College football rankings 2022: Projected Week 7 AP Top 25 after Alabama barely escapes, Tennessee, Ohio State & Georgia cruise

Projected AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 6: No. 8-7

8. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Yes, Oklahoma State won to remain perfect on the 2022 season, which is something that Mike Gundy’s team deserves immense credit for. At the same time, though, the truth of the matter is that the Cowboys needed a second-half comeback against an exceptionally mediocre Texas Tech team to secure that win.

Hats off to the defense for stepping up to stop the Red Raiders – playing with a backup quarterback – in the second half after Texas Tech went up 31-23, but the 41-31 victory for the Pokes confirmed that, though the record says so, the eye test doesn’t look wholly like a Top 10 team. With that said, Oklahoma State can prove that sentiment wrong next week as they face another Big 12 unbeaten in TCU. For now, though, they get jumped by a more impressive Tennessee team.

7. Tennessee Volunteers

On the road in Death Valley, there was always the potential for Tennessee to be caught looking ahead against an LSU team that, though they have been inconsistent under Brian Kelly’s short watch in Baton Rouge, is loaded with talent. Instead, the Vols made a statement that maybe having them at No. 8 in the AP Top 25 wasn’t high enough.

After jumping out to a big early lead, Hendon Hooker and the Vols turned on the cruise control and even that was better than what LSU had to offer. Playing at one of the toughest road stadiums in the country, Vols fans all but took over Tiger Stadium and Tennessee owned the rest of it on the field. But now comes the biggest test of all as they will take on Alabama next week in what will be a titanic SEC clash.