How have Penn State and Texas flopped so badly? College football Week 6 takeaways

And now, 20 Final Thoughts from college football’s Week 6, which served as a friendly reminder that whenever the Saturday schedule looks light, it’s gonna get extra crazy.

1. I may have inadvertently planted the seeds for Saturday’s chaos back in January, before last season’s national championship game. The deadline for my way-too-early Top 25 for 2025 was approaching, and I was torn between which of two teams to rank No. 1 — Texas or Penn State. So, I began polling my colleagues in Atlanta, and, after much internal debate, finally went with the Nittany Lions.

After all that time and energy, it turns out I should have gone with “none of the above.”

2. Saturday gave us not one, but two top-10 teams losing to sub-.500 opponents. Some folks may have seen 1-3 Florida over No. 9 Texas coming, but 0-4 UCLA beating No. 7 Penn State? On a scale of 1 to “App State over Michigan,” I give it a 9.5.

Not only was UCLA awful in its first four games (which included a 35-10 loss to New Mexico), but also it was playing for an interim coach (Tim Skipper), with a first-time play caller (Jerry Neuheisel) after the previous OC (Tino Sunseri) was fired four days earlier. So of course, the 24.5-point underdogs marched down the field on their opening drive, went up 27-7 at halftime, withstood a second-half Penn State surge and won 42-37.

UCLA became the first 0-4 team (or worse) to beat a top-10 foe since 0-6 UTEP beat No. 7 BYU 40 years ago. College football, baby.

3. Only a week ago, James Franklin’s team took then-No. 6 Oregon to overtime before suffering another big-game disappointment. This loss wasn’t disappointing. It was a debacle.

Franklin’s program spent many millions to bring back the core of last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal team, plus $3 million to hire away Ohio State DC Jim Knowles. Its defense, so dominant in recent seasons, couldn’t stop Oregon’s Dante Moore when it mattered, and couldn’t stop UCLA at all.

It did lose a key player last week, linebacker Tony Rojas. And slow starts aren’t unusual for teams flying cross-country. But twice in the second half, Drew Allar got the Nittany Lions back within one score, only for the Bruins (1-4, 1-1 Big Ten) to drive down the field and answer. Even then, Penn State had a chance, getting down to the UCLA 9-yard-line with 37 seconds left, trailing 42-35, but Allar tried to run a keeper out of the shotgun and got stuffed. Even then, it had a chance, after using three timeouts to get the ball back, but inexplicably opted not to rush the punter, who killed eight more seconds before intentionally taking a safety.

Penn State, which entered the year with national championship aspirations, is now doubtful to make the Playoff. I’ve always considered Franklin’s job to be perfectly safe, no matter the big-game losses. Not if his most talented team ends up spiraling.

4. Good for Nico Iamaleava (166 yards passing, 128 rushing, five TDs) and the Bruins for getting off the mat and reviving their season, beginning with last week’s rally from a 17-0 deficit in its 17-14 loss at Northwestern. Apparently, there was talent there all along, but former coach DeShaun Foster seemingly had no idea what to do with it. They probably dug too deep a hole to reach a bowl game, but at least we can dispense with the 0-12 talk.

And hey, if they can get to 3-9, it will feel like a more successful season than if Penn State goes 9-3.

5. Speaking of squandered seasons, preseason No. 1 Texas (3-2, 0-1 SEC) is not looking Playoff-bound either. It may not even be good enough to finish in the top half of the SEC.

Much like Penn State, the Longhorns defense (3-2, 0-1 SEC) laid a surprising egg in a 29-21 loss at Florida (2-3, 1-1), allowing 7.0 yards per play to a Gators offense that came in ranked 120th in the country in that department (4.9). But Texas’s lofty expectations were always tied to quarterback Arch Manning’s long-awaited ascendance. We now have five games of evidence to say he’s just not that guy.

