabama, and Texas all lost on the same day for the first time since 1996.
Chaos seized college football on Saturday, transforming the seventh week of the season into a historic bloodbath for the national rankings. Half of the teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll top 10 fell during a single Saturday slate, upending national championship projections and rewriting record books that stretch back decades.
Auburn Stuns No. 1 Georgia With a Walk-Off Field Goal
The biggest shock of the afternoon unfolded in Athens, where unranked Auburn erased a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to defeat top-ranked Georgia 27-24. Alex McPherson sealed the victory by making a 34-yard field goal as time expired. USF transfer quarterback Byrum Brown led the Tigers with 115 yards on the ground and 150 passing yards, joining Cam Newton as the only Auburn quarterbacks to rush for 100 yards against Georgia in the last 40 years.
Auburn upsets Georgia in Athens. For the first time since 1990, the AP’s top-ranked team has lost in consecutive weeks to an unranked foe.The SEC is on the way to having its three highest-ranked teams – No. 1 Georgia, No. 6 Alabama and No. 7 Texas – all lose on a single day.
The Bulldogs committed penalties against Auburn, including one that preceded the late fumble by Georgia that set up the winning field goal. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton threw two interceptions and fumbled near midfield with 58 seconds left, setting up Auburn’s game-winning drive. The defeat snapped Georgia’s 54-game winning streak against unranked competition and marked the first time since October 1990 that the country’s top-ranked team lost in back-to-back weeks, following Texas’s fall the week prior.
Tennessee Dominates Alabama While Florida Rallies Past Texas
While Auburn celebrated in Athens, traditional powerhouses Alabama and Texas suffered matching defeats that deepened the day’s historical significance. No. 14 Tennessee defeated No. 7 Alabama 26-10, as DeSean Bishop carried 32 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns. The Crimson Tide offense generated just 201 total yards, went 0-for-7 on third down in the first half, and suffered a shutout in the second half under quarterback Keelon Russell, who threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles. The result marked Alabama’s first back-to-back regular-season losses since 2007.
Meanwhile, in Austin, Florida erased a 14-point deficit against No. 6 Texas. Making his first career start, backup quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns while adding 41 rushing yards to power a 24-point unanswered run. The twin losses for Georgia, Alabama, and Texas marked the first time all three programs lost on the same day since October 26, 1996.
Top-Ten Contenders Survive Marquee Showdowns
Amidst the carnage, several premier matchups delivered equally intense drama as contenders fought off upset bids. No. 4 Ohio State outlasted No. 5 Indiana 19-15 in Bloomington. In another AP top-10 matchup, No. 8 BYU hosted and defeated No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24. No. 3 Miami narrowly avoided disaster, needing double overtime to outlast rival Florida State 43-35.
Bear said Thursday, ‘Dad, can I get on the field after we win’ … you’re on the field bro,.
Alex Golesh, Auburn coach
With the entire landscape shifted, the upcoming Sunday poll release carries intrigue regarding who will claim the national top ranking. While Miami holds a strong case, programs like Ohio State and BYU are expected to garner some consideration.