College Football Rankings 2016: Bleacher Report's Week 6 Top 25
Saturday marked the beginning of the 100-day countdown to the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship in Tampa, Florida—funny; the action we just got through had all the makings of a playoff of its own.
Multiple games ended on the final play, including a few in overtime, with unbeaten squads falling left and right. The battle of top-10 teams on Friday didn't live up to the hype, but the other two on Saturday sure did. And all those results threw the latest Bleacher Report Top 25 into utter chaos in early October.
Our poll is voted on by 19 members of our college football staff: writers Ben Axelrod, Greg Couch, Tyler Donohue, Ed Feng, David Kenyon, Sanjay Kirpalani, Adam Kramer, Brian Pedersen, David Regimbal, Barrett Sallee, Damon Sayles, Brad Shepard, Greg Wallace and Christopher Walsh; video staff Michael Felder, Hunter Mandel and Sean McManus; and editors Eric Bowman and Eric Yates.
First-place votes are worth 25 points, with each subsequent point worth one point fewer all the way down to one for 25th place. The 25 teams with the most poll points make our list, with the rest falling into the category of "others receiving votes."
Check out where everyone stands after Week 5, then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Others Receiving Votes
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Maryland throttled Purdue 50-7 to win its Big Ten opener and improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2013, but that wasn't enough to move the Terrapins into our rankings. Here's everyone else that appeared on our voters' ballots but fell short of the number needed to make the Top 25.
- North Dakota State (25)
- Maryland (24)
- Utah (22)
- Virginia Tech (18)
- Michigan State (15)
- Auburn (8)
- Georgia (8)
- Air Force (7)
- Oklahoma State (7)
- Toledo (7)
- Texas Tech (6)
- UCLA (6)
- USC (5)
- Kansas State (4)
- California (3)
- North Carolina State (3)
- Iowa (2)
- BYU (1)
- South Florida (1)
No. 25 LSU Tigers
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Poll points: 32
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Week 5 result: Won 42-7 vs. Missouri
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 at Florida
LSU (3-2, 2-1 SEC) opened the Ed Orgeron era in impressive fashion, churning out 418 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground even with star Leonard Fournette held out with an injury.
He wasn't needed with Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams each scoring three times and combining for 293 yards on 38 carries. That opened things up for Danny Etling to throw for 216 yards on 19-of-30 passing as the Tigers finished a game without turning the ball over for the first time in 2016.
Orgeron, named interim head coach after Les Miles was fired on Sept. 25, saw LSU top 400 rushing yards for the first time since the second game of last season.
No. 24 Western Michigan Broncos
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Poll points: 45
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Week 5 result: Won 49-10 at Central Michigan
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. Northern Illinois
Western Michigan (5-0, 1-0 MAC) followed up a superb nonconference run by dominating its in-state rival on the road to open league play. In doing so, the Broncos matched their best start since 1994.
Jarvion Franklin ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns, while Corey Davis caught two of Zach Terrell's three touchdown passes. Davis became the MAC's career receiving leader and now sits 13th in FBS history with 4,245 yards.
The Broncos, who won at Illinois and Northwestern in September, held Central Michigan to 277 yards and got an 85-yard interception return touchdown from Darius Phillips.
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No. 23 Boise State Broncos
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Poll points: 87
Last week's ranking: 23rd
Week 5 result: Won 21-10 vs. Utah State
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 7 at New Mexico
Boise State (4-0, 1-0 Mountain West) rode the running and receiving skills of Jeremy McNichols to win its conference opener and avenge last year's 26-point defeat at Utah State.
McNichols ran for 132 yards on 30 attempts. He also caught six passes for 73 yards with a 61-yard touchdown catch from Cedrick Wilson, while Brett Rypien threw for 163 yards and two scores on 15-of-24 passing.
The Broncos avoided turning the ball over after doing so eight times in last year's 52-26 loss to the Aggies.
No. 22 Florida State Seminoles
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Poll points: 88
Last week's ranking: 12th
Week 5 result: Lost 37-35 vs. North Carolina
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 at Miami (Florida)
Florida State (3-2, 0-2 ACC) executed a major fourth-quarter comeback to take a one-point lead in the final minute, only to see victory torn away by its opponents at the last moment.
North Carolina's Nick Weiler hit a 54-yard field goal as time expired, just 23 seconds after Deondre Francois gave the Seminoles their first lead of the game on a two-yard touchdown run. Francois managed to avoid a sack before diving into the end zone for the go-ahead score, part of 404 yards of total offense for the redshirt freshman.