Manning, who went 16-of-29 for 263 yards, two TDs and two interceptions (plus a 36-yard run), occasionally made a “wow” throw, like his 38-yard touchdown to Ryan Wingo that cut Florida’s lead to 22-14. But those were less common than his overthrows and bad decisions. He was also sacked six times, some of which were on his O-line and some on him holding the ball for too long. Plus, he got no help from his running game, as has been the case for most of the season.

6. Manning’s predecessor, Quinn Ewers, himself a five-star recruit coming out of high school, had a rough first season as a starter in 2022 before leading Texas to back-to-back final fours. I don’t recall there being much panic over his up-and-down redshirt freshman season because that’s what first-year starters do. But the hype surrounding Manning was so impossibly high that he’s not going to be afforded an ounce of patience.

Manning didn’t rank himself No. 1 in those early 2026 mock drafts despite having made just two career starts, but now he’s being measured against those projections. And he’s not remotely close to that level just yet. It’s entirely possible Manning could follow the same trajectory as former Steve Sarkisian first-round QBs Jake Locker (a three-year starter) and Mac Jones (a late bloomer). But that’s not going to make this rapidly deteriorating season less disappointing for Horns fans.

7. In a sport where many ADs cut ties with their coach at the first sign of trouble, Florida’s Scott Stricklin just keeps giving fourth-year coach Billy Napier more lives, and Napier just keeps doing things to say, OK, maybe this could still work out.

The Gators’ defense was good enough to beat USF, LSU and maybe even Miami, but sophomore QB DJ Lagway was strangely ineffective. Not against Texas. Helped by the much-awaited debut of freshman receiver Dallas Wilson (six catches, 111 yards, two TDs), Lagway sprang to life, finishing 21 of 28 for 298 yards, two TDs and one INT. And sophomore running back Jadan Baugh (27 carries, 107 yards) hit 100 yards for the first time since Week 1.

It was a huge win, but before we grant Napier an extension, Florida is still just 2-3, with a trip to undefeated and No. 6 Texas A&M next week and three other Top 25 teams — including at No. 4 Ole Miss — still to come in the SEC. But at least everyone can stand down … for a week.

8. While Penn State and Texas were exposed as pretenders, No. 3 Miami (5-0, 1-0- ACC) made a case that it belongs in the same conversation with Ohio State and Oregon — at least for three quarters. It led rival Florida State 28-3 in Tallahassee, until the Canes let up in the fourth quarter, ultimately holding on to win 28-22.

Mario Cristobal’s team already has three significant wins (Notre Dame, Florida and FSU) plus a blowout of pesky USF. QB Carson Beck (20 of 27 for 241 yards, four TDs, no INTs) and his receivers continue to shine, the defense forced three turnovers and star defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. wreaked more havoc.

To me, the Buckeyes, Ducks and Canes, all 5-0, have separated themselves into their own tier, while Indiana can make its case next week in Eugene. Interestingly, none of those teams hail from the SEC.

9. Late in the first quarter, No. 16 Vanderbilt was at the Alabama 13-yard line with a chance to go up by two scores. You could see the pitchforks waiting on standby for Kalen DeBoer. But then Tide linebacker Justin Jefferson stripped Vandy star Diego Pavia, 10th-ranked Bama (4-1, 2-0 SEC) drove 92 yards to tie the score and it controlled the rest of the game in a 30-14 win. The same team that got embarrassed by Florida State in Week 1 now looks like one of the SEC’s frontrunners thanks to QB Ty Simpson (23 of 31 for 340 yards, two TDs, one INT) and now-healthy running back Jam Miller (22 carries, 136 yards, one TD).

And before you say, “Oh, c’mon, it’s just Vandy” … no, it’s not. Clark Lea’s team is legit. The Commodores (5-1, 1-1) made Bama earn its yards.  I predict they’ll win one of their upcoming home games against either No. 13 LSU or No. 19 Missouri.

