On Saturday, October 10, three top-13 teams lost, No. 1 among them. Oklahoma beat No. 1 Texas on the last play. Kentucky beat No. 10 LSU in overtime. UCLA won at No. 13 Oregon by two points. Houston went to Manhattan, Kansas, and won by 19.

At the center of each one was a player who had made a decision about where to play: a walk-on kicker, a quarterback who waited three years, a tight end who went home and a safety still looking for his first college interception a year ago. Two of the four started at UTSA, which is 5-1 itself.

Week 6: A 47-yard field goal as time expired to beat No. 1 Texas 27-24 at the Cotton Bowl, after a 53-yarder in the third quarter.

Road: Port Neches-Groves High in Port Neches, Texas; UTSA, 2022 to 2024; Oklahoma, June 2025.

In high school Sandell practiced at night. His father worked at the school, so he would take the keys and go out to the field. He walked on at UTSA, redshirted, and attempted two field goals in his second season. Without a scholarship, the cost of staying became a family conversation. "I'm not gonna put my family in a financial burden, so I was almost done," he said later.

He kept kicking. In 2024 he made 19 of 23 with a school-record 54-yarder, then entered the portal and moved to Oklahoma. That December he won the Lou Groza Award, the first in Oklahoma history. Saturday's 53-yarder was the 11th of his career from 50 or more. The 47-yarder gave Oklahoma its first win over a No. 1 team since 2007.

Week 6: 23 of 36 for 246 yards, no interceptions, and the two-point run that beat No. 10 LSU 35-34 in overtime.

Road: Pope John Paul II Prep in Hendersonville, Tennessee; Notre Dame, 2023 to 2025; Kentucky, January 2026.

Minchey threw 29 passes in three seasons at Notre Dame. He lost a close quarterback competition in August 2025 and spent the year as the backup. "It just really just taught me to enjoy where I was at because I was still playing football with my best friends," he said.

After Minchey entered the portal, Will Stein called, with Minchey's parents on the line. Minchey said his deciding question was "coaching, and how am I gonna get coached." He signed with Kentucky in January and won the job. Through six games he has thrown one interception in 178 attempts.

In overtime Saturday, Stein went for two with five receivers spread wide and gave Minchey the freedom to check to a run. "There was nobody in the middle, so I figured I'd run there," Minchey said. A week earlier at South Carolina, he won it in overtime with a two-point throw. Kentucky is 5-1 and plays at Oklahoma on Saturday.

Week 6: Eight catches for 83 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-16 win at Kansas State, tying the FBS single-game record for a tight end.

Road: Kingwood Park High in Kingwood, Texas; UTSA, 2023 to 2025; Houston, January 2026.

Overmyer trained to play tight end in high school, then moved to quarterback the week before his senior season when Kingwood Park needed one. He threw for 2,028 yards and 24 touchdowns and was first-team All-District. At UTSA he went back to tight end and was a Freshman All-American in 2024.

When he entered the portal, the call came from Tanner Koziol, the Houston tight end whose eligibility had run out and whose job was open. "I've seen what Tanner did last year," Overmyer said. "I knew this was a good spot for a tight end." Houston is about 30 miles from home.

Through six games he has 33 catches for 400 yards and six touchdowns. He is the first Division I tight end with four touchdown catches in a game since 2021. Houston is 5-1.

Week 6: A third-quarter interception, his fourth of the season, as UCLA forced seven turnovers in a 17-15 win at No. 13 Oregon.

Road: Carl Albert High in Midwest City, Oklahoma; Iowa State, 2023 to 2025; UCLA, January 2026.

James won three state titles at Carl Albert. At Iowa State he played 26 games over three seasons, started eight and made 79 tackles. He did not have an interception, and his 2025 season ended with an injury in late October.

He signed with UCLA in January. He has four interceptions in five games, including a pick-six against Maryland, and leads the Big Ten. Saturday, UCLA held Oregon to 1 of 12 on third down and 272 yards, and tied a program record with seven takeaways. It was UCLA's first win at Autzen Stadium since 2004. The Bruins are 5-0.

How we count: Roads and season lines reflect the UpNext network's athlete records. Game details, quotes and backstory come from school releases and public reporting.