College Football Rankings 2014: Power Ranking All 128 Teams for Week 5
The wild and wacky nature of college football was present yet again last weekend, with numerous top-rated teams struggling in big games. While most ended up winning, the craziness of those contests contributed to some significant shakeup in our power rankings for Week 5.
Our power rankings are comprised of an average of five ratings: The Associated Press media and Amway coaches polls, Bleacher Report's Top 25, ratings guru Jeff Sagarin's computer ledger and my personal ranking.
Take a look at how the 128 FBS teams are ranked as we move into the fifth week of the 2014 season, then let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
Nos. 128-91
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For teams at the bottom of the rankings, any win is a big one no matter how ugly it is. To illustrate this, look at South Florida's waterlogged 17-14 victory over Connecticut last Friday.
The Bulls won their American Athletic Conference opener in a driving rainstorm despite only gaining 288 yards on offense, but they limited UConn to just 132 yards on 36 offensive plays. USF has matched both its overall and league win totals from a year ago.
- 128. Eastern Michigan (1-3)
- 127. Georgia State (1-3)
- 126. Massachusetts (0-4)
- 125. New Mexico State (2-2)
- 124. Idaho (0-3)
- 123. Florida International (1-3)
- 122. Kent State (0-3)
- 121. Troy (0-4)
- 120. Miami, Ohio (0-4)
- 119. Southern Mississippi (2-2). The Golden Eagles allowed a potential game-tying touchdown with six seconds left, but Dasman McCullum blocked the extra point to seal a 21-10 win over Appalachian State. USM has now doubled its win total from 2013.
- 118. Appalachian State (1-2)
- 117. New Mexico (1-2)
- 116. Air Force (2-1)
- 115. Connecticut (1-3)
- 114. UTEP (2-1)
- 113. UNLV (1-3)
- 112. Tulsa (1-2)
- 111. Buffalo (2-2)
- 110. Tulane (1-3)
- 109. Army (1-2)
- 108. Central Michigan (2-2)
- 107. South Alabama (1-2)
- 106. Western Michigan (2-1)
- 105. Texas State (1-2)
- 104. SMU (0-3)
- 103. Louisiana-Monroe (2-1)
- 102. Ohio (2-2)
- 101. Ball State (1-3)
- 100. Old Dominion (3-1). The Monarchs made a stellar debut in Conference USA, winning 45-42 at defending conference champion Rice behind 430 yards and five touchdowns from Taylor Heinicke. ODU blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead, but then won at the buzzer on a 25-yard field goal by Ricky Segers.
- 99. Hawaii (1-3)
- 98. Wake Forest (2-2)
- 97. Florida Atlantic (1-3)
- 96. UAB (2-1)
- 95. Purdue (2-2)
- 94. Louisiana-Lafayette (1-3)
- 93. South Florida (2-2)
- 92. Rice (0-3)
- 91. Akron (1-2)
Nos. 90-61
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Minnesota shook off a rough outing at TCU the week before with a solid 24-7 victory Saturday over San Jose State thanks to 207 rushing yards and two touchdowns from David Cobb. The Golden Gophers won despite only completing one pass, as quarterback Chris Streveler instead ran for 161 yards and a TD.
The Gophers' win was part of a 12-1 weekend performance by the Big Ten, including three road victories.
- 90. San Jose State (1-2)
- 89. Wyoming (3-1). The Cowboys pulled off another last-second victory, getting an 18-yard field goal from Stuart Williams with 15 seconds left for a 20-19 win over Florida Atlantic. Wyoming has won its three home games by a total of 10 points.
- 88. Middle Tennessee (2-2)
- 87. Colorado (2-2)
- 86. Kansas (2-1)
- 85. Louisiana Tech (2-2)
- 84. Georgia Southern (2-2). The Eagles earned their first-ever Sun Belt Conference victory, rushing for 335 yards in a 28-6 win at South Alabama. Matt Breida had 187 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Kevin Ellison added 96 yards on the ground with a TD.
- 83. Vanderbilt (1-3)
- 82. North Texas (2-2)
- 81. Western Kentucky (1-2)
- 80. Fresno State (1-3)
- 79. UTSA (1-2)
- 78. Bowling Green (2-2)
- 77. Utah State (2-2)
- 76. Temple (2-1)
- 75. Arkansas State (2-2)
- 74. Illinois (3-1)
- 73. Nevada (2-1)
- 72. Colorado State (2-1)
- 71. Washington State (1-3)
- 70. Navy (2-2)
- 69. Iowa State (1-2)
- 68. San Diego State (1-2)
- 67. Rutgers (3-1). The Scarlet Knights slowed down Navy's potent option run game in a 31-24 road win, rushing for 284 yards themselves. Justin Goodwin ran for 104 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Gary Nova added two rushing scores.
- 66. Toledo (2-2)
- 65. Houston (2-2)
- 64. Minnesota (3-1)
- 63. Northwestern (1-2)
- 62. Northern Illinois (3-1)
- 61. Michigan (2-2)
Nos. 60-51
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Maryland will open its first season of Big Ten play on Saturday at Indiana, but first the Terrapins had to take care of some old business by winning 34-20 at former ACC foe Syracuse. Quarterback C.J. Brown threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, while William Likely scored on an 88-yard interception return.
