5 Things Learned From College Football Week 7

College football week 7 is in the books. After every week fans can take away things from what happened on the field. Here are 5 things learned from college football week 7.

Related: 5 Things to watch in college football week 7.

1. Indiana is a Juggernaut

While Indiana did have a great season in 2024, in which they made the CFP, there were some doubts around the team. Even after dominating Illinois and getting a tough road win over Iowa, those doubts persisted for many. This week, Indiana proved a lot of people wrong with their play. They defeated Oregon 30-20 on the road.

Indiana now has a couple of marquee wins under its belt. Fernando Mendoza is playing great at the quarterback position, which has the offense rolling. The defense has also been stout, with the 20 points they gave up against Oregon being the most they have allowed all season. Indiana is on a good path to make another CFP this season and they may have a chance to advance.

2. Texas isn’t Dead Yet

Texas had a rough start to the season. They lost to Ohio State in week 1. A few weeks later, they lost on the road to Florida. The offense looked disjointed and the defense wasn’t playing up to par. The team showed signs of life in week 7 against their rivals, Oklahoma. Texas won 23-6 over the Sooners, who were undefeated and ranked sixth.

The Longhorns were able to regroup well against Oklahoma. Their defense specifically played well, forcing a lot of turnovers. The offense showed signs of improvement, although there is still a long way to go. Texas still has their work cut out for them, but in the same week other teams gave up on the season, Texas showed some fight.

3. The James Franklin Era at Penn State is Coming to an End

During his time as the Penn State coach, James Franklin has been known as the coach who could win the games he was supposed to win, but would lose the big games. That looked to be the same this season, as the Nittany Lions lost to Oregon in a close game. They followed that up with a loss to UCLA, but to make things worse, this week they lost their third straight game, this one to Northwestern.

With a reported buyout of $50 million, it made things unclear as to whether Franklin would remain at Penn State. That is a huge sum, but after losing three straight games, a change is likely going to be made; it is just a matter of when. Starting quarterback Drew Allar was lost for the season, which won’t help the rest of the season. Penn State started off the season as a team with a lot of hope after returning a lot of talent from last year’s squad, but a nightmare has ensued. The chances of James Franklin staying at the school are slim now.

4. Alabama is Back

Alabama lost to Florida State to open the season. Fans may have panicked, but Kalen DeBoer has the team back on the right track. They have since been undefeated with wins over Vanderbilt and Georgia. That good run of play continued in week 7, as the Crimson Tide won a game on the road against an undefeated Missouri team.

The defense has really improved and deserves credit, but the offense looks a lot better too. Ty Simpson went from a bad first game to playing well the rest of the way. He has created big plays and limited mistakes. Simpson made some key throws down the stretch against Missouri, a few on fourth down, that helped seal the win and help propel his individual season as a Heisman Trophy contender. Alabama may have had some things to fix, but they are back now.

5.  Texas A&M has a Great Chance to Make the CFP

Texas A&M has gone through years of jokes about going 8-4 and this year was no different. The Aggies handled business this season though, heading into week 7 at 5-0. They had notched wins over Notre Dame, Auburn and Mississippi State. The Aggies added to their case to make the CFP by beating Florida. 

The schedule for Texas A&M still has some tough games, but things are reasonably manageable for them to get out of the year with just a loss or two. They have: at Arkansas, at LSU, at Missouri, vs. South Carolina, vs. Samford and at Texas left on the schedule. If they win four out of these games, they are likely going to the CFP and may even make the SEC Championship. 

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