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Mike's NCAA college football power rankings for the top 25 NCAA college football teams before Week 6 of the 2024 season. Which teams are the best contenders for the expanded playoff?
Week 5 had a couple of big upsets. One of the slumming FBS teams lost to an FCS foe. We had the misfortune of terrible officiating affecting the outcome of not one but two games. But hey...at least we were graced with a monumental Georgia-Alabama game.
These rankings will vary greatly from the AP ones early in the season because I don't go off speculation. I go by what happened on the field only. They will stabilize as the season goes on, but it might take a bit to get there.
I understand that teams can only beat who is scheduled. These are going to look a little strange through September and maybe even into October, but I hope it serves to highlight wins that others may not have noticed.
(25) Colorado (4-1) (NR)
Last week: W 38-21 at (25) Central Florida
This offense is special. Will Sheppard is like the fourth receiver on the depth chart and he does this.
This throw from Shedeur Sanders is wild, and the ball tracking from Will Sheppard is incredible.
Sanders makes at least one jaw-dropping deep ball placement throw a game pic.twitter.com/2yo665vFhS
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) September 28, 2024
I still have major questions about the Colorado defense, but the Ralphies are tied with BYU for the Big 12 (14) lead. That's not nothing...
(24) Texas A&M (4-1) (NR)
Last week: W 21-17 vs. Arkansas
The Aggies have a road SEC win and a neutral site SEC win. That's good enough to get them back into the rankings.
(23) Rutgers (4-0) ⇔
Last week: W 21-18 vs. Washington
Is the Virginia Tech a good win? It's looking less and less like it was. What about Washington? Eh....maybe. However, I reserve my right to rank Rutgers because Kyle Monangai is special.
Kyle Monangai is going to be a problem for defenses this fall. Rutgers has something here. pic.twitter.com/uiopNSsLpt
— Ryan Gaydos (@Gaydos_) September 7, 2024
(22) USC (3-1) (NR)
Last week: W 38-21 vs. Wisconsin
I don't know how good Wisconsin is, but there's no shame in losing at Michigan.
(21) Ohio State (3-0) ⇔
Last week: W 38-7 at Michigan State
Well...it's a road win against a Power 4 team. The MAC Champs are moving up in the world of competition...
(20) Indiana (5-0) ⇔
Last week: W 42-28 vs. Maryland
The win over Maryland is still more impressive than anything Ohio State has done. I'm not saying that Indiana is a better team, but they have played a better schedule through the first five weeks.
(19) James Madison (4-0) ⇓2
Last week: W 63-7 vs. Ball State
For those of you keeping score at home, that's 133 points in the last two games. Alonza Barnett III is a freaking beast!
6 more TDs for James Madison QB Alonza Barnett III
Get familiar with the name!!!
The Dukes put up 63 pts!! 70 last week!!!
Barnett is a top 15 electric player in the country right now ? #JMU #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/3HNgusjqBi
— ? Nino?Brown ? (@__NinoBrown__) September 28, 2024
(18) Oklahoma (4-1) ⇑6
Last week: W 27-21 at Auburn
A road win at Auburn is fairly impressive. The Sooners were down 11 points in the fourth quarter and came back to win on the road. It was Auburn's first loss while leading by 11 in the fourth quarter since 1999.
Oklahoma pick six for the lead in the 4th quarter at Auburnpic.twitter.com/4HtmBYm5pt
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) September 28, 2024
(17) Arizona (3-1) (NR)
Last week: W 23-10 at (4) Utah
The convincing win over Utah on the road is impressive, but K-State still deserves to be in front. Now, if they had beaten Utah with a healthy Cameron Rising, it might be a different conversation.
(16) Kansas State (4-1) (NR)
Last week: W 42-20 vs. Oklahoma State
The home win over Arizona looks good, especially in light of what happened in Salt Lake City. BYU is being appropriately awarded for the destruction of Willie in Provo. The Wildcats find their way back in with a convincing win over the Pokes.