Maryland is 2-0 on the road this season.
- 60. Texas Tech (2-1)
- 59. Kentucky (2-1)
- 58. California (2-1)
- 57. Virginia (2-2)
- 56. Memphis (2-1)
- 55. UCF (1-2)
- 54. Miami, Fla. (2-2)
- 53. Indiana (2-1). The Hoosiers got a three-yard touchdown run from D'Angelo Roberts with 22 seconds left to cap a 31-27 upset win at Missouri. It was Indiana's first road win over a ranked nonconference opponent since 2004.
- 52. Virginia Tech (2-2)
- 51. Maryland (3-1)
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50. Pittsburgh Panthers
4 of 53
Average rating: 47.5
Week 4 result: Lost 24-20 vs. Iowa
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Akron
The Panthers (3-1) blew a 17-7 lead in the second half, giving up two touchdowns in the final 16 minutes of play to fall short of their first 4-0 start since 2000.
Pittsburgh got 155 rushing yards and a touchdown from James Conner, who now has an FBS-best 698 yards along with nine TDs, while receiver Tyler Boyd caught 10 passes for 153 yards. But it only managed three points in the second half and couldn't slow down Iowa once it switched quarterbacks midway through the third quarter.
49. Boston College Eagles
5 of 53
Average rating: 47.13
Week 4 result: Won 40-10 vs. Maine
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Colorado State
The Eagles (3-1) followed up their upset of USC with a solid win over FCS Maine, rushing for 413 yards and scoring the game's final 30 points.
Tyler Murphy threw for 130 yards and a touchdown and added 99 rushing yards with two scores. He had a 71-yard scoring run and threw a 48-yard TD to Josh Bordner, which gave BC a 16-10 second-quarter lead.
BC held Maine to 139 yards of total offense, with only 16 of that coming on the ground.
47. (tie) Texas Longhorns
6 of 53
Average rating: 47.0
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Kansas
The Longhorns (1-2) had a week off since their last game, a crushing late loss to UCLA, but now get to start over with Big 12 play starting up. Texas was 1-2 after nonconference play last year, then won its first six conference games.
Texas has struggled offensively all season, though, averaging only 311 yards per game to rank 114th in FBS.
47. (tie) North Carolina State Wolfpack
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Average rating: 47.0
Week 4 result: Won 42-0 vs. Presbyterian
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Florida State
The Wolfpack (4-0) recorded their first shutout victory since 2011, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw for three touchdowns.
Brissett also ran for a TD as North Carolina State rushed for 265 yards as a team. Its defense held Presbyterian to 252 yards to reach 4-0 for the first time since 2010.
46. North Carolina Tar Heels
8 of 53
Average rating: 46.83
Week 4 result: Lost 70-41 at East Carolina
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Clemson
There are losses, and then there are bad losses. The Tar Heels (2-1) had one of the latter, allowing 789 yards and the most points they've yielded in program history, and they did so against a team they gave up 55 points to last season after they had two weeks to prepare for thanks to a bye.
North Carolina moved the ball, but not nearly as quickly and efficiently as East Carolina did. That caused it to scrap its game plan early, and neither Marquise Williams nor Mitch Trubisky could do anything at quarterback to help catch up.
UNC is now ranked 126th out of 128 FBS teams with 566 yards allowed per game.
45. Syracuse Orange
9 of 53
Average rating: 43.0
Week 4 result: Lost 34-20 vs. Maryland
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Notre Dame (in East Rutherford, New Jersey)
The Orange (2-1) had its second poor showing at home this season, but unlike the opener they won in overtime against Villanova, this time they couldn't rally late.
Syracuse got 375 yards of total offense from quarterback Terrel Hunt, who threw for 216 yards and ran for 159 and two touchdowns. Prince Tyson-Gulley added 138 rushing yards, and Syracuse outgained Maryland 589-369 but gave up an 88-yard interception return touchdown that gave the Terrapins a 31-13 lead.
44. Tennessee Volunteers
10 of 53
Average rating: 42.5
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Georgia
The Volunteers (2-1) have had a week to figure out how to fix what didn't work against Oklahoma last time out, which included a lack of offense and too many mistakes.
Justin Worley has been solid at quarterback, with 721 passing yards and six touchdowns against three interceptions, but he's completed only 58.3 percent of his passes and was 21 of 44 at Oklahoma. The Volunteers haven't been able to run well, though, ranking 98th at 130 yards per game.
43. Boise State Broncos
11 of 53
Average rating: 41.33
Week 4 result: Won 34-9 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Air Force
The Broncos (3-1) breezed past Louisiana-Lafayette behind 150 rushing yards and three touchdowns from running back Jay Ajayi, while quarterback Grant Hedrick added 237 yards on 24-of-31 passing.
Boise held the Ragin' Cajuns to 241 yards of total offense, and since its 35-13 opening loss to Ole Miss in Atlanta, it has averaged 36.3 points per game.
42. Iowa Hawkeyes
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Average rating: 40.5
Week 4 result: Won 24-20 at Pittsburgh
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Purdue
The Hawkeyes (3-1) bounced back from a home loss to rival Iowa State with an impressive nonconference victory, rallying behind backup quarterback C.J. Beathard.
