With a few of the top college football teams on a bye this past weekend, there was still a separation from the pack. As we get set to head into October, two of the basketball schools finally lost, in the Kansas Jayhawks and the Duke Blue Devils, but they were to top 10 teams. Meanwhile, the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals still won. Here are 10 takeaways from Week 5 of the season.
1. LSU is done
The trendy pick to become kings of the SEC West in the 2020s under Brian Kelly was eliminated from the College Football Playoff race before we even hit September. That’s an epic fail. Kelly and co. suffered a heartbreaking shootout loss to the Ole Miss Rebels on the road, the second time this month their defense was an issue, and they are the first highly touted team we can cross off the national title list.
2. Alabama is looking better
Speaking of SEC teams that struggled in September, the Alabama Crimson Tide beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 41-17. Doing that late at night in Starkville, Miss., can be tough. What stands out more, though, is how much better Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels look after beating LSU. All of a sudden, that’s a quality win for Alabama, and as of right now, they have the best loss of anybody in the nation.
3. Pac-12 race remains wide open
Despite losing to the Oregon State Beavers on a Friday night, the Utah Utes still control their destiny in the Pac-12 South, as do the USC Trojans. Oregon State did that after a close loss to the Washington State Cougars, who are undefeated in the North along with the Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks. Simply put, this dying conference has been wildly entertaining.
4. Colorado does have some fight
Reality seemed to set in for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes after Oregon blew them out and they were way behind against USC on Saturday. However, they fought back in the second half to only lose by a touchdown in a valiant effort, made even more impressive since they didn’t have Travis Hunter. Make no mistake, Coach Prime is still coming.
5. Stage is SET for Red River shootout
Give the Texas Longhorns credit. They scored a win over an undefeated Kansas team that is extremely well-coached. The Oklahoma Sooners don’t look as good and still don’t belong in the top 10 given their schedule despite being undefeated, but these two teams heading into this matchup undefeated has the feel of early 2000s college football.
6. Everybody’s low on Georgia and high on Michigan…for no reason
National media is honestly freaking out because the Georgia Bulldogs only beat the Auburn Tigers by a touchdown…on the road!!! That’s a rivalry game, and Auburn is well-coached under Hugh Freeze. Brock Bowers looks like the next Travis Kelce at tight end. Meanwhile, the Michigan Wolverines are getting love for blowing out a bad Nebraska Cornhuskers team. Really? UGA looked better.
7. Jimbo Fisher’s seat cools off; Sam Pittman, Billy Napier in trouble
We all thought Jimbo Fisher was done after the Texas A&M Aggies lost to the Miami Hurricanes, but wins over Auburn and the Arkansas Razorbacks have reinvigorated his coaching career. That Arkansas game put Sam Pittman on the hot seat. Meanwhile, Billy Napier’s seat is scorching after Kentucky, still undefeated, blew out the Florida Gators. It looks like that Tennessee win was a fluke for Florida.
8. It was a weekend of historic comebacks
Despite having their backup quarterback, the Utah State Aggies overcame a 17-0 deficit to beat the UCONN Huskies 34-33. Most notably, though, Gus Malzahn’s UCF Knights blew a 35-7 lead in the second half at home, 35-10 going into the fourth quarter, to the Baylor Bears, losing 36-35. That should never happen, even in college football.
9. Heisman race
Cameron Ward
Caleb Williams
Quinn Ewers
Michael Penix Jr.
Shedeur Sanders
10. Top 10
1. Texas
2. Ohio State
3. Penn State
4. FSU
5. Miami
6. Washington State
7. Oregon
8. Washington
9. UNC
10. Georgia