10. The SEC team I’m feeling most confident about, though: No. 6 Texas A&M (5-0, 2-0 SEC). For one thing, the Aggies’ Week 3 win at Notre Dame was one of the most impressive nonconference wins anyone had last month. Meanwhile, in its first two conference games, against Auburn and Mississippi State, A&M has allowed just one third-down conversion. Combined.

A week after the much-improved Bulldogs (4-2, 0-2) lost an overtime shootout against Tennessee, they scored their only touchdown midway through the fourth quarter in a 31-9 Aggies victory. A&M also got a career night from third-year running back Rueben Owens (21 carries, 142 yards). Kyle Field should be rocking for next week’s prime-time date with Florida.

11. Ohio State fans who’d been waiting to see QB Julian Sayin let it rip got their wish in the Buckeyes’ (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) 42-3 rout of Minnesota (3-2, 1-1). Sayin was 23 of 27 for 326 yards, three TDs and no picks. Receiver Carnell Tate (nine catches, 183 yards, one TD) had catches of 48, 49 and 44 yards just in the first quarter-and-a-half.

With the win, seventh-year head coach Ryan Day’s career record is now 75-10, which gives him an .882 winning percentage, which, as of this moment, is the highest in the history of the sport. He passed Knute Rockne’s .881 clip. I’m sure that will help Buckeyes fans keep calm if he loses to Michigan again.

12. Last week, four games into Bill Belichick’s North Carolina tenure, GM Michael Lombardi sent a lengthy, bizarre letter to donors that appeared to ask for patience while they rebuild. He laid out UNC’s intention to load up on high-school recruits in December rather than transfers. “Playing young players will create bumps along the way,” he cautioned.

Belichick’s first Tar Heels team, which lost 38-10 to Clemson (2-3, 1-2 ACC), is not running into “bumps” — it is driving backward down a freeway with no off-ramps. UNC (2-3, 0-1) has been non-competitive against all three of its Power 4 opponents (TCU, UCF and Clemson), losing by a combined 120-33. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik, who struggled badly in his first four games, went a near-perfect 22 of 24 for 254 yards and four TDs.

All of this is a self-inflicted debacle for Belichick and Lombardi, who flushed predecessor Mack Brown’s roster and brought in 41 transfers. Brown’s last team was merely mediocre, finishing 6-7. Whereas this one may be the worst Power 4 team in the country.

13. Cincinnati, which went 4-14 in its first two years in the Big 12, looks like a legit conference title contender this season. The Bearcats (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) led No. 14 Iowa State (5-1, 2-1) from start to finish in their 38-30 win. While the Cyclones’ pass defense came in vulnerable, missing its top two cornerbacks, Cincinnati gashed them on the ground with Evan Pryor (10 carries, 111 yards, two TDs) and Tawee Walker (14 carries, 89 yards) to build a 31-15 halftime lead. Meanwhile, the Bearcats’ defense forced three turnovers on downs, and QB Brendan Sorsby delivered a dagger 82-yard touchdown pass with 5:57 left.

It’s an impressive rebound for third-year Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield, who went 3-9 and 5-7 in his first two seasons.

14. But No. 11 Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) increasingly looks like the team to beat in that conference. In their first game since drilling Utah on the road two weeks ago, the Red Raiders hammered previously unbeaten Houston 35-11. Joey McGuire’s team has playmakers all over the field, from running backs Ja’Koby Williams (19 carries, 107 yards, two TDs) and Cameron Dickey (21 carries, 98 yards) to receivers Caleb Douglas (seven catches, 114 yards) and Coy Eakin (10 catches, 81 yards) to stud pass-rusher David Bailey (two sacks).

But most importantly, 29-game starting QB Behren Morton’s efficiency has skyrocketed from that of his previous three seasons. The fifth-year senior, who returned from a neck injury suffered in the Utah game, came in ranked No. 6 nationally in passing efficiency and went 28 of 40 for 345 yards.

