College Football Week 5 Wrap up
Estimated 7 minute read
Weekly round up featuring rankings, media, and analysis from this week in college football.
Week 5 is behind us. Take a look back at the weekend’s best and worst.
Games of the Week
No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide 41
No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs 34
Alabama raced out to a 30-7 halftime lead over the top ranked Bulldogs, and it looked like the game was over. A combination of Georgia’s Carson Beck, Dillon Bell, and conservative play calling from the Tide allowed Georgia to come all the way back and take a 34-33 lead with 2:31 to go in the fourth. Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe connected with 17 year old freshman Ryan Williams for a 75 yard touchdown pass to retake the lead. Beck, who threw for 439 yards, brought the Bulldogs to the red zone before he was picked off in the end zone by Alabama freshman Zabien Brown. Williams caught 6 passes for 177 yards and the game winning touchdown. Milroe threw for 374 yards and 2 touchdowns and added 117 yards and 2 more scores on the ground. Beck threw 3 interceptions and lost a fumble.
No. 7 Miami Hurricanes 38
Virginia Tech Hokies 34
Another Friday night game makes this list - with Miami escaping after a controversial review reversed a successful Hail Mary by the Hokies. Virginia Tech completed a pass in the endzone with no time remaining, which would have given them a 40-38 win. A lengthy review reversed the call on the field, and “indisputable video evidence” looked disputable, allowing Miami to complete their comeback win and send the Hokies to a 2-3 start.
Sam Houston Bearkats 40
Texas State Bobcats 39
After a beatdown of UTSA, Texas State has dropped 2 straight contests against Arizona State and now Sam Houston. A Jordan McCoud touchdown toss to WR Kole Wilson less than 4 minutes into the 2nd half put the Bobcats up 39-21. After the score, Texas State’s remaining drives were downs-downs-punt-missed field goal-end of game. The offense’s inability to score allowed Sam Houston to score 19 unanswered points, the last of which came on a 24 yard field attempt with six seconds remaining.
Week 5 Heisman Top 5
Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State Broncos: 82 carries, 845 yards, 10.3 ypc, 13 TDs
Travis Hunter, WR/CB Colorado Buffaloes: 46 catches, 561 yards, 12.2 ypc, 6 TDs, 16 tackles, 3PDs, 2 INTs, 1 FF
Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama Crimson Tide: 62/85 72.9%, 964 yards, 10 TDs, 1 INT, 273 yards rushing, 8 TDs
Cam Ward, QB Miami Hurricanes: 113/161 70.2% completion, 1,782 yards, 20 TDs (2 rush) 4 INTs
Nico Iamaleava, QB Tennessee Volunteers: 61/88 69.3% completion, 892 yards, 8 TDs (1 rush), 2 INTs
Week 5 Players of the Week
Offensive: Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama Crimson Tide - 27/33 374 yards 2 TDs, 1 INT, 16 carries 117 yards 2 TDs vs Georgia Bulldogs
Defensive: Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE Boston College Eagles - 14 tackles, 4 TFLs, 3 sacks, 1 FF vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Week 5 Trending Up
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Don’t look now but the Scarlet Knights are 4-0 (1-0 Big Ten) behind a Top 30 scoring defense and scoring offense. RB Kyle Monangai (589 yards, 6 TDs) drives the 12th ranked rush attack in the nation (3rd in Big Ten), with QB Athan Kaliakmanis taking care of the ball (7 TDs, 1 INT). Rutgers travels to Lincoln as a touchdown underdog this week but welcomes Wisconsin and UCLA to town the following two weeks. 6-1 or 7-0 are now attainable. Head coach Greg Schiano has momentum on the recruiting trail with a class that ranks 21st nationally and 7th in the Big Ten, per 247 Sports.
Indiana Hoosiers
The Hoosiers of Indiana are another team with momentum under first year head coach Curt Cignetti, who came over from James Madison this past offseason. The Hoosiers are 57th nationally in the 247 Sports Team Talent Composite but sit at 5-0 (2-0 Big Ten) with the 4th ranked scoring offense and 13th ranked scoring defense nationally. The strength of schedule is lacking, ranking 108th nationally by ESPN. The Hoosiers have scored a wild 21 touchdowns on the ground so far, leading the nation. Indiana is a 2 TD favorite against Northwestern this weekend, with a win that would move the Hoosiers to 6-0 and bowl eligibility, along with a 3-0 start in Big Ten play. With games against Nebraska and Washington at home and a trip to struggling Michigan State following that, a 9-0 start is not out of the realm of possibility. Games against Michigan and Ohio State will provide a stiff challenge but closing the season at Purdue gives the Hoosiers a realistic chance at a 10-2 regular season.
BYU Cougars
BYU had a difficult first season in the Big 12, finishing 5-7 overall and a 2-7 effort in Big 12 play. The Cougars are 5-0 to start this season, which does not look like a fluke. They handed SMU their only loss of the season and defeated Kansas State 38-9, the Wildcats’ only loss of the season. BYU’s Parker Kingston owns one of the most exciting plays of the season. Home games against Arizona and Oklahoma State await. Both are winnable and a 7-0 start seems likely.
2024 Conference realignment
Tennessee and Josh Hepuel went to Norman and knocked off the Sooners. Michigan defended the Big House from a gritty USC team. Utah and Oklahoma State played an exciting game in Stillwater. Ratings are up, which shouldn’t be a surprise to fans. The SEC and Big Ten are now exploring a partnership to play more regular season games against one another because of the increased ratings this season, including the USC/LSU game that topped Week 1 in TV ratings while also becoming the most streamed game in college football history. If you check message boards and comment sections, you’ll see fans begrudgingly admit the excitement that realignment has brought this season.
Week 5 Trending Down
Florida State Seminoles and Virginia Tech Hokies
Both the Seminoles and the Hokies entered this season with high expectations. Virginia Tech returned almost their entire 2 Deep. Florida State was coming off a 12-0 regular season and brought in the 7th ranked transfer portal class, per 247 Sports. Instead, the Seminoles have started 1-4 and 1-3 in ACC play. Virginia Tech stands at 2-3, dropping their opener to Vanderbilt as 14 point favorites and was on the wrong end of a controversial review last week.
Week 5 G5 Power Rankings
UNLV Rebels 4-0, defeated Fresno State Bulldogs 59-14. Next: vs Syracuse Orange
JMU Dukes 4-0, defeated Ball State Cardinals 63-7. Next: @ UL Monroe Warhawks
Navy Midshipmen 4-0, defeated UAB Blazers 41-18. Next: @ Air Force
Boise State Broncos 3-1, defeated Washington State 45-24. Next vs Utah State Aggies
Army Black Knights 4-0, defeated Temple Owls 42-14. Next @ Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Week 5 Most Miserable
Ole Miss Rebels
After an offseason of hype, the number 1 ranked transfer portal class, and a number 6 ranking headed into Saturday, Ole Miss’s offense that chewed through Furman, Middle Tennessee State, Wake Forest, and Georgia Southern failed them against Kentucky. The Rebels managed only 17 points against the Wildcats, who left Oxford 20-17 winners.
