College football power rankings for Week 7

Trying to come up with scientific and unbiased college football rankings is getting harder by the week this year.

Just 6 weeks into the season and with the conference schedules opening up, it's apparent that teams are changing very rapidly week to week.

You aren't who you were last Saturday, and you'll be somebody else next Saturday. With only a few elite exceptions, and sometimes not even then.

Forget the AP top 25 or the Coaches Poll or the College Football Playoff rankings: let's look at the real 10 best teams heading into this weekend.

College football power rankings for Week 7

In theory, team(s) in these rankings should beat the team(s) ranked lower and lose to the team(s) ranked higher on a neutral field

10. UCLA. Saturday's win over No. 11 Utah was the biggest of Chip Kelly's time at Westwood, coming behind another solid showing from the Bruins' 1-2-3 punch on offense: dynamic quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, lead back Zach Charbonnet, and receiver Jake Bobo. UCLA has the pieces to create space and the skill to occupy it with an aggressive style reminiscent of Kelly's teams at Oregon.

9. Ole Miss. Trailing early by 10 to Vanderbilt was a surprise, but the Rebels offense came back to life as Jaxson Dart threw for a career-high 448 yards and Jonathan Mingo had a national-best 247 receiving yards, putting together a 21-point third quarter in a 52-28 win. Dart proved he can put the ball in the air when he has to, an important step forward for this offense, which needs to balance itself out as the season wears on.

8. TCU. The No. 2 ranked offense in college football has a bevy of playmakers on the ground and in the air to tangle with any defense. And it's led by arguably the nation's most singularly efficient quarterback: Max Duggan had 3 TD passes in a win over Kansas, going punch for punch with KU's own superb offense. Duggan has really taken to Garrett Riley's offense and is playing the best football of his career, aided by a complement of skill options like Quentin Johnston, who went for 206 yards off 14 catches this week.

7. Michigan. As expected, the games have been a lot closer since the start of Big Ten play, but Saturday's trip to Indiana was a little too close for college football's 6th ranked scoring offense. Michigan recovered in the second half, thanks in part to a statement 98-yard drive, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy had his first career 300-yard passing effort. But memories of last season's struggle against Georgia in the playoff game still hang over this team when judging its athleticism against national contenders.

6. Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have finished with over 34 points in each game as Spencer Sanders has matured into the starting quarterback role this season, playing turnover-free football this week, leading a second half comeback while outscoring Texas Tech 21-7 after trailing earlier in the game. OSU is tied for 2nd in the Big 12 with TCU; those two meet next weekend.

5. Tennessee. Another major statement by the Vols, who picked up a fumble off the opening kickoff at LSU and never looked back in a 40-13 rout. Just imagine what this offense - which came into Saturday the No. 1 unit in college football - will look like with Cedric Tillman coming back. Big Orange tangles with what has been the big crimson elephant on its back these last 15 years next Saturday in another massive opportunity. Hendon Hooker can take this team wherever it wants to go, provided the Vols' secondary holds up

4. Clemson. This offense is still making incremental improvements each week, coming off two statement wins over division opponents and a walk over BC, even if it was a 3-3 tie at the half. This stout defensive front unit powered through and kept the Eagles out of the end zone, and should be the engine that keeps Clemson in the playoff chase all year. while DJ Uiagalelei keeps developing this attack.

3. Ohio State. On paper, no defense in the Big Ten has the speed to stop this group of skill threats, and Jim Knowles has the Buckeyes' defense posting top 15 numbers in the most important categories, a major improvement from a year ago. Every passing week sets up a titanic clash with Michigan in the finale to likely determine the East Division champion and what would also look like a virtual lock for the College Football Playoff.

2. Georgia. Once again, the Bulldogs' offense came out a little uninspired and the big plays aren't there at the same rate they were the first three weeks of the season. But the front seven unit performed well in a big win over Auburn, even without star tackle Jalen Carter.

1. Alabama. This ranking depends on Bryce Young being healthy and ready when it counts, because without him, the Tide looks a little too mortal. Jalen Milroe is a gifted athlete, but the offense lost three fumbles and Milroe threw an interception, all of which kept Texas A&M in the game until the very last second. But this front seven still has the force to contain just about any offense on any given Saturday.

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