Georgia claims No. 1 ranking after 20-17 win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa

Georgia moved to the top of the AP Top 25 college football poll on Sunday following a 20-17 road victory over No. 6 Alabama on Saturday night, marking the Bulldogs' first win in Tuscaloosa since 2007. The win came on the same day that then-No. 1 Texas lost to Oklahoma 27-24, clearing the path for Georgia to ascend to the top spot after spending five consecutive weeks ranked No. 2.

The game was decided by defensive plays and quarterback execution in the final minutes. Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards, including a 17-yard third-down conversion to tight end Elyiss Williams late in the fourth quarter that helped seal the victory. The Bulldogs' defense forced a punt on Alabama's final possession after a contested sequence in the end zone. Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell threw deep for receiver Rico Scott with approximately 3:30 remaining, but Georgia safety KJ Bolden broke up the pass. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer and Crimson Tide fans objected to the no-call, which appeared to many observers to be pass interference. Peyton Woodring's 23-yard field goal with 5:25 left had given Georgia its 20-17 lead.

Georgia received 66 of 70 first-place votes in the poll released Sunday. The Bulldogs improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in SEC play. Alabama, which fell to 5-1, remained ranked No. 6. Georgia's win provided a significant statement victory after early-season concerns about the strength of its schedule; the Bulldogs' first three SEC opponents were among the league's three lowest-rated offenses. Georgia coach Kirby Smart, who spent eight seasons as Alabama's defensive coordinator under Nick Saban before taking the Georgia job, acknowledged the challenge of winning in Tuscaloosa while emphasizing respect for the program and DeBoer's team.

Week 6 reshuffled the College Football Playoff picture significantly. Beyond Texas's drop from No. 1 to No. 7, several other ranked teams suffered losses: No. 10 LSU fell 35-34 in overtime to Kentucky (which surged from unranked to No. 15), and No. 13 Oregon lost 17-15 at home to No. 21 UCLA (which jumped nine spots). Notre Dame rose to No. 2 after routing Stanford 58-7, Miami remained No. 3 with two first-place votes, and Ohio State and Indiana rounded out the top five. The SEC maintained nine ranked teams—the most of any conference—followed by the Big Ten with six and the Big 12 with five. Northwestern, which defeated Ball State 45-14, entered the poll for the first time since 2020.