College Football Winners, Week 6 Losers: Michigan falters, Texas A&M QB finally meets five-star requirement

There was something in the air this week. Maybe we've become too calm after Kalen DeBoer's legendary Alabama win to finish No. 1. Maybe it was just the Calgorithm meme that found its way onto social media. On paper, Week 6 looked boring, but college football always seems to find a way.

Ultimately, five of the top 11 teams in the AP Top 25 were eliminated. Four of them lost to unranked opponents, with Missouri falling to No. 25 Texas A&M, which barely made it into the poll. Four teams in the AP Top 12 have not fallen on the same day since 2021, making this another special day in the sport. Miami capped it all off with a 25-point comeback that shocked California, the largest comeback in an FBS contest this season.

Suddenly conference championships and playoff races are wide open. The search for a perfect team for this season could be coming to an end. Instead, the year of chaos is just beginning. Here are the biggest winners and losers from week six.

A lot of people deserve credit for a 40-35 win over the No. 1 Tide, but Pavia's story is truly crazy. The Albuquerque native came to New Mexico State only after a year of military school. He led NMSU to its first 10-win season since 1960. He then transferred to Vanderbilt and helped the Commodores win their first game ever against a No. 1 opponent, throwing for 252 yards and rushing for 56 yards. Pavia is a player who now takes his rightful place as the folk hero of the 2024 season.

Loser: Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer

Welcome to the hot seat, Kalen DeBoer. Well, not for his job, but the honeymoon is officially over after No. 1 Alabama lost to Vanderbilt for the first time since 1984. The Commodores scored 40 points against the Tide for the first time since 1906 and beat a No. 1 team for the first time in program history. Needless to say, Alabama hasn't suffered a loss like this since Nick Saban's first year at the helm.

These are the real moments that will test DeBoer's entry into the Southeastern Conference. The pressure in Alabama is different than in Washington, Fresno State or Sioux Falls. At that time batting no. 2 Georgia will be forgotten as quickly as it happened. How DeBoer and Alabama handle the next three weeks — South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri — will set the tone for DeBoer's first year in Tuscaloosa and perhaps more.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti had no fear when he took the job and immediately challenged the best teams in the conference. Don't look now, but the Hoosiers are the first team in college football to achieve bowl eligibility after starting 6-0 for the first time since 1967. What's perhaps even crazier is Indiana was dominant, winning all of its games by at least two touchdowns. In a 41-24 road win over Northwestern, Kurtis Rourke rushed the Wildcats for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Cignetti should be on the list for national coach of the year awards regardless of what happens in the final six games.

Winner: SMU

The Mustangs were written off after falling to BYU, but SMU has found new life with new quarterback Kevin Jennings. The Dallas native completed his first 13 passes and recorded 100 yards rushing in the first half as SMU shocked No. 22 Louisville to move to 5-1 and start ACC play with a 2-0 record.

The Mustangs bet heavily on themselves in their move to the ACC, accepting no television payouts and moving to the power conferences after nearly 30 years. Since Jennings took over, SMU has appeared to be a serious ACC contender with wins over TCU, Florida State and Louisville. A Nov. 2 home game against Pittsburgh suddenly looks like a game with big implications for the ACC title. After watching the former AAC converts struggle in the Big 12 last season, SMU's start deserves serious recognition as a newcomer to the power conference.

Loser: Tennessee's offense

The Volunteers scored just 25 points against Oklahoma, but Josh Heupel told quarterback Nico Iamaleava he let his foot off the gas. After scoring just two touchdowns in a stunning 19-14 loss to Arkansas, there could be a few more issues at play. Tennessee managed just 332 yards and 16 first downs, a far cry from the elite offense it promised. Iamaleava had 158 yards and completed less than 60% of his passes in the loss.

In three games against power conference rivals, Iamaleava has yet to rush for 211 yards. He had just one touchdown pass in two SEC games. Tennessee has quietly become a team that runs the ball well and defends hard, but just doesn't have much consistency in the passing game. There's little chance the Vols can compete for a national championship if the unit doesn't get better.

Reports of Weigman's death were greatly exaggerated. After missing several games due to injury, the former five-star prospect stepped in and showcased his great talent in a 41-10 upset win over No. 9 Missouri. Weigman completed 18 of 22 passes for 276 yards and hit 10 different receivers in the win. Three different players had at least 55 yards and a 40-yard bomb to Jahdae Walker helped turn the game on its head in the second quarter. If Weigman begins to find his form and a manageable schedule, the Aggies will be a force to be reckoned with in the SEC title race.

The Wolverines have played brilliantly in almost every win this season, but a double-digit loss to Washington was not in anyone's plans. Michigan's passing offense was so bad that the Wolverines drafted seventh-year quarterback Jack Tuttle. Washington outgained them by nearly 150 yards and quietly increased the UM secondary's total to 315 yards and two touchdowns.

After a loss in the national title rematch, Michigan's path forward looks a lot scarier. A road trip to Illinois next week won't be fun, and games against Oregon and Ohio State were always potential losses. Entry into the top 10 and CFP talks always felt a bit tenuous, but the loss to the recovering Huskies lowers the floor significantly.

Jeanty could end up on this list any week, but his 186-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 62-30 win over Utah State was incredibly good. Jeanty came into the game with a -2000 prop bet looking to score a touchdown in the game and delivered a breakaway of more than 60 yards on his first play. Amazingly, he has already passed for 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns in just five games. More importantly, Alabama's Jalen Milroe didn't do himself any favors in the Heisman conversation. Jeanty's path to New York should be all but assured at this point.

Winner: ULM

Louisiana-Monroe is one of the toughest jobs in the FBS, but Bryant Vincent pulled off one of the most miraculous turnarounds of the season. The Warhawks have already doubled their win total from last season after starting 4-1. The Warhawks forced two turnovers in a shocking 21-19 win over Sun Belt favorite James Madison. ULM hasn't achieved bowl eligibility since 2018, but Vincent has the postseason within reach.