Week 6 Upset Alert: Five Ranked Teams on the Brink
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Injuries and inconsistent play leave No. 13 Oregon, No. 14 Missouri, No. 19 USC, No. 22 Houston, and No. 25 Pittsburgh vulnerable.
As the 2026 college football season enters its middle stretch, several Top 25 teams are facing high-risk matchups in Week 6. As Sports Illustrated first reported, five ranked programs are currently on upset alert.
No. 13 Oregon hosts No. 21 UCLA, a team that has won both road games by 21+ points under head coach Bob Chesney. The Ducks face a potential crisis at quarterback, as star Dante Moore was injured during a victory over USC and may be unavailable Saturday.
No. 14 Missouri enters a matchup against Texas A&M following a blowout win over Florida. However, Sports Illustrated notes the Tigers previously struggled against Troy, overcoming a double-digit deficit in a home game.
No. 19 USC, led by head coach Lincoln Riley, faces Penn State. While the Trojans are 5-1, they have struggled defensively and narrowly defeated Rutgers and Washington. Despite Penn State losing two straight, the Nittany Lions enter as 1.5-point favorites per FanDuel odds.
No. 22 Houston is under scrutiny after a loss to Texas Tech and a game against UCF where they trailed 17-0. They now travel to face Kansas State and first-year head coach Collin Klein.
Finally, No. 25 Pittsburgh is dealing with the loss of starting quarterback Mason Heintschel, who is out for the season. Veteran Holden Geriner will make his first start against a North Carolina defense led by Bill Belichick.