AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Special teams have become a problem for no-longer-top-ranked Texas. In the last two weeks, the punt team has given up critical touchdowns with a long return and a blocked kick in the end zone. Kickoffs have flown out of bounds. Return teams have made critical penalties and fumbled away an onside kick. But after Saturday's loss to Oklahoma that was punctuated by special teams breakdowns, coach Steve Sarkisian says he has no plans to make major changes or take any duties away from special teams coordinator Jeff Banks. The Longhorns are now ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — No. 6 Alabama is preparing to play without leading wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams at 14th-ranked Tennessee on Saturday. Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer says Coleman-Williams is doubtful for the rivalry known as “The Third Saturday in October.” The team captain is dealing with multiple injuries, including a concussion. Coleman-Williams left Alabama’s 20-17 loss to then-No. 2 Georgia twice Saturday night. He landed awkwardly on his left leg in the second quarter and left the game for good early in the fourth after Georgia safety KJ Bolden delivered a blow to his head.
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Auburn will be without standout linebacker Xavier Atkins, the team’s second-leading tackler, against top-ranked Georgia on Saturday. Coach Alex Golesh made the announcement and declined to revealed why Atkins won’t make the trip to Athens, Georgia, for the Southeastern Conference game known as “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.” Golesh says he will “keep it in house in terms of anything beyond that.” Atkins has been one of Auburn’s most productive defensive players this season. He has 37 tackles, including 7 1/2 for loss.
UNDATED (AP) — Georgia moved up to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 following its win at Alabama. Texas dropped from No. 1 to No. 7 after its loss to rival Oklahoma and Oregon is unranked for the first time in four years after losing for the second time in four games. Georgia received 66 first-place votes from the panel. Notre Dame moved up one spot to No. 2 and got one first-place vote. No. 3 Miami received two first-place votes and is followed by Ohio State and Indiana. Alabama remained No. 6. Texas, BYU, Mississippi and Texas Tech completed the top 10.
UNDATED (AP) — Georgia replaced Texas as the top seed on the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket based on The Associated Press Top 25 but the Longhorns would still play at home in the first round. The projected bracket underwent minor changes with Texas’ loss to unranked Oklahoma knocking the Longhorns out of a top-four seed and the first-round bye that goes with it. Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami each move up one seed line from last week, Ohio State moves in at No. 4 and Indiana, Alabama, Texas and BYU would host first-round games.
UNDATED (AP) — Indiana wide receiver Nick Marsh is Associated Press national player of the week in college football for his performance against Nebraska. Marsh caught six passes for 187 yards and scored long touchdowns on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter to lead the Hoosiers to a 20-17 come-from-behind victory. His 75-yard catch-and-run touchdown and 44-yard TD on a fourth-and-1 brought the Hoosiers back from the 17-6 deficit and helped extend their win streak to 22 games. BYU's Bear Bachmeier was runner-up after throwing for 329 yards and two TDs and running for 109 yards in a 24-10 win over Iowa State.
UNDATED (AP) — Georgia has taken a big step toward the Southeastern Conference championship game by defeating Alabama 20-17. The Bulldogs' defense sacked Alabama's quarterback four times and held him to a season-low in passing yards. This victory could boost Georgia to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 rankings. Meanwhile, Oklahoma upset top-ranked Texas 27-24, giving coach Brent Venables a much-needed win. South Carolina also pulled off an upset, defeating Florida 38-19, easing pressure on coach Shane Beamer. In other games, Kentucky edged LSU 35-34, UCLA remained undefeated with a win over Oregon, and Indiana narrowly beat Nebraska to stay unbeaten.
DALLAS (AP) — Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns keep raising questions after another shaky performance. The latest was a 27-24 loss to Red River rival Oklahoma that answered one of them. The Longhorns are no longer No. 1, dropping six spots in the new AP poll Sunday. Texas had stayed the top-ranked team through a couple of uneven games from the offense in victories over UTSA and Tennessee. They had chances to escape against the Sooners, too. Since they didn't, they move on thinking they're still good enough to compete for the College Football Playoff out of the Southeastern Conference.