Beathard completed seven of eight passes for 98 yards after relieving Jake Rudock in the third quarter, executing the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter that was capped by Mark Weisman's one-yard TD run with 6:56 left to help erase a 10-point deficit.
Weisman finished with 88 yards and two TDs, while Iowa's defense buckled down on Pittsburgh running back James Conner in the second half and kept his yards down after dominant running early on.
41. West Virginia Mountaineers
13 of 53
Average rating: 39.88
Week 4 result: Lost 45-33 vs. Oklahoma
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) gave Oklahoma their best effort, leading at many times in the first half and going into halftime tied at 24. But West Virginia's mistakes in the second half, as well as an inability to slow down Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine, prevented it from pulling off the upset.
West Virginia allowed Perine to run for 243 yards and four touchdowns, including three in the second half. It was able to limit Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight, but had no answer for the run game.
Its own quarterback, Clint Trickett, had another solid game with 376 yards and two touchdowns, but he was also responsible for all three of the Mountaineers' turnovers that each came over the final seven possessions.
40. Marshall Thundering Herd
14 of 53
Average rating: 38.1
Week 4 result: Won 48-17 at Akron
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Thundering Herd (4-0) rolled to another easy victory, their third against a Mid-American team this season, behind 210 passing yards from Rakeem Cato and a pair of 100-yard rushers.
Remi Watson ran for 124 yards and a touchdown and 103 yards and a rushing TD, and Marshall gained 284 yards and scored five TDs on the ground. Marshall also forced four Akron turnovers.
39. Arkansas Razorbacks
15 of 53
Average rating: 36.6
Week 4 result: Won 52-14 vs. Northern Illinois
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Texas A&M (in Arlington, Texas)
The Razorbacks (3-1) had their most balanced offensive effort of the season, actually throwing for more than their potent run game produced on the ground.
Brandon Allen threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns in 15-of-22 passing, with brother Austin Allen adding 16 passing yards. Arkansas ran for 212 yards and scored three rushing TDs, while it also got a 97-yard kickoff return TD from Korliss Marshall to open the game and a 14-yard Darius Philon fumble return score in the first quarter.
38. Missouri Tigers
16 of 53
Average rating: 36.5
Week 4 result: Lost 31-27 vs. Indiana
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at South Carolina
The Tigers (3-1) were shocked at home by an opponent that was coming off of a loss to a Mid-American Conference team, allowing Indiana to score with 22 seconds left to pull off the upset.
Missouri had 498 yards of total offense, with Maty Mauk throwing for 326 yards and two touchdowns and Russell Hansbrough rushing for 119 yards and a TD. But it allowed 493 yards and couldn't slow down Indiana's Tevin Coleman. Coleman ran for 132 yards and a touchdown and also had 57 yards on three receptions.
37. Louisville Cardinals
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Average rating: 36.33
Week 4 result: Won 34-3 at Florida International
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Wake Forest
The Cardinals (3-1) fared much better on the road than a week ago, easily beating the Golden Panthers despite struggling to run the ball.
Louisville managed only 12 rushing yards, affected heavily by four sacks by Florida International. Quarterback Will Gardner made up for it with 295 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Gerod Holiman returned an interception 32 yards for a second-quarter score.
Louisville forced three takeaways and held FIU to 205 yards.
36. Cincinnati Bearcats
18 of 53
Average rating: 35.63
Week 4 result: Won 31-24 vs. Miami (Ohio)
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Ohio State
The Bearcats (2-0) shook off a slow start to rally past rival Miami behind four passing touchdowns from Gunner Kiel, giving him 10 in two games this season.
Kiel threw for 271 yards on 25-of-39 passing but was also intercepted twice. Cincinnati trailed 14-7 early in the second quarter and yielded 3,644 yards to a team that is now riding a 20-game losing streak.
35. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
19 of 53
Average rating: 35.1
Week 4 result: Won 27-24 at Virginia Tech
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Yellow Jackets (4-0, 1-0 ACC) scored 10 points in the final 2:03, with Harrison Butker kicking a 24-yard field goal as time expired for a huge conference-opening road win.
Georgia Tech tied the game on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Thomas to DeAndre Smelter, then converted a third interception by Virginia Tech's Michael Brewer into the game-winning score.
Thomas had 290 yards of total offense, including 165 rushing yards and a TD.
34. Oregon State Beavers
20 of 53
Average rating: 34.88
Week 4 result: Won 28-7 vs. San Diego State
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at USC
The Beavers (3-0) had little trouble winning their final nonconference game, and in the process, they saw quarterback Sean Mannion become the school's all-time passing leader.
Mannion threw for 275 yards on 24-of-32 passing, but didn't have a touchdown. His output upped him to 11,339 yards, passing Derek Anderson on Oregon State's career list, and he sits 935 yards behind former USC quarterback Matt Barkley for the Pac-12 all-time mark.
All of OSU's scoring game came on the ground, with Storm Woods and Terron Ward each rushing for a pair of TDs.
