RJ Young

FOX Sports National College Football Analyst

This sport loves a monarch. This sport loves a despot. This sport longs for a conqueror.

Georgia is 49-3 since November 7, 2020, with all three losses disappointing Alabama. But ever since the Bulldogs defeated the Crimson Tide in the 2022 national title game, UGA has felt more and more like Zeus defeating Cronus, taking the crown and declaring itself king in this Olympia.

Regarding Ohio State and Texas, this game – Alabama vs. Georgia – about who carries the standard. There’s nothing exciting about that shot, although there is heat for Kirby Smart here.

If Smart had won this game, we would have decided he had a Nick Saban problem. But he lost. And now Georgia has an Alabama problem – like Zeus had with Prometheus. The path to the pantheon begins with this fire, and Jalen Milroe was an orange forge.

With that, here’s a look at my top 25 rankings after Week 5 of the college football season:

1. Alabama (4-0)

Result week 5: Defeated Georgia, 41-34

In an instant classic, Alabama QB Jalen Milroe passed for 374 yards, rushed for 117 yards and was responsible for four touchdowns, while 17-year-old Ryan Williams caught six passes for 177 yards, including the game-winning 75-yard catch-and-run that would prove to be the winning score.

Alabama is the only program to beat Georgia since November 7, 2020. And Kalen DeBoer is tied 1-0 against Kirby Smart.

2. Texas (5-0)

Result week 5: Defeated Mississippi State, 35-13

McDonald’s has the Golden Arches. But just as McDowell’s has the Golden Arcs, Texas has the Golden Arch.

Arch Manning completed 26 of 31 passes for 324 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions in Texas’ win over Mississippi State, with DeAndre Moore, Jr. was responsible for four catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

3. State of Ohio (4-0)

Result week 5: Defeated Michigan State, 38-7

The Buckeyes looked dominant in their Big Ten Conference opener, with Jeremiah Smith continuing to play at a Biletnikoff Award level as a true freshman. He caught five passes for 83 yards, including an incredible one-handed 17-yard touchdown catch.

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith makes an UNREAL one-handed touchdown catch vs. Michigan State

4. Tennessee (4-0)

Result week 5: Inactive

5. Georgia (3-1)

Result week 5: Lost to Alabama, 41-34

The Bulldogs have lost just three times since Nov. 7, 2020 – all three have been to Alabama. It looks like Kirby Smart doesn’t have a Nick Saban problem. He has an Alabama problem, and a few minutes later in the fourth quarter on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, it looked like Smart would get the upper hand. But then Jalen Milroe and freshman phenom Ryan Williams struck. Carson Beck did his best in the second half, but in the end the Tide was too much for this Georgia team.

6. Penn State (4-0)

Result week 5: Defeated Illinois, 21-7

The Nittany Lions walked into Beaver Stadium with a top-10 rushing attack thanks to a punishing offensive line and tailbacks Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. These two dominant backs combined for 196 rushing yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns in Penn State’s win over Illinois.

7. Oregon (4-0)

Result week 5: Defeated UCLA, 34-13

The Ducks entered this game as 25.5-point favorites and left with a 21-point win over the lowly Bruins. Dillon Gabriel threw three touchdown passes – two of which went to Tez Johnson – and continued to rise in the NCAA record books as the Ducks recorded their first Big Ten win.

No. 8 Oregon Ducks vs. UCLA Bruins Highlights

8. Miami (Fla.) (5-0)

Result week 5: Defeated Virginia Tech, 38-34

Look, Da’Quran Felton caught it. Then the ACC overturned the Hail Mary touchdown — which would have led to the Hokies upsetting the Canes — as an incomplete pass.

But before that mess, Cam Ward put the Canes on his back, like Beatrix Kiddo carrying two buckets of water up Pai Mei’s kick, throwing for 343 passing yards and four touchdowns while adding 57 yards and a rushing score in the win.

9. Missouri (4-0)

Result week 5: Inactive

10. Clemson (3-1)

Result week 5: Defeated Stanford, 40-14

The Tigers look like one of the best teams in the ACC again with their third straight win, scoring at least 40 points on each team.

11. Michigan (4-1)

Result week 5: Defeated Minnesota, 27-24

It was Michigan’s 27th straight win against a Big Ten opponent. The 27-24 victory came despite another anemic performance from quarterback Alex Orji, who finished 10 of 18 for 86 yards.

Despite playing football early, the Wolverines couldn’t close with authority. Minnesota scored 21 points in the fourth quarter.

