AP Top 25: Week Five

This past weekend was a busy one around college football, as there were six matchups in total between ranked teams, and a couple other games that featured a ranked team in an interesting spot. In the end, the favorites mostly managed to hold serve, so it didn’t end up being too much of a chaotic week.

One of those favorites that did win was UNC, who overcome a bit of a slow start to beat Pittsburgh comfortably. With another weekend in the books, let’s check in on where things stand in the AP rankings.

AP Top 25

1. Georgia (55 first place votes)
2. Michigan (1)
3. Texas (2)
4. Ohio State (1)
5. Florida State (3)
6. Penn State
7. Washington (1)
8. USC
9. Oregon
10. Utah
11. Notre Dame
12. Alabama
13. LSU
14. Oklahoma
15. North Carolina
16. Washington State
17. Duke
18. Miami (FL)
19. Oregon State
20. Ole Miss
21. Tennessee
22. Florida
23. Missouri
24. Kansas
25. Fresno State

Where is UNC?

Thanks to the victory over the Panthers, the Tar Heels were on the move up. UNC jumped two places and have cracked the top 15 for the first time all year, as they landed exactly at #15. There’s a couple teams hot on their heels (pun somewhat intended), but Carolina holds onto their place as the second highest placed ACC team.

This Week: Bye

Biggest Winners

There’s a trio of new teams in the poll right at the bottom as Missouri, Kansas, and Fresno State are into the Top 25 this week. Hopefully, the most notable rise arguably belongs to Washington State. After winning the ranked battle over Oregon State in the Pac-12 Realignment Leftovers Bowl, the Cougars jumped five spots and are now right behind UNC. In general, I hope for nothing but good things for them this season — unless they end up in a bowl game against Carolina or something.

Biggest Losers

Oregon State and Ole Miss each fell five spots, but they were surpassed by another team. The Deion Sanders era at Colorado saw it’s first blemish over the weekend as Oregon absolutely crushed them in Eugene. As a result, the Buffaloes went from #19 to unranked.

Conference Breakdown

• SEC: 7
• Pac 12: 6
• ACC: 4
• Big 12: 3
• Big Ten: 3
• Independent: 1
• Mountain West: 1

Marquee Matchups This Week

• #10 Utah (4-0, 1-0 Pac 12) at #19 Oregon State (3-1, 0-1 Pac 12) - Friday at 9:00 PM ET on FS1
• #8 USC (4-0, 2-0 Pac 12) at Colorado (3-1, 0-1 Pac 12) - Saturday at 12:00 PM ET on FOX
• #24 Kansas (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) at #3 Texas (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) - Saturday at 3:30 PM ET on ABC
• #13 LSU (3-1, 2-0 SEC) at #20 Ole Miss (3-1, 0-1 SEC) - Saturday at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN
• #11 Notre Dame (4-1) at #17 Duke (4-0) - Saturday at 7:30 PM ET on ABC

Coaches Poll

1. Georgia (61 first place votes)
2. Michigan
3. Ohio State (2)
4. Florida State
5. Texas
6. USC
7. Penn State
8. Washington (1)
9. Oregon
10. Utah
11. Alabama
12. LSU
13. Notre Dame
14. Oklahoma
15. North Carolina
16. Duke
17. Washington State
18. Miami (FL)
19. Tennessee
20. Ole Miss
21. Oregon State
22. Missouri
23. Florida
24. Kansas
25. Kansas State