33. Arizona Wildcats
21 of 53
Average rating: 33.6
Week 4 result: Won 49-45 vs. California
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Wildcats (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in recent memory, rallying from deficits of 28-6 at halftime and 31-13 early in the fourth quarter with 36 points in the final period to claim their conference opener in dramatic fashion. That included a 47-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass from Anu Solomon to Austin Hill as time expired.
Arizona scored 19 points in the final 3:30, with Solomon throwing for 246 of his school-record 520 yards in the fourth quarter. Solomon completed 47 of 73 passes and threw five TDs, four in the fourth quarter, with receivers Cayleb Jones (13 catches, 186 yards, three TDs) and Hill (eight catches, 127 yards, two scores) his top targets.
32. Florida Gators
22 of 53
Average rating: 33.5
Week 4 result: Lost 42-21 at Alabama
Week 5 matchup: Bye
Right now, it's looking like Florida (2-1, 0-1 SEC) peaked against Eastern Michigan in its unofficial season opener, because since then it's been mostly downhill for the Gators.
The warning signs that popped up during the triple-overtime win over Kentucky were exposed early and often by Alabama. A secondary that features one of the best cornerbacks in the country in Vernon Hargreaves III was torched for 445 yards and four touchdowns by Blake Sims, with numerous times where major coverage breakdowns led to several wide-open receivers.
Even without those issues, Florida would have struggled to win against Alabama with an offense that managed only 200 yards and needed four Crimson Tide turnovers to help create any scoring. Jeff Driskel completed just nine of 28 passes for 93 yards and two interceptions, and take away his 59 rushing yards and a TD, and the Gators ran for 34 yards.
31. Utah Utes
23 of 53
Average rating: 32.9
Week 4 result: Won 26-10 at Michigan
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Washington State
The Utes (3-0) pulled off one of the week's biggest shockers by not only winning at Michigan but also doing so with relative ease, despite managing only 286 yards of offense and seeing quarterback Travis Wilson get knocked out briefly with another head injury.
Wilson returned to throw a third-quarter touchdown and finished with 172 yards on 14-of-20 passing in a game that was delayed for more than two hours midway through the fourth quarter because of heavy rain and lightning. The Utes were up 16 by then, using four Michigan turnovers, four field goals from Andy Phillips and Kaelin Clay's 66-yard punt return TD to seal the upset.
30. Washington Huskies
24 of 53
Average rating: 31.5
Week 4 result: Won 45-14 vs. Georgia State
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Stanford
The Huskies (4-0) took far longer than expected to dispatch with Georgia State, trailing 14-0 at halftime before erupting in the second half to win easily.
Washington only managed 336 yards of offense but held the Panthers to 273 and forced four turnovers to help its cause. That included a 35-yard interception return TD by John Timu, giving the Huskies three defensive scores this season.
29. TCU Horned Frogs
25 of 53
Average rating: 29.6
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at SMU
More than rested with two byes in the first four weeks, the Horned Frogs (2-0) get one last tuneup before Big 12 play with a trip across the Dallas Metroplex to be the latest team to use SMU as a practice dummy to tee off on. TCU has already done that to FCS Samford and Minnesota, allowing only 21 points total.
Trevone Boykin has thrived to this point in TCU's revamped offense, throwing for 578 yards and four touchdowns while also leading the Frogs in rushing with 121 yards (and a 5.5 yards-per-carry average) and a TD. But to this point the defense has been the true star, with seven takeaways in two games led by a dominant secondary.
27. (tie) East Carolina Pirates
26 of 53
Average rating: 28.6
Week 4 result: Won 70-41 vs. North Carolina
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Pirates (3-1) knocked off their second ACC team in as many weeks and did so in an even more dominant fashion than when they won 55-31 at North Carolina last season.
East Carolina had 789 yards of total offense, with Shane Carden throwing for 438 yards and four touchdowns while adding two rushing touchdowns. Carden had two 100-yard receivers, while the Pirates also ran for 343 yards with Breon Allen gaining 211 yards and two TDs on 18 carries.
"We can play better," receiver Justin Hardy told Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer. "That wasn’t even our best game."
They even managed to have standouts on defense, despite allowing 41 points, as junior linebacker Zeek Bigger had 17 tackles and returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown to open the third quarter.
27. (tie) Duke Blue Devils
27 of 53
Average rating: 28.6
Week 4 result: Won 47-13 vs. Tulane
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Miami (Fla.)
The Blue Devils (4-0) finished perfect in nonconference play for the second year in a row, blowing out Tulane behind four rushing touchdowns and two late defensive scores.
Duke ran for 256 yards, with Thomas Sirk leading the charge thanks to a 50-yard run that gave him 94 yards and a TD on just six carries. Quarterback Anthony Boone, Josh Snead and Shaun Wilson also added rushing scores, while the Blue Devils forced five Tulane turnovers.
Bryon Fields and Joseph Ajeigbe scored on interception returns a little over three minutes apart in the fourth quarter.
26. Penn State Nittany Lions
28 of 53
Average rating: 28.2
Week 4 result: Won 48-7 vs. Massachusetts
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Northwestern
After three straight games that remained in doubt for almost every moment, the Nittany Lions (4-0) got a relatively easy one to close out nonconference play thanks to the arrival of winless Massachusetts. A slow start was quickly forgotten after Penn State scored 28 points in the second quarter to lead 34-0.