Florida State trailed 28-14 entering the fourth quarter but tied it with 5:11 to go on a pair of Dalvin Cook touchdown runs. Cook had 140 yards and three touchdowns as the Seminoles gained 595 yards but allowed 538, including 405 through the air.
No. 21 Oklahoma Sooners
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Poll points: 104
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Week 5 result: Won 52-46 at TCU
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. Texas (in Dallas)
Oklahoma (2-2, 1-0 Big 12) put aside its disappointing nonconference performance and focused on what's still attainable: a second consecutive league title. The road to that goal began with an impressive offensive performance but wasn't locked up until late.
The Sooners gained 534 yards in building a 49-24 lead, but they had to hold on after TCU scored 22 points to pull within three midway through the fourth quarter. Austin Seibert's 35-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining left the Horned Frogs in need of a touchdown at the end, but Oklahoma got two sacks from Ogbonnia Okoronkwo on the final possession to seal the victory.
Baker Mayfield threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two scores, while Joe Mixon had 105 yards and a touchdown and Samaje Perine added 98 yards with two scores.
No. 19 (tie) West Virginia Mountaineers
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Poll points: 106
Last week's ranking: 22nd
Week 5 result: Won 17-16 vs. Kansas State
Week 6 matchup: Bye
West Virginia (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) came into this season having beaten all but two teams in the Big 12 since moving over from the Big East in 2012. After knocking off Kansas State for the first time in conference play, only Oklahoma is left on the Mountaineers' list.
The latest win wasn't easy, though, as West Virginia trailed 13-0 and had only 174 yards entering halftime. It gained 248 yards in the second half and got touchdowns on a one-yard Justin Crawford run and Jovon Durante's game-winning seven-yard catch from Skyler Howard with 6:11 left.
The Mountaineers had a chance to win it with 2:03 left, but Matthew McCrane's 43-yard field goal was no good.
Howard threw for 298 yards on 24-of-41 passing, while Crawford ran for 104 yards.
No. 19 (tie) Florida Gators
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Poll points: 106
Last week's ranking: 24th
Week 5 result: Won 13-6 at Vanderbilt
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. LSU
Florida (4-1, 2-1 SEC) rebounded from last week's collapse at Tennessee to squeak out a defensive-minded win that featured only 501 yards of total offense.
The Gators managed just 236 yards, with Jordan Scarlett's four-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter the only time anyone reached the end zone. Scarlett had 55 of Florida's 92 rushing yards, while Austin Appleby threw for 144 yards on 19-of-28 passing in his second start in place of the injured Luke Del Rio.
Vanderbilt gained 265 yards but turned it over three times, two of those coming in the fourth quarter.
No. 18 Colorado Buffaloes
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Poll points: 112
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Week 5 result: Won 47-6 vs. Oregon State
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 at USC
Colorado (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) followed up its upset win at Oregon with a blowout of the Beavers to match last season's win total.
Steven Montez, starting in place of Sefo Liufau for the second week in a row, threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-27 passing. All three scores went to Shay Fields, who had seven catches for 169 yards.
The Buffaloes also ran for 247 yards and two touchdowns, while their defense held Oregon State to 226 yards and forced two turnovers.
No. 17 North Carolina Tar Heels
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Poll points: 128
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Week 5 result: Won 37-35 at Florida State
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. Virginia Tech
North Carolina (4-1, 2-0 ACC) won its 10th consecutive regular-season conference matchup in dramatic fashion, with Nick Weiler drilling a 54-yard field goal at the buzzer to shock Florida State on the road.
The Tar Heels led 28-14 entering the fourth quarter before Florida State tied it, but after Mitch Trubisky hit Thomas Jackson for a 34-yard touchdown with 2:31 left, Weiler's extra point was blocked.
That looked to have been a crucial miss when the Seminoles took a 35-34 lead with 23 seconds remaining, but then Trubisky hit Mack Hollins for a 23-yard pass to get near midfield, and a pass-interference penalty moved North Carolina to the Seminoles' 37-yard line with four seconds left to set up Weiler's game-winning kick.
Trubisky threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns on 31-of-38 passing, with Ryan Switzer catching 14 passes for 158 yards.
No. 16 Arkansas Razorbacks
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Poll points: 154
Last week's ranking: 21st
Week 5 result: Won 52-10 vs. Alcorn State
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. Alabama
Arkansas (4-1, 0-1 SEC) took a break from SEC play to romp over an FCS opponent, scoring 24 first-quarter points in a game played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Austin Allen threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns on 13-of-18 passing, and the Razorbacks ran for 353 yards, its most since September 2014. Devwah Whaley ran for 135 yards on nine carries, including a 75-yard touchdown run, while Rawleigh Williams III added 126 yards on 13 carries. Jared Cornelius caught two touchdowns from Allen.
