COLUMBIA, S.C. — After weeks of viral videos and off-field controversies, social media turned its lens back to the gridiron in Week Six of the college football season.
Alabama took the No. 1 spot in the University of South Carolina’s College Sports Social Pulse rankings following a hard-fought loss to Georgia in Tuscaloosa. Georgia’s narrow victory sparked a social media firestorm over a controversial no-call.
“Alabama got robbed” became one of the dominant themes as fans debates whether officials should have called pass interference on Georgia. Among the reactions: “This might be the worst no-call in the history of college football” and “Even people who hate Alabama admit it was a bad call.”
Another storyline emerged after Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer confronted Dijon Lee Jr. following a late and costly personal foul. The sideline exchange sparked a broader debate about coaching and accountability in the NIL era.
One widely reposted comment said, “Anyone whining about Coach DeBoer absolutely COOKING this ‘kid,’ is soft… That ‘kid’ is a seven-figure NIL earning adult athlete.”
"NIL has changed the economics of college football. Now fans are debating whether it should change the way coaches coach," said Clay Owen, professor of practice at the University of South Carolina. "What began as a sideline confrontation became a much bigger conversation about leadership and accountability."
The College Sports Social Pulse measures the college football teams, players and coaches making the most impact on social media. The rankings are produced weekly by the University of South Carolina’s Social Media Insights Lab and published in partnership with Sports Business Journal.
Top 10 Teams
| Rank | Team | Pulse Score | Last Week's Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Alabama | 99.3 | 6. |
| 2. | Oklahoma | 78.2 | 30. |
| 3. | UGA | 74.2 | 7. |
| 4. | LSU | 70.8 | 1. |
| 5. | Kentucky | 69.5 | 13. |
| 6. | Ohio State | 68.6 | 2. |
| 7. | Oregon | 66 | 3. |
| 8. | UCLA | 65.4 | 64. |
| 9. | Indiana | 61.8 | 24. |
| 10. | Pitt | 58.2 | 27. |
Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell and UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton also placed in the Top 10 player rankings, at No. 4 and No 5, respectively. But Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State continued his dominance online, ranked No. 1 for the second week running. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers had the largest week-over-week rise, shooting to No. 2 from No. 40 a week ago. Sellers was responsible for five Gamecock touchdowns in a win against Florida.
| Rank | Player | Team | Pulse Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State | 100 |
| 2. | LaNorris Sellers | South Carolina | 73.9 |
| 3. | Arch Manning | Texas | 67.5 |
| 4. | Keelon Russell | Alabama | 65 |
| 5. | Gunner Stockton | UGA | 63.2 |
| 6. | Dante Moore | Oregon | 62.7 |
| 7. | Kenny Minchey | Kentucky | 60.9 |
| 8. | Julian Sayin | Ohio State | 58.8 |
| 9. | Darian Mensah | Miami | 57.8 |
| 10. | Chris Henry Jr. | Ohio State | 57.1 |
LSU Coach Lane Kiffin came in No. 1 in the Pulse rankings — the fifth time this season. However, Kentucky’s Will Stein and UCLA’s Bob Chesney took the No. 2 and No. 3 slots as social media celebrated their successful debut seasons.
| Rank | Coach | Team | Pulse Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lane Kiffin | LSU | 100 |
| 2. | Will Stein | Kentucky | 86.5 |
| 3. | Bob Chesney | UCLA | 79.5 |
| 4. | Curt Cignetti | Indiana | 71.3 |
| 5. | Kalen DeBoer | Alabama | 68.7 |
| 6. | Brent Venables | Oklahoma | 59.4 |
| 7. | Morgan Scalley | Utah | 59.1 |
| 8. | Bill Bellichick | UNC | 58.6 |
| 9. | Eli Drinkwitz | Missouri | 58.6 |
| 10. | Brent Brennan | Arizona | 57.9 |
The Week Six rankings are based on social media activity from Oct. 6 – Oct. 12.
About the College Sports Social Pulse™
Developed by the University of South Carolina’s Social Media Insights Lab, the College Sports Social Pulse™ transforms social media conversation into insight about the teams, athletes and coaches shaping the culture and business of college sports.
The Pulse tracks the national conversation across major social platforms and uses advanced analytics to identify who is generating attention, engagement and emotional response — regardless of what happens on the scoreboard.
Learn more about the College Sports Social Pulse™ here.