For the first time, Penn State didn't need to rely completely on quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who had a season-low 179 passing yards and no touchdowns. Instead, PSU ran for 228 yards and five touchdowns, with Bill Belton and Zach Zwinak each scoring twice on the ground.
The Lions held UMass to three rushing yards, and through four games, they are tops against the run nationally by allowing 49.5 yards per game.
25. Kansas State Wildcats
29 of 53
Average rating: 25.8
Week 4 result: Lost 20-14 vs. Auburn
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. UTEP
The Wildcats (2-1) were their own worst enemy in front of a massive crowd on a Thursday night, committing three turnovers and missing three field goals that all contributed to the narrow loss.
Kansas State played great defense, holding Auburn's stout run game to just 128 yards, but its own offense failed to move the ball on the ground either. Quarterback Jake Waters couldn't scramble much, and in the air he was intercepted twice. One of those was a ball that star receiver Tyler Lockett couldn't hold on to in the end zone, resulting in a pick.
K-State led 7-3 and had a chance to go into halftime tied at 10, but Jack Cantele's second missed field goal (from 40 yards away) missed right, and then he also missed on a 22-yard kick in the third quarter. The Wildcats scored late to get within six points, but they couldn't stop the Tigers in the final minutes.
24. Clemson Tigers
30 of 53
Average rating: 25.4
Week 4 result: Lost 23-17 at Florida State (OT)
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. North Carolina
Clemson (1-2, 0-1 ACC) had every opportunity to pull off its first-ever win against a No. 1 team, but in the end it made two critical mistakes that prevented such a triumph. A fumble while trying to set up a game-winning field goal, then a questionable choice to run the ball out of a shotgun set on 4th-and-inches in overtime negated everything the Tigers had done to set up a major upset.
"It was a game of missed opportunities," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told the Associated Press afterward, earning a nomination for understatement of the year.
Late miscues aside, Clemson has to be happy with how its defense played, particularly in stopping the run by holding Florida State to just 13 rushing yards. The Tigers also saw freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson emerge as the go-to guy, throwing for 266 yards on 19-of-28 passing and adding a rushing TD, and Swinney has named him the starter for next week against North Carolina.
23. Oklahoma State Cowboys
31 of 53
Average rating: 24.2
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 25 vs. Texas Tech
The Cowboys (2-1) open Big 12 play on Thursday against a Texas Tech team they've beaten five straight times, averaging 59 points over the past three contests. This year's Oklahoma State offense hasn't been that explosive, but it's still averaging 38 points and has weathered an injury-fueled quarterback change.
J.W. Walsh injured his foot in the second game, but replacement Daxx Garman (559 yards, four touchdowns) has kept the party going. And with OK State not playing its first true road game until Oct. 11, this team has a chance to build lots of confidence for the second half of the season after opening with a six-point loss to defending national champion Florida State.
22. Nebraska Cornhuskers
32 of 53
Average rating: 21.8
Week 4 result: Won 41-31 vs. Miami (Fla.)
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Illinois
The Cornhuskers (4-0) completed a relatively dominant nonconference slate with a solid home win over Miami, getting 229 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Ameer Abdullah as part of a 343-yard team rushing performance.
Nebraska trailed 14-7 early in the second quarter before taking over with 17 straight points that featured two Abdullah TDs, one on a three-yard pass from Tommy Armstrong Jr. that tied the game at 14 midway through the second. The Cornhuskers were also aided by an opportunistic defense, which forced three turnovers.
Josh Mitchell returned a fumble 57 yards for a TD late in the third quarter, giving Nebraska a 31-21 lead.
21. Ohio State Buckeyes
33 of 53
Average rating: 20.8
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Cincinnati
The Buckeyes (2-1) took a breather after blanking Kent State a week ago, using the time off to try to shore up a shaky offensive line and get some of their offensive playmakers in sync. Ohio State has scored 121 points and is averaging 458.3 yards per game, but the 66-0 win over Kent has skewed those numbers.
OSU has gotten hot-and-cold output from quarterback J.T. Barrett, who has thrown for 757 yards and nine touchdowns but also has five interceptions and has been sacked eight times. His mobility (126 rushing yards, one TD) has helped offset what to this point has been an underachieving run game.
20. BYU Cougars
34 of 53
Average rating: 20.0
Week 4 result: Won 41-33 vs. Virginia
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Cougars (4-0) trailed for the first time all season, down 16-13 at the half, but quarterback Taysom Hill's dual-threat skills paced a dominant second half to keep them in line for a bid to the College Football Playoff's bowls.
Hill had 259 yards of total offense and accounted for three touchdowns, scoring on a 15-yard run midway through the third quarter to give BYU the lead for good and then hitting Mitchell Juergens on a 50-yard scoring pass later in the second half. A 99-yard kickoff return TD by Adam Hine midway through the fourth quarter helped seal the win.
BYU won despite being outgained 519-332.
19. USC Trojans
35 of 53
Average rating: 18.4
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Oregon State
The Trojans (2-1) used the week off to rest their thinning roster, which has faced depth issues thanks to injuries and past scholarship limitations. USC had just 55 healthy scholarship athletes available for its 37-31 loss at Boston College, according to Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated.