The Razorbacks held Alcorn State to 313 yards and forced four turnovers, including a 70-yard pick-six from Henre' Toliver in the third quarter.
No. 15 Stanford Cardinal
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Poll points: 205
Last week's ranking: 7th
Week 5 result: Lost 44-6 at Washington
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. Washington State
Stanford (3-1, 2-1 Pac-12) suffered its worst loss in nine years as star Christian McCaffrey had his worst offensive performance since 2014.
McCaffrey was held to 49 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards, and the Cardinal managed only 213 total yards, including 29 on the ground. The low rushing number was impacted by eight sacks of quarterbacks Ryan Burns and Keller Chryst. Six of those came in the first half, when Stanford fell behind, 23-0.
Stanford turned it over twice and ultimately lost by 38 for the first time since a 2007 loss to Arizona State.
No. 14 Ole Miss Rebels
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Poll points: 230
Last week's ranking: 16th
Week 5 result: Won 48-28 vs. Memphis
Week 6 matchup: Bye
Ole Miss (3-2, 1-1 SEC) avenged last year's loss to Memphis, building a 20-point lead and keeping a safe cushion the rest of the night for a nonconference victory.
The Rebels gained a season-high 624 yards, with two different players topping the 100-yard rushing mark. Eugene Brazley ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns, while Akeem Judd ran for 108 yards. Chad Kelly chipped in 361 yards and a touchdown on 30-of-44 passing.
Ole Miss forced four turnovers, getting a 31-yard pick-six from Zedrick Woods to give it a 14-0 first-quarter lead.
No. 13 Nebraska Cornhuskers
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Poll points: 244
Last week's ranking: 15th
Week 5 result: Won 31-16 vs. Illinois
Week 6 matchup: Bye
Nebraska (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) didn't get its fifth win last season until mid-November, but after exploding for 21 fourth-quarter points, the Cornhuskers are all alone atop the Big Ten West standings after two weeks.
Nebraska led 10-7 midway through the second quarter but didn't score again until there was 11:58 left in the fourth. That's when Terrell Newby had the first of his two fourth-quarter runs (the other was for 63 yards with 2:03 to go) to secure the victory.
Newby ran for 140 yards on 27 carries, while Tommy Armstrong Jr. had a rushing score and threw for 220 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
No. 12 Baylor Bears
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Poll points: 246
Last week's ranking: 14th
Week 5 result: Won 45-42 at Iowa State
Week 6 matchup: Bye
Baylor (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) rallied from a 14-point deficit with 17 points in the final 11:40, winning on Chris Callahan's 19-yard field goal as time expired.
The Bears trailed the entire game until Terence Williams scored on a two-yard run with 6:27 left, and their defense held in the fourth quarter after allowing Iowa State to score touchdowns on its first six possessions. The winning drive lasted 18 plays and went 83 yards, using the final 4:54 of the clock.
The running game paced Baylor to the tune of 469 yards and five touchdown on 62 carries, with Shock Linwood rushing for a career-high 237 yards and a touchdown. He came into the game with 217 yards and no scores in the first four games.
Williams ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns, while Seth Russell threw for 178 yards and a touchdown and ran for 88 yards and two scores.
No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers
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Poll points: 256
Last week's ranking: 9th
Week 5 result: Lost 14-7 at Michigan
Week 6 matchup: Bye
Wisconsin (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) finally succumbed to its hellacious early schedule despite another strong defensive performance on the road.
A week after winning 30-6 at previously unbeaten Michigan State, the Badgers held Michigan 38 points and 118.8 yards below its season averages. However, their own attack couldn't muster anything beyond a 17-yard touchdown catch by Dare Ogunbowale from Alex Hornibrook midway through the third quarter that was set up by a 46-yard Derrick Tindal pick.
Hornibrook completed only nine of 25 passes for 88 yards. He also threw three interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter after Michigan took the lead. The Badgers' run game was held to 71 yards, 113.25 below their season average.
No. 10 Miami (Florida) Hurricanes
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Poll points: 300
Last week's ranking: 13th
Week 5 result: Won 35-21 at Georgia Tech
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. Florida State
Miami (4-0, 1-0 ACC) scored a pair of defensive touchdowns in a 46-second span in the second quarter, allowing Mark Richt continuing his dominance over Georgia Tech.