(15) Clemson (4-1) ⇑4
Last week: W 40-14 vs. Stanford
The Clemson offense keeps cruising, but Stanford and North Carolina State are both down this year. Are we being hoodwinked by Cade Klubnik again? Clemson's loss to Georgia keeps them ranked this high, but maybe it shouldn't.
(14) Boise State (4-1) (NR)
Last week: W 45-24 vs. (18) Washington State
We all know that the Heisman Trophy is the most worthless trophy in sports right now, but wouldn't it be something if a running back were still allowed to win it? I love what Travis Hunter is doing for Colorado, but Ashton Jeanty is putting up historic numbers. When you get mentioned in the same sentence as Barry Sanders, you know you're doing something right.
Ashton Jeanty is on pace to run for 3,380 yards + 52 TDs while averaging 10.3 per carry.
His 588 rushing yards after contact alone would put him 6th in the country in rushing + his 43 forced missed tackles leads the country.
All-time season. Heisman.pic.twitter.com/NgxQx7iPpJ
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) September 29, 2024
(13) Pittsburgh (4-0) ⇓1
Last week: Bye
The "good" win in the Backyard Brawl -- at home, no less -- may not be that good. Pitt falls again despite several losses in front of them.
(12) Michigan (4-1) ⇑4
Last week: W 27-24 vs. Minnesota
If it weren't for Kalel Mullings, Michigan would be 2-3. I never thought I would see the defense allow 21 fourth-quarter points to a struggling offense like Minnesota to almost snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It was this close:
even Helen Keller could see that no one was offsides for Minnesota. Michigan was just saved by the refs. Investigate everyone. pic.twitter.com/a1CJAZSSPE
— Ohio’s Tate (@BarstoolTate) September 28, 2024
I try not to complain about officiating. Honestly, it has been pretty good across the college game for the last few years. But this call...there is simply no excuse for it. Would Minnesota have won the game? With the offense going like it was in the fourth quarter and momentum on their side, I would say there's a good chance.
That's the thing though...we don't really know. Unfortunately, the refs thought they needed to be the focal point of the game. Even if it's close, you can't call this. This wasn't even close!
(11) Oregon (4-0) ⇑4
Last week: W 34-13 at UCLA
UCLA, huh? At least they're a name... In other news, the win over Boise is worth far more than UCLA...even if the Ducks should have lost that game.
(10) Missouri (4-0) ⇔
Last week: Bye
The going gets a lot tougher for the Tigers in October.
(9) UNLV (4-0) ⇑2
Last week: W 59-14 vs. Fresno State
This is what making a statement looks like. The starting quarterback tries to shake down the university for more money because the team is undefeated. The university tells him to get lost. Backup comes in and destroys a solid Fresno team.
Do you think that #UNLV is missing Matt Sluka yet? Yeah, I don’t think so either. Hajj-Malik Williams, oh my goodness. #Rebels up 38-7 on #Fresno State. pic.twitter.com/nfAx3bbrp9
— College Football Buzz (@CFBBUZ) September 28, 2024
I think the case can be made that Hajj-Malik Williams should have been starting for the entire year. He clearly has the support of his teammates and this defense is as much to "blame" for the best start since 1976 (when they were still a Division II school) than the original starting quarterback. I ask you...who deserves the raise in NIL money? Matt who?
(8) Miami (FL) (5-0) ⇔
Last week: W 38-34 vs. Virginia Tech
One could argue that Miami should be 4-1 and I would have a hard time disagreeing.
Here’s the shot from right behind the Hail Mary tonight between Virginia Tech and Miami.
You be the judge #Hokies … did Da’Quon Felton catch this ball? pic.twitter.com/I31Kb3rfGS
— Nels Williams (@NelsWilliams) September 28, 2024
I will say this about the call. The officials in both college and the NFL have been VERY clear about the need to control the catch all the way to the ground. I don't believe Felton did that here, but it's so hard to tell. I mean...we can see a hair on a gnat's chin from a satellite 11,000 miles away, but we can't get conclusive evidence in a football game? What are we even doing here?