USC has gotten good production despite those limited numbers, particularly from the passing of Cody Kessler (846 yards, eight touchdowns) and running back Javorius Allen (459 yards of total offense, two TDs).
But USC's defense is allowing 245.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 119th nationally.
18. Wisconsin Badgers
36 of 53
Average rating: 17.6
Week 4 result: Won 68-17 vs. Bowling Green
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. South Florida
The Badgers (2-1) gained an astounding 644 rushing yards, with star running back Melvin Gordon leading the charge in the form of 253 yards and five touchdowns on just 13 carries.
Even without Gordon, a junior who had his first career fumble in the first quarter and then bounced back to score on a 21-yard run right before halftime and then a 69-yard score to start the third quarter, Wisconsin would have dominated Bowling Green thanks to quarterback Tanner McEvoy and backup running back Corey Clement.
McEvoy ran for 158 yards and a TD while throwing for 112 yards and a score, and Clement added 111 yards and two TDs.
17. LSU Tigers
37 of 53
Average rating: 16.8
Week 4 result: Lost 34-29 vs. Mississippi State
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. New Mexico State
The Tigers (3-1, 0-1 SEC) hadn't allowed a point in nearly 10 quarters entering Saturday's conference opener, and no opponent had scored a passing touchdown on them all season. Those streaks ended early and often against Mississippi State, with Dak Prescott throwing a TD pass less than six minutes into the game.
The 570 yards allowed by LSU seemed like a lot more by the way MSU seemed to always find the open man or get Prescott or running back Josh Robinson through giant holes in the line. LSU trailed 34-10 before trying to put together a major comeback in the fourth quarter, but though it was only a five-point game at the end, there was no denying the game was a one-sided affair against the Tigers.
NOLA.com chronicled how shocking the loss was for LSU fans with their photo gallery of struggle faces.
Defense issues aside, LSU also struggled on offense, particularly with the run game, which only had 89 yards on the ground. That again forced Anthony Jennings to try to do it all at quarterback, and he failed to, losing out to freshman Brandon Harris down the stretch. Harris completed six of nine passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns, and he figures to see more time as the season moves forward.
16. Mississippi State Bulldogs
38 of 53
Average rating: 16.0
Week 4 result: Won 34-29 at LSU
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Bulldogs (4-0, 1-0 SEC) ended a pair of very long losing streaks with their dominant win at LSU, beating the Tigers for the first time since 1999 and winning in Baton Rouge for the first time in 23 years. The final score doesn't indicate how much Mississippi State controlled this game, as it gained 570 yards (including 302 on the ground) and led 34-10 early in the fourth quarter.
MSU ran behind a two-headed monster of quarterback Dak Prescott (373 yards of total offense) and Josh Robinson (197 rushing yards), and Prescott's ability to be in complete control against an LSU defense that hadn't allowed a point in nearly 10 quarters was masterful.
"It was shocking how many times Mississippi State got the ball in space," wrote Zach Barnett of NBC Sports.
Now the Bulldogs get a week off to prepare for back-to-back home games against top-10 teams (Texas A&M and Auburn), further chances to show how good this team can be.
14. (tie) Arizona State Sun Devils
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Average rating: 15.6
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 25 vs. UCLA
The Sun Devils (3-0) head into their huge Pac-12 opener with an untested quarterback set to lead the way, as junior Mike Bercovici starts in place of Taylor Kelly after Kelly injured his foot in ASU's last game at Colorado.
Bercovici only has 24 career passing attempts and one touchdown in three seasons, but ASU offensive coordinator Mike Norvell told Fox Sports' Tyler Lockman that the team has confidence he can get the job done in arguably the team's biggest game of the season.
"He's been executing this offense the entire time that we've been here," Norvell said. "He's continued to get better each and every day. And there's some things that he does bring to the table. With his arm strength, there's not a throw that he can't make on the field. I'm excited to see that."
Bercovici has two great weapons at his disposal in running back D.J. Foster (510 rushing yards, five touchdowns) and receiver Jaelen Strong (19 receptions, 266 yards, two TDs).
14. (tie) South Carolina Gamecocks
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Average rating: 15.6
Week 4 result: Won 48-34 at Vanderbilt
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Missouri
The Gamecocks (3-1, 2-1 SEC) looked like they were still hung over from the big win over Georgia the week before, falling behind 14-0 before waking up and winning relatively easily.
Dylan Thompson threw for 237 yards and three touchdowns, who also ran for a TD, while Pharoh Cooper caught 10 passes for 114 yards. South Carolina scored 24 answered points after the early 14-0 deficit and led by as many as 17 in the second half.
South Carolina's biggest issue to work on from this game came in the form of poor kickoff return coverage. The Gamecocks allowed two kickoff return TDs to Darrius Sims, including on the opening kickoff as well as midway through the second half when he broke off a 100-yard return.
13. Stanford Cardinal
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Average rating: 14.8
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Washington
The Cardinal (2-1, 0-1 Pac-12) have yet to play on the road, having posted a pair of shutouts wrapped around a loss to USC at Stanford Stadium. Now comes that first away game, and it will be a tough won against a Washington team it lost to on the road two years ago.