Shaquille Quarterman scored on a 17-yard fumble return with 5:50 left in the second quarter, followed shortly by Joe Jackson's 18-yard scoop-and-score to give the Hurricanes a 28-7 lead. Those were part of a 21-0 run over 1:38 in that period after Mark Walton scored on a 14-yard run.
The Hurricanes were outgained, 361-355, but forced three turnovers. Brad Kaaya threw for 241 yards on 13-of-19 passing with a 31-yard touchdown to Stacy Coley in the third quarter.
Richt, who is in his first season at Miami, went 13-2 against Georgia Tech while coaching Georgia and is now 9-0 in Bobby Dodd Stadium.
No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers
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tennesseePoll points: 316
Last week's ranking: 11th
Week 5 result: Won 34-31 at Georgia
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 at Texas A&M
Tennessee (5-0, 2-0 SEC) spent much of the offseason getting hyped as a major team to beat but then slugged its way through some unimpressive nonconference games impacted by slow starts. That same issue has plagued the Volunteers in their two SEC games, but thanks to amazing second-half performances, they're in the driver's seat in the East Division.
A week after scoring 38 unanswered points to beat nemesis Florida, the Vols rallied twice in the fourth quarter to shock Georgia. The final blow came via a 43-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass from Joshua Dobbs to Jauan Jennings as time expired, just 10 seconds after Georgia had gone up 31-28 on a 47-yard TD pass.
"If I'm Butch Jones, I'm buying a lottery ticket right now," USA Today's Nicole Auerbach tweeted.
Tennessee trailed 24-14 entering the fourth but went ahead with 2:56 left when Derek Barnett stripped Georgia QB Jacob Eason in the end zone and Corey Vereen recovered it. It also was down 17-0 in the first half, before Dobbs scored on a four-yard run with 12 seconds left.
Dobbs had 256 yards of total offense and four total TDs.
No. 8 Texas A&M Aggies
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Poll points: 345
Last week's ranking: 8th
Week 5 result: Won 24-13 at South Carolina
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. Tennessee
Texas A&M (5-0, 3-0 SEC) matched its start from the past two seasons thanks to the run game that has paced the Aggies all year.
The Aggies ran for 216 yards and three touchdowns, one each from Trevor Knight, James White and Trayveon Williams. They're 29-0 since 2012 under coach Kevin Sumlin when rushing for at least 200 yards.
Knight had 290 yards of total offense, throwing for 206 on 23-of-40 passing with 84 rushing yards, while Williams had 98 yards on 14 carries.
No. 7 Louisville Cardinals
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Poll points: 355
Last week's ranking: 3rd
Week 5 result: Lost 42-36 at Clemson
Week 6 matchup: Bye
Louisville (4-1, 2-1 ACC) gained 568 yards against one of the top defenses in the country, one that had allowed only 44 points in its first four games. Had the Cardinals gotten one more yard, they would have had a chance to remain unbeaten.
Louisville marched 72 yards in 11 plays after Clemson retook the lead with 3:14 left, and on 4th-and-12 from the 14-yard line, Lamar Jackson threw to James Quick. But the senior receiver was knocked out of bounds at the 3-yard line with 33 seconds left, ending Louisville's last-ditch effort to go ahead in a game that had three lead changes, including two in the final 11 minutes.
The Cardinals trailed 28-10 at halftime but then scored 26 unanswered points, going up 36-28 on an 11-yard touchdown run by Jackson with 7:52 left in the game. The quarterback rebounded from an uneven first half to finish with 457 yards of total offense and three TDs, throwing for 295 with a score and rushing for 162 with two TDs.
No. 6 Washington Huskies
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Poll points: 379
Last week's ranking: 10th
Week 5 result: Won 44-6 vs. Stanford
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 at Oregon
Washington (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) has won eight straight games, but none of the previous victories were as big as Friday's blowout of Stanford, a victory that has the Huskies primed to make a run for the playoffs.
"Washington is now the only team west of Texas that still has a shot at the national title," Bleacher Report's Greg Couch wrote.
The Huskies spread the ball around, getting touchdowns from five different players (with Myles Gaskin scoring twice along with 100 rushing yards), and Jake Browning was 15-of-21 for 210 yards with three TDs.
Their defense was dominant, recording eight sacks and forcing two turnovers while holding Stanford star Christian McCaffrey to 79 yards from scrimmage.
