Keep in mind Toledo’s huge win at Mississippi State final week? How about Northern Illinois knocking off Notre Dame? Or Memphis downing Florida State?
All three Group of 5 groups misplaced in a wild day of school soccer Saturday, presumably knocking them out of consideration for the grand prize. They might now not management their very own future in pursuit of the illustrious spot reserved for not less than one among them within the Faculty Soccer Playoff (the highest-ranked Group of 5 convention champion will get an automated berth).
The Rockets, Huskies and Tigers adopted huge energy convention wins with losses to Western Kentucky, Buffalo and Navy, respectively.
With Liberty nonetheless enjoying early within the wee hours of Sunday morning, there have been 4 G5 unbeatens remaining: UNLV, Military, Navy and James Madison (Washington State shouldn’t be eligible for the AQ because the Pac-12, at two groups, doesn’t meet the eight-team requirement).
However sufficient concerning the G5. What else occurred Saturday? Michigan surprised USC within the top-25 showdown in Ann Arbor regardless of passing for simply 32 — sure, thirty-two — passing yards. Afterward, coach Sherrone Moore channeled his predecessor about that stat.
“I like it,” he instructed reporters. “It’s my dream.”
What a bizarre dream!
Nonetheless, USC is left trying to find solutions for its inconsistent offense and Michigan marches ahead with a renewed hope for a Large Ten title (if it could possibly unearth a passing sport). In a late-night sport within the Pac-12-turned-Large 12, Colorado beat Baylor in time beyond regulation after having to finish a Hail Mary. CU’s two-way participant, Travis Hunter, pressured a fumble on the objective line in time beyond regulation that gained the Buffs the sport.
Within the different huge ranked duel, Tennessee flexed its muscle in Norman, Oklahoma, rudely welcoming the Sooners to the SEC. Talking of flexing muscle, since its season-opening loss to Georgia, Clemson has outscored its opponents 125-55 (it led NC State 28-0 after the primary quarter on Saturday).
Within the Iron Skillet rivalry sport, SMU buried TCU and fairly actually despatched packing former coach Sonny Dykes, who was ejected from the sport.
Dykes isn’t the one coach to have made information on Saturday. Mack Brown brought about a stir after North Carolina’s 70-50 debacle of a loss to James Madison. Throughout his post-game speech, he advised to gamers that he would possibly step down, in keeping with 247Sports. Brown additional clarified his feedback to ESPN and mentioned he will likely be again within the workplace engaged on Sunday.
At Texas, Arch Manning obtained his first profession begin in 12 months 3 in Austin. Whereas he threw a decide throughout his opening collection, the most recent Manning settled in to throw for 258 yards and two scores.
It’s previous time for the rankings. A reminder: We don’t contemplate any preseason polls or any previous season outcomes. What occurred prior to now is prior to now. It’s who you’ve crushed and the way you’ve crushed them!
1. Tennessee Volunteers
This week: beat Oklahoma 25-15
Subsequent week: Bye
A hardy welcome to the Vols, our new top-ranked group. Tennessee has a impartial website win over NC State and now a beatdown on the highway within the SEC. It’s about pretty much as good of a resume as anybody. Whereas a lot of the Rocky Prime hype surrounds sophomore QB Nico Iamaleava (and he’s good), the world obtained to see the Tennessee protection on Saturday – a downright nasty entrance seven. At one level, Oklahoma went 10 straight performs with out gaining a single yard.
2. Georgia Bulldogs
This week: Bye
Subsequent week: at Alabama
George W. Bush was president the final time that Georgia beat Alabama in a daily season sport (2007). The Crimson Tide has gained eight of the final 9 heading into Saturday evening’s top-5 collision in Tuscaloosa. Nick Saban owned Kirby Sensible, his former protege, beating him 5 instances of the six video games, together with three SEC championship video games and the 2017 nationwide title bout.
3. Texas Longhorns
This week: beat UL-Monroe 51-3
Subsequent week: vs. Mississippi State
As talked about above, Arch Manning shook off some rookie woes early to information the Longhorns to the victory. It didn’t take a lot offense to win this one. Monroe completed with 111 yards of complete offense. The Texas resume isn’t improbable, however Steve Sarkisian’s group has arguably the perfect win of the season at Michigan (boosted by the Wolverines win over USC).
4. Utah Utes
This week: beat Oklahoma State 22-19
Subsequent week: vs. Arizona
Even with out Cam Rising (injured hand), the Utes discovered a strategy to win, principally with that salty protection we’ve come to seek out with coach Kyle Wittingham’s groups. The Cowboys didn’t crack the 300-yard mark and had three factors up till 5 minutes left within the sport.
5. Miami Hurricanes
This week: beat South Florida 50-15
Subsequent week: vs. Virginia Tech
Are you able to imagine that USF led on this sport, 15-14, late within the second quarter? The Bulls did in actual fact. Then the Hurricanes scored 36 unanswered factors. QB Cam Ward threw for 404 yards and three scores. Miami seems to be the true deal, however have they been examined? Their solely energy convention win is at Florida.
6. Illinois Preventing Illini
This week: beat Nebraska 31-24
Subsequent week: at Penn State
We had been anticipating to have Nebraska on this Prime 10 after the Huskers took down Illinois in a Friday evening Large Ten duel. Oh how foolish of us! Bret Bielema’s boys walked into Lincoln and quieted the rowdy crowd with a stupendous time beyond regulation efficiency. Illini, trailing three separate instances, obtained a stellar efficiency from QB Luke Altmyer (21 of 27 with 4 touchdowns). Their resume – wins over Kansas and now Nebraska – can get lots stronger subsequent week in Completely satisfied Valley.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide
This week: Bye
Subsequent week: vs. Georgia
Kalen DeBoer’s first convention sport as Alabama’s coach is none aside from the two-time nationwide champions, a program that for years now has threatened to, if not already has, changed the Tide because the SEC’s premier program and championship dynasty. Can Bama strip such a legendary title away from Sensible and Co.?
8. Iowa State Cyclones
This week: beat Arkansas State 52-7
Subsequent week: at Houston
Is everybody sleeping on the Cyclones? The schedule hasn’t been the hardest (they’ve performed only one energy convention program – a win at Iowa), however nonetheless, they’ve allowed 29 factors in three video games. A middling Large 12 schedule units up properly for coach Matt Campbell’s crew to return again to that championship-type caliber we noticed in 2020.
9. Washington State Cougars
This week: beat San Jose State 54-52 in 2OT
Subsequent week: at Boise State
Whereas we had been all sleeping Friday evening and into the wee hours of Saturday morning, the Cougars and Spartans performed arguably the perfect sport of Week 4. Every group had a 300-yard passer, 100-yard receiver and (nearly) a 100-yard rusher. Every group additionally led by double digits at factors through the first three quarters! The groups scored 10 factors within the last 37 seconds of regulation with the Cougars needing a 52-yard subject objective with 5 seconds left to ship it to time beyond regulation!
10. Penn State Nittany Lions
This week: beat Kent State 56-0
Subsequent week: vs. Illinois
Penn State out-gained KSU 718-67 – a 651-yard differential that marks a college document and is the very best in any sport within the final decade, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data. The Nittany Lions haven’t performed the hardest slate thus far (solely energy convention win at West Virginia), however that’s quickly to alter.
Dropped out: USC (2), Northern Illinois (9)