Stanford's scoring defense is tops nationally at 4.3 points allowed per game, paced by the shutouts of UC Davis and Army. Senior Ty Montgomery is 14th in the nation in all-purpose yards, averaging 156 per game with touchdowns on a rush, a reception and a punt return.
12. Ole Miss Rebels
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Average rating: 11.6
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Memphis
The Rebels (3-0, 1-0 SEC) are off to a very hot start behind senior quarterback Bo Wallace's mostly heady play and a defense that has been stout so far.
Wallace has completed 71 of 94 passes for 1,023 yards and nine touchdowns, registering a pair of four-TD games. He's been bolstered by a defense that has registered eight interceptions in three games, with Senquez Golson collecting three of those.
Both Golson and Cliff Coleman have picked off passes for TDs, helping the Rebels outscore their opponents 132-31.
11. UCLA Bruins
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Average rating: 11.4
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 25 at Arizona State
The Bruins (3-0) have had plenty of time to prepare for the possibility of heading into Thursday's Pac-12 opener without its star quarterback, but Brett Hundley's status remains a mystery after he injured his left (non-throwing) elbow in their last game against Texas.
Chris Foster of the Los Angeles Times wrote that Hundley "has taken snaps in practice and appears to be tracking to play," but coach Jim Mora hasn't given a firm status update to the media. If he can't go, backup Jerry Neuheisel might be called on to do what he did in leading UCLA to a late rally last time out.
Despite the perfect record, UCLA has won its first three games by only 18 points.
10. Georgia Bulldogs
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Average rating: 10.6
Week 4 result: Won 66-0 vs. Troy
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Tennessee
The Bulldogs (2-1, 0-1 SEC) rebounded from last week's three-point loss at South Carolina with a runaway nonconference triumph behind 367 rushing yards that included 155 from true freshman Sony Michel.
Michel got his yards on 10 carries, scoring three touchdowns and also breaking off a 75-yard run. His performance lessened the need to use Todd Gurley, who only had six carries for 73 yards in a game that was never in doubt.
Georgia led 45-0 at the half, with Hutson Mason only needing to attempt 11 passes (completing eight) for 97 yards and two TDs. It was the Bulldogs' most points since scoring 70 against Northeast Louisiana in 1994.
9. Michigan State Spartans
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Average rating: 9.0
Week 4 result: Won 73-14 vs. Eastern Michigan
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Wyoming
The Spartans (2-1) had their starters out of the game quickly yet continued to put up big yards and big points against an overmatched opponent, finishing with their most points in 25 years.
Michigan State was ahead 45-0 at the half, and quarterback Connor Cook and others were long gone by then. Cook only attempted six passes, completing five, for 83 yards and a touchdown, while Jeremy Langford had a TD and 60 yards on nine carries. His backup, Delton Williams, ran for 103 yards and three scores.
MSU had 336 rushing yards, while its defense only allowed 135 yards and five first downs. Eastern Michigan had one yard of total offense at halftime, completed only 10 of 29 passes and committed six turnovers.
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Average rating: 8.8
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Syracuse (at East Rutherford, NJ)
The Fighting Irish (3-0) had a break after a comeback win over Purdue in Indianapolis and now face another team they should be able to handle easily on a neutral site. Syracuse will be coming in off of a 14-point home loss to Maryland.
Notre Dame has outscored its opponents 109-31, paced by quarterback Everett Golson's 780 passing yards and seven touchdowns and a defense that is 19th nationally against the run by allowing 99 yards per game.
7. Baylor Bears
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Average rating: 7.0
Week 4 result: Bye
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at Iowa State
The nation's top-rated offense in terms of yardage (654.3) and points (59.3) cooled its heels last week in preparation for a tough four-week stretch that includes three road games. The Bears (3-0) have lost eight of their last 12 conference games on the road, including two years ago at Iowa State.
Baylor has yet to miss a step, despite numerous offensive injuries. Quarterback Bryce Petty missed a game with cracked vertebrae, yet back Seth Russell has 626 passing yards and seven touchdowns, and the Bears' receiving corps has been short a few players yet you wouldn't know it with how true freshman KD Cannon (14 catches, 471 yards, four TDs) and junior Jay Lee (19 catches, 291 yards, four TDs) have performed.
6. Texas A&M Aggies
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Average rating: 6.0
Week 4 result: Won 58-6 at SMU
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Arkansas (in Arlington, Texas)
The Aggies (4-0, 1-0 SEC ) posted their third straight dominant defensive effort in nonconference play, sacking SMU quarterbacks eight times to give them 16 in four games.
Texas A&M held SMU to 241 yards and two field goals, and over the past three games it has allowed only 19 points while scoring 169. For the season, A&M is averaging 55.3 points per game, second-most in the country.
Kenny Hill threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-22 passing, while A&M ran for 268 yards and five touchdowns. Hill has 1,359 passing yards and 13 TDs this season, and the Aggies are averaging 207.5 yards per game on the ground.
The competition level for A&M's defense to contend with goes up big time from here on out, though, starting with a challenge from Arkansas' smash-mouth run attack on Saturday.
