Stadium Rant’s Official Week Five College Football Rankings
Week Five of the college football slate was filled with ranked-on-ranked matchups that caused a good amount of shift in the Stadium Rant College Football rankings. Check out where your team falls in this week’s rankings!
1. Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0)
Last Week: 49-26 Win at #20 Arkansas
Despite star quarterback Bryce Young missing the second half with a shoulder injury, the Crimson Tide were able to handily beat a top-25 team on the road. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs is a star, but this team needs a healthy Young to compete for a National Title.
2. Georgia Bulldogs (5-0)
Last Week: 26-22 Win at Missouri
The Bulldogs survived a scare last week in Missouri. Georgia took the lead for the first time with just over four minutes left in the game. The Bulldogs, who looked unstoppable through the first three weeks of the season, have a bit of a capped ceiling with Stetson Bennett at quarterback.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0)
Last Week: 49-10 Win vs Rutgers.
Ohio State was able to steamroll Rutgers with a five-touchdown performance from running back Miyan Williams. This Buckeye offense is incredibly versatile with NFL talent up and down the two-deep. They seem to have found their stride.
4. Michigan Wolverines (5-0)
Last Week: 27-14 Win at Iowa
Although this Iowa team is not one of Kirk Ferentz’s best, this was still a quality road win for the Wolverines. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy is going through some growing pains but running back Blake Corum is there to carry the brunt of the offense. He has 59 carries for 373 yards over the last two games.
5. Clemson Tigers (5-0)
Last Week: 30-20 Win vs NC State
Clemson was able to ride a +2-turnover margin to a victory over tenth-ranked NC State on Saturday night. It was not the cleanest game of all time, but the Tigers proved they could sustain offensive drives via both the run and the pass. After winning the two hardest games on their schedule, this team may be poised for another undefeated regular season finish.
6. USC Trojans (5-0)
Last Week: 42-25 Win vs Arizona State
USC was able to pull away in the second half against Arizona State backed by 348 passing yards and three touchdowns from Caleb Williams. I am still not completely sold on this Trojans team, but there is no denying their offensive talent.
7. Oklahoma State (4-0)
Last Week: 36-25 Win at #16 Baylor
Oklahoma State really impressed me last weekend. They were able to go into Waco and silence the doubters, of which there were many. Quarterback Spencer Sanders was able to stave off the pressures of a Baylor comeback and consistently answered the bell whenever the Bears did close in on the Pokes’ lead.
8. Tennessee Volunteers (4-0)
Last Week: IDLE
9. Ole Miss Rebels (5-0)
Last Week: 22-19 Win vs #7 Kentucky
Ole Miss used two Will Levis fumbles to propel them past formerly number-seven ranked Kentucky. True freshman running back Quinshon Judkins is the real deal. If Jaxson Dart can avoid turnovers, this Rebels squad could make a lot of noise in the SEC.
10. Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0)
Last Week: 17-7 Win vs Northwestern
Last weekend was a win for the anti-Sean Clifford hive. The senior quarterback completed just 10/20 passes for 140 yards. Nick Singleton is the real deal at running back, but the Nittany Lions have a capped ceiling with Clifford under center.
11. Utah Utes (4-1)
Last Week: 42-16 vs Oregon State
Utah is finding its stride after its Week Two loss in Gainesville. The Utes absolutely dominated a feisty Oregon State squad on Saturday. Cam Rising is a big difference-maker at the quarterback position and can take this team to major heights this season.
12. Oregon Ducks (4-1)
Last Week: 45-27 Win vs Stanford
Oregon has been a completely different team over the past four weeks after their opening weekend loss to Georgia. Bo Nix has been unbelievable at quarterback. He racked up 302 total yards and four touchdowns on Saturday.
13. Kentucky Wildcats (4-1)
Last Week: 19-22 Loss at #14 Ole Miss
Kentucky’s pitfall in front of a raucous Ole Miss crowd was the turnover bug. This offense has some problems, but Mark Stoops will have his team ready to compete week in and week out.
14. NC State Wolfpack (4-1)
Last Week: 20-30 Loss at #5 Clemson
NC State and quarterback Devin Leary put up a valiant fight in Death Valley, but it was not enough in a sold-out Memorial Stadium. This team is one of the better squads in the ACC, but the lack of blue-chip players was evident in their loss on Saturday night.
15. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-1)
Last Week: 31-21 Win at #23 Florida State
Wake Forest was able to bounce back from its loss to Clemson by regrouping and taking out the 23rd-ranked Seminoles in Tallahassee. A balanced offensive attack and a ‘bend-don’t-break’ defense were the difference in this one. Wake still has a chance to compete for an ACC Atlantic title.
16. BYU Cougars (4-1)
Last Week: 38-26 Win vs Utah State
Quarterback Jaren Hall is the real deal, but this BYU team has many other problems on their roster that will be exposed against decent competition.
17. UCLA Bruins (5-0)
Last Week: 40-32 Win vs #15 Washington
UCLA and quarterback Dorian Thompson Robinson silenced the doubters on Friday night. I will never be able to fully trust DTR and Chip Kelly, but right now they look like a team that could compete for a Pac-12 title.
18. TCU Horned Frogs (4-0)
Last Week: 55-24 Win vs #18 Oklahoma
TCU absolutely embarrassed Oklahoma on Saturday in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs were going to win this game whether or not the Sooners had quarterback Dillon Gabriel. They had 487 yards in the first half alone. TCU sneakily has some of the best offensive weapons in the conference.
19. Kansas Jayhawks (5-0)
Last Week: 14-11 Win vs Iowa State
Kansas is ranked for the first time since 2009! Their three-point victory over Iowa State was not pretty, but it did show me a lot. This Jayhawks team can win in many different ways. I truly believe second-year head coach Lance Leipold is changing the culture in Lawrence.
20. Kansas State Wildcats (4-1)
Last Week: 37-28 Win vs Texas Tech
Nebraska transfer quarterback Adrian Martinez currently has the sixth-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy. Although I believe this is just a flash in the pan, you have to give credit where credit is due.
21. Washington Huskies (4-1)
Last Week: 32-40 Loss at UCLA
Washington’s defensive flaws were exposed on Friday night in Los Angeles. This Huskies team has talent, but can they put it all together in an eight- or nine-win season?
22. Syracuse Orange (5-0)
Last Week: 59-0 Win vs Wagner
Let’s see how Syracuse handles a challenge. They host NC State in two weeks.
23. LSU Tigers (4-1)
Last Week: 21-17 Win at Auburn
LSU was able to overcome a 17-point deficit on the road against Auburn. The Tigers certainly have talent, but I still think they are a 7-5 team.
24. Mississippi State Bulldogs (4-1)
Last Week: 42-24 Win vs #17 Texas A&M
Mike Leach and Mississippi State were able to have their way against Texas A&M. Leach once again has a very frisky Bulldogs squad that will cause problems for everyone on their schedule.
25. Cincinnati Bearcats (4-1)
Last Week: 31-21 Win at Tulsa
Cincinnati picked up a solid win over a frisky Tulsa team on Saturday. These are not the Bearcats of 2021, but this is still one of the better teams in the AAC.