I feel for you Virginia Tech fans. This was also originally called a touchdown. Another thing the NCAA has been very clear on is "indisputable evidence" to overturn. I don't think they have that evidence.
(7) Georgia (4-1) ⇓3
Last week: L 34-41 at (9) Alabama
I thought about punishing Georgia a little more, but coming back from four touchdowns behind on the road to take the lead late in the game shows what kind of team this is. I'm probably a little more harsh on Georgia than I should be, but it will even itself out. I promise.
(6) Penn State (3-0) ⇑8
Last week: W 21-7 vs. (7) Illinois
If the big win over Illinois had been on the road, Penn State would have earned a top-5 ranking this week. Dominant defense by the Nittany Lions made this game feel like a blowout even though it was a 14-point game.
(5) Iowa State (4-0) ⇑1
Last week: W 20-0 at Houston
Okay...maybe a win in Houston doesn't mean what it used to. This is the best start for Iowa State since 2000, so they have that going for them. The win in Iowa City in the CyHawk game keeps the Cyclones up near the top.
(4) BYU (5-0) ⇑1
Last week: W 34-28 at Baylor
Some of BYU's resume after five games.
5-0 record (1 of 5 teams nationally)
2-0 Big 12 (1 of 3 teams)
#2 Strength of Record (Bama is #1)
AP #17
ESPN FPI #34
Game Control Rank #7 pic.twitter.com/qyaDpezS3f
— Jarom Jordan (@jaromjordan) September 30, 2024
BYU finally got the monkey off their back. They dominated Baylor in the first half but nearly allowed the Bears to pull this out. A couple of big defensive series late in the game got BYU their first Big 12 (14) road win. I told you this team was built differently!
(3) Tennessee (4-0) ⇓1
Last week: Bye
The win over Oklahoma keeps the Vols afloat. More carnage in the top 25 shook things up in the lower ranks.
(2) Texas (5-0) ⇓1
Last week: 35-13 vs. Mississippi State
This game was closer than it should have been for longer than it should have been, but Arch Manning's second start was better than his first.
Arch Manning masterclass vs. Miss St ?
⭐️ 26-31
⭐️ 357 total YDs
⭐️ 3 total TDKid is SPECIAL. pic.twitter.com/PHysfj5egT
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 28, 2024
(1) Alabama (4-0) ⇑8
Last week: W 41-34 vs. (4) Georgia
Wow...what a game this was.
Nick Saban after Alabama scored to extend its lead to 27-0 against Georgia ? pic.twitter.com/4FlxrgzK9v
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 29, 2024
Tough crowd, I tell you. This was it, right? It was a laugher in Tuscaloosa with the Tide up by the "four score" Abraham Lincoln was talking about at Gettysburg. Georgia being Georgia, they weren't going to go quietly. They stormed back to take the lead after almost 58 minutes.
“CAN YOU BELIEVE IT GEORGIA HAS THE LEAD”
IT WAS 28-0 ALABAMA
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) September 29, 2024
Georgia managed to hold the lead for a whopping 13 seconds before a 17-year-old receiver made the catch of his life. If Ryan Willams is to top this, he'll be in the Hall of Fame someday.
17 years old, making a play like this in an atmosphere like this in a situation like this. Alabama vs Georgia.
Ryan Williams just had an experience most people can only dream of pic.twitter.com/Jlcd7KaWsd
— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) September 29, 2024
When the dust settled, Alabama had beaten Georgia again, and Oklahoma's 47-game winning streak was still intact. All is right in the college football universe.
Alabama has Georgia's number ? pic.twitter.com/7cOHMbGgR7
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 29, 2024
Others Receiving Votes
- Illinois
- Utah
- Notre Dame
- LSU
- Duke
- Mississippi
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