5. Auburn Tigers
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Average rating: 4.6
Week 4 result: Won 20-14 at Kansas State
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 vs. Louisiana Tech
The Tigers (3-0, 1-0 SEC) played far from their best game, but with late passing connections between Nick Marshall and Duke Williams and a defense that made just enough stops they earned their first nonconference road win over a ranked opponent since 1984.
Marshall threw for 231 yards and two touchdowns, shaking off some early overthrows as well as several dropped passes from his receivers. Williams was responsible for some of those drops, but did haul in a nine-yard TD catch early in the fourth quarter to give Auburn a 17-7 lead and he also brought in a 39-yard catch on 3rd-and-9 in the final minutes to seal the victory.
Auburn managed only 128 rushing yards, far below its average, and the fewest since in a year. But its defense forced three turnovers, including an interception in the end zone, and also benefited from three missed field goals by Kansas State.
The ability to win on the road against a team that was ranked should bode well for Auburn, as its remaining schedule features seven games against ranked teams including four on the road in SEC play.
3. (tie) Oklahoma Sooners
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Average rating: 3.0
Week 4 result: Won 45-33 at West Virginia
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Sooners (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) took West Virginia's best shot, resulting in a 24-24 halftime tie, but then defensive adjustments and a whole lot of freshman running back Samaje Perine powered Oklahoma to a solid road win.
Perine ran for 242 yards and four touchdowns on 34 carries, filling the void left by Keith Ford after he broke a bone in his right leg. Perine scored all three of Oklahoma's second-half TDs, including a nine-yard run early in the third quarter to take the lead for good.
Coach Bob Stoops raved as much about the 5'11", 243-pound Perine's strength as his vision, telling Jason Kersey of the Oklahoman that "he has a great ability to cut and he just had a sensational night."
With Perine running so hard, it took pressure off quarterback Trevor Knight, who struggled early and finished with 205 yards and an interception. Oklahoma was also aided by Alex Ross' 100-yard kickoff return TD just before halftime, while its defense buckled down in the second half and limited the Mountaineers to just nine points along with three turnovers on their last seven possessions.
3. (tie) Florida State Seminoles
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Average rating: 3.0
Week 4 result: Won 23-17 vs. Clemson (OT)
Week 5 matchup: Sept. 27 at North Carolina State
Outside of the BCS national championship game last season, Saturday was when Florida State (3-0, 1-0 ACC) looked by far the most vulnerable at any time during its school-record 19-game winning streak.
The Seminoles needed a late fumble recovery in their own red zone to force overtime, after emergency quarterback Sean Maguire looked like he'd thrown the game away with an interception, and in OT a 4th-and-inches stop aided by Clemson's questionable call to run out of a shotgun set helped set up the winning score. Maguire looked good at times, with 305 yards, but he made a lot of mistakes in place of the suspended Jameis Winston, and he had no help from his run game other than Karlos Williams' two big runs in overtime.
FSU could have very easily lost this game, and it's fair to say it deserved to based on how it played. But maybe the turmoil-filled victory will provide a spark underneath a team that hasn't looked very good so far, according to Matt Murschel of the Orlando Sentinel.
"Florida State should have lost this game, but instead this win could be the catalyst for much greater things, including a possible return to the national championship for the 'Noles," Murschel wrote.
FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said Winston will be back as starter at North Carolina State, but it will take more than one player to get the Seminoles back to their old dominant ways.
1. (tie) Oregon Ducks
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Average rating: 2.4
Week 4 result: Won 38-31 at Washington State
Week 5 matchup: Bye
The Ducks (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) survived a major scare late Saturday night, rallying from an early hole to outlast Washington State and its passing prowess behind Heisman contender Marcus Mariota's near-perfect performance.
Despite getting sacked seven times, Mariota threw for 329 yards and five touchdowns on 21-of-25 passing. He also ran for 58 yards, and is averaging 337.3 yards of total offense per game this season.
Oregon's offensive line struggled to protect Mariota, while its defense seemed helpless against Washington State's passing game. Connor Halliday threw for 436 yards and four touchdowns, and the Ducks failed to rattle him enough to throw an interception like he had in the Cougars' previous three games.
1. (tie) Alabama Crimson Tide
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Average rating: 2.4
Week 4 result: Won 42-21 vs. Florida
Week 5 matchup: Bye
Alabama (4-0, 1-0 SEC) may not need to have a superstar quarterback to win, but Blake Sims is making a case for being capable of great things after his performance Saturday against Florida. The senior threw for 445 yards and four touchdowns, firmly planting himself as the Crimson Tide's best option under center.
"Sims is the latest example of why it's foolish to anoint or toss aside players before we actually see them when they're given the chance," wrote Jon Solomon of CBS Sports, referring to the battle between Sims and Florida State transfer Jacob Coker.
Having a top-flight receiver like Amari Cooper to throw to, though, could make any passer look good. Cooper was masterful yet again, with 10 catches for 201 yards and three TDs, and for the season has 43 catches for 655 yards and five TDs.
The Crimson Tide's defense had its best showing of the year, limiting Florida to 93 passing yards and just nine completions on 28 attempts.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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