15. No. 24 Virginia is not going away. The Cavaliers (5-1, 3-0 ACC) followed up their breakthrough Florida State upset by going on the road and knocking off unbeaten Louisville 30-27 in overtime. The Cardinals (4-1, 1-1) actually held Virginia to less than half its usual yardage (237), but Tony Elliott’s defense stepped up with touchdowns of 61 and 47 yards and held Louisville to a field goal in the first overtime. Nothing like a little complementary football.

Virginia hasn’t started 3-0 in league play since 2007, when Al Groh’s team won nine games and reached the Gator Bowl. Nine wins may be the floor for the 2025 squad, which does not face a current Top 25 team for the rest of the season.

16. Duke’s $4 million (with incentives) man, QB Darian Mensah, got off to a rough start, with nonconference losses to Illinois and Tulane, but he and the Blue Devils have caught fire since ACC play began. After falling behind 14-0 and 21-7 to start Saturday’s late-night game at Cal, Duke (4-2, 3-0 ACC) ripped off four straight touchdown drives and shut out the Golden Bears (4-2, 1-1) the rest of the way in a 45-21 rout. Mensah (22 of 30 for 265 yards) has thrown seven TDs and no picks in those three conference wins.

Miami may be the ACC’s highest-ranked team, but as of today, Duke and Virginia are tied for first.

17. It’s not possible to overstate how miserable this season is going for Oregon State, the nation’s only 0-6 team. Last week, the Beavers blew a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead to lose 27-24 in overtime to Houston at home. This week, they fell behind 17-0 in the first quarter at Appalachian State, only to rally back to within one score and reach the Mountaineers’ 1-yard line with 2 minutes left. But App State (3-2) stuffed them on three straight goal-line plays to hold on 27-23.

It was less than two years ago that Oregon State, in the last season of the Pac-12, finished in the top 20 of the CFP rankings. Then coach Jonathan Smith left, followed by most of the Beavers’ best players, and AD Scott Barnes made a short-sighted decision to promote DC Trent Bray. Now they may be looking at 2-10.

18. Washington had the unenviable task of following up a disappointing home loss to Ohio State with a 3,000-mile trip east to face 4-0 Maryland, and it started badly. The Terps went up 20-0 shortly after halftime. But credit to Demond Williams and the Huskies (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) for storming back to win 24-20.

Meanwhile, apparently “September Maryland” really is a thing. Mike Locksley’s past two teams to start at least 4-0, in 2021 and ’23, finished 7-6 and 8-5, respectively. It’s like Maryland is programmed to cede the spotlight to the hoops team.

19. Navy may be running the most innovative offense in the country right now under OC Drew Cronic. While the Midshipmen (5-0) still use triple-option concepts, their 34-31 win over Air Force (1-4) was more of an aerial shootout. QB Blake Horvath (20 of 26, 339 yards, three TDs, no INTs) uncorked one deep ball after another, usually to senior receiver Eli Heidenreich, who had eight catches for a school-record 243 yards and three TDs. Horvath, who is now 15-3 as a starter, also ran 17 times for 130 yards in Cronic’s “Hybrid Wing T” offense, a blend of RPOs, play-action, option keepers, drop-backs and misdirection. Check it out.

20. Finally, former Mississippi State and Florida coach Dan Mullen has UNLV off to its first 5-0 start since 1974. On Saturday, the Rebels won at Wyoming (2-3) for the first time since 2003, and man was it a Laramie kind of game. With the field blanketed in a mix of hail and snow, UNLV blocked two punts for touchdowns to win 31-17.

Barry Odom laid the groundwork in Vegas, leading the Rebels to back-to-back Mountain West title games, but they couldn’t overcome Boise State in either. The Broncos (3-2), who lost 28-7 at Notre Dame, look mortal. And hey, if UNLV gets to host at Allegiant Stadium — no hail.

(Top photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)