College football Power Rankings after Week 7

We’re officially through the midway point of the college football season, and it’s time to look back over the first seven weeks.

Yes, Alabama and Tennessee played in the game of the season, TCU outlasted Oklahoma State in a Big 12 classic and Utah upended Southern California late in Week 7, but with half the season behind us, what do we really know about these teams?

Ohio State, Georgia and now Tennessee combine to make a formidable top three, while teams like Michigan, TCU and Ole Miss are right on the cusp, waiting to solidify the fourth playoff position.

This week we’re looking at what we’ve learned so far this season while also ranking a top 25 after a Saturday of wobbly game-winning kicks, double-overtime winners and a few lopsided score lines.

Here are this week’s Power Rankings.

The Buckeyes reached the midway point of the season with a predictably elite offense (48.8 points per game, 8.1 yards per play) and a notably improved defense, which has allowed just 49 fourth-quarter points and 27.2% of third downs to be converted. Even without Biletnikoff Award favorite Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has barely played, Ohio State’s wide receiving corps has overwhelmed opponents with Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr. and others. First-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has upgraded linebacker play, as Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers have combined for 10 tackles for loss. — Adam Rittenberg

Saturday’s result: BYE

Up next: vs. Iowa (Saturday, noon ET, Fox)

The Dawgs’ only close call to this point, believe it or not, was against Missouri in a game in which they trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter. They came back to win that contest 26-22, and with a 55-0 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday, they moved to 7-0 to begin their title defense season. Defensively, Georgia has been as stout as ever. But on offense, Georgia has been hit and miss in the passing game and is still looking for more explosive plays from its wide receivers. Injuries also have…