12. The state of Iowa (4-0)

Result week 5: Defeated Houston 20-0

The Cyclones are tied atop the Big 12 standings along with BYU and Colorado and are off to their first 4-0 start since 2000.

Quarterback Rocco Becht is the real deal, and Iowa State’s defense has been stellar, with opponents averaging 7.3 points per game.

13. USC (3-1)

Result week 5: Defeated Wisconsin, 38-21

Despite being booed off the field at halftime, the Trojans scored 28 unanswered points in the second half at the Coliseum and improved to 3–1, with Miller Moss passing for 308 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

14. Oklahoma (4-1)

Result week 5: Defeated Auburn, 27-21

Linebacker Kip Lewis came up with a pick-six with just over four minutes to play to give Oklahoma its first SEC win. True freshman Michael Hawkins, Jr. became the first Oklahoma quarterback to win his first road start in school history.

15. BYU (5-0)

Result week 5: Defeated Byalor, 34-28

After last weekend’s dominant performance against Kansas State, this could have been a place for the Cougars to make a mistake. But instead, Kalani Sitake’s team took care of business against a Baylor team that fell to 2-3 after the loss.

No. 22 BYU Cougars vs. Baylor Bears Highlights

16. LSU (4-1)

Result week 5: Defeated South Alabama, 42-10

Garrett Nussmier continues to look like a legitimate SEC quarterback, throwing for a career-high 409 yards in LSU’s 42-10 win over South Alabama. Caden Durham totaled 217 yards from scrimmage, while Brian Kelly’s team put up 667 yards of total offense in the win.

17. Ole ma’am (4-1)

Result week 5: Lost to Kentucky, 20-17

Lane Kiffin may have a good football team, but you can’t go 1-for-10 on third down while losing to Kentucky and expect to stay in the top 15 of these rankings.

18. Notre Dame (4-1)

Result week 5: Defeated Louisville, 31-24

Riley Leonard had just one passing touchdown heading into Notre Dame’s game against Louisville. The senior Qb doubled that total on Saturday, throwing for 163 yards and a pair of scores, but also rushing for 52 yards and a touchdown in the win.

19. Boise State (3-1)

Result week 5: Defeated Washington State, 45-24

Ashton Jeanty is playing like the best running back in the country, and it’s not even close. The do-it-all forward carried the ball 26 times for 259 yards and four touchdowns in the win. This was Jeanty’s fourth 200-meter race, tying the school record.

Washington State Cougars vs. No. 25 Boise State Broncos Highlights

20. UNLV (4-0)

Result week 5: Defeated Fresno, 59-14

UNLV kicked off conference play without starting QB Matthew Sluka, who announced earlier this week through his agent that he would sit out the remainder of the season for a $100,000 NIL payment that he claims was promised to him before coming to UNLV switched, but was never paid. .

Hajj-Malik Williams came on and the Rebels didn’t miss a beat. Williams threw for 182 yards and three touchdowns while adding 119 yards and a score on the ground in a dominant win over Fresno State.

21. State of Kansas (4-1)

Result week 5: Defeated Oklahoma State, 42-20

Taylen Green proved that a dual-threat QB can light up Oklahoma State when he went for 416 passing yards and 61 rushing yards against that defense. Then Utah tailback Micah Benard ran 183 yards through the Cowboys defense. On Saturday, DJ Giddens ran 187 meters on 15 rushes.

22. Illinois (4-1)

Result week 5: Lost to Penn State, 21-7

Illinois and Tennessee were the only programs in the country with two top 25 wins heading into Week 5. Brett Bielema’s team looked for another one Saturday but fell short in a 21-7 loss to Penn State. The Illini gave up 239 yards on the ground and produced just 219 yards of total offense in the loss.

23. Texas A&M (4-1)

Result week 5: Defeated Arkansas, 21-17

Marcel Reed threw for two touchdowns, including the 5-yard lead Tre Watson with nine minutes remaining to secure the win for the Aggies.

24. Utah (4-1)

Result week 5: Lost to Arizona, 10-23

The Utes were able to survive without Cam Rising last weekend, but that was not the case again on Saturday night against Arizona. Kyle Whittingham’s team struggled mightily on offense, as QB Issac Wilson completed just 50% of his passes and threw two interceptions in the loss.

25. Indiana (5-0)

It’s time to show some well-deserved respect to the Hoosiers, who are off to their first 5-0 start since 1967. First-year head coach Curt Cignetti, who came over from James Madison, promised Hoosier fans that he will leave his mark on the club would print. program, and that’s exactly what he’s done for five games.

RJ Young is a National College Football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The number one college football show.‘Follow him @RJ_Young And subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.

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