No. 5 Houston Cougars
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Poll points: 386
Last week's ranking: 6th
Week 5 result: Won 42-14 vs. Connecticut
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 at Navy
Houston (5-0, 2-0 American) avenged its only loss from last season behind a stellar effort from quarterback Greg Ward Jr., winning a Thursday night game for the second time in three weeks.
Ward had 454 yards of total offense and accounted for five touchdowns for the Cougars. After going scoreless in the first quarter, Houston dropped 28 on the Huskies in the second. Ward was responsible for three of those scores, a 30-yard TD run and scoring passes to Tyler McCloskey and Steven Dunbar.
Two more TDs in the third quarter finished the action for Ward, who was 32-of-38 for 389 yards with three TDs to go with 65 rushing yards and the two scores.
No. 4 Michigan Wolverines
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Poll points: 415
Last week's ranking: 5th
Week 5 result: Won 14-7 vs. Wisconsin
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 at Rutgers
Michigan (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) won a conference battle of unbeatens the old-fashioned way, with plenty of stout defense and just enough scoring to get the job done. In doing so, the Wolverines are 5-0 for the fourth time in the last seven years.
Amara Darboh's 46-yard touchdown catch from Wilton Speight with 7:56 left in the fourth quarter broke the tie, then Michigan's defense took over by forcing a punt and two interceptions on Wisconsin's final three possessions. That included a spectacular one-handed pick by Jourdan Lewis near midfield with 2:15 left.
Michigan outgained Wisconsin 349-159 but had to punt eight times and missed a trio of field goals, including one from 40 yards out late in the third quarter. Speight threw for 219 yards on 20-of-32 passing with a TD and an interception that set up the Badgers' only score.
No. 3 Clemson Tigers
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Poll points: 435 (one first-place vote)
Last week's ranking: 4th
Week 5 result: Won 42-36 vs. Louisville
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 7 at Boston College
Clemson (5-0, 2-0 ACC) protected its home turf for the 19th consecutive time by scoring twice in the final 7:05 and then making one last defensive stop to take control of the Atlantic Division it won a year ago.
Defensive back Marcus Edmond knocked Louisville receiver James Quick out of bounds at the 3-yard line with 33 seconds left, one yard shy of a first down to preserve the victory. That came after the Tigers went ahead on Jordan Leggett's 31-yard touchdown catch from Deshaun Watson (and a Watson two-point pass to Leggett) with 3:14 to go.
Watson shook off his first career three-interception game to throw for 306 yards and five TDs on 20-of-31 passing while adding 91 rushing yards. Wayne Gallman complemented him with 110 rushing yards and a TD, while Deon Cain caught two of Watson's TD passes.
Clemson scored 28 points in the second quarter to lead 28-10 at halftime only to have Louisville score 26 unanswered points to lead by eight with 7:52 left.
"At the end of the day, you have the heart or you don’t," Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said on ABC after the game, per CoachingSearch.com. "You have the will to win or you don’t."
No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Poll points: 457 (three first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 2nd
Week 5 result: Won 58-0 vs. Rutgers
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 vs. Indiana
Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) shook off a sluggish first quarter to bulldoze Rutgers and former assistant Chris Ash, with J.T. Barrett becoming the school's all-time touchdown leader in the process.
Barrett threw for 238 yards and four TDs on 21-of-29 passing, giving him 59 touchdown passes for his career. Bobby Hoying had 57 from 1992 to '95.
The Buckeyes gained 669 yards, with 410 of that on the ground thanks to 144 yards and a TD from Mike Weber and 85 and a score from Demario McCall. OSU held Rutgers to 116 yards, the fewest it's allowed since yielding 116 to Purdue in November 2013.
No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide
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Poll points: 470 (15 first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 1st
Week 5 result: Won 34-6 vs. Kentucky
Week 6 matchup: Oct. 8 at Arkansas
Alabama (5-0, 2-0 SEC) went a second consecutive game without allowing a touchdown, with its defense outscoring Kentucky by itself along the way.
Ronnie Harrison's 55-yard fumble-return touchdown midway through the second quarter was all the Crimson Tide needed, but by then they led 17-3 and were in the midst of a 34-0 run after falling behind 3-0. That was one of two turnovers Alabama forced while holding Kentucky to 161 yards, making the Wildcats the third opponent they've held under 200 yards of offense this season.
The Tide gained 488 yards, with Jalen Hurts throwing for 262 yards and two TDs on 20-of-33 passing. Joshua Jacobs ran for 100 yards and 16 carries with one TD, while Calvin Ridley had 11 catches for 174 yards and two scores.
All slides written by Brian J. Pedersen. Follow the author on Twitter at @realBJP.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
